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Show #307 – August 5, 2016

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Guests: Former NYC Tranportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan; Soigneur Shelly Verses

This week’s show is exceptionally satisfying to me!

From the persistence-pays-off-department of journalism, I am delighted to be able to tell you that former Transportation Commissioner Janet Sadik-Khan is my guest this week. Appointed by Mayor Bloomburg in 2007, Janette spent 6 years, 7 months, and 18 days in the position. (I learned that from her new book, Street Fight – Handbook for an Urban Revolution.)

Janette was the force behind what some might call the transformation of NYC’s surface transportation – from bike lanes to major street scapes. Her book details much of the work she was able to accomplish over those 6+ years as well as offer practical ideas into transforming cities – large and small – into livable communities for all.

She was delightful, forthcoming, and interesting! It was worth the wait!

After the break and some news, we head on out to Santa Barbara, CA to speak with Shelley Verses.

Shelley was the first US female soigneour and has some amazing stories about the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. I’m really glad she is writing a book, because the short time we had was filled with her giggly enthusiasm and excitement for the riders she came to know during the days of the 7-Eleven Team and her experiences at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

I hope you enjoy the show as much as I enjoyed my two guests this week.

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Show #306 – July 30, 2016

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Guests: Marc Sani; Leah Shahum

This week Diane talks with Bicycle Retailer and Industry News‘ Marc Sani about “Future Shock” and how Alvin Toffler‘s seminal work might give us some insight into the dilemmas faced by bicycle dealers today.

With a decision by Quality Bicycle Products to move one of their lines, Salsa Bicycles, into REI, the proverbial poop storm was kicked up by a bevy of dealers and Marc has some great insight into what the industry might want to do to move forward – without kicking and screaming.

After our break and some news, including a fabulous video with Chris Froome and the “Minis”, we head on out to San Francisco to speak with Vision Zero Network‘s Leah Shahum.

Leah, who has a deep understanding of transportation, especially as it relates to the bicycle and pedestrian world, gives us some solid information about what it might take to reach the “Zero Vision” goal.

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THIS is show #305! – July 23, 2016

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This week’s show was supposed to be a bit different from what is actually is going to be. Along with our guests, I was going to talk with you about a short self-supported bike trip Brian and I took last week; but, when I woke up Thursday morning it was to the news that one of my colleagues, the curator of MOMBAT  – (Museum of Mountain Bike Art and Technology) and one of the nicest guys you’d ever want to me was hit and killed while crossing the street in his home town of Statesville, N.C.

Jeff Archer was one of the really good guys – smart, savvy, and a valued part of the NAHBS judging team that year on year chooses the “best of show” in all categories.  He owned First Flight Bicycles and was just inducted into the

.Our hearts are broken and we send our deepest condolences to his wife and family.

So, while we have a great LIVE guest – in fact he was right here in studio over the weekend – we will also be airing my conversation with Jeff Archer from December of 2012.

First however, is a return guest – also named Jeff. Jeff Mapes was in town, this time to cover the RNC for Oregon Public Broadcasting as its senior political reporter.

Previously, Jeff covered state and national politics for The Oregonian for nearly 32 years. He has covered numerous presidential, congressional, gubernatorial, legislative and ballot measures, as well as many sessions of the Legislature, stretching back to 1985.

An avid bike commuter, as well as a RAAM rider, Jeff is the author of the 2009 book, “Pedaling Revolution: How Cyclists are Changing American Cities.”

Our conversation runs the gamut from what’s happening in Oregon to how self-driving cars might change the way bicycles and cars interact.

Listen in and, please stay safe out there!

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NOT show #305 – July 16, 2016

Spent a couple of days on the Erie Canal Towpath in NY with some friends of ours from Oswego, NY this week.  Rode from Lockport to Brockport and back, self-supported, with great tailwinds on day 1 and killer headwinds on day 2.  And, we thought Cleveland had some fierce winds!

Some highlights of the trip included:

– Watching how the locks work in Lockport.  What a feat of engineering this stuff is!

– Finding a GREAT coffee shop in Middleport – Alternative Grounds Caffe.  Excellent coffee, fabulous food, beautiful store!

– Heard an excellent 4-man band – The Third Degree Hot Rockin Band – in Brockport on Thursday night.  Bunch of retired “hippie” types playing everything from Van Morrison and the Beatles to CCR.  Great vocals, guitars, and drums!  90 minutes of non-stop fun.

– Found out we can do this “self supported” tour thing just fine.

Back next week with a brand new show.  Will be speaking with NPR Senior Political Reporter from Oregon Public Radio, Jeff Mapes.  He was in town for the RNC and I had a chance to sit down with him and talk about his book, “Pedaling Revolution: How Cyclists Are Changing American Cities” as well as some of his thoughts about the Convention.

If you have a chance – go for a ride!

 

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Show #304 – July 9, 2016

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When cyclist Matt van Ohlen, co-founder of BikeStock was deliberately run down and murdered last week in NYC, there was once again an outcry for justice for cyclists. And, according to Streetsblog editor-in-chief Ben Fried, the response was “business as usual” when police began ticketing cyclists near the scene of the crime the following day.

Since then, the car has been found – the hit-and-run driver has not. And, in fact, less than 15% of all hit and run crashes are resolved.

Ben joins me to talk about Matt van Ohlen, the incident itself, and the mood of both the cycling community and the police in NYC.

The, I walk with Doug Ulman, CEO and President of Peolotonia – purportedly the “largest single-event cycling fundraiser benefiting cancer research in the United States”. To date, the 8 year old, three day event has raised over $112M – all of which has gone directly to research.

Doug, who is a cancer survivor himself and the past CEO of the Livestrong Foundation, gives us some in-depth statistics and some of the amazing successes that have come out of the direct underwriting of clinical trials through the Peolotonia organization.

Finally, I talk with award winning adventure travel writer Jayme Moye. Her recent blog in Simple.com titled “Cycling Passion: Why I Lost Money Reporting on Afghanistan’s First Female Bike Racers caught my attention this week and I wanted to know more about an adventure travel writer’s life as well as Jayme’s experience in Afhganistan.

Good show this week… let’s get to it.

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Show #303 – July 2, 2016

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“Doping? Again?”

I’m going to suggest that you suspend all your previous thoughts about Lance, Floyd, Tyler, and the U.S. Postal Team!

My guest this week has written a riveting book about one of our most favorite and displeasing topics – doping. Now, before you say – “What, another book about doping?” I want to preface the conversation by saying this is an approach I don’t believe anyone else has taken thus far.

He asks and answers such questions as: How, why, and when did we become so indignant and disgusted with athletic doping? What does it say about us and our society as a whole? How have these attitudes shifted over time? And, are you certain we as a society aren’t somewhat complicit?

Mark Johnson’s new book, “Spitting in the Soup: Inside the Dirty Game of Doping in Sports” not only helps us in finding answers to these questions; he also gives us a much more balanced view of how we’ve come to the way we view drugs in sports today.

Mark, who has authored other cycling books including The Argyle Armada, is an avid cyclist and surfer. His work often covers pro cycling and by association, doping. He has an MA and PhD in English literature from Boston University, lives in Del Mar, California, and was our guest back in March of 2012.

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Show #302 – June 18, 2016

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Guest: Richard Sachs

torch

 

He’s iconic, smart, outspoken (like me!), and revered.

And, it’s been a while since we spoke.

After his blog entry this week titled “Adjusting the Torch” I asked him to join me once again and he accepted.

Richard Sachs and I caught up with one another early Friday morning to talk about a variety of subjects in an in-depth conversation on the show.

We cover such topics as his early career and how he sees today’s frame building craft, True Temper’s decision to stop making bicycle tubes and, what a young person might be thinking about frame building today.

He needs no further introduction – so, sit back and enjoy!

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Show #301 – June 11, 2016

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Back in February, I spoke with World Bicycle Relief Ambassador Carlos Perea about his remarkable fund raising efforts on behalf of the WBR.

Little did Carlos know that just a few months later, he would be asked to take a trip to Africa with the WBR team to see first-hand how the work he was doing impacted the people who benefit from that work.

Tonight, Carlos and I talk about how he came to be one of the “lucky ones” to go on this tour, what he saw, and how he celebrated his 31st birthday!

After a break and some news, we head on down to Cincinnati to speak with Ohio bicycle lawyer, Steve Magas.

In light of the horrific crash in Kalamazoo, Michigan on Tuesday, June 7th, Steve and I discuss the charges against the driver of the truck that killed five cyclists and seriously injured nine more. Then we look toward the future and what we hope will be a turning point in the cars vs cyclists predicament.

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Show #300 – WOOO HOOOO – June 4, 2016

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Huge thank you to all the listeners and supporters of the show!  I hope you enjoy this 300th episode!

I’ve got three guests to help me celebrate this special occasion including one of the most special people in my life – my life partner Brian Jenks.

You’ve heard me mention him more times than I could possibly count; and, I’ve finally been able to corral him to join me this evening.

Besides being a terrific person, Brian is also one of the most talented and creative people I know. From his perfectly executed frame designs to his impeccable final bicycle builds, Brian leaves no detail un-turned. This evening, we cover a variety of topics – barely scratching the surface of what he knows and does in his work.

Then, we welcome Sam Fox back to the show. With the usual disclaimer that Sam is no relation to Michael J. Fox, he DOES represent the Michael J. Fox Foundation and will fill us in on the “Tour de Fox”, a new 3-event fund and awareness raising series of bicycle tours. Tour du Fox begins right here in NE Ohio with the Great Lakes Tour in July followed by an event in the Pacific Northwest  and another in Sonoma Wine Country.

Finally, we ta lk with Dale Brown from the well-respected and very popular web site Classic Rendezvous. Dale tells us a bit about the history of the site and fills us in on the Classic Rendezvous weekend that will take place June 10-12 in Greensboro, NC.

 

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Show #299 – May 28, 2016

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Guests: Author and Writing Professor Meg Guroff; Kathleen Bond for the PanOhio Hope Ride

Rode 60+ miles in the Horsey Hundred in Georgetown, KY today!  My knee is fabulous thanks to the Regenexx stem cell procedure I had last July.

Over 2500 riders!  Great food, perfect road markings, rest stops every 12 miles or so.  and super friendly (and knowledgeable volunteers made the day perfect (as did my Captain of course!.) Bluegrass Cycling Club rocks!    Thanks to all of you who said you like the show and especially my listener in Indiana who told a bunch of folks I’d be at the ride – you know who you are.

This week, I speak with non-fiction writing professor Meg Guroff about her new book, The Mechanical Horse: How The Bicycle Reshaped American Life.  The book is full of great historical facts and stories as well as a meticulous annotation and extensive bibliography.  Published by University of Texas Press, the book was just published in April and is available where great books are found!  (Meg suggests you should buy from my your independent book seller and I concur!)

After our break, I talk with Kathleen Bond from the PanOhio Hope Ride.  Celebrating its 10th year – this enormously popular and successful event will change it up this year by riding from the Hope House in Cincinnati to the Hope House here in Cleveland.

The work that these houses do – offering free of charge housing for patients and families of cancer patients – is amazing.  Kathleen is an energetic and super well informed champion of the American Cancer Society AND the PanOhio Hope event.