Category Archives: Simpler Living

E304 – Will Has New Rain Barrels

June 21, 2016Advocacy, Beer, Bicycling, Car Ownership, Cargo, Family, Fun, Gardening, Housing, Mechanics, Simpler Living, Technology, The Law, Urban Design, Weathersprocketpodcast

Will Vanlue is back! With new tales of rain barrels and riding bikes with his son! He breaks down what’s great about low-car life in a family context, recaps his fascinating rain barrel system described in episode 236 and describes the upgrade that he recently installed! Resilience is strong with this one.

Will recommends Green Concepts Container as a resource for clean, safe barrels.

Here’s the link to the City of Portland’s (surprisingly useful) rain barrel guide:

https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bes/article/378190

Calendar

June 24: The Little Lebowski Urban Achiever Ride (NEW DATE)
July 1: nails yall pop-up at Gladys Bikes 6-8pm
July 16: Brompton Urban Challenge!
August 11: Pam Nichols Art Show at Western Bike Works Tigard 6pm

Headlines
BikePortland journalism scores two awards in five-state contest

From oregonlive.com: Washington State provost grows bee beard to raise cash for bee center

From The Mirror, via bikeportland.org: Mum unwittingly joins triathlon bike ride – and ends up cycling entire route

Mail
New donor Michael Flournoy, thanks!

Unicorn Mike is going to have an adventure, but it’s not our fault.

Richard W warns of heat exhaustion, but likes the heat; also notifies of a new show called Ride Bikes Radio.

Fine Print
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
phone/SMS: 503-847-9774
twitter: @SprocketPodcast

Thanks to our sustaining donors for supporting our show costs:
Logan Smith, JohnnyK, Shadowfoot, Kathrina Mellemgaard, Wayne Norman,Doug Robertson, Ethan Georgi, Justin Martin, Eric Iverson, Cameron Lien, Richard Wezensky, Tim Mooney, Orange & Purple, Glenn Kubish, Matt Kelly, Jim Goodin, Eric Weisz, Doug CohenMiller, Todd Parker, Scott McAllister Morgan, Chris Gonzalez, Dan Gebhart, Zoe Campagna, Andy Brunner, Dave Knows, Chris Smith, Christi Caister, Caleb Jenkinson, JP Kewley, Peanut Butter Jar Matt, Patrick Archain, Sebastien Poule, Marco Lo, Rich Otterstrom, Andrew Alderson, Drew the Welder, Anna, Krista, Jon Wasserman, Andre Johnson, Shelly & Troy, Kingof Division, Josh Zisson, Richard G, Guthrie Straw, Christopher Barnett, Branden Shelby, Kampcite, Aaron Green, Mac Nurse David, Kathryn Minchin, Nathan Poulton, Chris Rawson, Rory Closz, Michael Flournoy

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E303 – Joe Kurmaskie: Too Metal Cowboy

June 15, 2016Adventure, Advocacy, Bicycling, Camping, Car Ownership, Communication, Downsizing, Fun, Hair, Handcycling, Health, Simpler Living, Touring, Travelsprocketpodcast

Joe Kurmaskie, famously known as bicycle touring storyteller The Metal Cowboy, joins us to tell some stories from the road, update us on his hereditary genetic disorder he recently discovered he was living with and what he’s doing to help others it affects, and discuss some local politics and social responsibilities. Expect the rich and entertaining style you’ve come to expect from the cowboy – he brings it!

Visit ironitout.org to learn more about Hereditary Hemochromatosis (Iron Overload).
Find Joe and his new book Falling Down In Public at metalcowboy.com

Also: Brock had an epic weekend with Grilled By Bike and Aaron and Anna almost missed the Prince/Bowie ride

Calendar
June 15: Biking Vikings!
June 18: The 3rd Annual Bike Mechanic Challenge! (SOLD OUT!)
June 21: The Pollen Ride! (NEW DATE)
June 24: The Little Lebowski Urban Achiever Ride (NEW DATE)
July 16: Brompton Urban Challenge!
August 11: Pam Nichols Art Show at Western Bike Works
All Summer: Outer Rim Bicycles + Gateway Brewing – Fridays & Saturdays 12-6

Mail
Whoa! iTunes review describes us as “Sriracha sauce for my brain!”

Mark still has our Team Sincerity spoke card!

Mac-Nurse David passes along “Where are my pants”

Logan from shows us an all wheel drive bike

Fine Print
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
phone/SMS: 503-847-9774
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
Thanks to our sustaining donors for supporting our show costs:
Logan Smith, JohnnyK, Shadowfoot, Kathrina Mellemgaard, Wayne Norman,Doug Robertson, Ethan Georgi, Justin Martin, Eric Iverson, Cameron Lien, Richard Wezensky, Tim Mooney, Orange & Purple, Glenn Kubish, Matt Kelly, Jim Goodin, Eric Weisz, Doug CohenMiller, Todd Parker, Scott McAllister Morgan, Chris Gonzalez, Dan Gebhart, Zoe Campagna, Andy Brunner, Dave Knows, Chris Smith, Christi Caister, Caleb Jenkinson, JP Kewley, Peanut Butter Jar Matt, Patrick Archain, Sebastien Poule, Marco Lo, Rich Otterstrom, Andrew Alderson, Drew the Welder, Anna, Krista, Jon Wasserman, Andre Johnson, Shelly & Troy, Kingof Division, Josh Zisson, Richard G, Guthrie Straw, Christopher Barnett, Branden Shelby, Kampcite, Aaron Green, Mac Nurse David, Kathryn Minchin, Nathan Poulton, Chris Rawson, Rory Closz

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E300b – Heinz Stücke Travels The World for 50 Years

May 27, 2016Adventure, Beer, Bicycling, Camping, Communication, Downsizing, Fun, History, Housing, Kitchen, Simpler Living, Touring, Travel, Weathersprocketpodcast

For part of our 300th episode gala, how could we possibly avoid sharing the many stories and perspectives of one Heinz Stücke, especially when he came to Portland?

Heinz is promoting his new book, Home Is Elsewhere, as he cycles across America. He’s been everywhere, man, and has some wisdom to share on nearly every aspect of living on the road. He’s been sponsored by Brompton, everyone’s favorite folding bicycle company, since 2009, who has helped bring his book to the presses and on to the public!

Thanks to Clever Cycles in Portland, Oregon for hosting this informal session. Like we said, he’s been everywhere, so this Q&A lasts for almost two hours. Our recording got the whole room so it’s a little echo-y. But it’s all good stuff! We hope you enjoy hearing from this legendary icon of bicycle touring.

Oh yeah, Shawn Granton did a write-up on this event too!

And if you want even more Heinz, former Sprocket Podcast guests Travelling Two also did an interview with him back in 2010!

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E300 – THE BIG ONE

May 24, 2016Adventure, Advocacy, Beer, Bicycling, Camping, Car Ownership, Car Sharing, Communication, Downsizing, Fun, History, Housing, Kitchen, Simpler Living, Technology, Touring, Train Travel, Transit, Travel, Urban Designsprocketpodcast

Well, this is it. We made it to 300 episodes, and, rather than go big with a live event like we have for previous milestone episodes, we decided to go small and dive into our own internal process on bicycling, the simpler life, and our relationship with you, the listener. Brock & Aaron do a little intro banter, and then both of us recorded monologues that we hope are enlightening, encouraging, and express our grateful attitude toward your repeat visits to our little show every week.

Thanks so much for listening! We wouldn’t be here without you.

also: Brock hiked in central Oregon and tried to help a phoneless guy, and Aaron saw lifetime bicycle tourist Heinz Stucke. Look for audio from his appearance atClever Cycles in our feed soon!

Thanks to our generous sponsor The Beer Mongers and our Patreon donors that keep us going!

Calendar
June 10: The Little Lebowski Urban Achiever Ride
June 11: The Last Bowie/Prince Ride
June 11: Grilled By Bike!
June 15: The Pollen Ride! Comisserate with fellow allergen-sufferers
June 18: The 3rd Annual Bike Mechanic Challenge!
July 16: Brompton Urban Challenge!

Headlines

Columbia Gorge Express opens up bus service to areas east of Portland for carless people!

WBUR covers move by bike in Portland! Thanks for the link, Josh G.

Mail

Tim from Pedalshift shares the can opener hack.

Jim in NY talks about getting into a collision, observing a grief and our influence on his thought process.

Chris in Denver shares his self-defense strategy: pepper spray, mounted on the handlebars.

Swiftly, a classy transit app, is launching in Portland.

Fine Print
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
phone/SMS: 503-847-9774
twitter: @SprocketPodcast

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E299 – David Goes Places

May 17, 2016Adventure, Beer, Bicycling, Camping, Cargo, Fun, Mechanics, Mountain Biking, Mountains, Racing, Simpler Living, Technology, Touring, Transit, Travel, Unicycling, Urban Designsprocketpodcast

David Robinson helped a bunch of people enjoy a Saturday by making them ride in circles (i.e. The Ladd’s 500) and also had a hell of a time riding his bike through the woods (the Venersborg 200). Such adventures bear repeating for our benefit!

Also: Brock took a practice hike. Aaron drove through the original and better Broadway. They both went to a school bus rodeo!

And: Shadowfoot is in the studio with us from NZ!

Thanks to our generous sponsor The Beer Mongers and our Patreon donors that keep us going!

Calendar
May 19: 5-7pm at Clever Cycles, Hug Your Dog Tour
May 20: 6-7pm at Clever Cycles, Heinz Stucke: 50 Years Around the World by Bike
June 10: The Little Lebowski Urban Achiever Ride
June 11: The Last Bowie/Prince Ride
June 11: Grilled By Bike! Eric VM
June 15: The Pollen Ride! Comisserate with fellow allergen-sufferers
June 18: The 3rd Annual Bike Mechanic Challenge!

Headlnes
Dan C. is on KPSU

From bikepackersmagazine.com via new listener Aqua: Introducing the Bikepack Backpack

From bikepacking.com BIKEPACKING HACKS

Mail
New Listener Aqua!

Tweet from Pedalshift: “Old Skool bike touring slogan from @brockmon & @sprocketpodcast appropriated by a flavored sugar water company”

From Sebastien Poole: Estrella Beer in the USA

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E296 – David Talks Tech

April 27, 2016Adventure, Beer, Bicycling, Communication, Downsizing, Simpler Living, Technology, Transit, Urban Design, Walkingsprocketpodcast

Mac Nurse David stops in to talk about how we think about technology in a fast-paced age. He used to be a customer support representative before he entered the medical field, but a few years ago he got tired of machines intruding on his life. We ask what he did about it and how he feels now. He also gave us some government issue pens!

Also: Brock & Aaron did Ronde PDX!

Thanks to our generous sponsor The Beer Mongers and our Patreon donors that keep us going!

Calendar

5/6,7,8/16 Filmed By Bike at the Hollywood Theatre with (off) Street Party at Velo Cult bike shop on Friday 5/6 5-9:30pm

June 15 – The Pollen Ride! Comisserate with fellow allergen-sufferers

6:15pm at the Vera Katz Statue

The 3rd Annual Bike Mechanic Challenge!
Saturday, June 18, 2016 from 6:30 PM to 10:00 PM

Headlines
From OPAL.org: The Oregonian is Wrong on YouthPass

From theverge.com via Johnny K This bicycle has 4GB of RAM: and lasers too

Mail
Kathryn is a new donor!

Fine Print
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
phone/SMS: 503-847-9774
twitter: @SprocketPodcast

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E281 – Renee T: West End Transit (or, Squatchin’ By Bus)

February 2, 2016Adventure, Advocacy, Beer, Bicycling, Boats, Business, Camping, Car Ownership, Fun, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Mountains, Simpler Living, Touring, Train Travel, Transit, Travel, Walkingsprocketpodcast

Renee works to make sure there is transit access to popular outdoors destinations in the Columbia River Gorge by helping to manage outreach and marketing for the West End Transit (WET) Bus in Washington State’s Skamania County! Get to the trailhead without a car with the help of Friends of the Columbia Gorge!

Brock climbed 3200 feet and saw Peter Koonce, and Aaron stared at a “family” meeting in Mexico, and is looking for a house to move into.

headlines

4/5/16 7pm humanity On wheels 3 from kick ass oregon history and trimet diariesat the Jack London bar!

Microcosm Publishing turns 20! Fabulous local punk startup celebrates the anniversary on February 12 2016, 5pm at Velo Cult, and Joe Biel gives a reading at Powell’s Books Hawthorne on February 11 2016, 7:30pm

From Momentum via PBJMatt: South Dakota is fighting with Missouri over the dumbest cycling laws

mail

Johnnyk made us a Roku: https://my.roku.com/add/TheSprocket

“Well I hope you don’t shoot me but I listen to your podcast through my TV.”

Sebastien loved Nathan’s “ripping yarn” about CA travel. Made him think of this classic picture:

And Scott liked our f*** CA outro; was more offended that we forgot he lived there!

Eric Iverson: “I’m obviously on board for a #kingofdivision ride to Oxbow park w/@kingofdivision &@SprocketPodcast! #pedalpalooza ?”

Josh G wants a commenrtary on the Chinese bike racing movie “To the Fore”?

Fine Print

music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
phone/SMS: 503-847-9774
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
mail things to:

Brock Dittus/The Sprocket Podcast
℅ IPRC
1001 SE Division St
Portland OR 97202

Thanks to our sustaining donors for supporting our show costs:
Logan Smith, JohnnyK, Shadowfoot, Kathrina Mellemgaard, Wayne Norman,Doug Robertson, Ethan Georgi, Justin Martin, Eric Iverson, Cameron Lien, Richard Wezensky, Tim Mooney, Orange & Purple, Glenn Kubish, Matt Kelly, Jim Goodin, Eric Weisz, Doug CohenMiller, Todd Parker, Scott McAllister Morgan, Chris Gonzalez, Dan Gebhart, Zoe Campagna, Andy Brunner, Dave Knows, Chris Smith, Christi Caister, Caleb Jenkinson, JP Kewley, Peanut Butter Jar Matt, Patrick Archain, Gabriel Trainer, Sebastien Poule, Marco Lo, Rich Otterstrom, Andrew Alderson, Drew the Welder, Anna, Krista, Jon Wasserman, Andre Johnson, Shelly & Troy, Kingof Division, Josh Zisson, Richard G, Guthrie Straw

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E280 – Bobby & Spencer Tour America

January 30, 2016Adventure, Bicycling, Camping, Fun, Simpler Living, Touring, Travel, Urban Designsprocketpodcast

Bobby Corbisier & Spencer Callahan are two bike mechanics from Portland who we first met on a bicycle camping trip to Stubb Stewart State Park two years ago! Since then, they embarked on a crosscountry bicycle tour, starting on established routes, but soon looking for more obscure routes they fashioned themselves. And they played a game of hot potato.

Also: Aaron shares some Mexico stories, and Brock reluctantly adopted Strava to calculate the inaccuracy of his caloric budget.

Brock Dittus/The Sprocket Podcast
℅ IPRC
1001 SE Division St
Portland OR 97202

Thanks to our sustaining donors for supporting our show costs:
Logan Smith, JohnnyK, Shadowfoot, Kathrina Mellemgaard, Wayne Norman, Doug Robertson, Ethan Georgi, Justin Martin, Eric Iverson, Cameron Lien, Richard Wezensky,Tim Mooney, Orange & Purple, Glenn Kubish, Matt Kelly, Jim Goodin, Eric Weisz, Doug CohenMiller, Todd Parker, Scott McAllister Morgan, Chris Gonzalez, Dan Gebhart, Zoe Campagna, Andy Brunner, Dave Knows, Chris Smith, Christi Caister, Caleb Jenkinson, JP Kewley, Peanut Butter Jar Matt, Patrick Archain, Gabriel Trainer, Sebastien Poule, Marco Lo, Rich Otterstrom, Andrew Alderson, Drew the Welder, Anna, Krista, Jon Wasserman, Andre Johnson, Shelly & Troy, Kingof Division, Josh Zisson, Richard G, Guthrie Straw

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E279 – Joe Biel: Good Trouble

January 28, 2016Advocacy, Bicycling, Business, Communication, Downsizing, History, Simpler Livingsprocketpodcast

Joe Biel has been running Microcosm Publishing, an independent book and ‘zine publishing organization, for twenty years in many locations and iterations, starting with a milk crate he took to music venues that hosted punk shows. Now he has released his memoir, Good Trouble, about his experience building that history and how it was influenced by his adult diagnosis with Asperger’s Syndrome. We’re glad he’s kept at it, and joined him at his house to chat about his perspective on the world through the lens of simpler living!

Several anniversary events for Microcosm are planned – a reading on February 11 2016 at Powell’s Books on Hawthorne (Joe’s guest post on their blog here, too!) anda party at Velo Cult Bike Shop & Tavern on February 12 2016!

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E278 – Nathan Jones’ Spicy Southwestern…

January 25, 2016Adventure, Air Travel, Bicycling, Boats, Fun, Housing, Mountain Biking, Mountains, Simpler Living, Technology, The Law, Theft, Touring, Travel, Urban Design, Walking, Weathersprocketpodcast

Nathan Jones is the reigning world champion, but encountered a significant setback on his most recent conquest. From Portland to California’s Central Valley and back again, but not in the way you’d expect.

Brock lost some important bits of metal, and Aaron went to MEXICO.

headlines

4/5/16 7pm humanity On wheels 3 from kick ass oregon history and trimet diariesat the Jack London bar!

mail

Richard yells at our podcast about toy HPVs. Shares a badass adult big wheel video!

JohnnyK had a big wheel too! And passes on Paul Elkins’ DIY projects, as well as something that makes this, too, #boatmonth: a bike-towable boat camper.

PBJ Matt is a fan of wonky conversations!

Box Bike Collective in Santa Cruz is launching a funding project for affordable e-assist cargo bikes!’

Brock Dittus/The Sprocket Podcast
℅ IPRC
1001 SE Division St
Portland OR 97202

Thanks to our sustaining donors for supporting our show costs:
Logan Smith, JohnnyK, Shadowfoot, Kathrina Mellemgaard, Wayne Norman,Doug Robertson, Ethan Georgi, Justin Martin, Eric Iverson, Cameron Lien, Richard Wezensky, Tim Mooney, Orange & Purple, Glenn Kubish, Matt Kelly, Jim Goodin, Eric Weisz, Doug CohenMiller, Todd Parker, Scott McAllister Morgan, Chris Gonzalez, Dan Gebhart, Zoe Campagna, Andy Brunner, Dave Knows, Chris Smith, Christi Caister, Caleb Jenkinson, JP Kewley, Peanut Butter Jar Matt, Patrick Archain, Gabriel Trainer, Sebastien Poule, Marco Lo, Rich Otterstrom, Andrew Alderson, Drew the Welder, Anna, Krista, Jon Wasserman, Andre Johnson, Shelly & Troy, Kingof Division, Josh Zisson, Richard G, Guthrie Straw

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