by Steven K. Roberts California Bicyclist April, 1987 High-tech touring… That phrase, if you’re a regular reader of glossy bicycle magazines, probably evokes colorful images of ultralight carbon-fiber frames and aerodynamic derailleurs. High tech means light and sleek, right? Well, what if I told you that I live full-time on a 220-pound recumbent, and am roughly…

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Journal of High Treknowledgy cover showing Winnebiko II artwork

This was the premier issue of a zine that I published irregularly for about five years… written and produced during the bicycle adventure with help from my partner at a base office. The first series, with the Treknowledgy name and a 7×8.5 trim size, had six issues sold by subscription… and another six larger ones…

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This was filmed in Palo Alto, after we made our trek down the Pacific Coast. The bike version is the Winnebiko II, still before the trailer or cellular phone.

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This has always been one of my favorite articles… it was an honor to publish in Whole Earth Review, produced by those brilliant folks in Sausalito who have brought us Whole Earth Catalogs and other treasures since 1968. The magazine ran from 1985-2002, and every issue was packed with ideas for self-sufficiency, new tools, and…

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This article was long-buried in an obscure corner of my ancient website, and is a good tech overview of the second bike version written while it was still in use. The Winnebiko II flickered to life in 1986, including an intense console fabrication project, made its debut at Expo 86 in Vancouver, spent a month…

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Healing Our World invites you to an evening with Steve Roberts “High-tech Nomad” author of COMPUTING ACROSS AMERICA Tuesday, March 10, 8-10 PM First Congregational Church Louis at Embarcadero, Palo Alto $10 donation Stretch your imagination experience the odyssey If you have ever felt chained to a desk, or simply long for more freedom in…

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by Steven K. Roberts Palo Alto, California March 10, 1987 11,729 miles Eyes wide, steadying myself against a massive redwood high in the Santa Cruz mountains, I stare at the distant campfire. Sparks soar into the trees through a column of suffused smoky light; black shadows stab the sphere of fireglow with every human movement.…

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After the trek down the Pacific Coast, we had a layover to continue work on bike systems, make progress on publishing projects, and figure out what next… and we stayed with a geek friend in Palo Alto who let us set up a lab in his ping-pong room.  by Arthur Hodges Palo Alto Times Tribune March…

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I loved doing informal, friendly talks at local clubs… cycling, ham radio, computer, online folk, or whatever. Some of the best contacts emerged from casual settings like this, and in later years, when I became a “professional speaker,” I really missed the dinners, hanging out, and crashing at the homes of interesting hosts. Western Wheelers…

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by Steven K. Roberts Palo Alto, California February 23, 1987 11,687 miles Sitting at a desk in a cluttered room on a sunny California day is not unlike being chronically married and walking past a nude beach. Through this wide suburban window the sky is blue, the trees are green, and the shadows are crisp.…

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