🖖 Oh, hello there. I’m Mark Allen, a product manager and designer currently based in Toronto. In my spare time I write about technology, cycling, and other personal interests.

Recently…

Convert BlueSky Starter Packs to Lists

New to BlueSky? Here’s how to turn Starter Packs into Twitter-style Lists.

Finding Brevet Road Closures

Use RideWithGPS and Google Maps to identify construction detours on randonneuring routes.

Reducing Stopped Time on Brevets

The slowest cyclist is a stopped cyclist.

Custom cycling nutrition for dirt cheap

Make your own Maurten, SiS Beta Fuel or Perpetuem.

How To Rename Git’s Default Branch

Unlike most of Git, changing the default branch name is relatively easy.

How To Get Transcripts For Any Podcast

Let computers do your transcription work for you

New (Small) Project: Teleport.fm

Tired of people seeing your “home office” on Zoom? Teleport somewhere better.

The Future of Conferences is Online

Some thoughts about conferences in the COVID-19 era.

New Project: Leaf

Leaf is the easiest way to share Markdown files online.

The Setup

What I use every day to get things done.

New Bike! My Rivendell Sam Hillborne

A decade of trying to justify my dream bike finally pays off.

My 2020 Technical Learning Plan

Areas I want to become more proficient in this next year.

Bike Route Planning

Here are some of the ways I find good bike touring routes.

Ride Report: Toronto to Montreal

My week-long tour along Lake Ontario and the Saint Lawrence River.

Ride Report: Simcoe Loop Trail

A three day ride around Ontario’s Lake Simcoe and Georgian Bay region.

Getting eBooks From the Toronto Library Onto Your Kindle

The Toronto Library doesn’t support the Kindle, but you can make it work.

Looking at “Footbridge With Cross Before Trees at a River”

You never know what you need to see at the museum.

Interpreting the Actions of Others

How I (somewhat successfully) try to view the world.

The Courage to Be Disliked

Thoughts from the most challenging book I’ve read recently.

The Best Business Biographies I’ve Read

I went to art school, so everything I’ve learned about business came from here.

An Obligatory “Hello World” Post

I haven’t read Gatsby’s full Terms and Conditions, but I’m pretty sure that legally you’re required to write a post about why you’re using…