E031 – Jed Lazar: SoupCycle

June 21, 2011Bicycling, Business, Cargo, Kitchensprocketpodcast

Jed Lazar of SoupCycle joins us to talk about the origin and excellence of his local food delivery business, which revolves around human power and bicycle trailers!

Jed was also nice enough to offer a SoupCycle discount for Sprocket Podcast listeners – use discount code “Brock” for half off your first week of soup delivery!

We discuss: deliveries to Souplandistan and Soupvallis, Bainbridge Graduate Institute and a project that turned into a business, bicycles are simple business models, owning cars = driving all the time, summer job as a pedicab driver, logistics of soupmaking and delivery, “quit your job,” using local and organic ingredients, coconuts are a tropical fruit, “no margin, no mission” says New Seasons head, mistaken for a homeless person, “whatcha got in there?”, traveling with CityBikes buckets, trailers from Blue Sky Cycle Carts, which are also used by Wingnut Confections, stopping with disc brakes, started with a recumbent electrical assist, batteries won’t last 30 miles and are heavy, currently using aRaleigh Sojourn, Brooks saddles, a friend inspires a love for the outdoors, voluntary simplicity and neighborhood investment, http://soupcycle.com, SoupCycle discount for Sprocket listeners

Headlines
BikePortland: Tori Bortman shows you how to take care of your brakes & wheel rims;Oregonian: helmets filled with cardboard do a better job protecting your head than the usual ones; Bike Trailer Blog: cutest bike train ever

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)

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E030 – John Boblett: Portland Pedalounge

June 14, 2011Beer, Bicycling, Business, Technologysprocketpodcast

John Boblett, the man behind Portland Pedalounge, joins us to explain his journey into owning and operating a pedal-powered party machine.

ALSO: It’s still survey month! give us your input on the show and enter our contest to win $10!

We discuss: intro from memory, LOLcats, tuition pays for dinner, Pedalpalooza kicks off!,Cirque du Cycling and the chopper Brock noticed, Prince vs. David Bowie dance partyand massive stereo systems, Lance from Edible Cycles and his trailer, dancing in a graveyard to “Thriller,” born the day that James Dean died, stranded in Minnesota, Brock mixes metaphors, Northeast Portland neighbors shake hands, John’s first bicycle: a Schwinn with backpedal shift, Minneapolis as #1 Bicycle City, Dr. Seuss & the Lorax, Brandon & John beatbox, Darren & his Australian accent, the word “whilst,” the “Farmer Blow” method of blowing one’s nose, meeting the bicycle dealer, literally kicking the tires, rolling with a keg in Europe, other operations in Minneapolis MN, Austin TX, Bend OR, etc., difficulties with the OLCC, Brock’s phone rings, red tape can be fun, 2 hour tours, meetup at Amnesia Brewpub and visit Prost, Saraveza, Lucky Lab, etc., iPod hookup, how does it handle?, www.pedalounge.com, beer talk

Headlines
All over the Internet: NYC filmmaker Casey Neistat demonstrates the problem with blocked bike lanes
M-Bike via BikePortland: Amtrak to offer roll-on bicycle service throughout Michigan
Ron Con Coca Cola: NYC is a 3 way street
PathLessPedaled: Farm Stays are an innovative way to connect with the land and meet people
Low Tech Magazine via Logan: the forgotten future of the stationary bike

Drinks
Brandon tries the Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout from Tadcaster, John drinks the Bridgeport Hop Czar, and Brock enjoys the Kirin Ichiban – “Brewed For Good Times.”

Music
“Headlong Into the Abyss” by We Are Augustines from their 2011 release Rise Ye Sunken Ships. www.weareaugustines.com

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E029x – iCloud & Laugh Tracks

June 7, 2011Uncategorizedsprocketpodcast

A little bonus audio from our conversation with Bison.

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E029 – Jason “Bison” Morgan: Arbutus Builders

June 6, 2011Business, Housing, Technologysprocketpodcast

Jason “Bison” Morgan of Arbutus Builders joins us to talk sustainable construction and cooperative economics. Also: Take our Listener Survey!

BONUS: two minutes of us discussing the iCloud and laugh tracks.

We discuss: Newport aquarium and migrating eyes, Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, Cycle Wild at McIver State Park (and free cake!), beard talk, hot Portland weather, sleeping bag liners, “open your f***ing beer, Brock!”, world naked bike ride, Multnomah County Bike Fair, son of a resource extractor, Cascadia Forest Alliance, joining the carpenters’ union, boson, Bark (a Cycle Wild affiliate) keeps an eye on forestry issues, tree sitting stories, the Burro Lady, listener David donates and we laud him, an anonymous listener suggests we interview Dan Price of Moonlight Chronicles, Cheese89 gives us aniTunes review, June is survey month! You could win $10 if you take one!, The Sprocket dispenses pre-recorded interviews like a PEZ machine, workers’ cooperatives, Big Timberworks in Montana, sustainability & remodeling, the Levitt post-war model, remodeling waste, socially responsible business models, the triple bottom line, “is getting a job equal to selling out?”, Western Worker Cooperative Conference, Red & Black Cafe,solidarity economics, capitalism and Batman, cargo bikes and Arbutus’ custom rig being built by Adrian, beer talk

Headlines
Shift2Bikes: It’s Pedalpalooza! June 9-26 will be packed with bikey fun;
BikePortland: Southwest Airlines waives their bicycle fees for June 9-26 in honor of Pedalpalooza!
BikePortland: Industrial designer, boat builder team up to build a plywood cargo bike; BikePortland: Beach School in Portland has a huge bike train that gets kids to school safely;
PathLessPedaled: Can Bicycles Save Small Town America? a national bike route system might help.

Drinks
Brock drinks a Hamms tallboy, Bison drinks an Oatis Stout from Ninkasi Brewing, and Brandon relishes the Mirror Pond Pale Ale from Deschutes Brewery.

Music
Centrevol, “On A Roll,” from their 2010 EP Momentum

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E028 – Memorial Day

June 1, 2011Communication, Downsizing, Technology, Travelsprocketpodcast

This week’s episode is short and sweet since that darned holiday weekend made us change our plans. We are, however, well rested and plan to bring you the next scheduled show without incident. Look for Ryan J. Lane’s interview in an upcoming episode to be announced sometime later in the summer. In the mean time, we discussed our weekends, long-winded wedding toasts, Washington State’s San Juan Islands, ditching your cell phone with RowdyKittens.com, etc.

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Brock appears on “A Jumps B Shoots”

May 31, 2011Fun, Technologysprocketpodcast

Brock Dittus contributed an interview snippet to the A Jumps B Shoots podcast recorded at Wonder Northwest some weeks back – listen for him around the 31:00 mark or so discussing Nokia phones & the Snake game!

The episode we planned for this week ended up not being recorded because of everyone’s holiday weekend travel plans. Look for a short audio update from Brock & Brandon sometime this week, with next week’s show continuing on schedule as anticipated! A happy holiday to you all.

E027 – Meredith Stewart: Transit Misadventure

May 23, 2011Bicycling, Transit, Travelsprocketpodcast

Our friend Meredith Stewart joins us to detail her first foray into long-distance transit travel and her induction into bicycle commuting.

We discuss: Sunday Parkways and our appearance on the local news, Lompoc’s 5th Quadrant, the Bicycle RV built by genius Brian that was often parked at the CityBikes Workers’ Co-Op, meeting Amos of Portland’s Bike Temple in person, we also saw Russ & Laura, Logan, Listener Evelyn, Jonathan Maus, and Rob Sadowsky, Brandon keeps Brock on track, Listener Katelynn reaches the beach and outhustles everyone else, Meredith’s bicycle conversion, Johnny Cash steals a car, bicycle route maps for Portland, endorphins and epiphanies, “cyclelogical”, Portland Afoot discount subscription with code “sprocket”, two dudes in a basement, donations, the epic bus journey, hood canal writing retreat, Brock has a bus fetish, 161 miles, C-TRAN’s new buses are plush, Burgerville serving beer and wine in Salmon Creek, beauty in the suburbs, CAP Shuttle, (“people should give them money”), 3 hour layover at a quirky coffee shop, smoking in the bus shelter, missing the bus, kindness and generosity on the way back, successful completion of the trip,EpicTransitJourneys.com, Rebels-By-Bus.net, PortlandAfoot.org, Brock’s transit options site, beer talk, pronunciation problems

Headlines
Northwest Wanderer: making electronics viable on a bicycle tour
Edible Cycles: inexpensive local electricity generator for your bicycle dyno hub

Drinks
Brandon shares the Fire Station 5 Fire Boat Amber with Brock. Meredith quaffs 3 Wishes Red Wine.

Music
Lamppost Revival presents “Mr. Tinman” from their EP So Rises the Moon.

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E026 – Michael Andersen: Portland Afoot

May 16, 2011Bicycling, Business, Communication, Technology, Transit, Walkingsprocketpodcast

Michael Andersen, founder of local life newsmagazine Portland Afoot, joins us to discuss his fine publication, transit culture, and transportation politics. And is also a fine, upstanding gentleman. (and he’s giving a discount subscription to podcast listeners! enter the code “sprocket” when you subscribe)

We discuss: Brandon goes to Tacoma, Brock goes to Wonder Northwest, the Star Wars Holiday Special, Muppet Star Wars, Space Ghost Coast-To-Coast, CodeForGood.net,thesprocketpodcast.com, Amos suggests Portland Cascadia Pedicabs, Blayne on Vancouver Island is getting a tandem, National Association of Rail Passengers, Jeff’s excited, Steve in Glasgow’s wee nocturnal cycle, Rate That Beer, “The Dutch Country” (AKA The Netherlands), Michael chooses the gong for his friend Alisa, Swan Island bus story, driver Dan Christensen, ATU, what the media does best, Microcosm Publishing, band name, worst day at the magazine, Eberhardt Press, Alexander & the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, bus people vs. bike people, Unified Field Theory of TriMet (which is actually a special case of his Unified Field Theory of Portland), articulated buses, open data policy & transit apps, texting TriMet at 27299, what makes transit worth its costs (have you heard about the Columbia River Crossing?), bike-curious, student ID bus pass program and its fate, discount subscription, beer talk.

Headlines
SF Gate via BikePortland: more and more people are wearing their office clothes on the bike commute
PathLessPedaled: 5 ways to be a bicycle-friendly business (Brock’s favorite? roll into the rooms)
Oregonian: Transit agency TriMet honors 3 generations of female bus operators for Mothers’ Day
Copenhagenize via BikePortland: nothing could be cuter than little girls riding tiny cargo bikes

Drinks
Brandon reprises the Miller High Life sans skanky pinup girl, Michael drinks the Fearless Brewing Company’s Scottish Ale, and Brock downs a Southern Oregon Brewing’s Woodshed Red.

Music
“Book of James” from the upcoming We Are Augustines project Rise Ye Sunken Ships.www.weareaugustines.com

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E025 – PathLessPedaled: Big Adventure, Small Wheels

May 9, 2011Bicycling, Downsizing, Touring, Transit, Travelsprocketpodcast

We are joined once again by Russ & Laura from PathLessPedaled.com to hear about their upcoming journey and its distinctive (and cute) hallmark: the Brompton folding bicycle!

We Discuss: double rainbows, thesprocketpodcast.com!, Ainsworth State Park, fanfares,Cycle Wild, Spirit of ‘77 indoor bike parking, new Hopworks Bike Bar, Portland’s streets not exploding with bikes, midwest valor, raingear can be cheap and easy to get, bikes & transit (LA does it best!), Brock is a human transit wiki, PedalNation fashion show, it’s episode 25!, Brompton folding bicycles and their mechanics, crazy hills on the Tillamook test run, trifold, TSA scanners and flying with your bicycle, full size bicycles are tough to put onto a train sometimes, California is awesome, Brompton cargo system, tote wheels, paring down the cargo, dongles, extension cable trumps solar panel, less is more, storing bikes under the tent flap, guys with big trucks, inspiring presentations, old school derailleurs, what’s coming next, the cause finds you, fundraising for the journey

Headlines
BikePortland: Local businesses in Portland offer bike locks for loan to forgetful cyclists;
I Love The Bus: Secret Message left on seat to encourage its unspecified recipient;
BikePortland: What’s the safest storage for your bike? In a Spalding Building bank vault, of course!
Oregonian: Metro Discusses bicycle sharing program with Bigfish

Drinks
Russ chose the Dick’s Brewing’s Cream Stout, Laura drank Stone Brewing’s Smoked Porter, Brandon ironically swigged Miller High Life and Brock enjoyed Black Butte Porteronce again.

Music
“Lonely Heart” from Portland band Mnemonic Sounds off of their 2010 album Muscle Memories, suggested by listener Evelyn! Find them at http://mnemonicsounds.com

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E024 – Logan Smith & Tammy Strobel: RowdyKittens.com

May 2, 2011Bicycling, Downsizing, Housingsprocketpodcast

A portrait shoot while on the road. Visit www.pathlesspedaled.com.

Tammy Strobel & Logan Smith from RowdyKittens.com, a website about “social change through simple living,” join us to talk about small houses, downsizing, and selling your car for good. Also, Logan fills some of Brandon’s shoes in our esteemed co-host’s absence.

We discuss: Brandon’s out of town, Eugene marathon & the city’s qualities, Russ & Laura, Listener Alison calls in to tell her bicycling story, thanks Listener Michelle, EcoVelo has great bicycle photography, sketchy bicycle sales, acronyms, fanfare, downsizing story, Davis, gradual change, hoarders, donations are fun!, phone call to Brandon & his unusual train experience, Dee Williams & the small house video, finding a place to park one, food carts and tent cities like Dignity Village, Peak Moment TV, Pedalpalooza small house ride, lowering your overhead, Tammy’s ebooks: Simply Car-Free and Smalltopia, dating without cars, “why is there extra money in my account?”, paying off debt, bicycling is fun! (and you wait less), Dave Feucht on riding without a helmet, job security vs. personal responsibility, upcoming book deal, Tammy featured in the NY Times & the Today Show, origin of the name “RowdyKittens”

Bonus: We forgot to talk about this on-air but these two have a fascinating simple kitchen experiment going on right now.

Headlines
EcoVelo via Logan: Give yourself a raise by switching from auto to bicycle – as much as $4/hour!
Boston.com: U-lock company uses barcodes & social media to find stolen bikes;
Oregonian: Bike & Ride facility is sadly below capacity. Maybe if they followed Seoul’s lead…;
BikePortland: Sign company shows that Business by bike doesn’t have to be hard!
BikePortland: walking and bicycling can actually thrive in the suburbs, given the right conditions;
Bike commute news is a compact twitter news service

Drinks
Tammy & Logan drink Deschutes Brewery’s Black Butte Porter, and Brock samples theKona Brewing Company’s Aloha Series Wailua beer that neighbor Alison gave him.

Music
C.R. Avery out of Vancouver BC, “Motel” from his recent album release So It Goes

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The Sprocket Podcast

simplifying the good life

E031 – Jed Lazar: SoupCycle

E030 – John Boblett: Portland Pedalounge

E029x – iCloud & Laugh Tracks

E029 – Jason “Bison” Morgan: Arbutus Builders

E028 – Memorial Day

Brock appears on “A Jumps B Shoots”

E027 – Meredith Stewart: Transit Misadventure

E026 – Michael Andersen: Portland Afoot

E025 – PathLessPedaled: Big Adventure, Small Wheels

E024 – Logan Smith & Tammy Strobel: RowdyKittens.com