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Show #458 – June 22, 2019

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Guests: Eli Griffen; Molly Hurford; Dan Wuori

An item that came across my desk prompted me to get in touch with Rails-to-Trails and with Eli Griffen, the Manager for Trail Development Resources.

The topic is rail banking and I wanted to know more about it. Rail banking isn’t a new phenomenon; and, in fact, hundreds if not thousands of our rail-trails are due to the practice. Eli will explain it when we talk with him in a moment. He’ll also fill us in on some of the progress of the Great American Bike Trail.

We’ll have a quick chat with writer, coach, endurance athlete, and the proud author of Shred Girls – Lindsay’s Joy Ride. The much anticipated book was just published by Random House Kids and is the first in the Shred Girls series.
Last and always interesting, fun, and informative is our pre-Tour de France chat with Velo News’ Dan Wuori. With Chris Froome’s untimely crash at the Dauphine and a so-far lack luster spring for 2018 yellow jersey holder Thomas Geraint, it just might be anybody’s guess as to who will stand atop the podium in Paris this year.

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Show #457 – June 15, 2019

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Guests: Dr. Jonathan Hersch; Tracy & Peter Flucke; Dr. Evan Friss

In part III of our orthopedic sports injury series with Dr. Jonathan Hersch, we explore hip impingement. When you feel that pain in your hip, it just might be the beginnings of what could become a chronic issue. Dr. Hersch tells us what to look for and when to seek treatment.

Last year, we spoke with tandem couple Tracy and Peter Fluke about their work and about the7,000 mile tandem trip they were planning at the time.

Well, on June 1st, they pushed off from the west coast, and this evening we catch up with them for the first of a series of on-the-road conversations as they make their way towards New Orleans.

And, then we talk with history Professor Evan Friss. His new book, On Bicycles, a 200 year history of cycling in New York City, traces the bicycle, the people who rode them, and the way t he city has interacted with them beginning way back in 1819.

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Show #456 – June 8, 2019

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Guests: Nancy Hogshead-Makar; Cait Harley

As you know, we mostly focus our show on cycling; and, I like to think that you, the listener, is interested in not only many sports but also the humanity and the need for honest and open discourse around those sports and the athletes who participate in them.

Recently, there have been many heated discussions where a line is drawn in the sand – one side insists, usually very loudly, that gender discrimination, misogyny, racism, and sexism are rampant, often negating the best of intentions and effectively shutting down any meaningful dialog.

On the other side, there are some very well reasoned, rational, and legal discussions on the topic; and, to that end, have one of the best legal sports minds on the show this evening. Nancy Hogshead-Maker. Nancy won 3 gold and one silver medal in swimming at the 1984 Olympics and, she’s a civil rights attorney.

She is currently the CEO of Champion Women, an organization leading targeted efforts to advocate for equality and accountability in sport.

Our conversation covers a lot of ground including disturbing accounts of discrimination, flagrant violations of law, and some of the remedies that are finally being put in place – many of which can be attributed to the work she is doing.

It’s a fascinating – and hopeful – conversation.

We chat with Cait Harley, the active transportation for the Ohio Department of Transportation.

It’s nice to be able to report some good things happening in Ohio, especially in light of the dismal record we have when it comes to vulnerable road users’ fatalities – Ohio ranks a pitiful 40 out of the 50 States.

But, Cait has a new initiative – Your Move Ohio – and, with some statistics to back her up – offers some good ideas for Ohioans on the roads.

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Show #455 – June 1, 2019

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Guests: Alex Baca; Steve Rex

Are we reaching a tipping point for some meaningful change as it pertains to the safety of cyclists (and pedestrians) on the road?

Tonight, we chat with Alex Baca who works with the advocacy organization greater greater Washington, in DC. Alex, whose background encompasses advocacy on several fronts, and I were going to discuss separated bike lanes and why they might be better than painted lanes or sharing the road. But, as sometimes happens, a great conversation breaks out on another front.

Then, we’ll take a break and return for a conversation with Sacramento based multiple NAHBS winner frame builder Steve Rex.

Unlike many – if not most – of the frame builders we spoken with over the years, Steve was – in his words – “a shopkeeper” until just last year when he decided to take his frame building business out of a retail location and build his work shop closer to home.

We talk about his philosophy on fitting, disc brakes, and much more.

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Show #454 – May 25, 2018

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ENCORE! ENCORE!   Enjoy this great show from Memorial Day 2018 and we’ll be back with a brand new episode next week.

We’ve had Elden Nelson on the show in the past; but, now he’s got a new gig and he is THE expert in the field. Elden has completed 20 Leadville 100 mountain bike races and now has a new podcast all about the event – how to train for it, how to finish it, surviving at altitude, what to eat, everything-you-need-to-know.

The podcast launched on Wednesday and I wanted to be the FIRST to cover the news!

Then, after two failed attempts – technical difficulties – I think we nailed the conversation on the third take. Joe Mungo Reed‘s first novel (his first book) is a slam dunk winner! We Begin the Ascent, out June 19th in the States, is a fictional account of a pro rider, his wife, and the cast of characters that make up the team.

The book is riveting – with uncanny insight into the mechanics of a pro team -and lots of twists and turns as the story unfolds. We don’t see a lot of cycling fiction – and this one is a winner!

Finally, as an answer to the requests I received – is an encore presentation of an interview I had with FK Day from SRAM and founder of World Bicycle Relief. It was one of the first interviews I did as The Outspoken Cyclist back in 2010 and, I must say, it’s not bad!

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend! Enjoy the show!

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Show #453 – May 18, 2019

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Guests: Mara Abbott; Karen Empie; Dr. Jonathan Hersch

 

Our first guest is Mara Abbott. Abbott is the first U.S. cyclist to win the Giro Donne, one of the Grand Tour’s of women’s bicycle racing.

She’s been our national road race champion, has won the tour of Gila multiple times, and decided to retire after the 2016 Olympics where she placed 4th in the women’s road race.

Today, Mara is a freelance journalist and her recent article for Trainright.com titled “Retired Athletes Open Up About Post Career Battles” caught our attention.

Mara gives us some insight into what it takes to be an elite athlete – how who we are shapes the athlete you are and how the athlete you are shapes the person you become.
Her insights are fascinating.

Then, we head to upstate NY to speak with ride director Karen Empie about the 19th annual Great Big FANY ride.
Say what you will about the name, but this week-long ride through NY, this year with a brand new course, will offer something for everyone as it winds its way from Plattsburg up north to the heart of Hudson Valley where it ends in Poughkeepsie – home of the Culinary Institute of America.

And, finally we welcome Dr. Jonathan Hersch back to the show for the second in our four-part series on orthopedic sports. This time, we’re talking knees from taking good

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Show #452 – May 11, 2019

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Guests: Steve Maxwell & Joe Harris; Denise Korenek

With the beginning of the Amgen – which is arguably the United States’ most popular spring stage race, as backdrop, my first guests are Joe Harris and Steve Maxwell of the Outer Line blog.

According to their blog, “the outer line is the path often taken by cyclists who are unable to break into the lead-out train, but whose strength, resolve and tactical cunning can lead them to victory.

We provide an independent perspective on the challenges facing the sport – and offer an objective forum for analyzing its key structural, economic, governance and ethical aspects. It’s time to listen to new ideas and change direction. It’s time to take The Outer Line…”
With those words as background, I wanted to explore a new project they are working on.

Neither Joe nor Steve comes from a cycling background and both hold full time jobs outside of the bike industry. BUT, both of them have an abiding interest in the sport, especially when it comes to the economics of racing and what it might take to bring cycling into the national spotlight.

It seems Rapha had some of the same questions and tasked Joe and Steve to look into the issues that might be preventing cycling from growing and thriving and come up with a plan.

What Joe and Steve have discovered and learned is being published in the Rapha Roadmap Report – a 10 part series that looks at what is lacking in cycling and what other pro sports have done that might work for our sport.

When we spoke with Denise back in January of 2017, Denise and her driver Shea Holbrook had just broken the broke the women’s paced land speed record at 143 mph.

With the urging of her coach, retired pro cyclist John Howard, Denise realized that resting on those laurels wasn’t enough, and last September, she and Shea set out to break the world record. The record stood for over 60 years!

But, they didn’t just break it – they smashed it! We learn what it took to do that and whether there are other goals out there for her.

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Show #451 – May 4, 2019

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Guests: Hunter Allen; Susanne Masters; Dick Porterfield & Regina Lowsinger

Our show tonight offers up a variety of topics from measuring power to the distillation of gin.

We’ll talk with Hunter Allen, the founder of Peaks Coaching Group, whose newest book, Training and Racing With A Power Meter was released on April 17th in its 3rd edition.

So, what’s different? Well, ten years and a whole lot of technology has changed the training and riding landscape as the ability to track power gives us a lot of new tools in the toolbox.

After we speak with Hunter, we head over to the UK for a conversation with … wait for it – ethobotanist Susanne Masters. No, I didn’t know what it meant (she will tell us) and, yes, I was intrigued by her recent article in the NY Times titled Chasing Rembrandt’s Tulips on Two Wheels.
So, I rang her up via Skype and we talked about that article as well as her work on the Isle of Harris where she was tasked with coming up with the ingredients for a new Gin.

Finally, it’s off to the Binghamton, NY to speak with ride director Dick Porterfield about the 39th annual Great Finger Lakes Tour.

Centered around the beautiful area of Watkins Glen, the ride will take you to wineries, Amish country, and more. This year, the ride also honors the 50th anniversary of the organization that produces the event, The Southern Tier Bicycle Club.

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Show #450 – April 27, 2019

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Guests: Dan Wuori; Inga Thompson; Dr. Jonathan Hersch

First up, it’s time to check in with our man-in-the-pro-know Dan Wuori. With the Spring classics well under way, Dan will talk with us about some of the big stories from the cobbles, what’s going on with world champ Peter Sagan, and more.

Then, it’s a warm welcome back to retired pro and fierce women’s advocate, Inga Thomspon. Inga and I have been planning to chat for some time; but, we needed to wait until one of her new projects was in place.

The Inga Thompson Foundation – which is a not for profit enterprise – has launched with the goal of enabling women’s cycling with support of promising riders.

It’s especially timely because, after last week’s article about Rebecca Twigg, Inga has also dedicated a piece of her work to helping Rebecca.

Then, as promised, we have the first of our 4-part series on injuries that many cyclists face with orthopedic sports specialist Dr. Jonathan Hersch.

Dr. Hersch practices in Boca Raton, Florida and our episode tonight is about clavicles – collarbones if you will.

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Show #449 – April 20, 2019

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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!)