021: Pedaling Past 40 with writer & zine-maker Julie Brooks

Meet Julie!

Howdy Joyriders!

On today’s show I chat with Julie Brooks, creatrix of the Pedal by Pedal zine about women over 40 who ride bicycles. We’ll chat about the inspiration for the book, going the distance... seasonally…  and milkshakes.

I’m not gonna lie - this show is like an Elly Blue love fest - if you’re new to the show, you can check out Elly on episode six of the Joyride here. As you may know, Elly’s work is close to my heart in many ways, herlatest project, Biketopia features stories from a dozen writers each with their own take on utopia, dystopia, and the gray area in between. The project is currently up on Kickstarter - and it has been funded, so the books are on the way, but you’ll still have like 10 days or so to get in as a backer. Do it.

Also, you’ll hear Julie and I talk about a piece in Pedal by Pedal by a woman named Taz Loomans about her experience as a woman of color on the bike, and I want to elaborate on something I hinted towards in my conversation with Julie - which is this - if you’re recently waking up to how entrenched and f’d up institutionalized biases and systemic racism, awesome. Welcome to woke side. Things are going to be pretty uncomfortable for a minute because you never realized how awful they were before, but, in order to affect change you have to take responsibility for how you move through the world and how it impacts the people around you. Me, for example? I want to take responsibility for the media I create as part of this community. One small way I can do that is to take a moment to read an excerpt from Taz’s piece.

I don't read the whole thing, but in it, Taz examines her budding disillusionment with critical thinking, the result of which is a provocative assessment that should be more than enough for self-proclaimed progressive bikelandian to take a long hard look in the mirror. I've invited Taz to be a guest on the show and hopefully we can dig in further.

Here are links to some of the topics discussed in this show:

1:00 Shout out to our shero Elly Blue!

        WomanTours

        Georgena Terry

3:50 Themes in submissions

12:30 Get your copy of Pedal By Pedal from Microcosm publishing

Wheelwomen Switchboard

17:00 Missing a page? Email Julie, she's got you covered.

18:30 Bike life in Rochester, NY

Battery operated gloves?

24:00 Erie Canal Trail

32:00 Every Ride Carry

LBS shout out - Two shops in Rochester that Julie loves:

Yellow Haus Bicycles

Full Moon Vista

33:30 Bike snacks! nom nom nom

40:00 Zound zine advice

Joe Biel’s How to Make a Zine

Taking the Lane

Again, big thanks to Julie Brooks for hanging out and having a bike love chat with us! Missing a page or want to contribute to the next Pedal by Pedal zine? Email her here

Please rate/review in iTunes, or better yet, share the show with a friend! Wanna talk bikes with me? Or want to nominate a friend who you think would be a great guest? I'd love to hear from you - click here! Or email me at thejoyridepodcast[at]gmail.com and tell me all about your bikey hopes and dreams.

Forever Forward,

~C