Tag: Cascade Bicycle Club

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Show #630 – May 31, 2023

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Guests: Paul Tolme; Gretchen Reynolds

Not too long ago, we spoke with Paul Tolme, the communications manager of the Cascade Bicycle Club headquartered in Seattle.

I was so taken with some of the programs this 10,000-member club is developing and implementing, that when Paul contacted me about the Pedaling Relief Project, which is reaching a huge milestone, as well as to update me on some of their legislative initiatives, I thought I’d share his news with you. 

Our conversation sort of began before I did the “formal intro” so, I figure we’ll just fade into it… he’s always raring to go!

I always take away such great information from the work Cascade is doing.  You can find out more about the Club, read the blog, sign up for any of their rides and events, or learn about their many and varied programs at Cascade.org.

My second guest is the Washington Post’s award winning author Gretchen Reynolds.

Gretchen writes the “Your Move” column for the Post on Wednesdays.

Today, we’re going to talk about what sometimes happens with athletes who exercise at intense levels over long periods of time. 

In her May 17th article, “When Too Much Exercise Is Bad for Your Heart,” Gretchen talks about a new study of ultra-endurance athletes which showed an unusually high incidence of AFib.

We’ll also discuss the benefits of exercising outdoors in green space. Turns out, it’s the best!

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Show #626 – March 27, 2023

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Guests: John Surcio; Paul Tolme

My first guest is no stranger to TOC.  A couple of times a year, at least, I ask journalist and NYU professor, John Surico to join me and catch us up on what is happening in NYC.

The reason I look to him and to NY is that he’s got his ear to the ground on everything from climate and sustainability to walking, biking, and advocacy plus a lot more. I like the way he thinks and especially what he talks about on his substack pages, Streetbeat.

In our conversation, I ask him what his students might be thinking about the field of journalism as the editorial and reporting landscapes continue to shift and morph – with fewer print papers and magazines, more controversial news outlets, so much misinformation, and the need for focus on relevant problems – like climate, cities, sustainability, and more. We talk about “super sidewalks” in our conversation; here is a link to the video that explains it.

John just completed a year working with the Central Park Conservancy to help explore how to keep the iconic park healthy and relevant while studying the park to see what climate change is doing to the trees, grass, and general environment.  He talks about two of the programs he worked on and how they might impact the park going forward. His insights and observations always give me food for thought as I look at the issues facing NYC and how we mirror them across the country.

In the second half of the show, I welcome Paul Tolme, the communications manager and spokesperson for the Cascade Bicycle Club in Seattle,

Washington. Several years ago, I spoke with a young PhD candidate out in Seattle about the work he was doing along with the Cascade Bicycle Club to have an inequitable helmet law repealed in the city.  The initiative worked, the law was repealed, and helmet use didn’t decline – win X 3.

Today, I speak with Paul about the organization itself – its amazing number of club members – 10,000 – and the statewide programs and events it offers. In addition to the famous rides the club offers – the 44 year old iconic STP Ride (Seattle to Portland) and the RSVP – Ride from Seattle to Vancouver and Party,) as well as all the programs and tours offered,

I don’t think any single fact was more impressive than a 10,000 member club roster.  Even though the club is a statewide organization, 10,000 members is mighty impressive.

With that kind of support, it is no wonder that Cascade is able to influence local and state legislators and planners to improve cycling and walking in Washington, develop great educational programs, like the one that is being implemented in schools, and organize one of the most iconic and enduring events in the country – The famous STP – Seattle to Portland ride – that will be held July 15th and 16th this year.

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Show #625 – March 18, 2023

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Guests: Joe Lindsey; Dennis Markatos-Soriano

On our last podcast, Caley Fretz, editor-in-chief of the new Escape Collective cycling website, was talking about the then imminent launch of the project and how some of the best journalists would be going in-depth to bring the cycling stories and information subscribers wanted.

Well, Escape DID go live this week and met its initial goal(s) so that they could indeed sign some of the best journalists, photographers, editors, and developers in the business.

This episode of the show features one of these great journalists.

When we spoke, Joe Lindsey, who has been on the show in the past and who does some amazing reporting as you will hear in a moment, alluded to what was coming next for him and, sho’ ‘nuf – he’s the new Senior Editor at Escape Collective and I think it’s a match made in cycling heaven.

Today’s conversation with Joe is the result of some extensive research and reporting.

I don’t know what you think or believe about autonomous vehicles –  AKA self-driving cars –  or some of the functions that might no longer need a human to make decisions – but, I think you will find my conversation with investigative journalist Joe Lindsey fascinating!

In his March 1st article for Bicycling Magazine titled “Self-Driving Cars Won’t Save Us Any Time Soon”, Joe Lindsey goes into great detail to explain why that is so.

In our conversation, he breaks down the range of autonomous vehicle categories, what is – or perhaps more appropriately what is NOT happening with legislation, and why humans are still better than AI in a lot of ways.

After our break, I check in with Dennis Markatos-Soriano, the executive director of the East Coast Greenway.  As many of you know, I am a member of the Greenway’s advisory board and I’m always pleased to be able to relay what’s happening with funding, projects, and great stories from the Greenway’s paths and  trails.

With more than 1,000 completed miles of the 3,000 planned miles of the Maine to Florida ECG, it’s time to check in with executive director Dennis Markatos-Soriano to wrap up 2022 and dive into what’s happening in 2023 – and it’s a lot!

With a new initiative, Greenways For All, Dennis gives up some insight into the difference between – yes we want to make consequential changes for safer and better walking a biking – and what might be holding us back from seeing it happen.

Check out greenwaysforall.org and greenway.org for all the information about the East Coast Greenway and how you can get involved.

Next time on TOC, I speak with Paul Tolme from the Cascade Cycling Club in Seattle.  With over 10,000 members, this state-wide club isn’t fooling around when it comes to offering programs, rides, and legislative opportunities for better biking in Washington State.

We also check in with our NYC ear-to-the-ground biking and sustainability guru John Surico.

 

 

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Show #547 – March 20, 2021

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Guests: Paul Tolme & Ethan Campbell; Joe Lindsey: Caron Whitaker

I want to begin with a statement and a question.

We 100% support the wearing of bicycle helmets – for everyone. That said, should there be a legal mandate insisting that everyone wear one when riding?

We begin with King County, Washington, into which Seattle’s boundaries fall. It’s had a bicycle helmet law on the books for YEARS. The law was marginally enforced for a while and then enforcement just sort of dropped off. However, citations are still being issued.

That begged several questions – why had it dropped off? And, if citations are still being issued, what are the circumstances around that?

Now, that law is being challenged and there is a campaign to have it struck down. I speak with PhD student Ethan Campbell – whose field of study is not even remotely connected to the topic of bicycle helmets by the way – and to Paul Tolme, content strategy and media relations manager for the Cascade Bicycle Club out in Seattle.

Then, we do a quick check-in with journalist Joe Lindsey. Like me, he watches the news carefully for bicycle-related stories and we both caught the story about former NBA star Shawn Bradley who was seriously injured back in January while riding his bike.

And while t hat’s a big story unto itself, it is the media’s coverage that irked both of us.

From renown news outlets such as cbsnews, espn, , abc, tmz, and more, the reporting about former NBA star Shawn Bradley, is just wrong. As we have had drilled into our heads over the past few years, these are not ACCIDENTS – they are crashes.

And, since I always like Joe’s straight forward thinking on these types of things, I knew he would have some helpful and insightful things to say.  (Read Joe’s article about this topic!)

Lastly, we speak with Deputy Executive Director of the LAB, Caron Whitaker. This year’s National Bike Summit wrapped up recently and I thought we should all be aware of what resulted in this unusual time of not being able to actually see our legislators face-to-face – well, unless you consider Zoom.

I want to preface my conversation with Caron Whitaker with an apology for the sound quality on Caron’s end. I was unable to clear up some of the distortion in editing; but, the conversation was too good to discard all together.

This year’s National Bike Summit was, of course, virtual. What I didn’t expect though was how incredibly successful it turned out to be!

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Show #511 – July 18, 2020

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Guests: Rachel Osias; Ed Ewing

Regardless of how you feel about your status in the world, certain truths keep bubbling up that will not and should not be brushed under the rug – not any more.

If there is an “end game” with movements such as BLM and systemic racism and intrinsic bias, it would be that the conversation becomes moot – unimportant – not even a conversation because no one would think in those terms that make people other rather than the same – equal.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the distinct honor to talk with people like Reginald “Doc” Wilson about giving black business owners some love and exposure – taking cyclists on a bi-weekly journey through Seattle with the Peace Peloton.

Today, I add two more voices to the conversation as we delve into the Major Taylor Project at the Cascade Bicycle Club – also in the Pacific NW area of Seattle and Tacoma – with education director Rachel Osias. The Cascade Bicycle Club is a 50 year old organization with a huge community reach. From their famous yearly STP (Seattle to Portland) event to their community education programs, classes, and advocacy, the club has a mission of improving lives through bicycling with a vision of bicycling for all.

Then, we meet Ed Ewing who is the originator of the Major Taylor Project to hear his story – from being a young black man rolling up to the start line at races in Minneapolis in a sea of white faces – to his recurring roles in advocating for diversity, inclusion, and equity, moving from Cascade into a seat at the table with USA Cycling and more.