Wheelie Good Podcast!

Episode 19: Bikepacking is the perfect adventure — with Tracy Berman

Tracy Berman is the kind of person who decides to compete in a triathlon without knowing how to swim. She likes biking on sand and through snow. After just a handful of bikecamping overnights, she figured, “why not spend seven days biking home from Traverse City?” Tracy first bikepacked in 2018 using not much more than her usual commuting rig, and after seven years of throwing herself into challenges just to see how she overcomes them, she’s looking to ride almost 6,000 miles along the Eastern Divide Trail [https://bikepacking.com/eastern-divide-trail/] from Newfoundland to Key West. She owes this progress to understanding that the best opportunities to learn are when you try something new and are very bad at it. Below you’ll find a ton of information she shared with seminar attendees about what to pack, how to pack it, and where to find some great resources for planning routes and finding campsites. We figure that, during Neighborhood Week [https://www.moreneighborsa2.org/neighborhoodweek], one of the best ways to cultivate better relationships with your neighbors is to spend a few days on the road away from them every so often. Thanks for listening to the Wheelie Good Podcast! Subscribe for free to be notified about new episodes and listen to the many voices of bike advocacy in Washtenaw County. We also talk about the best gas station garbage, biking up Mt. Everest to fetch used oxygen tanks, and how not to get eaten by bears. Other links: * Follow Tracy on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/drtracyberman] * Planet Bike’s Super Commuter for Spring 2023 [https://www.planetbike.com/blog/meet-our-spring-super-commuter-tracy-berman-/] * The Colorado Trail Race [https://bikepacking.com/event/2025-colorado-trail-race-ctr/], 540 miles from Durango to Denver * The Caldera 500 [https://bikepacking.com/routes/caldera-500/] bikepacking race * The Crusher EX [https://906adventureteam.com/mountain-bike-events/the-crusher/] in Marquette * The Rivalry Ride [https://www.activeagainstals.org/rivalryride.html], a fundraiser for Active Against ALS * Barry-Roubaix [https://barry-roubaix.com/] (which has a fall fundraiser on October 12) * Cyclocross [https://www.annarborveloclub.org/events] by the Ann Arbor Velo Club * Tour Divide [https://bikepacking.com/event/2025-tour-divide/] (2,745 miles of ultra-endurance bikepacking from Banff to New Mexico) * Sic Transit overnight [https://www.sictransitcycles.com/s24h-camping] on October 4-5 * Leaf Pile Pedal [https://lmb.org/ride-calendar/leaf-pile-pedal-2025/] on October 9-12 * The “vicious world” of competitive yoga [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LB-23nwdKY] * Other episodes referenced: Bikepacking Resources * Local trip suggestions * Blind Lake Rustic Campground [https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/ParksandTrails/Details.aspx?id=445&type=SPCG] (gravel/dirt outbound route [https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30994287]) * Route starts from the Park & Ride lot at Meijer on Jackson & Zeeb * You may leave a vehicle overnight; well-stocked gas station at mile 18 * Vault toilets, hand pump for water, posts for hanging hammocks at some sites * Green Lake Rustic Campground [https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/ParksandTrails/Details.aspx?id=235&type=SPCG#overview] (paved outbound route [https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39098494]) * Several stop options in Dexter and Chelsea * Vault toilets, hand pump for water * What do you need? * A well functioning bike (ABC quick check — air, brakes, and chain) * A GPS navigation system is handy * At least one spare tube and/or patch kit (or designated driver for rescue) * Tracy’s example multi-day packing list [https://share.evernote.com/note/94090eaf-997f-1450-16ff-352f4d7065ce] * Check out this gear packing list [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1atgRE6OveilmdomRy8dkKgSsVyYdgKMylSMcJQeFjBw/edit] by the Radical Adventure Riders * Camp stove (or pre-made food if you don’t like cooking) * Fire-building supplies (optional) * Where to borrow gear: * Friends! * Common Cycle Femme/trans/women/nonbinary group (contact tracy@commoncycle.org) * Rec Sports Adventure [https://recreation.umich.edu/rentals/] center (availability/hours look limited this semester) * Where to find lower-cost gear: * ShareHouse [https://sharehouse.org/foundation/donate/] or other local thrift shops * Sierra Trading Co [https://www.sierra.com/ann-arbor-mi~l~31/] * REI resupply [https://www.rei.com/used] * How to carry stuff on your bike [https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/how-to-pack-for-bikepacking.html] * Planning Destination trips: * bikepacking.com/bikepacking-routes/ [https://bikepacking.com/bikepacking-routes/] * bikepackingroots.org/ride/ [https://bikepackingroots.org/ride/] * adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/ [https://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/] * ridewithgps.com [https://ridewithgps.com/] * Additional resources/references: * https://bikepacking.com/bikepacking-101/ [https://bikepacking.com/bikepacking-101/] * https://blog.otsocycles.com/2023/05/introduction-to-bikepacking-tips-tricks-and-pack-list/ [https://blog.otsocycles.com/2023/05/introduction-to-bikepacking-tips-tricks-and-pack-list/] (written by Sarah Swallow, who has a lot of excellent resources) * Tips and notes: * Give yourself ample time to set up your bike and gear; it will take longer than you expect * Go on a “shakedown” ride to make sure everything is secure and that you feel comfortable handling the bike * The extra weight slows you down quite a bit; expect to go slower and plan to cover less distance than you normally do * “Make it so easy you want to do it again.” - Dave Cotner * Have a bail-out plan * Commutes can be a great opportunity to test inclement weather gear * Might want to protect frame paint from bag straps with helicopter or silicone tape This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bicycleallianceofwashtenaw.substack.com [https://bicycleallianceofwashtenaw.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 18: The therapeutic power of catching air — with Garret Potter

Garret Potter lived in 20 homes—in nine states and in Tokyo—before he graduated from high school, and one of the few constants in almost all of those places was building bike jumps. The mental therapy of cycling takes many forms, and in Garret’s case it involves hours of sweaty labor—shoveling and tamping and wayfinding—so that more jumping enthusiasts can catch filthy air. Garret gave up jumping after a massive crash when he was just 18 years old, and he abstained for 18 more out of longer-term concern for his health and mobility. Being cleared to return was one of those watershed moments you never forget, and he hasn’t looked back (mostly because all the protective gear he wears makes it difficult to move your neck). Garret got involved with Ann Arbor Parks soon after he settled here in 2013, and he is quick to thank all of the volunteers, like Thomas Hosford [https://www.secondwavemedia.com/concentrate/features/OrdnanceBikes00267.aspx], who help and precede him. As is the case with most local bike advocacy, maintaining the bike parks relies heavily on the people who give their time and energy to maintain them. Garret shows his appreciation by engaging with his team often and staying vigilant for signs of burnout. And judging by the record attendance at their latest Summer Jam [https://www.instagram.com/p/DM9c1YfMFNl/] last weekend, that effort seems to be paying off. Thanks for listening to the Wheelie Good Podcast! Subscribe for free to be notified about new episodes and listen to the many voices of bike advocacy in Washtenaw County. We also talk about learning about BMX from his dad, his halcyon days as a performing poet living out of his car, and why permanent sheds help phase out the need for Ren Faire cosplay. Other links: * Follow Ann Arbor Bike Parks on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/annarborbikeparks] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/annarborbikeparks] * Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation Open Space [https://www.a2gov.org/parks-and-recreation/administrative/park-planning/] (PROS) Plan * Read the Bicycle Recreation Advocacy Group’s Development Proposal [https://www.a2gov.org/media/ennjnkez/november-16-pac-proposal-presentation-slides.pdf] … * … and this shout-out [https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1AzVbl25rlQivFugNcEyQRaPHjnLgYZdpJNds35LvNOI/edit?slide=id.g264b90d6787_0_71#slide=id.g264b90d6787_0_71] to the many volunteer advocates * Considering a trip to Tübingen, Germany [https://www.germany.travel/en/cities-culture/tuebingen.html]? * The Lucille Ball statues [https://time.com/4442285/lucille-ball-statue-scary-lucy/] in Celoron, NY * All about the DTE Trail [https://dtetrail.org/] * Read an excerpt of Hide and Seek: A Poet’s Memoir [http://www.garretpotter.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Hide-And-Seek-excerpt1.pdf] * Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs [https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html] * The Give 365 [https://www.a2gov.org/parks-and-recreation/give-365/] Volunteer Program * How to Adopt A Park [https://www.a2gov.org/parks-and-recreation/administrative/adopt-a-park/] * The Potawatomi Mountain Biking Association [https://potomba.org/] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bicycleallianceofwashtenaw.substack.com [https://bicycleallianceofwashtenaw.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 17: The origin story behind Common Cycle — with Molly Kleinman

Molly Kleinman arrived in Ann Arbor in 2005 and never expected to stay past graduate school. But after she bolted up a few ladders of engagement [https://beautifultrouble.org/toolbox/tool/ladder-of-engagement], she landed on the Transportation Commission [https://www.a2gov.org/engineering/transportation/transportation-commission/] and was elected president of the Ann Arbor District Library Board of Trustees [https://aadl.org/aboutus/libraryboard]. Another factor that pulled her into the Treetown Vortex was the bike lanes that heralded Ann Arbor’s emerging bike culture. When her late husband Pieter Kleymeer [https://obituaries.nationalcremation.com/obituaries/bloomfield-hills-mi/pieter-kleymeer-11004310] (another trained librarian!) decided that the town needed a bike co-op, they used a $5,000 Kickstarter to assemble the team of itinerant bike mechanics into what became Common Cycle [https://commoncycle.org/]. In her library leadership role, she’s been making the rounds in support [https://supportaadl.com/] of Propositions A and B [https://supportaadl.com/about], which will decide whether the AADL will get the chance to build a new downtown branch [https://aadl.org/node/643329] with an expanded footprint over the Library Lane Parking Structure. She’s also co-hosted two podcast episodes about it: one with AADL Director Eli Neiburger [https://annarboraf.com/episode-79-new-downtown-library-getting-informed-with-eli-neiburger/], and a follow-up ”squee”-fest [https://annarboraf.com/episode-80-library-lot-2-aadl-boogaloo-the-squee-episode/]. Absentee ballots for the election, which ends August 5, have been sent out, and early in-person voting will run from July 30 to August 3. For more information, you can check out more details here [https://aadl.org/vote] and look here for ways to get involved [https://supportaadl.com/]. Thanks for listening to the Wheelie Good Podcast! Subscribe for free to be notified about new episodes and listen to the many voices of bike advocacy in Washtenaw County. We also talk about bike and barge tours [https://www.biketours.com/holland//bike-boat/] in the Netherlands, the breakfast cereal that best compares to human cat food, and why Packard Road needs a “full Dutchification.” Other links: * Eli = Eli Neiburger [https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/03/ann-arbor-district-librarys-new-director-has-long-track-record-in-community.html?outputType=amp], Director of the Ann Arbor District Library * HEH = Human Electric Hybrids (aka Urban Rider Cargo Bikes [https://urbanrider.bike/], which helps run the Borrow A Cargo Bike A2 [https://urbanrider.bike/borrow-a-cargo-bike-a2] program) * Bakfiets [https://www.bakfiets.nl/en-en] cargo bikes * Bryn Mawr College [https://www.brynmawr.edu/] * The World Bike Polo [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBZgC7u6ji8] championships * Episodes mentioned: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bicycleallianceofwashtenaw.substack.com [https://bicycleallianceofwashtenaw.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 16: Coffee and bikes and go-go-go — with John Roos

Bike riders and coffee drinkers are each an energetic bunch, and at the center of that sizable overlap is John Roos, founder and chief trike-pedaler at RoosRoast [https://www.roosroast.com/]. John has been a devoted bike guy since he was a young kid growing up on East Jefferson St., and much of his penchant for coloring outside the lines [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JZ3JB5U8XU] was formed while riding headlong into obstacles. Winning races helped John affirm a few early decisions and helped him learn that what might seem like a wrong step can easily be a right one, as long as you keep pushing yourself to try and build and cook and brew new things. Which makes you think that, despite the zigs and zags, bike-powered coffee entrepreneurship was something he was always destined to do. Thanks for listening to the Wheelie Good Podcast! Subscribe for free to be notified about new episodes and listen to the many voices of bike advocacy in Washtenaw County. At this point, you can basically distill John’s worldview into three core principles: keep making stuff, communicate with each other, and check your tire pressure. We also hash out a lot of ideas for celebrating non-mechanized movement in town, including Tours de Teacher, a new skate park for kids, and Festifools on (Two) Wheels. Other links: * Follow RoosRoast on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/roosroast/] * Vision Zero [https://www.a2gov.org/engineering/ann-arbor-moving-together-towards-vision-zero/] aimed for zero deaths from traffic crashes by 2025 * The Five Boro Bike Tour [https://www.bike.nyc/events/td-five-boro-bike-tour/] in New York City * Congestion pricing [https://congestionreliefzone.mta.info/] in Manhattan * Sacha Baron Cohen talks about playing Ali G [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_4Pzc7GSOc] * Common Cycle [https://commoncycle.org/] and Bikeapalooza [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWqThCYO5Ug] * George Motz [https://www.georgemotz.com/] and his Hamburger America [https://www.hamburgeramerica.com/] * How to ride in the rain, part 1 [https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrwsLMcsXCE/] and part 2 [https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsbZ82mMCpO/] * Other episodes referenced: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bicycleallianceofwashtenaw.substack.com [https://bicycleallianceofwashtenaw.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 15: How to design the perfect Michigan bike — with Patria Vandermark

Patria Vandermark is a study in contrasts. She doesn’t much care for cold weather, but she loves camping in the snow. Her latest passion is for ultra-endurance fat biking, but her Instagram handle is skinnytires [https://www.instagram.com/skinnytires]. And although she grew up mostly indifferent to cycling, she quit her engineering career to “build her life” around the sport, as both a ride organizer [https://www.newenglandexpeditionriders.com/] and a sales rep for Seven Cycles [https://www.sevencycles.com/]. Patria is coming to Ann Arbor for fitmi’s 10th anniversary celebration [https://www.bikereg.com/gravel-mi-fitmi-10-year-anniversary-gravel-ride] on Sunday, June 15, which will begin with the 30-mile Gravel Mi ride [https://bikefitmi.com/gravel-mi/] and end with food, drinks, and après-bike festivity at Lowertown [https://lowertowna2.com/]. She’s also bringing several rider-ready bikes to test-ride (sign-up required [https://sevencycles.com/demo-events/demo-20250615.php]) — including the new, limited Gravel 747 [https://sevencycles.com/category/gravel/g-747-gm.php] specifically designed for the dirt and gravel roads of southern Michigan. Patria has amassed a ton of knowledge during her 14 years at Seven, which has custom-built more than 35,000 bike frames in its history. Once you spend just a few minutes chatting with her about down tubes and mullet setups and countless other minutiae that factor into the optimal cycling experience, you’ll know why she and Maxine [https://bikefitmi.com/about/] have been friends for so long. Thanks for listening to the Wheelie Good Podcast! Subscribe for free to be notified about new episodes and listen to the many voices of bike advocacy in Washtenaw County. We also talk about how cycle production might evolve in the near term, what U.S. races can learn from the European experience, and why every race is worth it if you get enough wine and pasta afterward. Other links: * Follow Seven Cycles [https://www.instagram.com/seven_cycles] and New England Expedition Riders [https://www.instagram.com/neergoesfar/] on Instagram * Check out the Gravel Mi ride route [https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50236862] * How to outsmart goat head thorns [https://bicyclewarehouse.com/blogs/news/thorn-in-your-side-how-to-outsmart-goat-head-thorns-on-your-epic-mtb-adventure] on your mountain bike * The better the Champagne, the more velvety the perlage [https://www.winespectator.com/articles/champagne-sparkling-wine-bead-mousse-perlage-bubbles] * Does “The Dark Side of the Moon” really sync up with “The Wizard of Oz” [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=627aciBA2E8]? * Nova Colli [https://www.novecolli.it/en-GB] and Maratona dles Dolomites [https://www.maratona.it/en/] gran fondos This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bicycleallianceofwashtenaw.substack.com [https://bicycleallianceofwashtenaw.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]