Tag: Don Walker

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Show #491 – February 8, 2020

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Guests: Don Walker; Aaron Weiss; Doug Torosian

On March 20th, the 16th annual North American Handmade Bicycle Show opens in Dallas, Texas at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center. Tonight, I speak with the founder of the show, Don Walker, to unpack all the details including a brand new event being held in conjunction with the show.

Then, Aaron Weiss joins me from Hanoi, Viet Nam, to talk about his long time idea of a special back pack for the Professional Bicycle Commuter – I love saying that! Aaron, who is retired from the US Marine Corps at the rank of Lt. Colonel, began his career in Washington DC where he found that his uniform after his 5 mile commute to the Pentagon wasn’t up to snuff in the packs he found for his bike.

Since then, he’s been working on the idea, and when his wife was assigned to the US Embassy in Hanoi, Aaron retired and began his R&D in earnest. Yesterday, his Kickstarter campaign was fully funded and his Shellback Bike Pack will become a reality.

Finally, we take a journey to NH where long time cross-country rider and owner of American by Bicycle, Doug Torosian, lives and works. ABB is one of the most respected organizations that has fulfilled thousands of riders’ dreams of making that cross country trip.

Doug will fill us in on how ABB began and why their trips are so compelling.

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Show #442 – March 2, 2019

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Guests: Don Walker, Kyle Bryant, Brad Sauber

It’s a three-fer! And a very diverse three-fer at that.

First up is a quick check in with Don Walker, show owner and director of NAHBS. The 15th edition of the artisan builder’s show is only two weeks away. Opening on The Ides of March at the Sacramento Convention Center, the event will showcase magnificent hand built bikes, offer up some great seminar opportunities, and give attendees a chance to get up close and personal with a favorite builder.

Then it’s clear across the country to Philadelphia to speak with Kyle Bryant. Diagnosed with a rare and pretty much fatal disease – Friedrich’s Ataxia – Kyle decided to take life by the wheels – 3 of them to be exact – and riding across the country with his Dad by his side and his Mom as SAG, Kyle finds his true spirit as he visits research facilities, some weird and interesting places, and completes what many of us might think is an impossible mission.

Kyle tells it in his just published book, Shifting Into High Gear, One Man’s Grave Diagnosis and the Epic Bike Ride That Taught Him What Matters. It is at once scary, sad, joyful, and exciting!

 

Finally, it’s off to the Mill Valley, California to speak with Brad Sauber.

We talk with lots of tour directors; and Brad, with over 30 years of experience, has just launched his new company RAID Cycling. Not for the faint of heart, Brad’s tours are true tests of a rider’s mettle – but, the amenities that go along with the long miles and steep climbs might just be what you are looking for in a new adventure.

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Show #386 – February 3, 2018

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Guests: Susie Marcks; Richard Fries, Don Walker

I cover a wide range of topics this week starting with toddlers on balance bikes.

My first guest, Susie Marcks, is the media voice of Strider Bikes. When the company was founded in 2007, the founder, Ryan McFarland, realized that his child needed and wanted to learn to ride. As with many children, training wheels were not working – and, Strider was born.

Today, the company has arguably become that “first bike” for thousands of kids from toddler through the 20″ BMX machine.

Then, there are the Strider Cup races, the World Championship, the partnerships, the philanthropy, and so much more.

Then, I have conversation with Mass Bike’s Richard Fries, a frequent guest on the show.

While Richard and Mass Bike are doing some amazing advocacy feats in Massachusetts, our conversation today is once again about the serious issue of police officials getting it wrong when a crash occurs – in these instances killing the rider.

We pick up the story of Dr. Anita Kurmann who was riding in her lane, carefully navigating traffic. In a video compiled from traffic cameras in the area, Richard tells us about the 16 seconds that the driver of the truck had Dr. Kurman in his mirrors, yet turned right anyway. She never had a chance.

What happened in the aftermath is the heart of our discussion about what it is going to take to enforce the laws, teach the police and prosecutors, and in effect change the system.

Finally, it’s time for the 2018 North American Handmade Bike Show and this year it is finally on the east coast in Hartford, CT.

Kicking off on Friday, February 16th and running through that weekend, NAHBS is celebrating 13 years of beautiful bikes, interesting and educational seminars, and a look into the myriad ideas of the handmade machine.

Show director Don Walker will give us the rundown on the event and how it has changed the industry.

 

 

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Show #285 – February 13, 2016

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Guests: Connie Carpenter-Phinney, Don Walker

I love my work!

Connie Carpenter-Phinney has been a champion since she was 14, and today as the wife of Davis Phinney, the mother of BMC’s Taylor Phinney, and the mother of a world class Nordic skiing daughter, she relishes the quirky, fun, and fascinating lifestyle that they have developed over the past decades.

Connie and I talk about a variety of topics including Parkinson’s disease (Davis was diagnosed at the young age of 40) and the Sufferlandria competition that is raising money for the Davis Phinney Foundation.

We get in to a bit of women’s racing history and speculation about how and why it has changed – especially n light of today’s great competitors.

And, of course we discuss Taylor’s bid for gold at the 2016 Olympics.

After a short break to punch up Radiothon, we head on in to some news and then down to Kentucky to talk with “The Don” – Don Walker.

NAHBS 2016 is around the corner and it’s always fun to find out what’s coming up for the artisan show that is now in its 12th year!

SO – back to Radiothon for just a moment… the window of opportunity to pledge your support of our show and all the great programming at WJCU (which streams some of the best college radio anywhere) will close on Tuesday, February 17th at 5pm. PLEASE pledge your support!

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Show #230 – January 24, 2015

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Guests: Elden (The Fat Cyclist) Nelson; Don (Mr. NAHBS) Walker

We’re getting into that time of winter where we long for sunny skies, warm temperatures, and green! So, probably one of the best ways to forget the winter doldrums is to laugh – at it, about it, or just find some funny stuff.

And, this week we did indeed find humor. Back at the beginning of the month, we spoke with commentator and journalist Dan Wuori. During our conversation, Dan mentioned that he had participated in the forward of a new book by the “fat cyclist” and I said… “Who’s that?”

Well, this evening, we get to talk with the “fat cyclist hisself”… Elden Nelson isn’t fat and he IS a cyclist. In fact, he’s an avid cyclist having completed 17 of the 18 Leadville 100 events he’s entered (there’s good reason he was DNF on the 18th!)

Elden writes the irreverent and mostly outrageously funny blog fatcyclist.com. His new book, “The Great Fatsby – Absurd Cycling Stories Disguised as Expertise and Insight” is a compendium of his blog from 2007 through 2010 and in it he adds many of the incredibly funny comments that were left after each entry.

But Elden isn’t just a humor monger – he’s the real deal and has raised millions of dollars for charities near and dear to his heart including Livestrong (yes, he believes in the organization and what it does), World Bicycle Relief, and the Kesem Camps (just listen and you’ll learn about them).

Then, after our break and some news, we hustle off to Louisville for the skinny on this year’s NAHBS show with founder and owner Don Walker. Oh yeah – NAHBS #11 is only 6 weeks away and Don gives us some excellent reasons to head over to the show and to the city of Louisville for some great cycling culture.

So, get your ears on and let’s listen in to my conversation with Elden Nelson – MR. Fat Cyclist.

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Show #180 – February 1, 2014 (WOW!)

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Guests: Liz Jose, WEBikeNYC; Don Walker, NAHBS

 

Everybody seems to have their favorite season of the year. I like any season in which I can go for a bike ride (which turns out to be all of them, if I’m dressed right and sufficiently motivated). But looking out my back window today it occurred to me that without leaves to block the view, we can see the true structure of trees much more clearly. Currently, the Grey Squirrel Acrobatic Company is putting on a fabulous show for an appreciative audience of one.

So, in the spirit of the season, we get right to the heart of a couple of folks doing interesting things in very different areas of cycling. First up is Liz Jose, founder of WE Bike NYC. The “WE” stands for “women’s empowerment”, and the organization grew out of Liz’s day job as a bicycle mechanic in Manhattan’s East Village, and a desire to get more women riding and working on their bicycles. Liz was also featured in a recent article in Bicycling magazine.

In a very different region of the country, and a different part of cycling, Don Walker is getting ready to produce the tenth annual North American Handmade Bicycle Show, March 14-16 in Charlotte, North Carolina.Don joins us in the second half of the show to talk about the evolution of NAHBS, what to expect this year, and what he’s been up to lately.

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Show #129 – February 9, 2013

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RADIOTHON!  Guests: Don Walker, Richard Pound, Larry Graham

Radiothon link! Pledge early & often!

 

Do you enjoy your weekly dose of The Outspoken Cyclist? Would you like to help ensure it continues to tickle your ears every Saturday? Then support WJCU during Radiothon 2013. WJCU is non-commercial, listener-supported radio, staffed by dedicated volunteers. That means your small annual donation goes directly towards keeping the lights on at WJCU, and keeping the Many Voices, and Many Choices on the air and on the Internet.

Thanks for your support; let’s get on to this week’s show:

The annual North American Handmade Bicycle Show is just a couple weeks away. We caught up with show director Don Walker in a rare moment of calm during his pre-show frenzy to talk about NAHBS, ‘Cross Worlds, and life in general.

Richard (Dick) Pound has a C.V. as long as your arm, including Olympic swimmer, attorney, university chancellor, and IOC board member. But the role for which we know him best is as one of the founders and president of the World Anti-Doping Agency. For the past several years, Mr. Pound has been swimming against the prevailing tide with regard to doping in cycling. Recent revelations have vindicated him, and he was gracious enough to join us from Toronto to share his thoughts on cycling’s ugly past, and his hopes for its future.

Finally, a little closer to home, it’s time to start thinking about the upcoming ultra-distance racing season, and one of the premier events is right in our backyard. Larry Graham, co-director of Calvin’s Challenge brings us up to date on the 22nd edition of this iconic race set for Saturday, May 4th, in Springfield, Ohio.

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Show #79 – February 25, 2012

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Before we dive into this week’s show, let me take a moment on behalf of myself, Diane, and everyone at WJCU, to thank Outspoken Cyclist listeners for their generosity during Radiothon 2012. Thanks to your support, The Outspoken Cyclist doubled our pledge amount compared to 2011, and more importantly, you helped WJCU meet its overall fundraising goal. Chapeaux to everyone who donated to Radiothon!

Now to why you came here in the first place. We start this week’s show right in our own backyard. After years of talk and rumor, Cleveland is finally, actually getting a velodrome. Brett Davis, board chair of Fast Track Cycling, the non-profit that is spearheading this project, stopped into the WJCU studios to bring us up to date on the latest, including an expected June 2012 opening!

From track cycling in Cleveland we move on to the upcoming North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS), which opens March 2 in Sacramento, California.

In conjunction with NAHBS, Paul Skilbeck and Julia Beckner are curating and coordinating ArtBike, a bicycle-centric community art exhibition designed to bridge the Sacramento community and the bike show. Paul and Julia were nice enough to join us by phone and give us a preview of what to expect in Sacramento this coming week.

Moving on with more about NAHBS, Don Walker, the founder and Chief Executive Everything of the handmade show (and owner of Don Walker Cycles) joins us from Louisville, Kentucky. Don had just finished loading the trailer for his road trip from Louisville to Sacramento, when we caught up with him. He shared some info about this year’s show, and a detailed, inside look at a very unique bike project Don will be exhibiting at the show.