Category Archives: Touring

E195 – Lenny Anderson, Touring Old-School

July 28, 2014Adventure, Bicycling, Camping, Touring, Train Travel, Travelsprocketpodcast

This week we bring back Lenny “the King of Swan Island” Anderson to tell us about the days of touring without all the fancy gadgets you kids have these days. The last time we talked with Lenny we didn’t get any of his touring stories. He did not disappoint this time. Though he was not impressed with my choice of beverage.

Also with us is Dan B. who comes to PDX from the Volunteer State. Dan will be starting a podcast on sustainability with his siblings and wanted to see what podcasting Sprocket-style looks like. God luck, Dan!

Oh, and Lisa’s back! She has a funny anecdote that turns into a plug for Gladys Bikes (take a drink Krista S).

Mail

We got physical mail From Mark in San Jose!

We got Voicemail from Tim Mooney

From Johnny K. in FLA: Aaron got the intro, hates clowns, and wants breakfast on his commute.

From Josh G. in Concordia: “I vote Eilif your most entertaining guest.. up there with brewmaster Dan Hynes from Thunder Island Brewing.”

From Brock Dittus in Lake Chelan
“I only took two pictures! But here they are. No. 2 is a sunRISE, even though it looks like a sunset.”

News

From Gizmodo via listener Mark V: How Cyclists on Fixies Saved California’s Mail Service 120 Years Ago

From TriMet: an open house on the new Orange Line

find us on the Internet at thesprocketpodcast.com
send feedback about the program and suggestions for topics or guests –
write us via email, the address is thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
call and leave us a message or text to 503.847.9774
connect with us on Twitter @SprocketPodcast
thanks to Ryan J Lane for providing our theme music
thanks to Hurtbird for our headlines sounder

and thanks to our sustaining donors Logan Smith, Shadowfoot, Kathrina Mellemgaard, Roger Grigsby , Wayne Norman, Doug Robertson, Ethan Georgi, Justin Martin and Eric Iverson

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E194 – Swing-Bike Eric and His Amazing Friends

July 21, 2014Adventure, Alternate Fuels, Bicycling, Technology, Touringsprocketpodcast

A little out-of-the-norm for us cycle-tourists, but who doesn’t like some good old-fashioned fun on bikes? Today we talk about bike fun on bikes that are fun in their own right. Swing Bikes!!! Eric Iverson, now dubbed Swingbike Eric, come to the studio with his friends J.P. and Eilif who introduced me to maybe one of the most fun ways to get from Point A to Point B. It’s possible you’ve already met these three. Anyone remember that whole Grill By Bike ride?!? That was these guys, and you know we’re gonna be talking about that.

mail (btw, this is the 4th time I’ve edited and posted this section)

from Johnny K. in FLA:
secret agent 004 was in the movie Thunderball
Marvin K Mooney will you please go now!

from Wayne Norman
“I can assure you that Roger and I are not ‘together’”

Eric W: hand positions and loss of feeling in fingers

Roger ups his donation amount after being entertained.

News
From Gearjunkie.com, via Brock: (“Holy shit. I’m drunk in eastern wa and this looks amazing”): Triple-Fat-Tire Trike Is Beast Made For Sand And Snow

From Bike Portland: Bike Tourism & Transit

find us on the Internet at thesprocketpodcast.com
send feedback about the program and suggestions for topics or guests –
write us via email, the address is thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
call and leave us a message or text to 503.847.9774
connect with us on Twitter @SprocketPodcast
thanks to Ryan J Lane for providing our theme music
thanks to Hurtbird for our headlines sounder

and thanks to our sustaining donors Logan Smith, Shadowfoot, Kathrina Mellemgaard, Roger Grigsby , Wayne Norman, Doug Robertson, Ethan Georgi, Justin Martin and Eric Iverson

still working out my page format issues (really!)

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E192 – Sprocket/Pedalshift Crossover

July 13, 2014Bicycling, Touringsprocketpodcast

Tim Mooney from D.C. is in town for The World Domination Summit. What started out as a chance to connect over a beer and soda turned into not one, but two episodes of talking and fun. We discuss Tim’s tour curse, his newest foray into podcasting, selling out.

Headlines:

Aaron sells out! After 2+ years of being cash-only I decide to get a bank account. To be clear, this doesn’t make me any more of an adult than I already am! Not really talked about in our headline section, I actually break the news during the meat of our talks.

from everywhere: the netospheres is angry again, I couldn’t help but bring thisWashington Post article up with Tim.

Mail:

From Dan Portland

“…I was wondering if you would be willing to let me sit in on the recording and/or production of an episode…”

From my Brother Dan (a one-act play performed by Sprocket Theatre):

“So Bob the Afghan, a friend of mine, asked on facebook to name his child and I was just kidding with my suggestions. Well…. Lesson learned.”

From JohnnyK: on monstrous mosquitos, the Star Trek religion, and U.S. Presidents.

find us on the Internet at thesprocketpodcast.com
send feedback about the program and suggestions for topics or guests –
write us via email, the address is thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
call and leave us a message or text to 503.847.9774
connect with us on Twitter @SprocketPodcast
thanks to Ryan J Lane for providing our theme music
thanks to Hurtbird for our headlines sounder
and thanks to our sustaining donors Logan Smith, Shadowfoot, Kathrina Mellemgaard, Roger Grigsby & Wayne Norman, Doug Robertson, Ethan Georgi, Justin Martin and Terra Firma

don’t know what’s up with the spacing and formatting.

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E191 – Maria Schur’s Oregon Outback plus Brock and Adele week 1&2

July 12, 2014Adventure, Bicycling, Camping, Doin' It, Kitchen, Touringsprocketpodcast

Maria Schur’s second time on the show was a little difficult to get recorded. Scheduling conflicts abounded! Still, I felt it important, nay necessary, to get her story out for all of you to hear. In the end, I took a ride to her place with iPod in hand and sat down with her for some morning coffee and conversation.

Pictures!! I keep forgetting to take pictures. These next few shows may be semi-photoless. For what it’s worth, I did get a shot of the steed she rode through the Outback.

I dub this episode an “aaron light” episode. No mail or headlines this week, but I did insert Brock and Adele’s week 1 and 2 dispatches from the road.

as always:

and thanks to our sustaining donors Logan Smith, Shadowfoot, Kathrina Mellemgaard, Roger Grigsby & Wayne Norman, Doug Robertson, Ethan Georgi, Justin Martin and Terra Firma

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E190 – 2 of 3 Kell(e)ys, Hugh from SoCal, Where’s Coconut Bill?

July 4, 2014Adventure, Bicycling, Fun, Touringsprocketpodcast

Three guests in one show?!? Holy shit, I’m turning into a real host! This week we bring 2 of the three Kell(e)ys that have admitted to liking this podcast. They brought their friend Hugh from LA. Say what you want about those “California a-holes” (inside joke for you, Purple and Orange), but they get kudos from me for biking in a car-centric city-state. Here’s what Neighbor Kelley had to say about it:

“We sure know how to BS. Thanks again for having us on! Here is Hugh’s blog: velocipedemusings. And since Flickr is what brought us together as friends and where we share our life and often bikey & hikey adventures, here are our Flickr pages: socalpedalpusher (Hugh)’s Flickr, Coffee Kelley’s Flickr, Neighbor Kelly’s Flickr

Also, those cookies….nom, nom, nom…so good :-)”

Yes, I’m not beneath bribing a potential with cookies.

But enough about the podcast. Listen for yourself.

Headlines:

From Tory Orzeck: Orp Lights are now available.

From everywhere: Amtrak Viewliner II baggage car field testing

also: Amtrak to welcome bicycling passengers by end of the year

From Bike Portland: aggro pickup truck driver gets served

Mail:

From: David N. in Portland, OR:
“Climber Kyle Dempster made a film called “The Road from Karakol” that is outstanding. His idea was to bike across Kazakstan from climbing spot to climbing spot, not the big destinations, just what he cod find on his biking route. He bought a $100 mountain bike off Craigslist and a used trailer and off he went. It’s pretty inspiring.”

From: Richard W. of suberbanassault.org suggests we use Patreon!

From: Anna O. from OK:
“As a bike shop employee this place sounds like paradise minus the cat hair. Anyway the important thing to say here is you guys rock super hard and after I finish Bike School at UBI (Ashland campus) in August I’ll come bug ya.”

From brother Dan on the facebooks:
“Sulu was in Yellow also, Disney probably has a shadow profile in their databases containing fingerprints, several facial pictures, lists of who your family and friends are, email adresses, etc…”

From Johnny K in FLA:
“Okay I see now if you sit in the co-host chair you’re just lost. Is that chair some kind of brain sucking device or what…”

Sara D in SF sends us a book and donation:
“I listen to the podcast while the girl I nanny takes a nap and I do laundry. I look forward to it every week. after seeing this book at her house I thought of you guys. Enjoy!”

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E187 – Ellee Thalheimer: Cycling Sojourner Washington Edition

June 10, 2014Adventure, Bicycling, Touringsprocketpodcast

“This is my first post.” Aaron takes a shot at editing and engineering while Brock steps back before his and Adele’s big sumer trip. We couldn’t have asked for a better guest to have for this experience. Ellee Thalheimer joins us for the third time with stories of traveling through our neighbor state to the north. Listen up! Then go buy her new book Cycling Sojourner: Washington.

Also: It’s Pedalpalooza!! Yes, we talk about the WNBR. Aaron went on some non-nude rides because he’s got body-shame. Also stay tuned for an exciting conclusion to Aaron’s Cedar Pointe anecdote. Or don’t. Listen to Brock instead as he guests on our friend, Tim Mooney’s, new podcast: The Pedalshift Project.

Mail: Brock’s friend, Ben sends us a cool vid of a tree house with a bike elevator. Bike-evator?

Shelagh “YEG-babe” Kubish sends us a graphic that just about sums up our ethos.

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

Thanks to our sustaining donors for supporting our show costs:
Logan Smith, Shadowfoot, Kathrina Mellemgaard, Roger Grigsby, Wayne Norman, Doug Robertson, Ethan Georgi, & Justin Martin

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E185 – Tammy Strobel & Logan Smith: Tiny CA

May 27, 2014Adventure, Advocacy, Bicycling, Camping, Car Ownership, Communication, Downsizing, Family, History, Housing, Technology, The Law, Touring, Transit, Travel, Urban Design, Walkingsprocketpodcast

Tammy Strobel & Logan Smith share a tiny house parked in rural northern California. We spoke with them just as they were moving there from Portland a few years ago, and now they return to fill us in on the experience as it has shaped up over time. Tammy writes at RowdyKittens.com, and Logan blogs at loganblairsmith.com

A few links of interest to things in our discussion:
the Caravan tiny house hotel in Portland, OR
the Recode Oregon project working on code issues with alternative dwelllings
the Phone Bloks project for modular mobile technology

Also: Brock & Aaron talk about their weekends, and a freight train passes.

Mail
Tim in DC shares a soggy episode, and the ranking of bicycle cities.

Kirk twitters about our similarities to Sound Opinions.

Brandon shares the IKEA electric bicycle (available only in Europe, presently).

Bob shares the news about Wash Cycle Laundry!

Tour De Clack is coming June 14!

Phoebe from Boston does a write up of her visit to Portland.

Pat writes in to comfort Aaron on his experience of eating fried baloney.

Roger sends in an update on the case of the lady suing a dead bicyclist’s family.

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

Thanks to our sustaining donors for supporting our show costs:
Logan Smith, Shadowfoot, Kathrina Mellemgaard, Roger Grigsby, Wayne Norman, Doug Robertson, Ethan Georgi, & Justin Martin

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E182 – Jerry Zelada: Advocacy is Easy

May 6, 2014Adventure, Advocacy, Bicycling, Business, Communication, Technology, The Law, Touring, Train Travel, Transit, Travel, Urban Design, Walkingsprocketpodcast

Jerry Zelada is an optometrist by day, and an advocate by night. Actually, he’s always an advocate and an activist, because that’s how changes get made at the levels that matter. We talk to him about how bicycling runs in his family and his touring adventures in an earlier decade, the infrastructure debate surrounding Portland’s NE 28th Avenue business district, and how the state of Oregon provided a place at the table for nonmotorized road users in all areas of the state through the ODOT ACT. Jerry’s website is: zelada.com

Also:
Gladys Bikes move-by-bike
tickets now available for Aftermass
No Tech Magazine shares an 8 wheeled cargo hauler

Headlines
BikePortland: Skamania Transit offers bike-friendly weekend service starting May 1

[Also, UrbanTurnip offered on twitter: “i thought #skamania was going to be a music festival or a checkered bike lane”]

TriMet: Ride around Washington Park FREE! Line 83 weekend service begins May 3

Mail
Eric from Portland wants to know what bike shorts and chamois creams we prefer. We respond by encouraging the use of leather saddles.

Doug on Surly snobs & custom details.

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E181 – Boaz Frankel & Phillip Ross: Pedal Powered Talk Show

April 30, 2014Adventure, Bicycling, Cargo, Communication, Downsizing, Technology, Touring, Train Travel, Transit, Travel, Walkingsprocketpodcast

photo by Clay Nowak

Boaz Frankel is the host of the Pedal Powered Talk Show, a short form series that features interesting and unique personalities from around Oregon; he also once set therecord for the most high fives given in an hour, and took a non-motorized “un-road trip” across America.

Phillip Ross is the owner and founder of Metrofiets, the company that designs and builds classy US made cargo bikes for utility and fun. He’s the power behind the pedals for the Talk Show!

We discuss the Pedal Powered Talk Show, now in Season 3! A little about the Metrofiets Desk Bike, how the show works (or doesn’t, in the case of their recently revealed crash story), traveling to Eastern Oregon and an appeal to Portlandia!

Also:
Pedal powered talk show season three launch party
tickets now available for Aftermass
Gladys Bikes is moving by bike!

Headlines
BikePortland: Domino’s Pizza gets a cargo bike
I Love The Bus: A Lesson in Letting Go

Mail
Justin is our newest regular donor, thanks a bunch!

Bryce is listening to the backlog and sends a link to Ron Dickinson’s tour blog.

Roger shares Tom Allen’s new Guide to Cycle Touring! For all the “gear heads” out there.

Phil from AK: Fatbikes!

Glenn from YEG taped our show intro outside the Clinton Street Theater, and made a nice little wrap up video of his trip to Portland!

Shadowfoot found a picture of a tallbike.

Eric had an #ELF sighting in DC during this morning’s ride to work.

Logan Smith
Shadowfoot
Kathrina Mellemgaard
Roger Grigsby
Wayne Norman
Doug Robertson
Ethan Georgi
Justin Martin

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E180 – Dan Kaufman & Nathan Jones: Fatbikes & GPS

April 21, 2014Adventure, Advocacy, Bicycling, Camping, Cargo, Mountain Biking, Racing, Technology, Touring, Trail Riding, Train Travel, Travelsprocketpodcast

Dan Kaufman runs CrankMyChain Cycle TV & pdxk productions and has a deep love for bicycles and their implications for culture & conservation (and this time around, we didn’t make him come on the show while he lost his voice!)
Nathan Jones is the proprietor of Ride Yr Bike and has had numerous inspiring adventures in nature using bikes, including Tour Divide, the Oregon Outback, and his inspired TransAmerica touring race.

Both of them also are enthusiastic supporters of the Salmonberry Corridor project to renovate a derelict rail line into a multi-use path from Washington County to the Oregon coast; so much so, in fact, that they rode self-supported to one of the public input meetings in Wheeler, OR to add their voices. We talk about all of this and more!

Also:
tickets now available for Aftermass
Pedal powered talk show season three launch party

Headlines
OregonLive: a name is chosen for the new transit bridge!

Mail
Steve in WY feels for Aaron & his donut shop conflict, and is glad that the small towns he lives in are bike friendly places.