Show #532 – December 12, 2020

Guests: Phil Liggett; Kathryn Bertine

We have a most interesting show today, highlighting two amazing people and the work that they do.

His voice is unmistakable and his ability to recall facts, figures, names, dates, and stages of any continental race for the past 4+ decades is staggering. Yes, my guest today is Phil Liggett.

Spending the 2020 cycling season at home in England, Phil Liggett was able to continue in his role as the voice of the TdF this year with the help of NBC, technology, and Bob Roll – who was in Connecticut. (How cool is today’s technology anyway?)

Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the longest running sports relationship in history – partnering for 33 years,

Paul was an integral part of the team that became the voice of cycling. But, two years ago this month, the world woke up to the news that Paul had died suddenly and the world lost a generous, smart, and dedicated man.

In an effort to continue Paul’s legacy of helping the people of Uganda, where he and his wife Kathryn lived, as well as keeping his memory alive, the Paul Sherwen Project was recently launched.

While we spoke of the 2020 season, what he believes will happen in 2021 and going forward, and other-things-bike, what we finally came to focus on was a new project that is near and dear to him – the Paul Sherwen Project.

Her voice is persistent, compelling, and gets amazing results as a professional cyclist, author, filmmaker and activist for women’s rights

Kathryn Bertine, whose documentary Half the Road still garners a regular royalty check 6 years later, signed her first professional cycling contract at the age of 37 only to experience being benched for one year, suffering verbal and physical abuse from the manager and staff.

Kathryn has taken the high road to success – using what she calls visionary teamwork and benevolent disruption to speak her truth which – it turns out – is what everybody is not only thinking, but what pretty much what everybody wants. – equality or at least equal opportunity.

After she signed her first professional contract, her female team manager warned her to keep quiet about the inequity in women’s sports. “Stop talking about this equality crap. No one will listen to you. You are a nothing, you are a no one.”

But as you will hear in the following conversation, Kathryn says that  Change is possible. Activism isn’t relegated to the wealthy, the famous, the politicians and superstars. We “regular people” have the power to make change happen, too.

(You can pre-order Kathryn’s new book, Stand, too!)

 

Show #449 – April 20, 2019

ENCORE PRESENTATIONS:

Guests: Shannon Galpin; Paul Sherwen

It might be an encore presentation this evening; but, I’ve reached back into the archives and pulled two GREAT conversations you might want to revisit or… perhaps you will be hearing them for the first time.

In this age of so much angst among women, one person stands out to me as a shining example of commitment, grit, and grace. Garnering the title of National Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year in 2013, Shannon Galpin has gone on to do some amazing things since our first conversation in 2015 and a subsequent catch-up in 2016, Shannon has since been around the world with her daughter to bring endangered species to the fore through art – a broad and successful project that took them to the far corners of the world.

Tonight, we revisit our April 30, 2016 conversation.

Then, as the 2019 pro season continues with the spring classics and then moves on toward the big events of the summer, I thought my chat with Paul Sherwen would be appropriate.

Although Paul passed away last December, he will be long remembered for his 3+ decades in the sport from 7 Tours de France and 2 British Cycling Championships to his witty and knowledgeable coverage of the Tour along with Phil Liggett.

Enjoy this week’s encore presentations and I hope you have a Happy Passover and Happy Easter (or just a happy weekend!)

Show #430 – December 8, 2018

Guests: Jacob VanSickle; Stephen Swift; Joe Roggenbuck

This week, we can congratulate ourselves for taking action and getting the AV Start Act language changed before the bill comes up before the Senate. Your calls and letters made a difference!

Then, we say a brief. sad goodbye to one of the most famous voices in our sport, Paul Sherwen. His untimely death at the age of 62 will leave an enormous gap in our enjoyment of the Tour de France in July.

Then, we welcome back Bike Cleveland‘s Executive Director, Jacob VanSickle. Last month, the advocacy organization presented a one-day Strategic Summit to re-cap where the organization is, what it has accomplished since its inception in 2011, and where it’s going… all of which is pretty impressive.

We speak with Stephen Swift who is about to wrap-up a 6 years, 26,000 mile journey that has helped him recover from unbearable loss and gives him hope for the future. He’s been both helped and harmed along the way; and, his forthright and honest description of life on the road tells a story unlike any we’ve heard in the past.

Our final guest this week is Joe Roggenbuck from Cobra Frames in Syracuse, NY. He’s a frame builder, a tool maker, and a very refreshing young man who sees his craft from the eyes of a 28 year old but with the wisdom of someone so much older.

 

Show #196 – May 31, 2014

Guests: Tech Guru and author Richard Hallett; Traithlete David Brumley; Tour de France announcer and television “star” Paul Sherwen

We’re back with another brand new edition of the Outspoken Cyclist and welcome three guests with very diverse stories.

For those who enjoy the nitty-gritty of cycling, U.K. “tech Guru” Richard Hallett will offer up a delightful “deconstruction” of the machine in his new book: “The Bike Deconstructed – A Grand Tour of the Modern Bicycle” Richard talks about history, materials, the 650B wheel, and what he thinks about disc brakes for road bikes – among a lot of other things. Richard is also a frame builder – specializing in steel frames at RichardHalletBikes.com. The book is a coffee-table quality oversize tome with many lovely photographs and a lot of tech-talk in layman’s terms.

Second up is triathlete David Brumley. By all rights, David should be happy to just walk to the end of his driveway and pick up the local paper in the mornings, but a question from his then 3-year old daughter in 2008 made him take a more proactive role in the management of his chronic and incurable disease CVID. We’ll learn what it is, why it often goes un-diagnosed even though the patient is ill much of the time, and how David has become a super Dad for his daughter! Since his “epiphany” about his situation, he’s decided to share his experience and give back to the “Primary Immune Deficiency – PI” community with his Triforbetter.com organization.

After a short break, we’ll scurry back with some news and then head on over to Uganda to speak with one of the most famous cycling voices on the planet. Paul Sherwen is the historian and storyteller at the major races like the Tour de France, The Amgen Tour of California, and many more. What you’ll learn though is more about Paul and his how his background reaches back many decades into our sport. It’s a delightful chat!
Enjoy!