Road Adventures of Cycling Men of Leisure
Adam and Michael share a long friendship fueled by their love for cycling. Through ups and downs, they have pedaled side by side, creating a rich tapestry of experiences and playful banter that underscores their connection. Their adventures highlight the joy of authentic friendship, whether tackling tough trails or enjoying leisurely rides. If you're looking for a podcast that embodies friendship and cycling excitement, join them on this audio journey. They share engaging stories and welcome you to their cycling community, offering entertaining anecdotes and heartfelt discussions about the joy of exploring the open road. This podcast delivers an uplifting cycling experience.
Road Adventures of Cycling Men of Leisure
Cycling Adventures, Historic Tales, and Mackinac Memories: A Shoreline Recap with Adam and Michael
What happens when a city steeped in history meets the thrill of a modern-day cycling adventure? Welcome back for part two of our Shoreline Recap, where we begin with a touching conversation about Michael's daughter Miya and her exciting move to eighth grade. Then, prepare to be fascinated as we journey to Beltsville, Maryland, uncovering its historical roots and even a bit of cryptid lore that’s sure to pique your curiosity.
You'll find yourself laughing out loud as we recount a hilarious shopping escapade in Mackinac City. Picture this: a ceramic ornament, a store clerk with a sense of humor, and a playful prank at a fudge shop involving Jess. As we navigate scenic cycling routes from Mackinac City to Charlevoix, you'll feel like you're right there with us, taking in the breathtaking Tunnel of Trees and charming towns like Elk Rapids and Petoskey.
The episode takes a reflective turn as we offer candid feedback on the Shoreline cycling event, from weather challenges to logistical insights, all while commending the efforts of the event's director, Neal. We round things out with a sneak peek into future episodes, exciting non-cycling hangout plans, and heartfelt listener spotlights. Whether you're here for the personal anecdotes, historical insights, or constructive feedback, this episode promises an engaging mix that keeps the spirit of adventure alive.
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Embarking on a journey of camaraderie that spans years, Adam and Michael have cultivated a deep friendship rooted in their mutual passion for cycling. Through the twists and turns of life, these two friends have pedaled side by side, weaving a tapestry of shared experiences and good-natured teasing that only solidifies the authenticity of their bond.
Their cycling escapades, filled with laughter and banter, are a testament to the enduring spirit of true friendship. Whether conquering challenging trails or coasting through scenic routes, Adam and Michael's adventures on two wheels are a testament to the joy found in the simple pleasures of life.
If you're on the lookout for a podcast that captures the essence of friendship and the thrill of cycling, look no further. Join them on this audio journey, where they not only share captivating stories but also invite you to be a part of their cycling community. Get ready for a blend of fun tales, insightful discussions, and a genuine celebration of the joy that comes from embracing the open road on two wheels. This podcast is your ticket to an immersive and uplifting cycling-centric experience.
and Remember,
It's a Great Day for a Bike Ride!
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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.
Speaker 2:Welcome to Road Adventures of Cycling Men of Leisure. Once again I am Adam and for part two of our Shoreline Recap, I'd like to welcome back my good friend, mr Michael Sharp.
Speaker 3:Thank you, adam. Happy to be here, for part two Should be a good one.
Speaker 2:Should be a good one. So the last time you and I were together, we were talking about Shoreline, ride the Shoreline, and we ended with a listener. Yes, I'm sorry, go ahead. Oh no, I was just going to say we ended with a listener. Yes, I'm sorry, go ahead. Oh no, I was just going to say we ended with a listener spotlight. But before that we were telling some stories, but I forgot something major. Okay, I forgot to ask you about the eighth grader.
Speaker 3:The eighth grader in the room or in the house. Yes, maya started eighth grade this year and oh, what fun. Let me tell you she's doing really well. She's been going to school for a couple of weeks now, so she's fitting in and doing a good job so far.
Speaker 2:But remind me eighth grade. Do you have like a home room or do you move around?
Speaker 3:no, it's, it's uh.
Speaker 2:It's just like high school you're moving from class to class okay so does she have like a home teacher or no no, they don't.
Speaker 3:They don't do that at this school, so gotcha.
Speaker 2:Well, it's time for me to get with the times, I'm sorry I'm sure they still do it in some places, but not here. So is she um? Will she switch schools after this year? Will she be?
Speaker 3:yeah, she will go a right around the building. The backside of the building, about a half a block, is the high school they set like right, right next to each other, so so the traffic will be the same. Traffic will be completely the same. And when she was in fourth, uh, you know, elementary school, that was two blocks away the other way. So I mean we've kind of just jammed all of our schools right in one general location, but it works.
Speaker 2:But that's not bad. I mean then that whole area gets taken care of and everything. So that's, that's probably a good thing.
Speaker 3:Everybody's watching out for safety.
Speaker 2:You know kids crossing all that kind of stuff, so yeah, Okay, well, please tell the VIP queen of the house that I asked about her and hopefully she has a successful eighth grade on to bigger and better things as a freshman in high school next year.
Speaker 3:Yes, Well, let's not rush it, but I will let her know.
Speaker 2:Thank, you, I won't rush it. I understand you're probably going to have many nights of homework from being dad, so you've there in person while you're doing that. So I can almost guess what you're going to go through. Yes, all right. Well, what do you think? Where should we start?
Speaker 3:Well, even though this was a two-part so basically one podcast that we split into two we did do a listener. We're doing a listener spotlight for each, so why don't we do the listener spotlight first and then we'll move on?
Speaker 2:Ladies and gentlemen, it is now time for listener spotlight.
Speaker 3:Which that's why I was getting ready to stop you. I thought you were just going to jump ahead beyond listener spotlight and go directly into your story and I was like come on, no, no, no no.
Speaker 3:All right, here is the clues that I provided for this episode's Listener Spotlight. This community started as a land grant. Okay, it is named for a local landowner Iron was found in the area and that became a major financial driver and that was used to supply the us army. Okay, it is the home of a famous revolutionary war hero. Because of a former resident of this town. Bugs have a reason to live in fear. And finally, and the best one, this town has its own cryptid. When I say cryptid, I'm talking, like you know, one of those creatures that's fabled to exist, that no one's proven. Bigfoot, Loch Ness, Monster things like that Any guesses?
Speaker 2:hmm, any guesses? No, I. I mean, you know, when you mention the cryptid, I want to think like a foresty area. I mean, like you know, like all the jokes and I shouldn't say jokes because there are many who believe but like like bigfoot running off through the forest and everything so, but no, I don't think I have any guesses. And while I'm stalling, let me just check the normal location that our good friend of the show, stephen, likes to write me at places.
Speaker 3:We didn't give him a lot of time this week, so I would be surprised if anybody sent anything in, because they, you know, they've only had like three days.
Speaker 2:No, unfortunately not yet. So if so, we can always mention that before on the next show. So I do not have any guesses and no comments from the listeners yet.
Speaker 3:Okay. Well, this week's listener spotlight is Beltsville, maryland. Beltsville, maryland, yes sir. Community started as a land grant in 1649. The land was part of an 80,000-acre land grant given to Richard Snowden by Lord Baltimore of England. Wow, it is named for a local landowner by Lord Baltimore of England. Wow, it is named for a local landowner by the name of Truman Belt.
Speaker 3:Iron was found in the area and it became a major financial driver. The Merkirk iron furnace produced some of the best quality pig iron in the country at the time and it supplied the United States Army with cannons and shot and other iron products during both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. It's home to a famous Revolutionary War hero, brigadier General Risen Bale, and he is important and significant, especially to the people of Maryland. I'm sure you're sitting around going hmm, why didn't Maryland ever have any like big Revolutionary War battlefields? Well, that is thanks to General Rezin Beale, who prevented a British invasion at Drumpoint, which is on the Chesapeake Bay, with only 100 men. So he kept the British from getting into Maryland and is credited with the fact that there are no Revolutionary War battlefields in Maryland.
Speaker 2:I cannot tell a lie. I've never been sitting around thinking that, but anyways continue.
Speaker 3:Okay, maybe not Because of a former resident. This town's bugs have a reason to live in fear, and that is because this is home to a gentleman by the name of Lyle Goodhue, and Mr Goodhue had a number of inventions, 20-some, I believe, patents. Among them was a thing called an aerosol bomb. We know it better as the bug bomb Invented by a gentleman from that town, and I know you're sitting around going. What cryptid do they have?
Speaker 2:I am thinking it now, yeah.
Speaker 3:See, I've got to prompt you into thinking it. To make it work, beltsville has its own cryptid called the Goatman, which is this human-goat hybrid, often credited with canine deaths, purportedly lives in the local woods and the stories originated in the early 70s. But actually some of the legends are set back in the 1930s. So I can't say that there's a goat man running around Beltsville. But they've got some stories and honestly, if I was their school, I would change their mascot to the goat, the goat man or, excuse me, the goat person well, uh yeah, are the goat people, because no one else is going to have that as their mascot.
Speaker 2:I mean, it's unique up and down the court. It is Sir Goat. He takes a three-point shot.
Speaker 3:And the goat people win another one. Ladies and gentlemen, so there you go. Thank you all the folks from Beltsville, Maryland.
Speaker 2:Thank you listeners from Beltsville Maryland. Thank you all listeners, but especially this episode. Beltsville Maryland. Keep looking for that goat man this is where I would love to do a goat impression, but I'll save it. I'll save it. Thank you, you're welcome all right.
Speaker 3:So when we ended the last episode, yes I cut you off because the episode was getting a little long and this is a great story. Um, we're in mackinac city and it was an awesome story and I'm going to let you kind of give a little brief recap and then tell us what happened at the end so many times when you and I spend time together, it's a very humorous week.
Speaker 2:There's lots of laughing and joking and just being silly, and I'm known to say things like you know, oh, like that time you were in prison and the looks.
Speaker 2:I've gotten from some just strangers sitting at a booth or in a you know know bus or whatever is priceless and it's just amazing because I normally do that stuff when we've got people like eavesdropping, like you know, there's one thing to be if you overhear someone's, kind of it's like being in an airport and someone's on the phone. If they're like, yeah, and then the guy was over and he was, I mean you can't help it. But here, but if you're just like minding your own business and someone's perfect, purposely listening, that's where I just get my jollies off by going, hmm, what can I say right now just to make the person go? What is going on over there? So, um, that's why usually I say like, oh, like, when you got out of prison and people like they have looked at you, like I think, did that guy actually go to prison? He doesn't look like a guy went to prison, you know.
Speaker 2:So, um, so anyways, I, I humor is I. I I'm always laughing and joking, and there's a time to be serious, of course, and there's also a time you can have fun.
Speaker 2:So anyways, we're very seldom serious though in case, people hadn't figured that out unless I have to pedal uphill in the heat or rain, then I'm pretty serious about that. I want to get off that bike. So, recapping the story, we were shopping in Mackinac City, which is not the island, it's a tourist city where you catch the ferry, and we were looking for something for our respective wives. I decided I was going to get like an ornament from like a ceramics, uh store, like collectibles or whatever. And, um, I had asked the lady. I said hey, can I ask you a strange question? And she thought I was going to say I'm on vacation, because I'm sure everyone who walks in there and says hey, I'm on vacation, like no kidding you're, what else would?
Speaker 2:you be doing in mackinac city. But but when I said I'm on a bicycle trip and I don't have a car, and and she was very receptive and very kind and and said, oh, I thought you're going to say you're on vacation, and so we hit it off right away. Her cynical humor and my cynical humor, we were, we were like best friends, you know, and um, and so she gives some bubble wrap and a box for the, for the ornament and the. The girl next to her says, I'm assuming co-worker or whatever. And she says, uh, are you guys going out to the island? And we said, yeah, part of the tour is we get to go to the island.
Speaker 2:And we kind of asked her like, where do people? You know, we don't have a car, so where do people with bicycles go? And she's like, oh, you go to the left where the pedestrians are anyways. And so I said can I ask you something? And she says yeah, and I said, um, I like to mess with people, just kind of joke around. Would you um be receptive me, you know? Oh, no, I'm sorry, I skipped a part. She said, oh, my sister works on the island very important to the story, yes, and and she says my sister works on the island. I said, oh really. She said, yeah, she works in the fudge shop. And I I said, well, just, you know, one fudge shop is just one there's only 12 on the island yeah, and she's like, no, she works at, uh, joanne's.
Speaker 2:And I said, oh, she's like, yeah, stop by and see her and say hi or whatever. And at first she was being serious and then I said, hey, would you mind if I mess with her? And she's like what do you mean? I was like, well, I was a wedding photographer and, um, um, I used to like find out information about somebody just to make the crowd laugh, to get more smiles from, because nobody really wants their picture taken. Besides the bride and groom, everyone else was like, all right, we'll take the pictures at a wedding. So, um, I usually would use humor to do that. And so she's like, no, that's so funny. She's like my sister's name is Jess and she works at Joanne's and you can find her over there. And so I said, ok, thank you so much. And she said no problem. And we went back to camp and you know beautiful sunset pictures that night.
Speaker 2:And then we took the, took the ferry out to the island and we already told in part one. If you listen to it, this is repetitive, but if you haven't. We rode around the island with our friends, we went up to the natural stone bridge, we went up to the fort and then we went up to Skull Cave, which again had no skulls and hardly was a cave, but all good. And so we come back and we went to Winchester's and we had a bourbon and we come out and I see Joanne's and I'm like hey, I go, don't forget, we got to go say hi to Jess. And you're like oh, yeah, yeah, that's right. And so we walk in there and I said, I said is Jess here? And the girl goes no, she's off today. And I said, without skipping a beat, haven't even thought about it, just out of my mouth, I go, would you tell her? Her 12th grade boyfriend said hi. And she goes, oh, from Mount. And I go, yep and it's like a psychic.
Speaker 2:You know, a psychic goes oh, tell us something about, you know when you lived where? When I was from georgia, yeah, when you were in georgia, you know. So when she said from mount pleasant, I mean serious as a heart attack, straight face I said yeah, from mount pleasant, and she oh, no, I'll tell her. You said hi, and you and I walk out slowly, without trying to laugh or anything, and we started laughing. And then what made it even more funny, which is we started to wonder the different scenarios that were going to take place when Jess got back to work.
Speaker 2:Was it going to be the following hey, you missed your 12th grade boyfriend yesterday. And was it going to be I hate that son of a gun, or I thought he was still in prison, yeah, exactly. Or what are you talking about? I married my 12th grade boyfriend, you know, or? Or then we started like on the ferry we were laughing about it so hard. We're like what if we just caused like a major riff? What if she's like that creep? I told him to stay away, or. But it was just so funny and just the way that it happened. So I only hope that Jess came back to work the next day and at least someone said you missed your 12th grade boyfriend.
Speaker 3:Hilarious story when you said that I turn around because I'm trying to keep a straight face. And I literally started walking towards the door after she said the Mount Pleasant thing. Because I was like now we don't know if this gal went to Mount Pleasant or how well she knows Jess or anything like that, and it's like this could turn into like this big conversation which you know could blow up in your face. So I'm walking to the door because I'm like if I'm standing near the door I can say, hey, the guys are ready with our bikes. We got to get on, let's go. They're waiting for us to pull you out of it if you needed to. But you didn't need to. It was beautiful. And as soon as she said Mount Pleasant, you were like, yeah, I went to Mount Pleasant.
Speaker 2:And then I even mentioned. I said yeah, and her sister works in Mackinac City and the girl goes. Okay, I'll tell her.
Speaker 3:Totally sold it. It was awesome.
Speaker 2:Well, listen.
Speaker 3:She is probably still wandering around. If she doesn't still have a connection with her 12th grade boyfriend, right, she's probably like what the hell? What I mean, you know? And then they'll say, well, he was like in a cycling outfit or something, and it's like he he hates cyclists.
Speaker 2:He says they're always on the road and they don't abide by the laws man, he was always a monster truck guy. That's right. He tried running them over, but no, we figured we'd share that story. It's funny. And this is what cycling trips are all about guys, so don't miss out. Ride the shoreline.
Speaker 3:Ride any ride. I mean they're all. I mean just always have these great stories Interesting people. Yeah, it's just fantastic.
Speaker 2:It's a good time on the beginning of the show. We've never told this, actually, but you were extremely instrumental in putting together our NASA girl. We told that story that she doesn't work for NASA, but we've never told how that came together and you actually worked really hard on that and thinking of some way to say like, hey, it's not about the destination, but you know, it's the people you meet along the way and the stories and everything. And so those are the stories that that happen. And you know, I told that story at work and I got to tell you my boss my boss is the most straight laced, you know oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I told that story and he almost spit his coffee everywhere. He was like he's like, oh, I can see you doing that, Adam.
Speaker 2:So, but anyways, I just figured we'd tell that I would like to take this moment to to jump back in a shoreline, but doing that by transitioning to our friend Eric, but doing that by transitioning to our friend Eric. And we met a gentleman in Michigan who literally came up to us and said hey, I signed up to this ride for after listening to your show.
Speaker 3:Right off the bus. We had just traveled from Traverse City to Alpena. We're getting off the bus, we're unloading gear, we're getting our stuff, and that was like the first conversation we had with anybody. He's like I'm here because of you guys.
Speaker 2:I was like okay, and I don't know about you, but a part of me goes hey, that's awesome that you listened to our show. Another part of me goes ooh, hope you're not disappointed.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's what's always in the back of my mind. It's like Georgia. I feel pretty confident when people are like we're here because you know, we heard about it on, you know your guys' show and that kind of thing. At this point I feel very confident that you know you're going to have a great week. Going into a ride that I've never been at.
Speaker 2:I'm like you know, he's on his bicycle, he's camping, he's meeting friends, Uh, and by the end of the week he was very, very popular. I mean, I kept seeing many people go up to him and say, hey, Eric. I mean so he definitely, definitely likes to have a good time. So, Eric, hey, thank you for listening to the show. Thank you, it was great to meet you, Glad we could provide a little swag to you while we were out there in the in the shoreline.
Speaker 3:And hopefully we can ride with him again, because he has been to rag braai and actually use the same charter. We did this one of the same years that we did, so maybe, maybe we'll run into him again.
Speaker 2:Our, there's not that many cyclists left out. There is there, but we're going to pass our pass. Our paths will cross again, hopefully, so let's hope so, not literally. Um, let's see here. Let me check my notes. Oh, you know what else we had in, uh, shoreline, and we're going to get into some reviews here in a little bit of what we thought about the ride.
Speaker 2:But we had a pretty cool picture, uh, opportunity, at one of the sag stops, we had a brag spotting where there was someone wearing the 2022 farm jersey, but ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. And then there was the lakes and libations jersey, and so I said, hey guys, um, you mind if we take a picture, and they probably thought. Both of them thought I was probably nuts which more nuts than usual. People think that about me but and I said I'd love to send it to Franklin and so, and so they both cheered up and said, yeah, no problem. So we took a picture and sent it to Franklin. He put it on Insta, as the kids would say. I say Instagram, but I'm almost 50.
Speaker 3:So but now, was that the day you were wearing your brag jersey or not? Was that the day you were wearing your brag jersey or not? No, oh, that would have been great to have the last three years of brag represented there. But we saw a lot of brag jerseys because there was a one day that couple was wearing their full farm kits, as we call it, and if you haven't seen it, you you know, go look at our facebook page or something. You'll see pictures of us. They look like you're wearing overalls and jean shorts and things. And there was a couple of other Bragg jerseys there too, the Lakes and Libations and stuff. So a lot of Georgia representation.
Speaker 2:A small side note is the year that we really rocked that farm jersey. We wore it many, many rides and we actually found a place, I think, called John Socks and we bought boot socks and so it looked like a pair of cowboy boots and so we lived it up. So, anyways, the brag spotting that Franklin put on Instagram. So that was cool.
Speaker 2:Let's see here and when we left mackinac, that's when the ride got super beautiful yes, I'm gonna back up just for a second only, because I'm looking at my notes. And we went to a concert in mackinac city, um, we went to a brewery, yeah, and so, um, the events director, neil, had set up a concert, um, and actually it was like half of the band, um, it was supposed to be a four-piece band but two of the band members couldn't be there. But you know what, those two gentlemen rocked it out and it was this peaceful and, uh, did a great job and this. We went to a brewery there, um, and it was outdoor and there was a fire pit and just a really cool setting. Um, I, I have nothing to hide. I won't lie to you.
Speaker 3:The beer, I wouldn't it was very a little bitter for my taste. Yeah, we actually had different types of beer yeah and we both thought it was bitter. But you know, to each their own. But uh, the two guys, acoustic guitars, played some covers, played some of their old own stuff. It was uh, it was nice and for us.
Speaker 2:I think this is important for the show. Um, that was the first night that we really got to collaborate with the pod race team, um, I would say the owners of Padres, and we kind of had like a like initial, like hey, they were they came over to me and was like, okay, I've got to ask I keep seeing the cycling men of leisure thing.
Speaker 3:What is this all about? Right, because we had seen him in Georgia, we had seen him in georgia, we had, uh, seen him in rag bra. I mean, we've, you know, see them all. I think. I think they were at, yeah, bourbon country burn. I mean we've seen him everywhere. But he came up, uh, engaged us, talked a little bit about it and uh, it was, uh, it was really cool that we got to spend some time chatting with them about their business and that type of thing.
Speaker 2:And then you're right. Then, getting back to the ride, you and I and Dalmak, on a prior Michigan ride together, we went north up the Tunnel of Trees or north towards Mackinac City, and this time the route took us from Mackackinac city south to charlevoix pretty long day in the saddle, uh, that day um 75, 76 miles, something like that. Um, but man, that tunnel and trees ride is beautiful, is beautiful. I mean, off to your right, all day long was the, the coast of lake michigan and you'd you'd go a while and you'd be kind of like in a wooded section and then you'd come up on a hill and then it would just be just the coast and you could see for miles and miles, uh, lake Michigan, and then of course it would come back through and, uh, the reason why they call it tunnel of trees is 20 something miles of that or 21 miles, I believe. Call it tunnel of trees is 20 something miles of that or 21 miles, I believe.
Speaker 2:Uh, I might have that wrong. At least 20 miles is one single lane, um, and it's shared by, uh, tourists of of all likes motorcycles, cars, um, little spiders that you see, and bicycles, and there were, there was like three, at least three bicycle tours out there besides us that were out there, so um, I'm sure they were probably thinking the same thing. I was thinking you're going the wrong way, so um, but that whole stretch is just.
Speaker 3:There's glimpses where you, you, you see, but overhead you're pretty much covered in canopy. Yep, the whole way. I mean it's just beautiful nice windy roads, no big hills, just a few little rollers in places.
Speaker 2:Um, yeah, it's just beautiful ride and and we got lucky. I mean the weather we're going to talk about the weather in a little bit but but for the first seven days, perfect, perfect weather, beautiful weather, um, which alludes you to one day. It wasn't perfect, yeah, we'll need to talk about that, but so the day we were in the tunnel of trees, lucky. And then that ride takes you through Elk Rapids and Petoskey and I mean all kinds of places, and so what's that?
Speaker 3:one town, all the fancy homes. Oh, beautifully brings. Yes.
Speaker 2:Oh, I love that place. Harbor Springs is um, uh, just to kind of picture it, it's on the coast and every home reminds you, if you've seen the movie grand treeino, where all those beautiful homes are. Um, I mean, we're talking huge, huge homes, um, and, and rumor has it, those are all like summer homes for like corporations and, um, I don't know if that's 100 true, but um, it's just amazing, amazing, beautiful, beautiful.
Speaker 3:Because who really wants to live on the shores of Lake Michigan that far north in the wintertime Exactly, exactly so. Beautiful neighborhoods, though Well manicured lawns. I mean, I'm telling you the lawnscaping companies are making a fortune. Of course they have to be a little bit better than just, you know, the guy next door mowing the grass, but beautiful.
Speaker 2:True, this is true. And we were going to eat in Harbor Springs actually we discussed it and then we got out our maps and saw that yes, I do mean maps, people. We got out our maps and saw that Petoskey was about 14 miles down the road, and so we said why don't we wait till Petoskey? And we stopped at a place called Beards Brewery and we got to actually sit outside and look over the water, which was really cool because across the bay, if you will, we could see where we had cycled down through, and that was really neat to be able to see that.
Speaker 3:So what it was like 10 14 miles by bike.
Speaker 2:It could have been three miles swimming not that I could swim three miles, but you know I mean difficult to swim with your bike above your head that's why I have the uh, the floaties for my bike.
Speaker 3:That's right remember I was prepared. So if the car came off, the bridge saved my bike.
Speaker 2:Well, I could have deployed those for this situation too what nobody knows is, you ended up with some floaties, so not for your bike per se, but yeah, it was funny some water wings, yep, yeah, um. So that was cool. I mean, we had, we had, we had, uh, lunch there and and Petoskey, and then made it to the state park, which we, you and I, had been to before, and that's where the last SAG stop for the day is, and then we, we stuck with tradition, you know that.
Speaker 3:We did stick with tradition. It's an odd tradition, but it is so leisuring that I love it.
Speaker 2:So we came into Charlevoix and there's's a grocery store there and we were running a little low on bourbon, and you know, I mean, nobody wants to run low on bourbon and so we went into a grocery store that we were winning before on Dalmac and if you ever heard that story, I like to wear bibs when I'm riding and so, uh, on dolmac, we were running low. So we walked in the grocery store and I bought some woodford reserve, opened up my bibs after paying for it, opened up my bibs, it's important to know and rode 20 miles with uh, with uh, with woodford reserve tucked right close to me. And so this time we were coming through town and it's a good thing we did, by the way we decided to stop in there and this time we got some buffalo trace and I rode with it. This time I only had to ride with it like four miles to camp uphill out of town. I didn't want to do that hill again, so we were able to sit back and have some buffalo tray.
Speaker 2:So two years or not two years, no, no, no, no, two times I'll say. We went to the grocery store there and same grocery store, same aisle.
Speaker 3:What are the odds that we would end up in Charlevoix, three years apart, two different rides and we needed bourbon.
Speaker 2:Odds are pretty good that we need bourbon. No, I'm just kidding, that's right, they are. Look behind me here. You need some bourbon this one, this one, this one one over there. So then we made it to charlevoix and, uh, looking at my notes, we met, uh, we spent a lot of time with team grit and I thought we should the ladies of team grit uh, the team grit.
Speaker 2:The first of all, our first interaction is they said what is Cycling Men of Leisure? Of course, everyone always wants to know what it's all about. The next day we had Cycling Women of Leisure. She's like you do represent ladies, I'm like we represent anybody. Wanted to mention Team Grit? Something special they did. They had a full jersey of of giraffe spotted boy. I mean, if you rode by that you would not miss those ladies.
Speaker 3:So well, it was like the base fabric was like fluorescent colors, like pink and green and yellow, and then on top of that they had the the black spots, right, and we had been informed that they had this special I. I don't think they were supposed to tell us, but they said our giraffe jerseys, and then they're like we said we wouldn't tell anybody and then I think, yeah, they wore that and they were a fun group and what was really interesting about that.
Speaker 2:So, if you are listening to this and you haven't been on any cycling tours and you're thinking about it, um a, do it b? Um. Please understand that meals are sometimes provided by churches, sometimes provided by schools, sometimes, uh, caterers come in in mackinac city. Um, we actually had the church across the street from the high school provide a phenomenal breakfast it was good and not just a great breakfast we had.
Speaker 3:We actually had real plates right, real silverware right. I mean, most of the time they're, I get it. They're using paper plates and things because it's easier, is it?
Speaker 2:but no, I felt like, and not only that, but those, those young men and women who were helping like well, how can I get you?
Speaker 3:They were hustling.
Speaker 2:They were definitely, definitely, and I hope you're anything I can do to make your day better.
Speaker 3:You can ride my bike a couple of miles.
Speaker 2:How do you feel about riding 77 miles from here? But what was funny about that day is that's when the ladies came in with their Team Grit, came their their giraffe jerseys and and I thought, oh boy here we go, they got.
Speaker 3:They got some applause too when they showed up, and they sure did.
Speaker 2:Yeah, um, uh, kind of going through my notes here. Then, after after charlevoix, and we're going to get into the review here, but after charlevoix and we're going to get into the review here, but after Charlevoix, we made our way to Traverse City. And on the way to Traverse City, I must tell you that we stopped by this. What was it called? Flintfield?
Speaker 3:This was a cool thing, never seen this before, but we had the opportunity. One of the rest stops was at Flintfields Horse Park. The opportunity. One of the rest stops was at, uh, flint fields horse park and, um, you could go and you could get your, your sag stuff, but they had, you know, like super long golf carts that you could hop on there and take a ride, and it took you all the way through this. And what flint fields is is it is a olympic level uh show jumping facility for horses.
Speaker 2:It was amazing.
Speaker 3:And you know we went through it. I mean, basically they're there all summer, it's like a small little town. I mean they've got the place you can buy your horse supplies and the horse pharmacy and the post office area and I mean this is just what we saw. And then you go up here and you could see, could see on the on the hillside, as you're getting close to the international arena, as they called it, all the different jumping props that they have that horses jump over, and then it dumps you off at this huge like white circus tent looking thing and you knew you were in a place that there was some money floating around because they had a trailer that was probably 12 foot by I don't know. They had a trailer that was probably 12 foot by, I don't know, 20 foot, that sold high-end jewelry right out front before you walk in. And then you walk in and there's just all this really nice seating that's covered.
Speaker 3:They've got a complete full-size bar you can look off to your right and see the horses practicing and then right in front of you there's a whole facility laid out and I'm going to post some of my pictures to the, to the uh, to our site Cool Um, all laid out there and they were jumping and, like I said, these are, you know, olympic level. They said Now I don't know if we saw the Olympic level because we were there with the Olympics, so I think probably all the Olympic you know people were, you know were doing their thing over in Paris, but I mean it was phenomenal, these people were good. Some of the things these horses were jumping over were incredible.
Speaker 2:There was something we need. Two things that we saw there that was really interesting is just as in any sport, like the zamboni for ice arenas or or you know whatever. We saw this like tractor display and there were these guys and it was like an orchestration. They were driving the tractors, pulling behind like the. I think thanks to level out the field yeah, and I mean it was a full orchestration.
Speaker 3:I mean there was like four, four tractors going all over this thing that's larger than a football field and they're just like going flying around. They're not running into each other. It's like they almost had this little synchronized thing you're hitting this, you're going around that, I'm going around this, we cross paths.
Speaker 2:I mean, it was incredible I almost wanted to hold up like a thing like 9.9 for the tractor driver, but you and the johnere, you lost a half a point for that.
Speaker 3:You know, sloppy curve, sloppy turn.
Speaker 2:The other thing that I thought was really interesting there, as you mentioned, the jewelry trailer we actually got to cycle. Our team was comprised of of four members it was yourself, myself, our good friend, one and a new friend that we had and, I think, more more journeys with him, amir and so the four of us were the uh together. But I looked around and I saw Amir and like this massage chair Now I'm sure all of you have been to Costco and the guys that are standing there and he's got the chairs and he's going to offer you to sit down and try out these nine, ten thousand dollar massage chairs, full body massage chairs. I see all these cyclists lined up inside of these, these chairs. How much money has got to be floating around that place that this guy who sells massage chairs thought he'd be successful by bringing them to a tent in the middle of nowhere Right outside of Traverse City.
Speaker 2:So, anyways, amir was in one and next thing, you and I look he's got the contract in his hand and he's looking at different ones, and so I'm thinking for sure that Amir is going home with one, and he had told us about his living accommodations and his current accommodations. I thought, man, is this thing going to even fit in your current place, you know? And so when he got back to camp I said, did you buy it? And he's like no, I found it cheaper on Amazon. I have been looking, but I'm also not sure I want it because the size of my place and I was like, okay, but I thought for sure he had, he had purchased it, but uh, yeah, but he lives in like a penthouse type apartment or something, double balconies and yeah, so oh he's yeah, definitely the chair would have fit right in.
Speaker 2:Let me tell you oh yeah, you don't need to have company, forget you, I'm going to sit in my chair all day, exactly, but definitely, definitely a neat place. And then coming into Traverse City, kind of mixed emotions.
Speaker 2:You and I talked about this where you know you and I are used to doing you know, a to Z tours where you know, like in Georgia, you know, like our first year in Georgia, we went from Columbus to Brunswick, you know, starting in one location, ending in the other. And so this was a ride that started in Alpena, got to Traverse City and then the last day was literally riding up to Mission Point and then coming back to Traverse City. So it's kind of like you're at the end but you're not at the end, but there's still another day to ride, and so it's kind of a mixed emotions.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we're used to getting to that final destination and like, woo, we're here, let's celebrate, take a shower, let's load up and go.
Speaker 2:But yeah, it was a little different and we should have probably left, because the next day we decided to ride, and so Okay.
Speaker 3:The day started out fine, normal, you know. Sure, we had to take our gear down. Yeah, no problem. They served us breakfast at this nice outdoor covered amphitheater.
Speaker 3:Very nice In this park. The food was very good and right about the time we got over there and started eating, started misting a little bit, nothing big, no big deal and then we got on our bikes, we started riding. We get three miles out of town and it really starts coming down and the wind is whipping and we're right along lake michigan and the waves are crashing up raining. I stopped I don't know, it was probably mile three. I stopped underneath this tree you guys are right behind me and I was like thinking but at that time I was going. You know what? We had the option to just drive out here. And here we are on our bicycles in this mess. The only redeeming thing is Juan kept saying well, according to my AccuRether thing, by 10 o'clock this is all going to be out and it's going to be sunny. Now my weather app didn't show that. I don't think your weather app showed that either no, no.
Speaker 2:I kept looking at mine over and over and over and looking at the radar and looking at different things and it looked like it was going to clear up and then, um, ironically, we decided to go for it. We're already there. This is the last day we're gonna, we're gonna finish the adventure and we get up to mission point where the lighthouse was and out of nowhere, blue sky, clouds, I mean sun blue now literally in the parking lot.
Speaker 2:We pull in yeah, clouds part and and take a picture. Uh, we did, took some video, we took a picture. Um, literally get back on the bike and we, we kind of took a little jaunt into like an old area which was like a party store that had gone out of business many moons ago, which was very teasing. 1915, yeah, because, oh it's weird, on the side of the building it said espresso and I thought I would do anything for an espresso right now I am so cold, my feet were freezing and it just opened up and it did not stop raining until we got back to the car. 40-something mile a day and I bet you at least I mean, fair to say, to say 75 of the day was raining.
Speaker 3:So yeah, and a couple of times it was coming down really really good. And you know, with with the rain, you know you've always got to look at the roads a little bit more. Slow it down in a lot of places gets a little slicker, that oil and stuff on the road starts coming up. So and then the wind was blowing and it was. I don't think it got above 60 degrees that day while we were out there in the saddle.
Speaker 3:So it was wet, it was cold, um, yeah, it was, and we thought 40 miles, that'll be like no big deal, but under those conditions it was. It was pretty, probably the most miserable day we ever rode, but we did get to see the lighthouse and it was, you know, the lighthouse and it was, you know, not raining and it was decent weather at the lighthouse, so that kind of made it worthwhile I imagine that on a regular day that trip would be, would be beautiful and so.
Speaker 2:But that's all right, that's that's I mean.
Speaker 3:That's you gotta roll with the Could have had seven days of weather like that. I mean, you just never know.
Speaker 2:Oh, I would have called my wife.
Speaker 3:Well, you called your wife anyway. What's the big deal? She? Wasn't going to come and get you.
Speaker 2:The extra keys are sitting here. Get the van. Come get me so, but no, I wouldn't.
Speaker 3:She would have said get on your bike ride, stop your complaining and whining.
Speaker 2:I think she was in Ohio.
Speaker 3:Actually, I don't think she could have done that, but uh she might've said well for Michael, I'll drive up there, and you know.
Speaker 2:But maybe not, so anyways, um great ride, um luckily that was the day they actually had a shower truck and the heat was working.
Speaker 3:Oh my god, I stood in there and just with hot water because my feet were cold.
Speaker 2:Yeah, my feet were cold, I was freezing and I just kept. Um, no one's ever used a shower truck. Some some are different, some just have on and off, but some have a button that you push and there's like a timer like 30 seconds, like 30 seconds of water, just like washing your hands in the bathroom or whatever, and so you know I just get to control the temperature, so you can make it as hot as you want it so then we got in the van, I turned the heat on the whole time we were, uh, there's like four stalls in the shower and normally we joke on the guy you know and like, oh, we got to get out of here and we've got to go to town or whatever.
Speaker 2:You and I both weren't even talking to each other. I think we were both just trying to feel our toes again. So I've got some closing remarks of our, of our ride with shoreline.
Speaker 3:I got a couple of things too, so you.
Speaker 2:You set the stage in part one by saying that you know that this is the second year that the director was being paid to do this. They did go through a minimizing stage where they where they closed like six of their rides or, and then we reinvented two of them up and shoreline. Neil's a great guy and I've worked with him, um on other other projects. Um, his advocacy uh is so passionate and everything he does is um top notch. That being said, um, I think that the lmb needs to give him some more power. I don't want to say power, but they need to make sure.
Speaker 2:Latitude, latitude, and everyone is aligning with the same message. It's like I tell my employees you can't sing one song this way and you can't sing a song the next day a different way. Everyone has to be singing on the same sheet of music, and if we have problems behind the scenes, then that's for us to know, but not for the general public to know. And so, unfortunately, with what you and I saw, the staff was kind of competitive a little bit the volunteers versus the non-volunteers, and so I wish Neil luck on trying to get some of that straightening. I want to talk about some of the pros. I thought that the food and the caterers did a great job. No complaints here.
Speaker 3:Breakfasts were outstanding, absolutely Every day, I mean the dinners were good too. But I mean, when I ride I get a certain kind of idea of what I'd like to have for dinner. So when you sit into that situation you're kind of stuck with what you got. But breakfast always had a wide variety, no complaints.
Speaker 2:I thought that the camping locations that they provided were adequate and nothing they could have done better Quality spots, quality, everything roomed in. I think there was, as you always say, time, energy and effort was put forth to these cyclists that may want a beverage that has more octane than water. I think there were some things thought about that, where certain camping spots in certain areas would be like, okay, well, this is a school campground, but if you camp over there then you're not on school property. So I think there were some thoughts put behind on that, although I won't tell a lie. On nights that those wasn't allowed, I still had more than octane water. So, um, let's see here I'm trying to think. I thought that the night that we were in mackinaw city, that was nice to have a shuttle to go back and forth to the brewery, um, so thank you for that and sheboygan.
Speaker 2:There was a shuttle bus to go back and forth to town. We were a little bit away and and one of neil's friends who was a cyclist, a racer um was, I believe ran the transportation or trained on the transportation, and so he volunteered his time. So I want to send a thank you to him. Northern Exposure we've used those guys before. They were at Traverse City, so I appreciate those guys.
Speaker 2:But a couple things. I want to make sure that I get across and then I'm going to give you the floor and make sure I don't interrupt you the floor. And and, uh, make sure I don't interrupt you when, when neil came on the show to announce shoreline, announce the route, there were some things that that he stated that was going to be at the ride and um, unfortunately, like he mentioned food trucks and you and I have been to many rides before that had food trucks, and so I expected to come into town, um, pull into the school and and pull into the park, the school, the arena or whatever, and there'll be some food trucks there. And so the first night I was like no food trucks tonight. Then the next night, and I started to realize there was never going to be food trucks, and so I think.
Speaker 2:I think maybe the ideas were there, but maybe, with the low participation, maybe the funds weren't there. Um, I'm not sure what it takes to bring a food truck on. I've never brought a food truck on, so I'm not sure if those who have food trucks have their own licenses and take all the risks versus reward, um, or if you have to pay them. I honestly don't know.
Speaker 3:I've used food trucks before Several years ago in my auction business, and different state, different time but at that point in time I didn't have to pay them anything. I would bring the crowd, they would set up. I mean, they took their chances on what they'd sell, but yeah, but who knows how they do it nowadays?
Speaker 2:I felt that the SAG stops could use some help, and this is not an insult towards Neil or the LMB, but in general, you and I have been very lucky, or very stupid, to do many rides. You pick your battles of what you think the correct answer is um, you know, we come from a very core uh of our, of our podcast, which is a lot of our friends listen from georgia, and we've done brag a lot and people have heard us talk about that, but we'd like to do other rides as well, but when you, when you go to brag and you go to a sag stop, you are not, you are not wanting leaving, wanting anything. I mean there's peanut butter and jelly for those who want peterborough and jelly and and pimento cheese, and I mean just a plethora of of sweet snacks, salty snacks, pickles, pickle juice, if you're looking. And the first day I thought the sag stops were great, I was like, oh, okay, well, we're going to have X and Y and Z and okay, that's what I expect. Okay, thank you. Many times you and I would come in the sag stops and there would be almost no food. There would be pretzels, hard pretzels, and and in a bag and they were warm and and now normally a soft pretzel. That's warm is wonderful, but you know, when you come off the road you're hungry. So I I feel as though maybe some, um, some effort needs to be put forth from the lmb and shoreline to to have some better items at the sag stops. In my opinion, maybe I'm out of bounds, but that's just my opinion.
Speaker 2:Also, on the interview, he mentioned that there's going to be shuttle buses every night and I think that for me, when I hear that, being a rider that's been to Ragbri with you five times I know you've been six, but on my five I've been with you Um, being a guy who runs shuttle buses on a regular basis, I assume that I'm going to come in and it's going to be the small bus with the yellow stand D line and and we're going to have to stand behind it and we're going to go Um, and there was a few nights where I really thought that the mark was missed, and I mean when we were in Charlevoix, um, to paint a picture, we were about three and a half miles out of town. Yes, I had a bicycle, I understand that, but I, charlevoix has some beautiful restaurants that have outdoor seating areas. I don't want to worry about a bicycle. I don't want to worry If I walk down to one of those areas or go to a restaurant. I don't want to have to keep looking over my shoulder to look to see if my bicycle is still there.
Speaker 2:And so, being told there'd be shuttle buses, I was kind of expecting there would be shuttle buses. I also didn't want to ride three miles down. Have a couple of cocktails, be feeling good. Didn't have to ride back up the hill in the dark. I didn't think that was safe either.
Speaker 2:Plus, you'd already rode 76 miles that day, so adding an extra six, seven miles on it wasn't really enjoyable, some areas that could improve, and I'm sure I'm missing some, but I just wanted to give a fair review from my side and give you a chance to just. Maybe I'm missing something.
Speaker 3:No, I completely agree with you on all of what you had to say there. I think one of the big things for me is they said you know you have to provide your own lunch. No big deal. I don't have a problem stopping in a restaurant buying lunch convenience store what I think they didn't do a good job of for the people who had never been. Or certainly, even if you've been there, you're never thinking about this.
Speaker 3:If you're like on a family vacation or stuff, those first two or three days there was really no place to stop. Good point. I mean, there might be a party store but you're not thinking, oh, there's a party store, there'll be another one up you know 10 miles or so. But I mean there was. You know not many restaurants. I know there was one day we ran into a restaurant that was like at a golf course and I was thinking about stopping. I was like no, there'll be something else and there wasn't.
Speaker 3:Um, so it's not bad that you provide your own lunch, but just let the riders know that hey, there's really not a lot of places and you know, on your 60 day ride today there's three places. You know there's two party stores and a restaurant or something where you can. You can stop Now the last three days it's it's more heavily populated and there is more options, but those first three days they got to be long days, um, with not a lot of opportunity to, you know, go to a party store, which for us normal people it's called a convenience store, but we won't get into that right now. But, um, I think that was one of the big things for me that I had um people, I said said normal people, for us normal people central time zone people, normal people.
Speaker 2:But actually when I first moved to michigan someone said yeah. I said hey, where can you buy beer? I thought you know, maybe it was a state run. You know it was, you know a state liquor store and and they're like no, you just go to the party store. And I'm like, and they're like no, you just go to the party store. And I'm like party store, is that I mean parties?
Speaker 3:or what we. We have a party store, but you buy streamers and you know paper plates and halloween costume.
Speaker 2:There's no alcohol in the premises, so we got one of those too, but uh, but no that when I first moved here. Yeah, you go to the party store and then you see signs they'll say party store one, party store two, like the same owner owns a bunch of them. So for those who are curious, who are at home, I'm being serious the party store sells wine, beer, sometimes liquor.
Speaker 3:It's like a convenience store. I mean they'll have snacks and they'll have, like you say, the liquor section and maybe some of them have like hot snacks, sandwiches and things and candy bars Everything you need to party baby. So now that we've cleared up the party store for the folks that you know do their shopping at convenience stores, right. But no, you know, the campsites were good, the facilities. I didn't really have any issues on camping and the locations. I agree with you on the sag stops. Some of those were kind of weak. So, you know, I mean, and like I said on the last episode, I'm willing to give them some leniency because they are changing their model over. Yeah, for sure. I've worked in business long enough where we've changed systems over or models over things like that, and I know how that goes. I mean, it doesn't happen overnight and it takes some time.
Speaker 3:I do have to agree with you Standard procedures. Get everybody on the same message. Have standard procedures for when they're checking in. This is how we do it and train everybody on it. Just get everything so it's just this consistent way so that when you're a cyclist and you come in, you know exactly what to expect and kind of the layout of where you can expect to find some of this stuff and how it works.
Speaker 3:One thing that I really did like and honestly I'll be honest going in I thought it was kind of maybe overkill was he had a little nightly rider sessions, right Rider meetings, whatever you want to call it. I really wouldn't call it a meeting but and I thought you know what that's kind of like, eh, but you know, I think they are beneficial. You know, obviously wouldn't work at RAGBRAI, I don't really know if they'd work in Georgia, but uh, for a ride this size and that type of thing, I think they work really good. He got everybody together or everybody who wanted to get together at, like you know, seven o'clock every night, uh, whether it be inside, outside, whatever the uh, the facilities, uh would allow, and you know he kind of went over the next day.
Speaker 3:Here's what you can expect. Here's our mileage, this is what we're doing. Here's a couple of highlights. You might want to hit things like that. You know, like I said, I I would have kind of said what's the point, but in listening to it after a couple of days it's like okay, that's, that's beneficial. I can see where that would definitely help. Um, not just new writers, but writers who are new to the area of Northern Michigan.
Speaker 2:I would agree and and and I the first. You know you and I are used to like. When we went to brag the first time, they had the the first time meet, first time writers meeting, and and then after that you know there's not really a meeting. But at first, when they said they're going to have a meeting every night, I said what are you going to talk about every night? Like this is where you're. But then what happened was is I physically got to watch people on the road who were like hey, have you guys seen Black Lake, or am I supposed to be turning?
Speaker 2:The director talked about this. Have you guys seen that? And so them referencing that in the meeting then helped, I think, out on the road. So I thought it was a good safety mechanism. So I thought it was good. I did miss something In the interview that Neil gave with us. In the beginning he said there was going to be shower trucks and maybe shame on me, maybe shame on me. But then when we were in Bragg, we met the gentleman and he said, oh yeah, I'm providing the or selling.
Speaker 3:One of the workers.
Speaker 2:One of the workers we're coming up to Bragg with a shower truck and I was I mean, coming to the shoreline with a shower truck and I said, oh, that's great. So when I was packing, I was thinking well, inside of the shower truck they provide soap, they provide an all-in-one shampoo-soap mixture and I thought, oh, that's great.
Speaker 3:I never saw a shower truck until the last night. Stopping by Dollar General.
Speaker 2:I did. I did have to go to Dollar General. I I mean, I had to go there because I'm a dummy and forgot my towel, but that's my own fault. But I had to also buy shampoos. The lady was probably like man, look at that old boy buying the shampoo and a towel.
Speaker 3:So um, but I can't wait if you keep this up, going to your guest bathroom and a shower in the basement is going to be awesome, because I think you should put little tags uh, this was purchased at dollar general and uh, you know roger city, michigan, and you should just document every towel in there where you bought it from so I thought because you forgot your towel and brag too, I know.
Speaker 2:And then, well, actually I didn't forget my towel and brag. I actually brought my towel and brag forgot to pick it up. I put it over a chalkboard at the college and I forgot to take it. And then, 35 miles down the road, virginia said was that your towel? Now you're gonna ask me if that's my towel. I I'm like yes, as a matter of fact, it was my towel. Oh, we were wondering. I'm like, did you happen to grab it?
Speaker 3:No, but that's okay, but you know what Some college student at Oxford College in. Georgia got themselves a nice towel.
Speaker 2:This is true and I'm happy because I can't lie. The towels I usually take are the ones I'm allowed to take.
Speaker 3:There's the can take on a trip and there's the. Do not leave the house with this. Exactly, exactly.
Speaker 2:Uh. So my, my closing remarks on shoreline is um, always love to take another adventure with you. I'm glad that our friend juan and amir came along. I am glad that we did it. I'm glad that we experienced another uh time. Um, I thought there was some highs of the highs, and I also think there was some lows of the lows, but nothing so much so that, um, that would restrict me from going back. Just might pack a little bit different, having a level of expectation, some great, great memories. Meeting Amir was wonderful and having some of his stories I mean, the guy literally had video of climbing to Mount Kilimanjaro and and his stories were amazing. So, sitting around at night when it was not a lot of places to go, I thought it was wonderful meeting him. Juan, if you know Juan, you know we love him.
Speaker 3:Juan is Juan. You gotta like Juan.
Speaker 2:And, as our friends call him, juan F. I won't say his last name to be nice, but but yeah, I think there was some good times and beautiful, beautiful scenery. That is probably one of the most beautiful parts of Michigan. Seven days, beautiful weather Last day yeah, that's what makes you, I think.
Speaker 3:Makes you appreciate. The other seven is what it does?
Speaker 2:yeah, absolutely, and heat and hot water and so, um, but yeah, that's it. I mean, I just wanted to I thank, thank neil and the lmb and absolutely and the sag, um, individuals who volunteered and, um, john, I know that I work with I'd like to just give a little plug for that. He and I worked together on another initiative and he was out there volunteering his time. So, john, thank you for everything. Great, another great adventure. So Absolutely.
Speaker 3:I'll second that it's always a good time cycling with you and and I enjoy it when we get to cycle new places, new adventures. So I'm looking forward to whatever our next one might be.
Speaker 2:You know, probably not a ride in 2024, and I'm totally going off script here. But what is next for us in Cycling Men of Leisure? We've got some ideas. We want to talk to the folks of Padres. We kind of missed out on a story that we went to Traverse City Whiskey Company and, unbeknownst to us, the people from not plan, but the people from padres uh, came and sat down next to us and we got to build the bond more from from, you know, from the two nights before at the, at the concert where they came up and talked to you, um, and then literally, I think at one time there must have been I'm not kidding 50, at least 50 glasses of whiskey on the table. Now please understand that 40 of those were samplers or flights.
Speaker 2:We all bought flights, yeah, so but still, I mean, as far as you look down the table and as far as the eye could see, there was glass and whiskey, and so we all shared flights together and I think you and I both had talked about um, seeing if the folks from Padres would come on the show to to talk about um. You know what they do and how they do it and rides that they have coming up, and so they were very receptive to that. And so we'd like to look at that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we got that. Um, next episode in two weeks after this one comes out. Um, I'm not going to give too much away, but we are celebrating. Oh, that's right. That's all I'm going to say. It's going to be our celebration podcast.
Speaker 3:You'll have to tune in to find out what exactly we're celebrating and why. Um, and then, uh, we've got a couple of other potential interviews of people that we had talked to, uh, in Georgia, that we'd like to bring on, that agreed to an interview. So it's just a matter of us syncing up with their schedule and that kind of stuff, which I think, uh, those would be really good. And then what's really going to be awesome is, in November, we are going to do our second annual cyclist Christmas wishlist, and we did that last year, yep, and in fact, I got a couple of those products and did reviews on them, so I think we're going to. Everybody seemed to like it. So we're going to do another one this year and we'll do that in in November. So we've got some, got some good stuff coming up to to finish out this year with.
Speaker 2:And I got a message from our friend, matthew Matthew's from Ohio and, if you please roll your Rolodex back in your memory. Matthew did us a huge favor. We landed in Brunswick and Matthew gave us a ride, um, and he reached out to me today for someone who he really thinks that we should interview and I'm highly interested. So I'm going to be working on that lead and, if that comes together, that would be a phenomenal interview. So thank you, matthew, for listening, and also thank you for the recommendation. I'm definitely going to take that recommendation. Awesome. So that's it. We've got a lot of stuff in the tank. We're not stopping. We're both still highly enjoy this, and please remember that we do have two stores. If you're interested, we have our jersey store and we have our T-shirt and hat store, or Chachki is always a casual wear.
Speaker 2:Our casual wear store Casual wear and we have our technical store.
Speaker 3:How about that, that's?
Speaker 2:true, and let me tell you something, that jersey store is amazing. I can't believe the items that we're adding. So first I would love to just have a jersey. Now, not only do we have that, we have a whole slew of products, so I want to thank him for all the hard work that they've put in so it looks fantastic. With that being said, you got anything else, my friend?
Speaker 3:Well, I got another listener spotlight If you want to take some time.
Speaker 2:Ladies and gentlemen, we are not going to leave you without another listener spotlight.
Speaker 3:Okay, this episode's listener spotlight. The clues are as follows. This community began as a Native American settlement and the name is derived from the indigenous people who lived there. There it was settled when the Europeans came in. It was mostly settled by German and Scotch-Irish farmers in the mid-1800s and the town was incorporated in the 1880s. The early economy was based around textile mills. The railroad arrived in the late 1880s, which provided them with a direct access to markets such as Atlanta, and that railroad became a central focus of the community. One attraction of this community is a hundred plus year old bridge, and the town has a connection to the US's recognition of the Republic of Texas. Now I think this is difficult. I threw in a couple of uh of bones for you in these, so if you were listening to the clues, I threw in a couple bones to help narrow down your radius of thinking about this. Hopefully you caught those okay you got a guess.
Speaker 2:Dallas Texas.
Speaker 3:Texas. Okay, I don't remember any indigenous people named Dallas or anything like that, but I'm not an expert so knows I had to throw a dart somewhere other than. St Louis Missouri.
Speaker 2:My mind keeps thinking Republic of Texas. But all good, I just want to make it.
Speaker 3:The town has a connection to the US's recognition of the Republic of Texas, which Dallas would probably qualify if you just looked at that one. So there's our listener spotlight for this week.
Speaker 2:Well, a part of me is ending this on a sad note, because usually we do three adventures throughout the summer. This year it's only going to be two and only work out for two, based upon my schedule and your schedule, and but that's okay. Maybe next year we'll make up for it, maybe we'll do a couple of weekend rides and, as opposed to big week long adventures, I think I think so, and you never know when you know we could.
Speaker 3:We could hook up in the next six months or so and do something non-cycling. You know, I think you were, you know, talking about golf at one time, or we just go hang out buddy, I got lots of sky in my house there you go, we can do something. Uh, we could go. Uh see the bridge in the uh listener spotlight uh segment there is there a golf course there on On that note? That I don't know.
Speaker 2:I was going to say, and on that note, we will definitely say that in Shoreline every day except for the last day- was a great day for a bike ride.
Speaker 3:Thank you, buddy. Hey, you too.
Speaker 1: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.
