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Show #218 – November 1, 2014

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Guests: Keri Caffrey, Mark Friis, Ron Gurth – A Discussion of NPR’s The Diane Rehm Show

Happy November! Welcome back to The Outspoken Cyclist Show!

Our show “covers” another show this week. On Thursday, October 30th, NPR’s Diane Rehm Show offered up a one-hour segment about cycling; specifically, “Sharing the Road: Adapting to a New Culture of Cycling”. With 5 invited guests from 5 different areas covering transportation, Highway Safety, and even a dissenting voice on allowing cyclists to ride the streets in San Francisco, the show covered statistics, complaints, safety, and legislation.

My question was – did it accomplish what it set out to do and, if not, what was missing? So, to that end, I invited a trio of guests to comment on Diane Rehm’s show and to offer up what was good, bad, ugly, or ???

My first guest is one of my favorite cycling advocates and the founder of Cycling Savvy – the instructional program out of Orlando that is training other trainers to teach riders not only how to be safe on the road, but to become confident predictable cyclists. Keri Caffrey is one of the smartest people I know and has her finger on the pulse of just about every aspect of bicycling advocacy.

Then, we’ll head on out to Redlands, California to speak with Mark Friis, Executive Director of the Inland Empire Biking Alliance. Mark has some interesting counterpoints to some of Keri’s comments as well as some dissenting words about the way we train children to ride today. Much of our conversation though mirrors Keri’s thoughts about the effectiveness of the DR Show.

Finally, we go back down to Florida to catch up with retiree Ron Gurth. Ron is a Cycling Savvy Instructor (CSI), a League Cycling Instructor (LCI), and because of some recent actions taken – or more to the point NOT taken – by the League of American Bicyclists has recently withdrawn his support and membership from the organization. Besides being an avid single ride, Ron and his wife ride a tandem – another topic that makes some of the issues raised on the Rehm show questionable.

Sit back and enjoy!

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Show #217 – October 25, 2014

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Guests: Kansas City, MO Councilman John Sharp; Urologist Dr. Dudley Seth Danoff; Ex CAT 1-Pro Racer Michael King

Every once in a while, I think we have a show that will knock you out of your socks; I’m thinking maybe this will be one of those shows.

My first guest is Councilman John A. Sharp of Kansas City, Missouri. Last week, we spoke about the unanimously passed anti-harassment law protecting cyclists, pedestrians, those in wheelchairs, and yes… to my utter amazement and dismay, even service dogs. The law went into effect on October 12th and this week, I asked the Councilman all about it. I really liked his answers.

Then we talk about “Penis Power” – yep… you heard that right. Dr. Dudley Seth Danoff is a board certified urologist who practices in Los Angeles and really did write the book – Penis Power. He talks to us about prostate health, TRT (testosterone replacement therapy), what you and/or your partner can do when one of you wants sex and the other doesn’t, and why E.D. is such a BIG deal – or is it?

In the second half of the show, I talk with an old friend – one with whom I lost contact for a while. In reconnecting and catching up, I was troubled to learn that his life had turned upside down and wanted to know why. Mike King had it all – successful CAT 1-Pro racer, beautiful family, top-selling salesman 18 years in a row – cars, house – literally… he had it ALL. And then, as he says – “the pendulum began to swing in the opposite direction.”

Suddenly he lost it all and found himself incarcerated on an array of charges including selling drugs and public intoxication.

He also found out that the extreme success and extreme failure are all part of being bi-polar; and, without shame or embarrassment, Mike tells us all about it.

Sit back – it’s going to be an incredible ride.

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Show #216 – October 18, 2014

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Guests: Philly Bike Expo’s Bina Bilenky Trahan, Rails-to-Trails director Keith Laughlin; Brett Horton of the Horton Collection

As bike shows go, the Philly Bike Expo is one of the best! And, as the weekend of November 8-9th approaches, I thought it would be a good idea to check in with show director Bina Bilenky Trahan and find out what is new for 2014. The Outspoken Cyclist herself will be attending the show this year too!

As we ramp up to the midterm elections here in the U.S., and with a possible changing of the majority party as an outcome, I wanted to find out how transportation issues might be affected. So, I always like to go to the “man-in-the-know”, Rails to Trails director Keith Laughlin. Keith has been in Washington, DC for many, many years and knows what is happening in Congress as well as anyone. He’ll also catch us up on some new and exciting developments with Rails to Trails for 2015.

Even though it’s still 10 weeks until the holidays, I wanted to get a jump start on some ideas for the gift giving season and, as everyone knows, I LOVE books!

From the over 170,000 photographs of the 1920’s and 1930’s of what racing looked like in the early 20th Century, Brett Horton, owner and curator of the Horton Collection was able to choose 106 of them to offer in a lovely hardbound book titled “Goggles & Dust – Images from Cycling’s Glory Days”. The book celebrates the grit and determination of the bicycle racing pioneers who established the records, traditions, and distinct flavors of Europe’s most hallowed races.

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Show #215 – October 11, 2014

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Guests: Brendan Lyons; Shannon Galpin

Get ready for another great show this evening. After congratulating ourselves for beating Pittsburgh in the National Bike Challenge, we head on out to Arizona to learn about “LOOK – Save A Life – Arizona” and the story of Brendan Lyons and Lorena Evans. Last October the couple was hit from behind by a distracted motorist while training for the El Tour de Tucson. After a year of recovery, they will be awarded the Dedication Award at this year’s event.

We will also speak with activist and philanthropist Shannon Galpin. Shannon’s non-profit Mountain2Mountain was formed to create education and opportunity for women and girls in conflict regions around the world. in 2013, Shannon received the National Geographic Society’s “humanitarian of the year” award, and this month her new book, Mountain to Mountain details the work she’s done to help put girls on bikes in Afghanistan. The story is fascinating.

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Show #214 – October 4, 2014

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Guests: Rodney Hendrickson; John Schubert; Steve Hampsten

Hey – it’s October! And, if it’s October, it’s also time for Rodney Hendrickson’s “Thriller Ride”. The spooky 4-route event takes place next weekend and, as always Rodney has lots of ghoulish things planned for the event.

Then, we take up the continuing story we’ve been covering for most of the summer and now on into the fall.

When Cherokee Schill first moved to Jessamine County in Kentucky, she did so to take a job driving a fork lift. She wanted and needed to support her two teenage children AND she was also 90 pounds overweight.

With little or no money, she couldn’t afford to fix her old car, which had 300,000 miles registering on the odometer. She also couldn’t afford the insurance. She began riding a bike the 18 miles to and from work; and that’s when the real saga begins.

She was given tickets, she has been charged with reckless driving, (in this case riding), and she’s been thrown in jail. In a trial where 4 expert witnesses all agreed that the safest place to ride her bike on US27 – the ONLY route to and from her job – was IN the lane and NOT on the shoulder, the judge disagreed and found her guilty.

Tonight, we talk with one of those expert witnesses. John Schubert has been doing this work for 30 years and he will give us his explanation(s) of what went down at the trial and what he believes SHOULD have gone down.

After our break, we’ll head on out to Seattle to speak with frame designer and builder Steve Hampsten. Most folks think – Hampsten? – must be Andy! But, older brother Steve is no less talented or less fun. The two started out riding together; but, Andy turned pro and Steve went on to become a top level chef. Steve’s explanation of how being a chef is so like being a framebuilder is just the beginning of this delightful conversation.

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Show #213 – September 27, 2014

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Guests: Donna Holdiness; Aili McConnon

Sometimes life throws you so many curve balls, that eventually you just surrender and try to find a new road. Donna Holdiness did that and that road is unfolding in magical ways to help her keep the unbelievable positive perspective she now has on life.

Ten years ago, her son was involved in a distracted driving crash resulting in the loss of life; two years ago, her husband was killed as he was on a training ride by a juvenile driving an SUV.

So, Donna dug deep and started the (Dr.) Gary Holdiness Bicycling Fund and the results are nothing less than stunning. Donna will tell us about the work she is doing to educate and improve safety along the Natchez Trace where both accidents happened. And, her work may just make all the National Parks in the U.S. a safer place to ride your bike.

After our break and the news, we will speak with author Aili McConnon whose book, The Road to Valor, offers a stunning look at Italy, bicycle racing, the resistance, and a famous cyclist just prior to and through World War II. Gino Bartali, who is the only rider to win the Tour de France twice – ten years apart – has a much less known story woven with secrecy and piety. McConnon’s telling of it is riveting.

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Show #212 – September 20, 2014

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Guests: Jacob VanSickle & Lambert vanBeers talk NEO Cycle; Joe Prisel – mountain bike park designer and builder; author and historian Richard Moore

#ShutUpHour! Jens Voigt makes history – no surprise – riding 51.115km in one hour, smashing the old record! GO JENS! Someday I hope to have a chance to chat with Jens – just to yuk it up with him.

This week the Outspoken Cyclist offers up a brand new weekend of cycling with NEO Cycle – an urban cycling festival sponsored by a whole host of great companies including The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, Ohio Savings Bank, General Electric, Forest City Enterprises, and Spynga – Cleveland Heights.

The director of Bike Cleveland, Jacob VanSickle tells us about the event and the co-owner of SpyngaFlows, Lambert vanBeers talks about his involvement in the Grand “Fundo”.

Then, we talk about indoor mountain bike parks – only this is about the MOTHER OF ALL INDOOR MOUNTAIN BIKE PARKS. Opening in January, the Louisville Mega Cavern Mountain Bike Park will offer 350,000 square feet of mountain biking that will include some fascinating options you may never have imagined. Joe Prisel helped build the original Ray’s Mountain Bike Park, went on to help design and build the “Lumberyard”, Portland, Oregon’s Park, and now lives outside of Seattle where he designed and built the Burlington Mountain Bike Park.

Lastly, we welcome author and Tour de France historian Richard Moore back to the show. Richard’s new book, Etape: 20 Great Stories From the Modern Tour de France, highlights all new interviews with both famous and sometimes obscure riders from a variety of stages beginning with 1971. Richard, who also wrote Slaying the Badger and Tour de France 100 knows so much about the riders, the routes, the stages, and the stories and is able to recall and share them with us this evening.

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Show #211 – September 13, 2014

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Guests: Robin Bylenga, Richard Fries , David Trimble

September 13th and it’s FALL here in NE Ohio! Temps are cool, winds are blowin’, and the leaves have started turning colors.

September is also Interbike time and we will hear about this year’s event from a colleague of mine from Greenville, SC. Robin Bylenga is the proprietor of Pedal Chic. Robin gives us a glimpse into what the industry is offering for 2015 as well as her thoughts about the IBD and what s/he is up against when it comes to competing with on line marketers.

Richard Fries, who is one of our perennial favorite guests, will fill us in on what he’s been up to including an opportunity to announce the UCI Para Cycling World Championship races for television audiences. He shares his work with Anthony Shriver and the Best Buddies Challenge and gives us an update on the Providence CycloCross progress toward becoming a World Cup event.

Finally, we will speak with David Trimble, the director and founder of the Red Hook Criterium Series. Starting with a simple birthday ride idea back in 2008, the Red Hook has become one of the premiere non-sanctioned events growing from one race in Brooklyn, NY to a worldwide series. The final race of 2014 will be held in Milano, Italy next month.

So, hang on to your handlebars and we’re off to Las Vegas!

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Show #210 – September 6, 2014

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Guest: Albert Eisentraut

As we begin our fifth year of The Outspoken Cyclist, I wanted to reach out to someone who most listeners know OF but perhaps don’t know a lot ABOUT (pardon the prepositions at the end of the … ah, never mind)

From his early childhood memories of Oscar Wastyn’s shop in Chicago to his experiences of being a runner at the 6-day races as well as his views on frame building and today’s bicycle business, my interview with Albert Eistentraut is probably one of the most lively and interesting of our many, many wonderful conversations over the past four years.

This evening, the show is dedicated to just Albert and I think you will find it delightful! Enjoy!

Have a great week!

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Show #209 – August 30, 2014

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Guests: Chris Coburn, Cyclocross Superstar Katie Compton, Matt Shad, Jan Michael Ramery & Jonathan Strauss

To everyone who is in and around Napa – we hope you are all safe, well, and recovering from the earthquake!

This week, we talk briefly with Chris Coburn. Chris’ brother Dr. Miles Coburn was a much loved biology professor, father, husband, son, and brother. He was killed in a bike accident back in 2008 and since then, we honor Miles and his commitment to cycling and the environment with the Ride for Miles, a commemorative ride that starts and end right here on the campus of John Carroll University.

Then we head on out to Colorado Springs to talk with SUPERSTAR Katie (FN) Compton. There isn’t a more dominant or successful cyclist when it comes to cyclocross than Katie. Amassing twenty two World Cup wins and four medals at the Cyclocross World Championships, as well as 90+ UCI wins, Katie shares her story with us this evening.

After a break and some news, we head on down to Columbus, Ohio to speak with Matt Shad. Matt is an urban planner as well as the director of the Great Placemaker’s Lab, a 3-day workshop that offers cuty planners, landscape architects, and anyone else involved in the planning, design, and management of neighborhoods and public spaces.

Topics for the workshops range from walkability, art, and retail to aging, transit, and parking. The plenary speaker will be Jeff Speck, who we interviewed back in June, 2013. Speck’s Walkable Cities is still one of my preferred books when we talk about downtowns and transportation.

And finally, we go to Miami, Florida to speak with the organizers of an event that rivals any amateur ride or race anywhere: The Road Titans 300+ Cycling Challenge. You just might want to get your low gears on and head on down to Oconee County, South Carolina for 3 days of riding, climbing, mid-November. Jan Michael Ramery and Jonathan Strauss will fill us in on all the nitty gritty details.

So, click the download button and let’s go!