Welcome to the Chainwheel Diaries Podcast – stories about bike travel told by the travelers themselves. I’m your host, Brian Berlin. 

As I mentioned in Season Two – Episode 4.5 of the podcast, I discovered a site containing over 16,000 journals and articles, and three million plus pictures, all related to bike travel – called crazyguyonabike.

I read several of the journals and decided the authors would make good interviewees, so I reached out to a few and the first to respond was Chris Compton.

Chris is a relatively new bike traveler who journaled that he would attempt a corner-to-corner ride from Southern Florida across the U.S. to Seattle, Washington, starting in late May.

Chainwheel Diaries is available on Spotify, Apple, Audible or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you like the podcast, please say so!

Welcome to Season 2, episode 4.5 of Chainwheel Diaries, stories about bike travel, told by the travelers themselves.

Episode 4.5 is a different format as I take the podcast into a new season. No guests, just me, talking about my plans for the podcast, where I’ve been, and where I intend to go.

Chainwheel Diaries is available on Spotify, Apple, Audible or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you like the podcast, please say so!

 "Carbonated-Neutral": Bike Touring + Friendship + Beer = Fun

There's a new bike tour in town that emphasizes fun and friendship for riders of all ages and skills. I sat down with founders Jeff Thompson and Jason Lindgren to learn more about Craft Cycling Tours. 

Chainwheel Diaries is available on Spotify, Apple, Audible or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you like the podcast, please say so!

In 2012, John Nitti, newly graduated from college, undertook an epic bike ride across the United States and back, a total of 10,000 miles. He wrote a book about his adventure, "Sharing the Road: An Amateur Cyclist's 10,000-Mile Solo Bike Trip Across America".  It is a great story and well-written. I asked John to appear on the Chainwheel Diaries podcast and he graciously agreed.

Chainwheel Diaries is available on Spotify, Apple, Audible or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you like the podcast, please say so!

My guest in Episode 2 is Larry Loewy, a Long Island Native and regular bike traveler. I met Larry on an Adventure Cycling bike tour in Death Valley in 2021. Larry graciously agreed to appear on today's podcast episode. Listeners will be entertained by Larry's stories and inspired by his adventures.

Chainwheel Diaries is available on Spotify, Apple, Audible or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you like the podcast, please say so!

The Chainwheel Diaries Podcast is aimed at cyclists who are interested in hearing real-world stories told by ordinary people about their cycling adventures. My first guest is Colleen Ponzini, a bike traveler I met on a Death Valley Bike Tour in 2022. Here are some links to the tours that Colleen mentioned in this episode:

Intrepid Tours Best Small Group Tours & Adventure Travel | Intrepid Travel US

Learn to Tour: Educational Tours | Adventure Cycling Association

Adventure Cycling Death Valley Tour: Death Valley - Van | Guided Tours | Adventure Cycling Association

Chainwheel Diaries is available on Spotify, Apple, Audible or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you like the podcast, please say so!