The Library of Technomadics
BEHEMOTH
In 1983, I left Ohio on a "computerized recumbent bicycle" named Winnebiko to begin a career of technomadic publishing, then after the first 10,000 miles built a new machine that would let me write while riding. After another 6,000 miles, it was time for the mega-cycle... a 580-pound monster named BEHEMOTH. All three bike versions are described here.
Microship
After 9 years of pedaling around the US on geeky bicycles, it was time to port the whole adventure to water. The Microship project spanned a decade, with three different labs and multiple design revisions... at last yielding an amphibian pedal/solar/sail micro-trimaran. This massive project was fueled by about 160 corporate sponsors and a team of brilliant geeks...
Nomadness
By the time the Microship was "done" in 2003, I wanted something more practical... large enough to live aboard with crew, piano, and lab. After a year with a rocketship 36-foot trimaran, I bought an Amazon 44 — a steel pilothouse cutter. With the intent of preparing for open-ended global voyaging, I cruised and lived aboard for 6 years while immersed in nautical geekery.
Datawake
In my sixties, it was time to move to the Dark Side... so I found a new owner for Nomadness and acquired a Vic Franck Delta 50. I now live aboard this floating lab in the San Juan Islands, with communications, virtual reality, underwater vehicle, piano, audio studio, data collection, machine shop, and deployable micro-trimaran for local exploration.
New Posts
This column showcases new additions with current dates, and may include articles about the boat project, dives with the ROV, photography, new toys, or other real-time content.
This was a pivotal piece in the epoch of BEHEMOTH, being on the front-page of The Wall Street Journal. The pace of media coverage accelerated by an order of magnitude almost immediately, including a full hour on the Phil Donahue Show (apparently he read this article, tossed it on his producer’s desk, and said, “get this…
This was a time of nearly overwhelming publicity, with BEHEMOTH getting splashed all over mainstream media ranging from the Phil Donahue Show to the Wall Street Journal. I had a friend in Reno who arranged for a presentation at UNR, and the next day I did a photo shoot for People Magazine. It was all…
A delightful, yet whirlwind visit to the Reno campus of the University of Nevada included a talk hosted by the Computer Science Department and two newspaper stories. This one is the university paper; the other was in the Gazette-Journal on the same day. by Paul Mello Sagebrush Univ of Nevada – Reno April 17, 1992 When…
ASSOCIATION FOR COMPUTING MACHINERY and the Department of Computer Science University of Nevada present Steve Roberts and his Grand Touring Machine Thursday, April 16th, at 4 p.m., in SEM 101 Meet BEHEMOTH: Have you ever seen a $1.2 million, 105-speed recumbent bicycle with satellite data link, GPS navigation, ham radio station, cellular phone with fax…
I simply love this article. The author’s combination of deep technical perspective and delightfully quirky sense of humor makes an ideal combination for discussing computerized bicycles in the pages of an information-dense industry trade journal. I’ve always looked at this as one of the BEHEMOTH’s journalistic highlights. A little more context on the Grey Poupon…
This article was written by Kirk Kleinschmidt, NT0Z (long-time amateur-radio columnist and author of Stealth Amateur Radio). He met me on the road in Iowa, and wrote this decidedly atypical piece for the ARRL flagship journal… opening doors for the next two decades as I meet people on the air, mention my history, and hear: …
Recent Archive News
Changes to the library are automatically shown here... whether newly scanned articles, digitized videos and movies, historical documents, or edits to existing material. June 10, 2024 item count: 1,091
Computing Across America, Chapter 0 by Steven K. Roberts 1952 to 1983 From 1983 to 1991, I pedaled around the US on a computerized recumbent bicycle while living in the emerging online networks… in the process becoming the first “digital nomad” and sparking fascination with mobile connectivity. This is the backgrounder and introduction to Computing…
Long ago, I wrote this little humor piece… with fantasies about my homebrew computer developing intelligence and getting bored with sitting around in a keyboard wait loop. This was its first publication, and it later appeared in Mensa Bulletin (June, 1979) and InfoWorld (November 10, 1980). Almost a half-century later, I am very conscious of…
This little humorous bit of geek philosophizing fell out of my hours of staring at the front panel of my homebrew 8008 system – a central fixture in my life from 1974 onward, evolving as ever more robust machinery became available. I first published it in the April-June 1978 issue of the delightful General Bull News Sheet, then…
(excerpt) by Michael ShapiroYahoo! Internet LifeJune, 1998 This piece from Yahoo’s internet lifestyle magazine featured a number of us who were using the Internet while traveling full-time. The story introduced: Here’s my bit… And a flashback in the form of part of the magazine cover… back in the days when there were print publications about…
by Steven K. Roberts HPV News January/February, 1988 Photo above: © Thomas E. Forsyth, 1987 Is This the Ultimate Human Powered Utility Vehicle? Read about Steve Roberts and his very high-tech recumbent bicycle. His idea of daily life on a computerized two-wheel vehicle may not appeal to you, but his ideas and the pioneering work…
This story in Gram News from Batavia, New York, describes our visit with a delightful ham couple in August 1987. What Are High-Tech Nomads?by Deb Johnson – KA2VTY Well, on Thursday, August 13, at Syd’s house, we had the pleasure of meeting Steve KA8OVA, and his girlfriend, Maggie Victor, KA8ZYW. They had just hit the…
Microship Store
I have an online store linked above for technomadic publications and cards, along with a few special items of historical interest. (This is in addition to the Microship eBay store offering an eclectic mix of gizmology, nautical geekery, and antiquities.)
1974 Homebrew 8008 System
In 1974, six months of geek obsession led to one of the first personal computers... a homebrew 8008 that is now on display in the Computer History Museum. The story of that machine is here, including complete schematics. This predated the computer kits that kicked off the personal computer revolution, and it was in daily use for years.
The Polaris Mobile Lab
I have occasionally needed a capable laboratory that is not constrained to a fixed location, so I built one into a 24-foot utility trailer. Featured in MAKE: Magazine, this is a detailed description that includes preparing the space, inventory storage, furniture, fixturing, and power.
Isabelle
I live aboard Datawake with this magical being, and have a massive backlog of photos and stories. In the meantime, this is just a teaser... this 7-year-old Russian Blue has a lot to do with my quality of life. Here's her high-tech litter box, with carbon filter and webcam:
The Shacktopus Power Cart
A universal power system, built into a collapsible hand truck for use in emergencies.
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