As much of the northern U.S. shivers through subzero wind chills, this episode argues that waiting for ideal conditions is exactly what keeps most people from ever establishing durable mobility habits at all.

We touch on the psychology of habit formation, explaining why starting a walking routine during perfect weather in May or September sets you up for abandonment when conditions change. If you can walk in January, February becomes manageable. March feels like a gift. By the time summer arrives, the habit is unshakeable. We draw parallels to gym routines built during breaks that collapse when real schedules resume, and make the pitch that the key to year-round walking isn't willpower — it's starting when it's hard and letting everything else feel easy by comparison.

We also touch on: Why the most walkable cities are often in harsh climates. The social layer of walking with friends in cold weather. How small tasks become accomplishments when the weather is terrible. And, what to expect from the show in 2026.

*Obviously, use good judgement when walking in extreme cold. Be safe out there, and layer up.

Timeline:

00:00 Into 2026.

01:03 What to expect from the show this year.

02:34 Short-form video returns in 2026.

04:00 New Year's resolution: asking for reviews.

06:27 Negative five-degree wind chill in Columbus.

07:22 How we move around our spaces.

08:26 The winter walking habit.

10:44 Why walking in the cold is worth it.

12:53 Building habits under difficult conditions.

14:38 The mistake of waiting for ideal weather.

18:12 The pitch: start walking this winter.

19:42 Cold weather doesn't have to be perilous.

20:31 The social layer of walking long distances.

21:23 Walkable cities in harsh climates.

22:20 Winter is not a barrier to multimodal culture.

22:56 Wrapping up.

WE'RE BACK from our December break. At the end of '25, Kemp Gregory — CEO and co-founder of Renewal — joined good traffic for a conversation about energy infrastructure, the hidden potential of idle oil wells, and why the future of renewable energy storage might already be in the ground. As cities debate electric cars, housing development, and transit expansion, energy remains the crucial constraint — one that demands innovation beyond conventional batteries and solar panels.

Kemp walks us through Renewal's unconventional approach: converting millions of abandoned oil and gas wells into gravity-based energy storage systems. He explains how 30,000-pound weights moving up and down inside existing steel infrastructure can discharge power to the grid when needed and store it when it's cheap. From his early days as a petroleum engineer, to his pivot into clean energy at Stanford, Kemp shares how technical knowledge from fossil fuels is being repurposed for renewable infrastructure — and why working with local drilling crews and engineering firms matters more than reinventing everything from scratch.

We also touch on: Why energy storage is the bottleneck for electrification. The geometry problem of EVs and infrastructure strain. How data centers highlight AI's energy costs. Standing on the shoulders of the oil and gas industry. Why rural Texas and California need the same solutions. The importance of making technical work accessible. Biking at Stanford and burning calories without trying.

Timeline:

00:00 Energy as the missing conversation.

01:07 The electric car paradox.

02:13 Data centers and AI's energy appetite.

03:03 Clean energy as infrastructure policy.

03:30 Introducing Kemp Gregory and Renewal.

04:15 Making the technical accessible.

04:56 From petroleum engineer to clean tech.

05:39 Leaving shell for Stanford.

06:27 The startup that had to happen.

06:47 How gravity-based energy storage works.

07:36 Reusing existing infrastructure.

08:10 Standing on the shoulders of giants.

12:43 Why abandoned wells matter.

15:21 The economic model of energy storage.

18:09 Peak demand and grid stability.

20:45 Texas grid challenges and opportunities.

23:17 Working with local drilling firms.

25:33 Regulatory differences: California vs. Texas.

28:40 Environmental reviews and timelines.

31:28 Why rural energy storage serves cities.

34:15 The transmission challenge.

37:22 Collaboration over reinvention.

40:06 Proving the technology at scale.

42:50 Trust and partnerships with legacy industry.

45:30 Local knowledge and expertise.

47:02 The commute question.

47:43 Audiobooks in Argentina.

48:17 Biking at Stanford.

50:27 Wrapping up and happy holidays.

For context:

More on Renewell's tech (via Pique Action).

Renewell website.

On LinkedIn.

LEAVE US A REVIEW, PLEASE. It's extremely helpful, wherever you listen! Thanks so much for your time.

Who doesn't love a Halloween pot-mortem on the week of Thanksgiving? Aly is back, and we dig into the rise of trunk-or-treat events, what gets lost when Halloween moves from sidewalks to parking lots, and how this one holiday reveals so much about walkability, safety, protectionism, and kids’ independence in American car-dependent neighborhoods.

Timeline:

00:00 Aly's back.

00:56 What trunk-or-treat is replacing.

03:32 Kids losing low-stakes social interaction.

04:33 Gamifying community interaction with candy.

05:58 Cars as “safety crutches” in American life.

08:42 Halloween vs. the parking lot version.

10:12 Navigation and independence for kids.

12:01 Why Halloween should be the safest night to walk.

14:47 Holidays as community infrastructure.

16:02 The middle zone of connection.

17:03 Wrapping up and heading into the holidays.