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.

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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E184 – Brandon Rhodes: Rolling Oasis

May 21, 2014Advocacy, Bicycling, Business, Cargo, Gardening, Kitchen, Technology, Urban Design, Walkingsprocketpodcast

Brandon Rhodes, besides being one of the show’s founding cohosts and an all-around good guy, is the proprietor of the new sustainable (and replicable) local produce delivery service Rolling Oasis. He had a vision for a business that would connect his neighbors to healthier food options while he aimed to connect with his neighbors, and thus a great idea was born. We get the skinny from him on how his model works and what it’s been like to launch the venture! Steph Routh fills in as cohost in Aaron’s absence.

Also:
Brock & Adele’s bike move
tickets now available for Aftermass
Kick Ass Oregon History’s summer road trip
Pedalpalooza! it’s June 5th – 28th this year.

Headlines
BikePortland: Something has gone wrong in Portland
c|net: the inventor of Palchohol explains how it works (via Logan)

Mail
Mark sends us links to AAA roadside support for cyclists, and some posters from the “golden age of bicycling.”

Dan (whom we convinced to move to Portland… kind of) weighs in on snippy attitudes between cyclists.

So, who would YOU like to see as guests for our big 202 epic live episode? We wanna hear your top fives!

Sebastian shares: “I’ve occaisionally heard the phrase “bandit camping” in your podcasts. This fellow artfully takes the practice to new heights.”

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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E183b – Joe Biel talks Amtrak & Aftermass

May 16, 2014Adventure, Bicycling, Communication, The Law, Train Travelsprocketpodcast

Brock dropped into Microcosm Publishing’s offices to chat with Joe Biel, the filmmaker behind the new documentary Aftermass. It surveys a history of the activism & advocacy behind Portland’s bicycle culture, and explores the history of Portland’s Critical Mass ride and what it can tell us about the city we live in today.

Joe’s dog Ruby joined us for the interview, and we began with some discussion about Amtrak and passenger train travel before getting into the film!

If you live in Portland, the film premiers at the Clinton Street Theater on May 23, 2014 at 7pm for just $7. If you don’t live near Portland you might be able to catch the film with the Dinner & Bikes Tour 2014 down the eastern seaboard!

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

Audio Player

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E183 – Diane Goodwin: Transit On Tap

May 13, 2014Advocacy, Bicycling, Brewing, Car Ownership, Communication, Racing, Technology, The Law, Transit, Urban Designsprocketpodcast

Diane Goodwin coordinates the Transit on Tap events for TriMet, allowing the interested public and transit experts to interact about important issues concerning public transportation. We chat with her about the event series, her own personal history with transit, and many other things related to Portland’s regional transit provider!

Also:
tickets now available for Aftermass

Headlines
BikePortland: Ashland OR man cited for leaving bike lane found guilty
Thunder Island Brewing: Bicycle Eclectic Portrait Exhibit now on display at the brewery
Jan Heine from Bicycle Quarterly: Pro-joy instead of Anti-racing

Mail
Phoebe writes in on women’s safety in transportation options, and cheering for running bus riders.

Timo writes appreciation for Madi & Katie’s episode and comments on the laws around cell phone use pertaining to bus drivers.

Mark shares a great summary of the Idaho Stop Law.

Neighbor Kelly found this Sprocket Beer:

and Tim in DC found ”the OG cargo bike:”

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.

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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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.

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

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E179 – Doctor Jeff: Top-Level Commuting Expertise

April 15, 2014Advocacy, Car Ownership, Communication, Family, Train Travel, Transit, Urban Design, Walkingsprocketpodcast

Doctor Jeff is our perennial transit-loving advocate with a heart of gold, a head full of jokes and a wit as sharp as whatever gave you your last paper cut. He joins us to hold forth on matters of transit, twitter, family, and vinyl. It’s been to long! So, let’s stay in touch this summer, eh?

Here are links to Jeff’s writing on the Westside Tunnel & his morning walk.

Headlines
Reptiles & birds change due to global warming

Mail
Neighbor Kelly catches up on some back episodes.

Jim submits a few more palindromes to Aaron’s chagrin & Brock’s delight.

JohnnyK recommends freecycle.org as a free box alternative.

Mark writes in on his experience with hammock camping – he took a respectable trip to Ionia State Recreation Area north of Ionia, near Saranac, MI! He now greatly prefers it to traditional tent camping.

Trent explains how to say SLO.

Daniel from San Antonio alerts us to his new blog on bicycling infrastructure and culture in his town!

Chris from Arcata on Devil’s Slide south of SFO (These two articles can tell you some of the story) & the new Redwood Lily Hostel in Arcata, first of it’s kind, here. Discounts to hostel goers on bicycles!

Congratulations to The Stickman on the birth of his son!

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E178x – Satan, oscillate my metallic sonatas!

April 11, 2014Communication, Funsprocketpodcast

Brock gets distracted by a palindrome website while trying to start the show, and Aaron points out that at least one of them is racist (Brock didn’t realize it).

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E178 – Two Dudes & Some Palindromes

April 8, 2014Adventure, Advocacy, Bicycling, Business, Camping, Communication, Touring, Train Travel, Transit, Travelsprocketpodcast

Brock & Aaron engage in a little more tour recap, including:

Mission Bicycle Company & The Lumen, the retroreflective bike (Kelly & Peter from theDope Pedalers) collaborated on by our friend Josh Zisson with Halo

Roger & the Bike Through China Book

Kevin at Carmel Starbucks & the Financial Engines water bottle, & escape from Hurricane Carmel

free boxes

the places we didn’t go

communication difficulties & touring dynamics

Why pay 50 dollars for gloves?

A few notable things:
Twitter trend: #ReplaceBikeWithCar (and a roundup of the best)
Aftermass documentary!
Filmed By Bike!
Lenny Anderson’s records

Also: New studio rumblings & underwriter possibilities

Headlines
BikePortland: The Orange Line might secretly be Portland’s biggest bike project ever

Mail
Jame on bike shops & jargon.

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

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The Sprocket Podcast

simplifying the good life

E185 – Tammy Strobel & Logan Smith: Tiny CA

E184 – Brandon Rhodes: Rolling Oasis

E183b – Joe Biel talks Amtrak & Aftermass

E183 – Diane Goodwin: Transit On Tap

E182 – Jerry Zelada: Advocacy is Easy

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

E180 – Dan Kaufman & Nathan Jones: Fatbikes & GPS

E179 – Doctor Jeff: Top-Level Commuting Expertise

E178x – Satan, oscillate my metallic sonatas!

E178 – Two Dudes & Some Palindromes