Active Towns
@activetowns.bsky.social
Hi! I'm John Simmerman, founder of Active Towns, a channel dedicated to profiling the people, places, and programs promoting a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities." Learn more 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@activetowns
I have had the honor of working with @strongtowns.org since 2012 and have created a fantastic playlist of profile videos, podcast episodes, and even a handful of walking interviews with @clmarohn.bsky.social, which you can access here: bit.ly/StrongTownsP...
November 13, 2025 at 12:17 PM
I have had the honor of working with @strongtowns.org since 2012 and have created a fantastic playlist of profile videos, podcast episodes, and even a handful of walking interviews with @clmarohn.bsky.social, which you can access here: bit.ly/StrongTownsP...
Hey Everyone, here’s my weekly update featuring a flashback to my 2022 search for the “original” woonerf in Delft, an update on our move back to Hawaii, an exploration of Denver’s urban trails, and my recent episode with @modacitylife.com about their new book.
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
November 9, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Hey Everyone, here’s my weekly update featuring a flashback to my 2022 search for the “original” woonerf in Delft, an update on our move back to Hawaii, an exploration of Denver’s urban trails, and my recent episode with @modacitylife.com about their new book.
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
Hey Everyone, here’s my weekly update featuring flashbacks to my “commute” video from my extended stay in Utrecht last summer, my convo with Tom Flood about his radical children demand change, 😉 my Boulder staff tour finale, and a profile of cycling city Minneapolis.
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
November 2, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Hey Everyone, here’s my weekly update featuring flashbacks to my “commute” video from my extended stay in Utrecht last summer, my convo with Tom Flood about his radical children demand change, 😉 my Boulder staff tour finale, and a profile of cycling city Minneapolis.
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
ICYMI: Yesterday, I released this fascinating conversation with Peter Bird, a resident of Heidelberg, Germany, and a doctoral researcher at the Technical University, Eindhoven in the Netherlands, who is studying and documenting the historical context of Minneapolis as a cycling city.
bit.ly/3JpQnKS
bit.ly/3JpQnKS
October 31, 2025 at 8:06 PM
ICYMI: Yesterday, I released this fascinating conversation with Peter Bird, a resident of Heidelberg, Germany, and a doctoral researcher at the Technical University, Eindhoven in the Netherlands, who is studying and documenting the historical context of Minneapolis as a cycling city.
bit.ly/3JpQnKS
bit.ly/3JpQnKS
Hi Everyone! Here’s my Active Towns weekly update. I’m excited to share two videos exploring Boulder’s continually improving cycle network, an interview with Brompton Bicycle USA’s President, Juliet Scott-Croxford and a flashback to my chat w/ Ray Delahanty, Mr. City Nerd
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
October 26, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Hi Everyone! Here’s my Active Towns weekly update. I’m excited to share two videos exploring Boulder’s continually improving cycle network, an interview with Brompton Bicycle USA’s President, Juliet Scott-Croxford and a flashback to my chat w/ Ray Delahanty, Mr. City Nerd
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
YAY! IT’S PREMIERE DAY: Please tune in today, Friday, October 24th, at 2 pm EST for my conversation with the President of @bromptonbicycle.bsky.social USA, Juliet Scott-Croxford, about the freedom and independence of a life unfolded with these fantastic marvels of engineering.
youtu.be/stsJ9UhfrEQ
youtu.be/stsJ9UhfrEQ
October 24, 2025 at 9:52 AM
YAY! IT’S PREMIERE DAY: Please tune in today, Friday, October 24th, at 2 pm EST for my conversation with the President of @bromptonbicycle.bsky.social USA, Juliet Scott-Croxford, about the freedom and independence of a life unfolded with these fantastic marvels of engineering.
youtu.be/stsJ9UhfrEQ
youtu.be/stsJ9UhfrEQ
Hi Everyone! Here’s my October 19, 2025, edition of the Active Towns weekly update. You’ll find nuggets from Bentonville, explore Life After Cars, and turn back the clock on Tactical Urbanism.
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
October 19, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Hi Everyone! Here’s my October 19, 2025, edition of the Active Towns weekly update. You’ll find nuggets from Bentonville, explore Life After Cars, and turn back the clock on Tactical Urbanism.
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
PREMIERE REMINDER: Please join us tomorrow, Friday, October 17th, at 2 pm EST for a conversation with @brooklynspoke.bsky.social and @sgoodyear.bsky.social about their new book Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile.
The link for the Premiere is in the comments below.
The link for the Premiere is in the comments below.
October 16, 2025 at 11:11 AM
PREMIERE REMINDER: Please join us tomorrow, Friday, October 17th, at 2 pm EST for a conversation with @brooklynspoke.bsky.social and @sgoodyear.bsky.social about their new book Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile.
The link for the Premiere is in the comments below.
The link for the Premiere is in the comments below.
PREMIERE ALERT: Pls plan to tune in this Friday, October 17th, at 2 pm EST for my conversation with Doug Gordon and Sarah Goodyear about their new book Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile.
Link for the Premiere in the comments below. Until then, enjoy this teaser
Link for the Premiere in the comments below. Until then, enjoy this teaser
October 14, 2025 at 10:40 PM
PREMIERE ALERT: Pls plan to tune in this Friday, October 17th, at 2 pm EST for my conversation with Doug Gordon and Sarah Goodyear about their new book Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile.
Link for the Premiere in the comments below. Until then, enjoy this teaser
Link for the Premiere in the comments below. Until then, enjoy this teaser
Here’s my summary of this past week’s activity, which includes an inspiring bike bus in Denver, a Dutch professor studying the historical context of cycling in global cities, an infrastructure celebration/fundraiser in Austin, & a look back at the 2022 Streets Project doc
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
October 12, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Here’s my summary of this past week’s activity, which includes an inspiring bike bus in Denver, a Dutch professor studying the historical context of cycling in global cities, an infrastructure celebration/fundraiser in Austin, & a look back at the 2022 Streets Project doc
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
WEEKLY UPDATE: Hi Everyone, Here’s my Active Towns Weekly Update for October 6, 2025… yes, I know it’s out a little late since I was traveling back to Austin from Boulder yesterday. The good news is that bonus material is included for ya, so enjoy! 😁
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
October 7, 2025 at 11:55 AM
WEEKLY UPDATE: Hi Everyone, Here’s my Active Towns Weekly Update for October 6, 2025… yes, I know it’s out a little late since I was traveling back to Austin from Boulder yesterday. The good news is that bonus material is included for ya, so enjoy! 😁
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
ICYMI: On Tues, I released Ep 310 feat. Michael Lovato. We discuss the backstory of how he and his wife, Amanda Lovato, landed in Boulder, the tough early years as a young couple of professional triathletes, and then their transition to the real estate profession.
www.activetowns.org/2025/10/02/l...
www.activetowns.org/2025/10/02/l...
October 2, 2025 at 1:19 PM
ICYMI: On Tues, I released Ep 310 feat. Michael Lovato. We discuss the backstory of how he and his wife, Amanda Lovato, landed in Boulder, the tough early years as a young couple of professional triathletes, and then their transition to the real estate profession.
www.activetowns.org/2025/10/02/l...
www.activetowns.org/2025/10/02/l...
BOULDER: Another beautiful sunrise on the flatirons. Today I’ll be filming on-bike interviews in Boulder and Golden.
#activetownstour
#activetownstour
September 29, 2025 at 1:47 PM
BOULDER: Another beautiful sunrise on the flatirons. Today I’ll be filming on-bike interviews in Boulder and Golden.
#activetownstour
#activetownstour
Rolling along past the Broadway bike path on my way to Denver Union Station on the FF1 RTD bus.
September 28, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Rolling along past the Broadway bike path on my way to Denver Union Station on the FF1 RTD bus.
WEEKLY UPDATE: Hi everyone, here’s my recap for the week, featuring a 1550+ mile trail across Texas, a bike ride to the Copenhagen airport, a conversation about reclaiming our roads, and a Fort Collins open streets profile from the archives.
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
September 28, 2025 at 12:39 PM
WEEKLY UPDATE: Hi everyone, here’s my recap for the week, featuring a 1550+ mile trail across Texas, a bike ride to the Copenhagen airport, a conversation about reclaiming our roads, and a Fort Collins open streets profile from the archives.
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
Another day, another beautiful Boulder sunrise. On the fabulous Flex Bus now heading up to Fort Collins for a full day of filming new infrastructure serving the city and Colorado State University as well as the recently opened sections of the Poudre River Trail. It’s a tough job… ❤️
#activetownstour
#activetownstour
September 26, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Another day, another beautiful Boulder sunrise. On the fabulous Flex Bus now heading up to Fort Collins for a full day of filming new infrastructure serving the city and Colorado State University as well as the recently opened sections of the Poudre River Trail. It’s a tough job… ❤️
#activetownstour
#activetownstour
Rolling to Denver Union Station this morning on the FF2 Express Bus from downtown Boulder with my @bromptonbicycle.bsky.social to film a couple of on-bike interviews about the evolving Denver Bike Streets App. I always sit on the Flatirons side of the bus. Here’s why.
September 25, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Rolling to Denver Union Station this morning on the FF2 Express Bus from downtown Boulder with my @bromptonbicycle.bsky.social to film a couple of on-bike interviews about the evolving Denver Bike Streets App. I always sit on the Flatirons side of the bus. Here’s why.
IT'S MY ANNIVERSARY! Today marks the official five-year anniversary of Active Towns on YouTube. Of course, the first year or so was very slow until I had the good fortune to interview a young chap named Jason with the #notjustbikes channel in the summer of 2021. Thanks y'all 🙏 bit.ly/Subscribe2Ac...
September 24, 2025 at 2:48 PM
IT'S MY ANNIVERSARY! Today marks the official five-year anniversary of Active Towns on YouTube. Of course, the first year or so was very slow until I had the good fortune to interview a young chap named Jason with the #notjustbikes channel in the summer of 2021. Thanks y'all 🙏 bit.ly/Subscribe2Ac...
BOULDER: It's always a privilege to wake up to this view of the Flatirons while staying with my homestay hosts & long-time supporters of Active Towns, Bruce & Vickie. I'm also honored to be speaking with a Sustainable Planning & Urban Design undergraduate class at CU Boulder later this afternoon.
September 24, 2025 at 2:26 PM
BOULDER: It's always a privilege to wake up to this view of the Flatirons while staying with my homestay hosts & long-time supporters of Active Towns, Bruce & Vickie. I'm also honored to be speaking with a Sustainable Planning & Urban Design undergraduate class at CU Boulder later this afternoon.
Made it to Boulder on this chilly, rainy day, but as always the @bromptonbicycle.bsky.social and the rain gear came through and I arrived in style and comfort.
September 23, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Made it to Boulder on this chilly, rainy day, but as always the @bromptonbicycle.bsky.social and the rain gear came through and I arrived in style and comfort.
WEEKLY UPDATE: Here’s my Active Towns Update for this week, featuring a spotlight on Pedicabs as a strategy for reducing car dependency, an interview with an American researcher studying motonormativity while living in Switzerland, and a flashback to my visit to Nijmegen.
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
September 21, 2025 at 6:16 PM
WEEKLY UPDATE: Here’s my Active Towns Update for this week, featuring a spotlight on Pedicabs as a strategy for reducing car dependency, an interview with an American researcher studying motonormativity while living in Switzerland, and a flashback to my visit to Nijmegen.
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
FUN WITH NUMBERS: I hit a novel Channel subscriber count milestone of sorts this morning. lol 😂 Thanks so much to each and every one of my 12345 subs. 🙏 For all the rest of you, I'd be honored to have y'all subscribe as well. Just click on this link to join in on all the fun: bit.ly/Subscribe2Ac...
September 19, 2025 at 10:10 AM
FUN WITH NUMBERS: I hit a novel Channel subscriber count milestone of sorts this morning. lol 😂 Thanks so much to each and every one of my 12345 subs. 🙏 For all the rest of you, I'd be honored to have y'all subscribe as well. Just click on this link to join in on all the fun: bit.ly/Subscribe2Ac...
WEEKLY UPDATE: In this edition, pls find my profile of the Strong Towns Broad Street STROAD Transformation Tour, Ep 307 feat. Pet Nowen from 's-Hertogenbosch about Dutch employers subsidizing driving, and my flashback profile of a typical commute in Utrecht with a local.
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
September 14, 2025 at 12:23 PM
WEEKLY UPDATE: In this edition, pls find my profile of the Strong Towns Broad Street STROAD Transformation Tour, Ep 307 feat. Pet Nowen from 's-Hertogenbosch about Dutch employers subsidizing driving, and my flashback profile of a typical commute in Utrecht with a local.
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
WEEKLY UPDATE: The Active Towns Update for this week features a spotlight on new businesses in abandoned industrial areas in Providence, the surprising history of protected cycling infrastructure in the USA, and a flashback to a bike ride with the Dutch Queen in Austin.
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
September 7, 2025 at 12:38 PM
WEEKLY UPDATE: The Active Towns Update for this week features a spotlight on new businesses in abandoned industrial areas in Providence, the surprising history of protected cycling infrastructure in the USA, and a flashback to a bike ride with the Dutch Queen in Austin.
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
WEEKLY UPDATE: Hi Everyone! Here’s my update for the week of Aug 31st featuring a fabulous ride down memory lane with Paul Steely White, a look at some new active mobility infra in Providence, and a flashback to my episode with @grantennis.bsky.social, author of Dark PR.
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
August 31, 2025 at 11:29 AM
WEEKLY UPDATE: Hi Everyone! Here’s my update for the week of Aug 31st featuring a fabulous ride down memory lane with Paul Steely White, a look at some new active mobility infra in Providence, and a flashback to my episode with @grantennis.bsky.social, author of Dark PR.
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...
mailchi.mp/activetowns/...