A chat with Caleb Werntz, a filmmaker who has overcome homelessness by learning to live on a bicycle for eight years of epic tours alongside a calico cat named Marilyn. We talk challenges, COVID and Marilyn's origin story.

The Interview: Caleb and Marilyn Living by Bike Caleb Werntz is a filmmaker who has overcome homelessness by learning to live on a bicycle. He’s joined on his epic tours by a calico cat named Marilyn, who have collectively ridden over 6,000 miles in the last eight years.   They are preparing for another major tour this summer where Marilyn will take the captain’s chair and Caleb will create video and book content to inspire others to pursue their dreams.   ---   What's your earliest memories being on a bike?   How did you get started with long distance travel by bike?   How did you and Marilyn end up together?   How do you secure her on the bike when you're rolling?   Last time I ran into a guy traveling with a cat by bike, he let the cat roam pretty freely in camp... same for you?   What's the reaction like on the road? Anyone negative about it? How do you handle that?   What was the biggest challenge for you traveling during COVID? What are you looking forward to most as we round the corner out of it?   What's next for you?   Check Caleb and Marilyn out: YouTube calicocycles.com   Pedalshift Society

As always we like to close out the show with a special shoutout to the Pedalshift Society! Because of support from listeners like you, Pedalshift is a weekly bicycle touring podcast with a global community, expanding into live shows and covering new tours like this spring's DC to Cincinnatti bike tour! If you like what you hear, you can support the show for 5 bucks, 2 bucks or even a buck a month. And there's one-shot and annual options if you're not into the small monthly thing. Check it all out at pedalshift.net/society.

Kimberly Wilson Caleb Jenkinson Cameron Lien Andrew MacGregor Michael Hart Keith Nagel Brock Dittus Thomas Skadow Marco Lo Terrance Manson Harry Telgadas Chris Barron Mark Van Raam Brad Hipwell Mr. T Nathan Poulton Stephen Dickerson Vince LoGreco Cody Floerchinger Tom Benenati Greg Braithwaite Sandy Pizzio Jeff Muster Seth Pollack Joseph Quinn Drue Porter Byron Paterson Joachim Raber Ray Jackson Jeff Frey Kenny Mikey Lisa Hart John Denkler Steve Hankel Miguel Quinones Alejandro Avilés-Reyes Keith Spangler Greg Towner Dan Gebhart, RIP Jody Dzuranin Lucas Barwick Michael Baker Brian Bechtol Reinhart Bigl Greg Middlemis Connie Moore William Gothmann Brian Benton Joan Churchill Mike Bender Rick Weinberg Billy Crafton Gary Matushak Greg L’Etoile-Lopes James Sloan Jonathan Dillard John Funk Tom Bilcze Ronald Piroli Dave Roll Brian Hafner Misha LeBlanc Ari Messinger David Gratke Todd Groesbeck Wally Estrella Sue Reinert John Leko Stephen Granata Phillip Mueller Robert Lackey Dominic Carol Jacqi McCulloch John Hickman Carl Presseault David Neves Patty Louise Terry Fitzgerald Peter Steinmetz Timothy Fitzpatrick Michael Liszewski Hank O’Donnell David Zanoni David Weil Matthew Sponseller Chad Reno Spartan Dale Carolyn Ferguson Peggy Littlefield

Music

You've been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Sunfields has a new album available NOW, AND Jason has a new solo album coming this year, AND his first solo album is now streaming on Spotify, including America, the Pedalshift theme.

https://soundcloud.com/sunfields https://sunfieldsband.bandcamp.com