Well, it's time for Road Adventures with Cycling Men of Leisure, the podcast for cyclists who understand that riding is not just about getting to the destination but the experience along the way. Now here are the original Cycling Men of Leisure.

Adam and Michael. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Road Adventures of Cycling Men of Leisure. As usual, I am Adam, and today I am joined live in person in the studio. This time he's not AI, he's literally right here, a man who's traveled to the Eastern time zone. I am sure he is breathing fresh air here in the great state of Michigan, my good friend Michael Sharp.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Happy to be here in the fine state of Michigan. I don't know if I'm breathing any fresher air and I'm an hour behind, but that's okay, We'll make it work. So happy to be here.

Adam, thanks.

An hour behind You're an hour ahead in your life, but yeah, whatever An hour difference there somewhere, how was the travel Without incident, which is a good thing, that's a beat. The alternative, absolutely.

This is the first time that you've been in my studio.

I've been in your studio before, but this is the first time I've been in your studio with all your high-tech gadgets and gizmos. You can't see it there, but he's got lit up boards and microphones. Oh man, we got lit up boards and microphones. Oh man, we got like.

Things to do this and things to do this. Listener, spotlight voice, we've got robots, I mean. The list goes on and on, and most people would be like this, like get on with it. And then you're sad, Anyway.

So yes, but but yeah, and we got screens over here. That's got our different levels it's. It's impressive, it's very nice.

I like it so well, listen, I mean, we are no, uh, roadshow pony. We uh, we want premium, premium stuff. So now it's good to be with you. Uh, we are here. You are actually in Michigan for a specific reason the release of prison. No, just kidding.

They let me out my parole's over. I can now go out of the state of Kansas now.

This is our second week-long adventure. We decided for those who don't know, we decided against doing rag bar. I nothing against that, we'll talk about that here in a second. But, um, we just wanted to see some different, different roads, different trails, different, uh, scenery, and we decided that shoreline is where we were going to put our dart this year. Um, and it is now finally time, um, to we're heading up north tomorrow, so, um, way up there. Um, well, eventually, way up there. But we're starting halfway tomorrow.

And for those who've never been to traverse city hotels that are at extreme premium, uh, must be more for lumber, more for air conditioning. They're pretty proud of their hotel rooms up there. So we're going up, I would say, three quarters of the way, and we'll have a little jaunt in the morning. It saves us literally, literally, like $300. So we've got to be frugal in these things so we can go on more trips, that's right, that is right. School's starting, you know? Yeah, well, you've got go on more trips, that's right, that is right. So we're cool, starting you know yeah well, you got.

You got pencils to buy trap keepers. They still make trapper keep they do oh, they do, absolutely okay.

Um, I mean, you would know, as a father who has to go school shopping, I, I uh, as long as my laptop works, I'm good, so, um, but uh, we, we're gonna meet our team tomorrow, so everyone's. We just had some group messages earlier and where to meet and how to meet, and so that's, uh, it's, it's, it's official. Um, so I'm gonna jump around here on our notes, but, uh, you brought your um big backpack, uh, my north face yep, north face duffel bag slash backpack.

Did you pack any different? You know I did um before. I was using the compression kind of the super huge Ziploc airbags. Okay and uh, they've worked. Okay, I've used them the last couple of years, decided to try something different. What I found is if I had to get into my bag and it was later in the evening and we were staying indoors things like that close to people I'd be rifling through my bag and you'd hear this crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch crunch, yeah, you kept me up all night, so he just ignores me.

Yeah, I'm just like whatever, I'm moving on, so I decided to try something different. So, instead of those bags, I'm using the packing cubes, but they're the compression packing cubes.

I've never seen those. Lauren has some packing cubes, Lauren being my wife.

She has some that she likes when we pack, but I don't think they're compression. Yeah, these are compression, so they get down smaller, so you can shove a bunch of stuff in, you zip them. They compress down so they're smaller. So I'm trying that, uh, and then I've also got another system set up. Um, I've got like three, or I've got like one for Monday and Thursday, one for Tuesday and Friday and one for uh or whatever, or whatever.

I guess it's Sunday, thursday, monday, friday, tuesday, saturday, I got you, I got you, and then I've got a special one just for Wednesday. This way I can put two kits in there or mix and match whatever I got to do, because I'm planning on doing laundry, because I had to fly and I didn't want to drag all this stuff. So I have it kind of split up like that. So I'm going to try this a little bit different, see if this works for me. So we'll see. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't, but you won't hear me rifling around and hearing the bags rattle around. Cool, hope you can get some sleep now.

Well, listen, I mean you and I are doing, we're back. We've talked about it before on the show. If you're a trying to be, you know minimal um, but normally if we've been known, you started it. I don't want to steal your thunder. You had it first. You had the cot tent first, um, and I I was, uh, sticking hardcore to my regular traditional tent for some time and finally I saw the light and it was like John Belushi and Blues Brothers when he's doing flips. I saw the light. We're putting the band back together and doing flips.

I switched to a cot tent and I mean, I don't know what town it was, I'd be being dishonest but one of the nights we got in the rag where I'm once, it was just just about to open up mercy buckets and you and I had our cot tents up within seconds, minutes, I mean two minutes or less, two minutes or less and so we were able to jump inside real quick, me and mine, you and yours, and we had cover and it passed over right away and they dried up pretty quickly. So, but we do it a little bit different. We also bring something called log flume, which is basically big sunshade that I would say, at 10 by 10 or 12 by 12. I don't want to lie, but it uh essentially makes your own shade and, and so for additional support, and if it's really bad weather, then we'll have that as like a, like a, I don't know, an extra extra protection level.

So, um, my packing uh, I've got all my jerseys and my nutrition for writing, um, but like all my toiletries and and, uh, other clothes, yeah, I'm going to put that together in the morning. So this is I. I've I've been working my, my keister off um getting your accommodations ready in the basement. You're such a slave driver you wanted uh only the best 800 thread count sheets.

And, um no, that wasgyptian cotton thread count sheets. Don't think I didn't notice that they weren't, but that's okay, I'm, I'm, I'm over it.

Mrs baranski ordered those and she ordered them specially just for you. They were quality. I appreciate that um how were the accommodations.

They were very nice. I mean, it was, like you know, very you know, staying at the wolder for something yeah they were very nice. I mean new floors, uh, beautiful I I have no complaints whatsoever okay, I appreciate you working as hard as you did. You didn't need to. I could have just slept on the floor. It wouldn't have been a big deal, but I do appreciate it. It looks fantastic.

So, my god, I would have ever heard the end of that. But, um, no, you were the driving force I needed to get it done and your, your arrival in the great state of michigan was the, was the uh, the rabbit, if you will for the dog running. I won, I wanted, oh, we don't do that anymore. We don't do dog racing anymore, do we? Carrot, carrot, yeah, um, but you were definitely the uh end goal, and so we, my father and I, were working up until the night. I picked you up in the airport so, um, got, I had to get these bifold doors in the masonry and otherwise that air conditioner is in that room next to where you are, and I was afraid you'd be up all night with the with the air running.

So, but no, it definitely came together. It's coming together, um, but, uh, yeah, home projects, man, just multiply by five how they do um, well, I think it's time now, um, for uh, an episode of our, our normal thing that people are highly, highly, highly enjoying, that we're doing, and it's Listener Spotlight. The last time we were together, you gave some clues. I did, and I would love to rehear the clues.

First thing, I wanted to welcome our new listeners from two new countries. Whoa, I know, I know Just when you think it's like you know what we got listeners from two new countries Whoa, I know, I know Just when you think it's like you know what we got listeners from all over. New listeners show up from countries that you know you didn't even think about. So today I'd like to welcome our listeners from the country of Denmark Wow, and.

Albania. Now wait a minute, Don't? We have friends from Denmark who we met at RAGBRAI. Was it Denmark or Sweden? Oh, they were from Sweden.

No, it was Norway, it was.

Norway, norwegian travelers.

That's right, that's right so we've got new listeners from those areas, so we're working on. The global domination strategy Seems to be working pretty well, so happy with that. The hints that I gave you on our last call.

I mean we are. We've had a special number on the podcast. We were over 12,000. So yeah, we're doing we're doing pretty good. All right, go ahead.

Can I finish now?

You can Swedish.

Man you are, believe it or not, ladies and gentlemen, he's more annoying to work with side by side than virtually. I'll just say that Go ahead Next. May I continue, please. The hints that I gave you is that the city was laid out in the mid-1800s. It has helped promote our country's love of candy for a very long time. The city is well known historically for what an expedition left. Historically, for what an expedition left. It is named in honor of Native people and the town was fundamental in the character development of a beloved cartoon character. Go ahead and say it St Louis, missouri. No incorrect. Thanks for playing.

I know, but I just had to say it. St Louis, missouri. No incorrect. Thanks for playing.

I know, but I just had to say it oh, there you go. Hey, look at that, I know how to use the board Beautiful.

Hey, you're learning, you're learning.

Any guesses?

Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Albuquerque. It is not Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Just figured the expedition left and it was just came to my mind. When they leave?

behind a wagon. No, our spotlight city for this episode is in fact sioux city iowa.

Oh wow, okay, all right, I said it was named in honor of native people, sioux City.

Okay, I'll explain how I got this. The city has helped promote our country's love of candy for a long time. Sioux City is the home of the Palmer Candy Company, which was created or founded in 1878. And it is, in fact, the oldest candy company in the United States.

I can picture the Palmer logo. It's like I think they make Easter bunnies, Do they?

I think so. Yeah, well, they've been around for well over 100 years. Now here it is. The city is well known historically for what an early expedition left behind, and if anybody knows anything about the history of the Sioux City area, they will know that in fact the Lewis and Clark expedition went through there, through there. So in 1804, the expedition went through there and, believe it or not, they left behind poor Sergeant Charles Floyd Jr Living or passed. He unfortunately passed when the expedition got there, passed of apparently appendicitis, a ruptured appendix 1804. But the good news is he was the only person that that expedition lost, so that was a good thing. But they buried him up on a hill and now there is actually a historical landmark there to honor him, there in the town of Sioux City.

Wow, obviously named after Native people. And it was fundamentally, or fundamental in the character development of a beloved cartoon character. And that's all thanks to Art Babbitt, and he is an animator who worked at the Disney Animation Studios and was responsible for creating, really developing, the character of Goofy. Now, he did not create Goofy, goofy had been around, but he's the one that's really credited with developing Goofy's the character and who Goofy is today. Well, gosh, gosh, mickey. Yeah, and I will throw in one little extra piece of information Art Koval is also from Sioux City, iowa.

Oh Art, you remember Art? Oh yeah.

Yeah, you don't know who Art is Actually. Art Koval is the only the only Soviet agent who infiltrated the manhattan project back in the 1940s wow, so where did you come up with this? Are you questioning my sources?

no, I just was curious, like do you, when you, when you come, do you have?

to do research? I do. Well, yeah, I'm not just sitting around going. I know all these these facts about it Now.

I've been to Sioux City many times.

But I mean, you know, I do some research, I go out there surf around.

I wouldn't question your sources. He's questioning me, I am questioning you, but that's okay.

HR. What's the HR number?

Go to cyclingmanofleisurecom.

send an email to hr click on the hr uh, a logo there, and it'll take you absolutely nowhere. Oh, it'll go somewhere.

So we'll file that with the uh. Rest of the complaints.

Thank you, our listeners from sioux city, iowa, we appreciate it.

Yes, as normal. Thank you, listeners from sioux city I, iowa, but thank all listeners, absolutely, but this time we're spotlighting those from Sioux City, iowa, indeed, hey, you know what a good transition period would be. You know it just ended in Iowa, a rag braai, a little ride called rag braai. I mentioned that because a couple of things. Our friend Margaret completed Rag Bri I got to see her memories, she put the pretty big post. But, and our teammates Melanie and Keith oh, yes, a couple of things. I got to start in the beginning. So in the beginning of the week we were communicating and I had sent them a link of our last episode and I said, hey, Wait a minute.

They started this adventure on like Friday or Saturday. Our episode doesn't come out till Sunday, just you, just wait.

Where's my flag? I'm throwing it, wait a minute. I wrote Keith and said hey, you guys are teammates. You're you're traveling, you're making an adventure. Would you guys like the episode early? And I sent them the link for the episode early. What that's why? When you text, I see how you work these things.

It's like Ooh okay.

When you do the editing, you can send it out earlier. So, um, fair enough, because when you sent me the text and you said there's already a couple of downloads, I thought to myself yeah, I know, I didn't tell you why yeah okay, no, that's fine, it's, it's awesome.

But when I sent him the episode early, he sent me a photograph back and they purchased off of our jersey store tech hoodies oh, those are nice, they look just like our jerseys but they have a hood on them and they were on the plane wearing them, sporting cycling men of leisure, flying from their northwestern part of the world. I won't say where they live, that's not anyone's business, it's near Washington but they flew. I think they flew into Omaha, they said, and then on their way I may have that wrong, but I think that's where they flew into and so they did not do tandem this time. They actually both took individual bicycles and along the way we communicated a little bit and we'd like to thank them.

One day they wore Cycling Men and Cycling Women of Leisure jerseys, got a lot of communications, a lot of questions People asked about, about what it was, and they were able to promote, uh, cycling men of leisure and cycling women of leisure in the middle of iowa. And so we did. We do know they made it and they are home and, um, hopefully, they're planning and resting for their next adventure. So great job, guys. So thank you, thank you, thank you, uh, that was kind of your dream in the beginning when this thing started, for people to be on rides and be wearing the jersey.

That's true. I did not have any expectations when we started this whole thing a couple years ago. No expectations whatsoever. But once we started I think on like the second or third time of doing a podcast, I think I told you I was like you know, what would be great is that day that we are not even at the ride and there are people who are sporting our kits and things, this fine logo. Yeah, I didn't actually think that would happen, but it has. Oh, it happened.

I mean, but it has, oh it happened.

I mean, that's cool.

I love it, so we wish them well and hope they're resting. You know, you and I have done rag bra a couple times more than a couple, but there are—.

Well, she's probably resting, because you know she couldn't just sit back and not pedal, you know yeah exactly.

Oh, we weren't supposed to give away that secret. No, people in tandem don't pedal in the back. But you know what they had on, don't you? What's that? Their DeBrims? They had.

Okay, let's move on. Let's not get into.

One DeBrim nation. So I saw their photographs. They were so intelligent, so smart for wearing Debrims. It's such a spectacular safety device.

Where is?

that no, no, no, Right here oh there it is Okay, well, anyway. So here, oh there, it is okay, well, anyways.

So um the important thing is that they were wearing cycling man and cycling leisure stuff we love their support.

Yes, um, okay, moving on please. We, we did something a little normal today. We did something a little normal today. We did something a little special and normal for us. Would you like to show off the prop to the camera?

We went to a distillery. Imagine that we went to the Detroit City. You have to hide behind the bottle for the camera to pick it up. There you go, there we go, look at that. Yeah, so we use a very high tech camera that locks onto your eyes and so if the camera can see your eyes, it will focus for those of you on youtube. So that's why we're able to get it to lock in there. But, yes, we went to detroit city distillery. Yep, uh, what he just showed off, there was a honey barrel and, not being funny, like honey picked, there are 18 hives that are beehives. So we're told yeah, we didn't see them, I didn't see any bees. I didn't see any bees. But supposedly the bees land on top of the roof and they take the honey and they sort of distill the honey into the barrel, which bourbon is not supposed to be mixed with anything but.

Basically, what they do is, as I understand it, they distill the bourbon, they put it in the barrel, let it hang out there for a couple of years, they then take it out of the barrel and they put it in another holding tank and then, as I understand it, they take the honey that they have processed or whatever, and they pour it in with the bourbon and it sets in there for a couple of weeks and then, as I understand it, after setting an alcohol for a while, the honey rises to the top, and a lot of this depends on the temperatures and things like that Honey rises to the top and then they take the honey out and then they just have the bourbon left, with the flavor of the honey.

And I heard the same thing as you and we both questioned it in the tour.

It's walking a really fine line on the definition of bourbon. I'm sorry Now. In his explanation the science made sense.

I mean we were not, both of us were. I mean we've been to. I mean, if you listen to the show you know we've been to lots of distillery tours. I mean look behind me if you're watching on YouTube, but there's a couple of bottles there.

Not that he offered me a drink, but that's okay, moving right along.

We have work to do. We've got your bike to build. We've got packing.

I'm packed. First time ever I've packed ahead of him. Anyway, continue, gosh man. This is. This doesn't work when we're together, does it?

We're just grinding here, buddy, but I can offer you a cocktail later. I'm off tomorrow, Fair enough. But yeah, we went to the distillery tour. If you find yourself in the Eastern Market area, Eastern Market is a section of downtown Detroit, Michigan. Traffic wasn't bad. We got in, we got out, no problem. For those of you who listen to the show I live about I'd say an hour 45 to an hour from downtown Detroit. Didn't hit any traffic Coming, going, coming. It was a great tour, Great tour.

I mean they showed us short of the bees, they showed us like every. I mean you know we were right up there close. Everything was great and the samples were very plentiful.

Very plentiful and, to be fair, they have not just the honey bourbon, they have bourbon, they have four-grain bourbon, they have a rye.

They're butcher's bourbon.

Yeah, butcher's cut.

Cut yep.

And then they have something they call gin. Now, both Michael and I, it's not fair. If you're a gin lover, sorry, we're happy for you. Yeah, not fair. If you're a gin lover, sorry, we're happy for you. Yeah, we want you to enjoy it. Michael and I always call it parched cleaner. Um, they have vodka and flavored vodkas. They had brandies, so they have lots of a product and they make it all there. Uh, except the rum, it sounds like they do a blend of rum they?

they bring in rum from like three different Caribbean islands just because it's not financially feasible for them to bring in the sugar cane and all that kind of thing. You know, bottles would be like $90, $100. But everything else they literally source locally in Michigan, in fact, a chunk of the barrels. Well, just lately they've had to start using another manufacturer, but early on they were using barrels that were all manufactured in the state of Michigan. Now they're getting to the level where they need so many barrels that the Michigan Cooper can't keep up, but a lot of their barrels are coming from here. All of their grains and stuff are coming from Michigan. So that's pretty cool. They try to source everything that they can directly from the state of Michigan.

During the tour he mentioned a town called Dexter where they get their grains from, and Dexter is near Ann Arbor, just to give you kind of a play-by-play, so that was kind of cool. You know the guy's name was Michael. If you happen to find yourself in the Eastern market looking for a tour, uh, Michael, uh, first of all I wish you luck on your wedding coming up in September. And, um, he gave a great tour, highly enjoyable. Um, you know they got a gift shop and of course you know they're have all kinds of tchotchkes and and you can, but you're not wrong about the tastings, they, they, they were not afraid.

So they'd let you taste anything. I mean, that was the beauty of it is if you saw something that you like, you could certainly uh taste it and try it. So it it was. It was a good time. Appreciate you setting that up.

Absolutely. Let's see here Packing check, shoreline team check, accommodations check. Oh, this is something you turned me on to. You said that you get the email, and so about our ferry tickets. Now on our shoreline adventure that's coming up three days riding, one day off-ish, where we, if you do the full week, what do you mean off-ish? Well, I mean we're going to take our bikes to Mackinac Island.

But it's a day off from the thing. It's not like part yeah, but I'm going to ride eight miles, eight Grueling, but I'm going to ride eight miles, eight grueling.

Hey, our friend Joe said that there's a one hill with 5% grade. Yeah, for like 20 feet. Yeah, yeah, dude, that's 5%. No, we're, we're excited, we're going to head out to the Island and then then we do three more days of writing, so, but part of that is we do three more days of riding, but part of that is we get to go on a ferry. So if you've never been to Michigan, if you've never been to Lower Peninsula or Upper Peninsula, mackinac Bridge, which connects the Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula by vehicle, is five miles long, and to the east of the bridge is mackinac island, and so the island is where they have. No cars are allowed there. Um, everything is foot traffic and bicycle traffic, but no e-bikes, which is interesting. They don't like motors, no, of any kind.

And I can respect that.

Clean and concise. But what if I said to you a date of September 22nd 1989? Think about that for a second. So part of our tour is we get to take a ferry out.

I know this one.

And if you take the ferry, at certain times the ferry goes under the Mackinac Bridge and if you've never been over the Mackinac or on the Mackinac Bridge, it actually has grates in the middle and so you can actually like look up and see almost through the bridge, if you will. But I know what's important about this date? No-transcript.

no, oh, we won't talk about that keep bringing that up, but um, that was a date that van halen broke up was it really because I have a different fact? No, I'm quite sure it was. You don't need to look it up, just I'm quite sure. But I don't know what that date was. It's the best I could come up with what. What was, uh, so important about that date?

Well, I just said that if we took a ferry, it goes underneath the Mackinac Bridge I heard that, I know, I know, just wait.

The bridge wasn't built in 89 or whatever. So I mean, where are you going?

They might have been some repairs in 89, but a Yugo. A Yugo literally flew off the Mackinac bridge.

Lady, was driving. Now, hey Michael, come up to Michigan, we're going to take a ferry underneath a bridge that a Yugo or other small compact car could literally just go flying off and crush us. Now your sales strategy really, really stinks. Let me just say that right now.

Why do I?

want to get on this now.

They haven't made a Yugo since November 11, 2008.

There could still be. I mean, there's other small compact, ford Festiva.

All Festiva owners have put weights in the back of their cars now Sandbags.

So what you're saying is on this date yeah the wind. Yeah, caught a Yugo which, if you don't know what a Yugo is, it was a little teeny, compact car, about you know size of a Ford Fiesta or something like that, made in France or no, it was Yugoslavian. Made the wind picked it up, tossed it off the bridge. True story.

Look it up.

I'm not doubting you. I'm just like trying to figure out why you're telling me this information, because our ferry goes underneath the bridge. Well, I get it.

So I'm like let's hope that no one's in a Hugo going.

So what you're saying is I need to be standing right by the rail of the ferry and if I see anything coming over me and the bike are going overboard.

Yeah, I would just keep looking up why we go underneath the bridge until you get to a certain spot.

So so before I, right after I get on the ferry, I'm going to find the the big deck box full of flotation devices that they will inevitably say. There's flotation devices in the front bench there. If we need them, we'll let you know. I'm going to take a couple of those and I'm going to tie up my bike right away to two flotation devices so that if I need to get rid of it, I just toss it overboard. It's going to float and then all I have to do is worry about myself.

You're on your own buddy, and don't forget to put the PFD out for the Yugo. That goes over the edge.

So I'm just weird that you bring that up.

I'm just saying I'm just saying that I had to look up an interesting fact for the show when I first moved to Michigan.

Oh, it couldn't be like. You know something cool about Mackinac Island. It's got to be.

Hey, a yugo came off flipping off the thing. There is a fort on mackinac island and and we're going to visit the fort and our buddy's- daughter is working on the island right now, which you now have a task, I have a special delivery.

yep, so in michigan, when you are under the age of 21, your license is is vertical, your picture is vertical. When you turn 21 and over, then your license is horizontal. And she's been carrying around her old license, stapled to a piece of paper with a hole punch in it, and she would like her new one.

And so, to Joe's daughter, we'll be getting you that of age license to you this week.

Yeah, we'll be there soon. Now she works at a bar so it be getting you that uh of age license to you, uh this week. So, yeah, we'll be there soon. So uh, now she works at a bar so it'll cost you. I mean, the delivery fee is not free.

We should have probably got our payment up front.

We didn't have lunch with her dad today.

We should have, we should have like he should have bought lunch for us man. We blew that, so we know where he lives.

Oh, us man, we blew that, so we know where he lives. Oh well, um. But on a serious note, we love to crack jokes and have fun, but we actually have a service bulletin. Oh, we do, don't we? We do. So many of you have heard us talk about our friend armando. Armando was unfortunately, uh, in a crash when we were in georgia doing our atlantis savannah ride. Um, he's been healing, he's home. We've talked to him a few times. By talk I want to be truthful.

I, I mean a group text message, um, otherwise, communicated yeah, we communicate, otherwise I get to hear his beautiful Armando. But anyways, we talked to him recently, we messaged with him and we said how you doing? He said he went to an optometrist and he had ordered the special pair of glasses for the double vision and this is supposed to help with that and so. But during that you actually were able to do some research.

But during that you actually were able to do some research. Yeah, that got me to thinking. Got me to thinking a lot about bike helmets, Because clearly his bike helmet definitely saved him a great deal of more pain, frustration and who knows what else. So a little fact for you Do you know what percentage of your risk is lowered if you are wearing a cycling helmet?

So to make sure I understand the risk of getting hurt, it lowers the risk of getting hurt by wearing a helmet correctly. Serious head injuries yes, I would say a very high percentage. I would say 100%, 90%.

Okay, well, you're shooting a little high and I appreciate your optimism. Actually, it's almost 70%, Because you know the bottom line is you get hit hard enough, that thing cracks or whatever. But almost 70 percent, uh, the the chances of having a severe head injury is reduced if you're wearing a cycling helmet. Now, we all know it's important to wear a cycling helmet, but what I don't think a lot of us understand is the fact that you need a debrim on it.

Oh sorry, keep going. I was just waiting to get that, that is not anywhere where we're going.

Okay, go ahead. Okay, next episode is going to be a Debrim free episode, I guarantee it, folks.

I guarantee that's not true, because we're about to ride our bikes for seven days.

Go ahead. Anyway, um, you know, we've often talked about the need to, uh, cycling shorts, how cycling shorts will break down and how you need to do it. Well, I don't think. A lot of times we think about the helmets. Clearly, they will always tell you if you're in any kind of accident, you know, severe or otherwise, you've landed on your helmet, they're going to tell you you need to replace that helmet, which is, you know, smart thinking.

The only thing I'd add to that is they even advertise now one and done. If you have an impact, I don't care. If it's cosmetically, it looks okay, structurally it's toast and, as a matter of fact, many companies like Bontrager and Trek, they actually have a replacement program at an extreme discounted rate. Finn does too. They do, yes, sir. So you just tell them hey, I had an accident, this is what happened, um. Sometimes they will ask you some pretty, you know, intrusive questions how did it happen? Where did it happen? Um. But you know, and that's just to protect them, otherwise everyone would be like, yeah, I crashed my helmet, you know um. So they are looking for some, some validity checks.

But, yes, they are one and done, and, and we really hope that we are doing a service to tell you that, yeah, so, um, but over time those helmets do break down, and that the breaking down of those helmets is contributed by a lot of things. Um, number one UV light will destroy your outer shell over time. I mean, we're all out there in the sun for several hours a day, sun's beating down, and you can look at the color of your helmet from the beginning of the season to the end of the season. I had a bright, brand-new yellow helmet two years ago and by the end of the summer you could see where it had been bright yellow and then it became a dingy yellow because of the sun, and this is why you needed a rim, because the rim would cover the helmet apparently this is not turned into a customer service thing, it's turned into a sales pitch for a thing, but anyway they're not sponsoring us.

Keep going, uh exactly so.

Um, the other thing that affects it is heat. A lot of times, you know, if you're riding or whatever, you'll throw it in your car in the summertime and your car, inside of your car, cooks up to like 120 degrees, that's going to help break down that helmet. Now you know, there could be an argument that people would say, well, it doesn't break down that much and it can still it. It does break down over time. So my point is is periodically uh, they suggest every five to 10 years. I would err on the side of caution and go with five. You should be replacing out that helmet. And for those people that's like oh, my helmet looks fine, it's great, it's worn, it looks, you know, I like that.

Think of it this way Um, do you really want to take that chance? No, if your head goes into the concrete, goes into a car or whatever like that, you probably want the best possible protection there. So I would say err on the side of caution, be replacing that on the lower side every, you know, five or six years. If you have an accident, toss it, get a new helmet and then think that if you know what you're out in the sun, you know like, all the time, if it gets heavily, you know, faded due to the sun, if it spends a lot of time in super high heat, and cars and things like that, you know, replace it every couple of years.

I mean, you know, you look at it and it's like, well, it's a hundred dollars, 125, $150, for a good helmet, but I think everybody can agree that their head is probably worth $150 every couple of years. So that's all I'm saying. I, I, um, I think it's something that everybody needs to keep in mind, because I don't think a lot of times, like with the shorts and the helmet and things, I think we see them, they still fit, they still work. What do I need to replace them for?

We don't see the breaking down of the materials, um, no, I'm, I'm making a couple of jokes that are rim. Sometimes I use, you know, humor to get across the point, but I actually appreciate it. I mean we've all seen helmets where you know that was in the back of a car, where the heat was, because it's actually warped the plastic or melted I mean, and even sometimes I've seen helmets where pieces of foam are missing. I just think you're absolutely right, the structure breaks down and I mean there's some helmets that we've seen where they're definitely had its due diligence and time.

But I will say that an old, cruddy, 20-year-old helmet is better than no helmet at all.

I would say that my thing I always laugh at is go to the park. Got these young girls kids, I mean girls, I'm talking like three four-year-old girls wearing bikes. They got helmets and knee pads and dad's right behind them with the helmet hanging on the handlebar. I'm like what an example you're setting there. Yeah, really so, but this is not Rancid Dissatisfaction episode. We're in a good mood.

Oh, no, no, no, no. This is no, no, no. It's just something that people need to, you know, occasionally be reminded of. I mean even me, especially, like with the cycling shorts. I bought all new cycling shorts this year just because, after our episode last year about cycling shorts and all that kind of stuff, I was like you know what? I have not replaced my cycling shorts for you know three years or so. So I went out and bought all new cycling shorts. So just something that, as riders, we need to keep in mind for our safety, for our protection, for our comfort.

So no, I completely agree. Matter of fact, when we recorded the episode with the cycling shorts, I had ridden not too long after that and I had on a pair of bibs that I've owned for a long time, and, sure enough, I got a little sore and I'm like I never get sore and I took it off and the material had broke down so much that the threads were actually exposed, and they were, that the threads were the rubbing and cutting into me. So, but you're right, things break down. So, um, perfect, well, I appreciate you. Uh, looking that up, and of course, we'll wish armando, hopefully, the new glasses. Uh, hey, he watches this on youtube. There is two people here, armando, there are two people. So, um, you should see two of us right now. Yes, if you see four, I'm sorry, I hope the glasses aren't working, but there is two, but, um, he would like that.

Yes he would All right. Well, let's do this where I'm happy to be with you in person. We do have a little piece of business because we love to leave our listeners. Another of our listener spotlight.

All right, we've got a good one. St Louis Maybe? Ooh, tomorrow we head up north for another ride, so I've got a good one picked out here. All right, here's the hints for this episode's listener spotlight. I'm ready. This city started as a trading post in the late 1800s. Here you go. This is a good one. The city is in a state that was originally in another state's territory, and by that I mean the state that it's currently in was like in some other territory named after another state way back when.

That make sense. It does Keep going. Okay, I actually might know this one, at least the state, he doesn't know it. Oh yeah, I do. No, he doesn't.

The city serves as one of the front lines for firefighting.

That doesn't mean nothing. I'm happy it does, but it does mean nothing.

If you are into craft beers, this town should be on your list of places to visit. Still doesn't know this city is world renowned for a large rock.

Denver, colorado. Great episode. Thank you so much. I appreciate your time. So do you know what it is? I just said Denver Colorado. Thank you for your time.

How did you get Denver out of like? There's a big rock there, so uh, dude, I lived in Denver for like 13 years. Was there any rocks over there? Well, there's rocks, but I don't know if it's world renown, but we got Denver, colorado, on the list as a potential okay, I mean, at least I made a guess this time, good luck.

so if you are watching us on YouTube and if not, I'll definitely give the voice play-by-play. But right above my head, my beautiful head 1,012 Facebook followers. We have topped a major milestone for us. We have 1K. If you look on Facebook, it says 1K followers. If you look on Facebook, it says 1K followers. So to all of you who listen to the show and help support us and share posts and like posts and do what you do, thank you so much. I wanted to tell you that we do have a jersey store and a T-shirt and hat, kind of like a swag store. It currently just has T-shirt and hat and like a swag stores currently just has t-shirt and hats on it.

We've had an order, a couple of orders actually, I'm sorry. A couple of orders on the t-shirt ones and a couple of orders on the Jersey one. So the the just to explain the shirt store we actually our friend Brian has helped us design for locals. We have cycling men of leisure leisure, the one that you probably oh right here on my shirt if you're watching oh, there we go.

Uh, we have the logo it's on the hat which says it's for women too. Underneath we have, uh, cycling women of leisure. And then we have another one where it's kind of a play on says cycling men and where the m is crossed out and then then in pink it says WLA woman. The women are like we're here, we're taking over. So we have four logos and the reason why I mention that is because when you're on the T-shirt store you can customize the shirt that you would like as much as you want. We've got white shirts, red shirts, black shirts. What logo? Whether you want the logo color white shirts red shirts, black shirts.

What logo? Whether you want the logo to be small left on, like my chest here, or if you're looking on youtube, if not, just imagine like the small back can go on a big front, big back, uh, so you can make the shirt exactly how you want. Ships right to your door, um, and then, uh, so we've got a couple orders there. And then, on the jersey, our jersey store has actually grown. Uh, we have, uh, regular jerseys, a mountain bike jersey, a shirzy in honor of our friend phoenix. Yes, uh, we have bibs now we have shorts, we have a mountain bike short, um, we have the tech sweatshirts. So, so our designer has been busy, busy, busy helping us. So we're, you know, many, many moons. People have said do you guys have any swag that you sell? Now we have two stores set up.

It ships right to your door. And privacy, your own home.

And where? Where can I find this information at?

The best place, honestly, in my opinion, was find the link for cyclingmenofleisurecom On the tab. There it says find our stores. If you're watching this on YouTube, we'll drop a link below and you can find it. There's QR codes you can scan to each one of those stores. It's real simple to get to. If you don't like QR codes, you don't know how to use qr codes, no worries, uh, there is links that take you right there. So, cyclingmenofleisurecom, find our stores as a tab at the top, and there there's a page where you can shop to your heart content. So that's awesome. So, with that being said, I I know that we, uh, this episode will play on Sunday. Uh, we will actually be pedaling our bikes today. We actually will be resting by the time this episode is coming out. Um, so, if you know us, we'll be by the great Lake by any luck, by any luck, with a bourbon and a cigar and, uh, hopefully, these seven days are a great day for a bike ride, absolutely. Thank you for being here in person, sir. Happy to be here.

Thanks for having me. All right, buddy, see you.

Thank you for coming along with Adam and Michael on Road Adventures with Cycling Men of Leisure. If you have enjoyed this, please subscribe to the show on the podcast app of your choice.