E014 – Adam Caress: The Great Technology Question

February 22, 2011Communication, Gardening, Technologysprocketpodcast

Adam Caress of mulevariations.com joins us remotely to discuss the methods by which we discern our relationship with technology this week.

We discuss: mixed drink terminology, Boston’s Lower Depths alehouse, drinking with your in-laws, Louis Avden’s gardening update, Sven Birkert’s The Gutenburg Elegiesand the mulevariations.com interview, no cable or television, first text message, before the internet, asking the question, how do we relate to each other?, consequences & morality, generational gaps, “we put people on that shit,” inventiveness and its associated problems, interstate highways, pesticides on plants, the narrative of progress, the unruly virgin that is America, Ray Kurzwiel & singularity, “this shit has aneschatology,” people who upload their consciousness aren’t very happy, death & ending well, denying death is creepy, Aleksander Sozhenitsyn wasn’t afraid of death, inscrutable on iTunes, science fiction grandparents, grandparent telegraph email, pro/anti twitter?, booking bands is easy, myspace is the Detroit of social networks, reminiscing with grandparents, waiting for the Cubs world series win, the Plain Reader, Amish independence, Colt 45 isn’t all that great, wilting boquet, outro cabling issues

Drinks
Brandon drinks the Ninkasi Believer Double Red Ale (6.9%), Brock endures a Colt 45 High Gravity Lager (8.5%), and Adam savors his single malt Islay Scotch Whiskey fromMcClelland’s.

Music
“Falling Stars” by Adam Caress of “T”, which is his band that finally consisted of mostly siblings, from the EP “Plan A”

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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E013x – Mark Parrish: We Almost Died

February 15, 2011Uncategorizedsprocketpodcast

Mark told this story after we wrapped the program to fill in a gap that we just couldn’t leave to mystery. Adventures in bicycle touring!

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E013 – Mark Parrish: Epic Bicycle Tour

February 14, 2011Bicycling, Brewing, Touring, Travelsprocketpodcast

Mark Parrish is our friendly neighbor, mathematician and home-brewer, and in addition to that, he also has taken many bicycle tours across long distances. On this episode he shares stories of his cross country journey from Alaska to California, and then to Ohio and finally to Florida (impressive!). His friend Paula who made the trip with him joins us by phone.

we apologize for the abberant audio in this week’s episode – slicing plastic off of ill-fitting cables is a start, but we’re working on a better solution to have in place soon. 😀

We discuss: Brandon gets a week off, Brock takes the Worst Day of the Year Ride,way up in the west hills, bucking the system by homebrewing, Darren Alff of bicycletouringpro.com rides a taxi trike more than 250 miles through Peru, Oregon headphone bill pulled from the legislature, Bike Trailer Blog tells you how to overhaul your cheap trailer’s bearings, Sunset magazine names Portland OR “best city to ditch your car” in, when was that tour?, 1 1/2 years, the plan changed, L.A., “Fuck it, let’s just cross the country,” body rebellion, kindness of strangers, not too good at planning, “can we buy some butter? (we needed some fat),” a much needed bath, “we almost died” (Mark told this story after we wrapped the program), terrain preferences, Kansas winds, tornado hotel, raining sheets (not sheep), “where did we go from Oklahoma?”, Bikecentennial & an atlas, Whitehorse will confuse you, “it tastes kind of like seal,” “fishy butter,” Florida was the end, Kentucky & Tennessee are lumpy, 100 mile days through the Smokies, your body remembers it, going home to Alaska, 600 mile circuit solo loop (300 miles unpaved!),

Drinks
Mark provides his Vagabond Gingered Ale, a dark ale with strong hints of ginger and about 7-8% ABV.

Music
“Don’t Hear Me Wrong” by Centrevol, a Long Beach CA based band, from their 2010 EP Momentum.

Stories from BikePortland.org featured with permission from editor Jonathan Maus.

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E012 – The Car-Free Potters

February 7, 2011Bicycling, Car Sharing, Transit, Travelsprocketpodcast

The Potters of downtown Portland, OR join us to discuss their lasting foray into car-free living!

We discuss: mustaches & calico facial hair, Brock almost forgets to talk about beer, shaking a stick at beer in John’s Market, child on the way & going without beer,Portland “Bikeshed” camping map from Cycle Wild, Australian Taxi Trailer (!), Dude makes a snowplow out of a bicycle, Kid in California builds his own tandem tallbike, A rural Oregon private bus company is becoming quite popular, PSU in Portland now boasts 3 in 4 people getting there without car, Wrench Raiders fixes bikes for those without a lot of cash, Porche? No, bicycle, bikes growing up, Zwinglian European self-study (and trains!), people lending vehicles as a gesture of kindness, owning a car downtown is more trouble than it’s worth, other people’s cars getting towed, riding bicycles in traffic, carrying toilet paper, booties, pedal terminology confusion, wiping out in the snow on a fixie, Mia has a pimpy bike, Amsterdam bike looks classy but rides cheap, Jerrod is selling his fixie, fixies will kill your knees, all-in-one bike trailer,Brompton folding bicycles, Clever Cycles is a great little shop, riding in the car with the windows rolled down and the stereo up, Zipcar.com, karma & lending, intimate with your neighborhood, earbuds and awareness, finding a place for your bicycle, missing pieces, not much will change with the baby’s arrival, small living spaces, breakfast on the bridges, cushioning convictions for other people, Brandon saves the credits

Drinks
Brandon savors the Hopworks Secession Ale, Brock & Jerrod drink the Hopyard Dogfrom Pale Horse Brewing, and Mia enjoys Chamomile Tea.

Music
Joe Pug, a singer/songwriter from Chicago, presents “Hymn 101” from his 2008 EPNation of Heat. (also view the excellent video for this song)

Stories from BikePortland.org featured with permission from editor Jonathan Maus.

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E011x – Bus Stories

February 1, 2011Transitsprocketpodcast

A few extra minutes of conversation with Kate Lopresti that we couldn’t fit into an hour’s program! More stories about riding the bus.

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E011 – Kate Lopresti: The Constant Rider

January 31, 2011Bicycling, Transit, Travelsprocketpodcast

This week we bring you a delightful conversation with Kate Lopresti, author of a public transit themed independent ‘zine (which happens to be attractively bound and presented!) titled “The Constant Rider.” She shares her experiences and observations about riding the bus in Portland, OR and writing about them.

If you want a copy of The Constant Rider Omnibus for your very own so you can read the same stories we have, use the “Donate” button to the right to send us a few bucks for postage – we’ll slip it into an envelope and send it right to your door! Supplies are limited, but Kate was generous to give us a few extra copies and we’ll share them while we can!

We discuss: hello to listeners (including the Ft. Collins CO Belle Stars), introducing Kate Lopresti, the IPRC, Microcosm Publishing, surprisingly classy beer, the Bike Trailer Bloglinks to Austin Bike Zoo’s Rattlesnake, CycleWild releases their 2011 bike camping schedule, the Bicycle Travel Network tells of the Cycling Silk project, BikePortland.orglinks to the BTA’s new video: “Strategies for Getting Around Without Bike Lights (Or Pants).” A Washington DC blogger proposes a cycling social contract, bikes couldgenerate wind power (!), Oregonian columnist writes about transit “seat hogs,” Kate reads a selection about “bonking” while riding light rail, “a free car is never free,” getting into riding buses, zipcar.com, the 24 hour neighborhood, cultural diversity on buses, Brandon gives away a free business idea, buses are great for reading, thanking bus drivers, talking to drivers (nice or otherwise), “I flash my pass like I’m all that,” curiosity about schedules can start conversations, “the longer I ride, the more normal these outbursts seem,” young man pop-lock-break-dancing at the bus stop, “A Drunk In Three Parts,” police pulls a dude with a joint, “line 75 is the hipster bus,” one last reading of “passenger descriptions.”

(click here for a few extra minutes of conversation we couldn’t fit into an hour’s program – bus stories for those interested)

Drinks
we share a half gallon growler of Hopworks’ Organic HUB Lager to the enjoyment of all.

Music
Seattle alt-rock outfit Explone – “Girl With a Black Eye” from their 2010 albumDreamers/Lovers.

Stories from BikePortland.org featured with permission from editor Jonathan Maus.

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E010 – Louis Avden: Plants As Pets

January 23, 2011Bicycling, Gardeningsprocketpodcast

Louis with a large water bottle

We are joined by our good friend Louis Avden who discusses his unique perspective on gardening. We record late at night and so we use our NPR news voices.

Music
“Stand By My Side” by Brock Dittus, featuring Louis Avden on piano, from the 2009 EPHandbuilt. myspace.com/brockdittus

Stories from BikePortland.org featured with permission from editor Jonathan Maus.

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E009 – (Not) Doin’ It – Fertility Awareness as Birth Control

January 18, 2011Bicycling, Doin' Itsprocketpodcast

Our most awkward episode yet! Friends Adele and Mary Lou discuss fertility awareness and understanding the feminine body. Also, in the news, an Oregon law proposal seeks to keep kids on bikes off the streets, to the dismay of many. And of course, much juvenile merriment is made over words like “mucus” and “vaginal.” We promise next week will be different.

Drinks
Brandon enjoys his cousin’s blackberry ale, Adele drinks a Pinot Grigio & someChimay, Mary Lou has Adele’s homemade kombucha, and Brock drank a 24 oz.Tecate cerveza.

No music this week to avoid juxtaposing a reputable artist with our dubious subject material. More music next week!

Stories from BikePortland.org featured with permission from editor Jonathan Maus.

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E008 – Path Less Pedaled

January 10, 2011Bicycling, Technology, Touring, Transit, Travelsprocketpodcast

This week in a super-sized edition of The Sprocket we present our exciting interview with Russ Roca & Laura Crawford of The Path Less Pedaled (pathlesspedaled.com); see also The Epicurean Cyclist (Russ’ bicycle blog), Russ Roca Photography, andTangerine Treehouse (Laura’s metalcraft site). We disuss: moustache headbadges,hopworks beer, getting into full-time bicycle touring, taking it slow (no rush), working along the way, simplicity & technology, gear, cold winter in the southwest, middle of nowhere, passing the time, eating a ton, hospitality is awesome, public transit to Yosemite, bikes on trains, british cyclists in the past on youtube (cyclists’ special), getting rid of stuff, “they will still be making plates,” Surly Long Haul Trucker, flat pedals article & not clipping in, social connections home & abroad, tough times & bugs, dying by missle fire in new mexico, great campgrounds, iphone travel apps, extension cords, texas was a big surprise, advice: just do it!

Drinks
we all enjoyed Hopworks Urban Brewery’s Organic Survival “Seven-Grain” Stout & theOrganic Hopworks IPA.

Music
“The Realists” by The Carrier Pigeons from their 2009 EP Unfinished Business.

Stories from BikePortland.org featured with permission from editor Jonathan Maus.

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E007 – Amish Guy On A Train

January 3, 2011Bicycling, Simpler Living, Train Travel, Travelsprocketpodcast

holiday cheer and food intake, german beer and clam juice in budweiser, Portland considers bike licensing, Representative Earl Blumenauer knocks down opposition to bike signage, Portland plans for a new Sullivan’s Gulch bikeway, Seattle bassists makes custom trailer for his instrument, crossing the country by train with Adele (first female guest!), conversation with an Amish man, trustworthy beards

Drinks
Brandon enjoyed an EKU 28 from Kulmbacher Brauerei, Brock drank a Budweiser Chelada

Music
“Out of Town” by Seattle alt-rock outfit Explone from their 2004 album Crooks.

Stories from BikePortland.org featured with permission from editor Jonathan Maus. featuring excerpts from “The Clouds Are All The Same” by Cush from their 2000 LPThe New Sound. Find this excellent record at: www.northernrecords.com All songs from Cush’s album “Cush (The New Sound)” Published by Songs of Media Creature (BMI) a/c Northern Records Music (BMI) and Media Creature Music (ASCAP) a/c Northern Rock N Roll (ASCAP) Courtesy of Northern Records by exclusive arrangement with Media Creature.

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The Sprocket Podcast

simplifying the good life

E014 – Adam Caress: The Great Technology Question

E013x – Mark Parrish: We Almost Died

E013 – Mark Parrish: Epic Bicycle Tour

E011x – Bus Stories

E011 – Kate Lopresti: The Constant Rider

E010 – Louis Avden: Plants As Pets

E009 – (Not) Doin’ It – Fertility Awareness as Birth Control

E008 – Path Less Pedaled

E007 – Amish Guy On A Train