Speaker 1: 1:30

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 Welcome to Road Adventures, of Cycling Men, of Leisure.

Speaker 2: 1:46

As usual, I am Adam, and once again joined with me is a very special friend of mine, mr Michael Sharp.

Speaker 3: 1:55

Hello and welcome. How are we?

Speaker 2: 1:57

doing Adam, doing well, man, let me tell you something. This last couple of weeks have been busy. We have got a lot of stuff packed for the beginning of this show, but as far as me I'm good, good. Hopefully you and the family are doing well.

Speaker 3: 2:14

We are doing just fine, so can't complain. But I'm excited though, because, like you said, we've got a lot of stuff. We've had a lot of people writing in about all sorts of different things.

Speaker 2: 2:25

It's, I'm, I'm. Where do we begin? I've got a guest on listener spotlight which I'm not going to give away. Yet we have our first subscription now. Um, we really didn't push this very hard. Um, we do have a subscription service. What do you get for that? Nothing. You get the idea of, of feeling like you're, you're helping out the uh, the, the boys of road adventures, of cycling, medical leisure. Now, I know, sometimes if you are a podcast subscriber, you get bonus content or special things. But I just want to say thank you to Scott. He is our friend. He was a phenomenal interview. He and his family have sent us endearing, wonderful messages behind the scenes and very supportive. So Scott is our first monthly subscriber. And who knows, scott, I have your text. Maybe I'll give you a behind the scenes play by play, look.

Speaker 3: 3:26

Have we sent Scott anything?

Speaker 2: 3:29

We need to send him some stuff. We need to send him some stuff.

Speaker 3: 3:31

Yeah, we can send him some tchotchke, some swag, whatever you want to call it, yeah, we can, absolutely, we'll hook him up.

Speaker 2: 3:39

That's right. So thank you, scott. If you're wondering what that is all about, on our site you can click on to support us. I think the minimum level is three bucks a month and I don't know you can probably go bonsai a month and I don't know you could probably go bonsai, but it just kind of helps us out with fees for our platform and everything else and keeps the show going. So, scott, I feel like the PBS phone banks are ringing back here. So thank you so much.

Speaker 2: 4:13

Also something exciting that we had this round was fan mail, so we really didn't push this. Yeah, I know we really didn't push this very well, but if you go to our buzzsprout landing page to- listen to the show uh, cyclingmanofleisurepodcastcom, and you see there, there's a little link there that says send us a message, and that is called fan mail.

Speaker 2: 4:37

So, depending on what, what you know your platform is to listening to, um the show that there is definitely, uh, it's there. I'm not sure if, if buzzsprout has got it out to other platforms yet, but I guarantee you can do that, and so we had a piece of fan mail. Now, fan mail works like this it is only a one-way communication. So if you're out there and you're like I sent those boys a message and they didn't write back, fan mail is a one-way message.

Speaker 3: 5:07

So we can't send a response back to them.

Speaker 2: 5:10

We cannot, we don't even get the outcome. But you know what?

Speaker 3: 5:11

we can do. We could respond to their fan mail via our podcast and I'm going to do that right now.

Speaker 2: 5:19

Okay, cool. The message was how much time do you spend weekly on the podcast? This message came in from overland park, kansas, so over the park.

Speaker 3: 5:30

Really, that's like right down the road from me.

Speaker 2: 5:33

I mean it's like we're neighbors I know I played top golf with you there yeah, I have to hook up with this person and go riding or something yeah and as far as uh anybody knows, that's the only place where there's a starbucks by you, so we have to go to overland park when I want a Starbucks.

Speaker 3: 5:54

I tried to convince him that there was no Starbucks in Kansas City, but that didn't work.

Speaker 2: 5:59

That app tells me everything. My golly. Hey, you know what this week is. A small side note. I know that you're a Bonvoy member. If you order three times this week, you get 100 Bonvoy points. Well, except, this will be recorded and then it'll be over. You know how many times I'll order this week, zero, zero.

Speaker 3: 6:20

But I own their stock, so I'll be happy to promote them to anybody else who wants to participate. So anyway, getting back to what did our listener in Overland Park, kansas, have to say?

Speaker 2: 6:34

How much time do you spend weekly on the podcast?

Speaker 3: 6:39

You know, I would say, some weeks we don't spend anything. Obviously we do a podcast every two weeks, but I would say, over the course of that two-week period I'd say probably three hours. I mean, when you look at our prep time one night and then our recording another night and then generally a third night when we're doing production work, you think it's more or less than that.

Speaker 2: 7:02

No, I think that's about average. I mean, in between, you know, there's a few pieces behind the scene. I don't want to make it sound like it's that daunting. I mean, if you can open up a Facebook account and have Facebook, you can do anything that we do in the podcast. So, but there are some, there's some homework to continue continuation.

Speaker 3: 7:19

I've got to find cities and things like that. But I mean, I would probably okay If we want to figure in that I'd probably say three and a half hours in a two week period. Yeah, episode yeah.

Speaker 2: 7:31

Yeah, I think. And then no-transcript party or or the interview with frank on beforehand some of those weeks. You know a little bit more and, um, well, sometimes we work very late into the night, so obviously we both have jobs, um, and, and you have a family with children. I just have a wife myself and a couple of cats, but um, um, but they're good cats, by the way yeah, they're needy cats is what they are oh, yeah, yeah, but but, uh, sometimes we work really late and and only because they took the time to write us in overland park, kansas.

Speaker 2: 8:34

Um, while Michael and I make many jokes well, I'm the one who makes most of the jokes about the time difference there have been many nights where we worked and all of a sudden I look at the clock on the computer and I'm like whoa, I'm like it's almost midnight, I got to go to bed and I got to work in the morning. No it's not, it's 11 for you.

Speaker 3: 8:52

Exactly. That's the beauty of it.

Speaker 2: 8:56

Yeah, somehow I don't think that is the uh, but anyways, yes, so, uh, most of the show is in the evening, or um, sometimes we do like.

Speaker 4: 9:05

Saturday morning real quick.

Speaker 2: 9:07

If you're, you know, depending on your plans and everything going on, so um, but no so overland park Kansas. On so um, but no so overland park kansas. Thank you for taking the time to write us. If you have an interesting message you'd like to send us, go to cyclingmanofleisurepodcastcom. You can. It's just like any other launching pad. Matter of fact, it'll take you to any launching pad that you like. You know, pod, chaser, pocket cast, any of them that you like.

Speaker 2: 9:33

But right there there's a place where you can actually send us a message. So, um, send it out to us and we'll definitely, uh, answer your question, or I mean, you don't have to have a question. You could even just say you guys made me laugh at you know minute marker or something, or whatever. Um, it's just a way for the listener to send us a one-way message. So, oh, here's an interesting thing. Do you remember on the last episode when I asked you, did you listen to podcasts in your life? And you said not really, but if there's something that's interesting that you do. But then I asked you what speed you listen to them. I told the story about like, I listen to True Crime and they're like. And then his footsteps slowly went through the kitchen, so I always fast forward. I was like no, and his footsteps went through the kitchen and so I asked the listeners uh, if anyone could give us a report back? And we've got a report back.

Speaker 3: 10:31

Okay, so what's?

Speaker 2: 10:33

the winner of our last listener spotlight. He uh texted me this morning. I was out doing my workout and all of a sudden, all all that came through the headphones were bing 1.6. What is 1.6? I didn't know what 1.6 was. I'm like what, what is that? And I pulled up my phone and it said ed said I listened at 1.6. So, ed, thank you for the response. Um, ironically, I couldn't get my apple. I like apple podcast. It won't go to 1.6. So I did whip out our show while I was finishing my walk there and I put us at 1.5. I don't know is that really fast?

Speaker 2: 11:13

yeah, I mean it. It's pretty decent, but Ed might have something to go there. I mean it was like even our jokes would be like you know. So yeah, 1.5. I mean it was an hour and 12 minute show. You could get it done in like 40 something minutes, okay. So I appreciate Ed writing back. And before the listener spotlight guests. I have one last thing. You you.

Speaker 2: 11:40

I was going to say we, but let's be honest. You once said to me how cool it would be if somebody was wearing the jersey on rides that we're not partaking in, and so I'm going to miss somebody. I know I'm going to miss somebody, so I just want to let. The ones that I have visually seen in the last few weeks are our friends Audra and Natalie, who are up in the Northwest British Columbia.

Speaker 3: 12:07

British Columbia.

Speaker 2: 12:09

Yeah, doing a ride. They were wearing the cycling men and cycling women of leisure jerseys, so we appreciate that. Also. Brat, at the time of this, recording, bike Ride Across Tennessee is taking place and we've had three people so far and there might be more, I don't know but three people Our friend Ron and Sandy and Steve, who were on last year's team, and ron, I believe the year before. So, um, good people there wearing the jersey. And last but not least, our friend mandy from kentucky, kentucky, and I I saw that she had the jersey on, so if I notice you, I normally usually go give you a big heart, you know, on facebook and make a comment and like on mandy's. They put nice jersey. So you guys are awesome. Thank you for showing the colors out there. So if I missed anyone, my my apologies and thank you for what you do and, um, keep it going so yeah, if you're out on a ride, take a picture.

Speaker 3: 13:12

Have somebody take a picture of you whatever with your cycling men or cycling women jerseys on and send it in to us and let us know where you're riding at. That would be cool.

Speaker 2: 13:25

Perfect, all right. So now, in usual style, I'm happy to tell you that we have a guest for the listener spotlight, and so, as usual, would you like to let me give you the clues first, and then the guess?

Speaker 3: 13:49

Let me give you the clues first, and then you give me the guess.

Speaker 2: 13:52

Ladies and gentlemen, it is now time for listener spotlight.

Speaker 3: 13:59

All right, this episode's listener spotlight had the following clues All right, this episode's listener spotlight had the following clues Its harbor has a unique distinction around the world. The city has influenced how large numbers of people travel around our country. The city once held a very fiery title. If you visit the city, local tales suggest you might need a bigger boat. And the final one is the city can take a little credit for a major award in literature see last episode I guessed.

Speaker 2: 14:55

now we have another guess, but last, last last episode I threw out impulsively Boston Massachusetts. But now that you just reread the clues, I don't think Boston Massachusetts holds a can of water, Because leaning back onto the you're going to need a bigger boat has to be on the west side of the United States of America which leans more to.

Speaker 3: 15:25

Why is that? What's the logic in that?

Speaker 2: 15:28

Because I may ask the Jaws movie? Wasn't it filmed like on a beach in California?

Speaker 3: 15:35

No, sir, it was not. I hate to disappoint you, it wasn't no.

Speaker 2: 15:40

It was filmed on the.

Speaker 3: 15:41

East coast. Oh, was it really? It was supposed to represent, like Cape Cod. If I remember right, it was done over there somewhere, but it was not on the West Coast, if I remember correctly.

Speaker 2: 15:54

Oh Well, we did have a guest. Now this guest is close to home. My cousin, mark, is an avid cyclist, okay, um, and very big supporter of the show. Uh, very, very interesting to have someone who listens, who has the messages, and then, um, then I get up in the morning and I see, after he's listened, he's sent me some stuff. So Mark has guessed San Pedro, california.

Speaker 3: 16:27

San Pedro, California.

Speaker 2: 16:28

Okay, we've got guesses from each side of the United States of America.

Speaker 3: 16:33

Boston and San Pedro Pedro.

Speaker 2: 16:37

San.

Speaker 3: 16:37

Pedro, yeah, pedro, okay Pedro.

Speaker 2: 16:39

Pedro Pedro. All right Tomato tomato.

Speaker 3: 16:42

Well, that's interesting. We've got a West Coast and we've got an East Coast, and I will tell you right now, it is neither.

Speaker 2: 16:49

Well, that is.

Speaker 3: 16:54

It's not exactly what we're hoping. Thank you both for your guesses. The spotlight listener, spotlight city for this episode is Duluth Minnesota.

Speaker 2: 17:06

Well, thank you. Thank you, Duluth Minnesota.

Speaker 3: 17:13

And here's how we got Duluth Minnesota. Its harbor has a unique distinction around the world. It is the biggest inlet harbor in the world and the largest freshwater port in the US. The city has influenced how large numbers of people travel our country and that is because that is where Greyhound bus lines started Back in way, way, way, way back. I don't know what year, but it started in that area. The city once held a very fiery title.

Speaker 3: 17:52

Duluth was once known as the match capital of the world. In the early 20th century it was the home to the Diamond Cock Horseshoe Company, which was the world's largest producer of matches. So there you have it Diamond matches. I think I also told you it was named for an early explorer. Named for an explorer. It was actually named for a Frenchman named Daniel Grisson-Cyr-de-Luth. He was a French explorer.

Speaker 3: 18:38

If you visit the city, local tales suggest you might need a bigger boat. If you visit the city, local tales suggest you might need a bigger boat, and this it is a reference from Jaws, but it's not a reference for the movie Jaws. The local tales claim that Duluth was the site of the first and possibly only that's disputed freshwater shark attack. Sharks generally hang out in saltwater, but supposedly someone in Duluth was attacked by a shark, and this last one I know you can appreciate. The city can take a little credit for a major award-winning literature or major award in literature, and that is because Bob Dylan was born in Duluth and he won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature on the poetry side. So there's how we get the award-winning in literature.

Speaker 2: 19:41

Hey, mr Tambourine man, play us a song. That's right, that's right. But you know what Bob Dylan does have? What's that? Heaven's Door Whiskey.

Speaker 3: 19:55

He does, indeed. He does indeed, I myself would have been. You know, times are changing, times are a changing whiskey, but he did Heaven's Door that's okay Knock knock, knock it on Heaven's Door.

Speaker 2: 20:07

That's right Actually if you're into whiskey, they have a lot of nice ones If you have indispensable amount of cash. Bootlegger Heaven's Door is a nice one to pick up, but you better shine that penny up pretty good. That's about a $500 bottle, so I don't have one. Okay, Well, thank you.

Speaker 3: 20:29

Thank you, Duluth.

Speaker 2: 20:31

I thought you were going to say they were the trading company. Every time I drive by freeways I see Duluth Trading Company. No.

Speaker 3: 20:39

I don't know what that. Maybe they were headquartered in Duluth. I don't know about that one. They were headquartered in Duluth, I don't know about that one.

Speaker 2: 20:44

So well that might have to be for another show, so that's right. Well, once again, that was listener spotlight. So we teased on our last episode for the 50th celebration that we were going to re spin up or not re spin up. We're just going to continue the Cycling Women of Leisure series. We have a very special guest that we were able to sit down with at a prior date. We've been holding back. We wanted to be selfish for our 50th celebration. Well, I did anyway.

Speaker 3: 21:22

We've been holding back. You make it sound like we interviewed him, like you know, six months ago or something.

Speaker 2: 21:27

Oh, no, it was like yeah, it was a couple of weeks ago.

Speaker 3: 21:32

I mean, let's not make it sound like this is like aged or something. You know, it's no extra credit here.

Speaker 2: 21:37

It's not bourbon, so that's true, but this is a person who we value a lot. She not only is man. This is where I could insert a wonder brim nation joke, but I won't um she's not. Oh, it's a woman on messaging, so um, melanie is our friend.

Speaker 4: 22:01

She is our teammate.

Speaker 2: 22:03

More than that, we found her story to be inspirational, for not just women.

Speaker 2: 22:08

But anyone out there who is thinking that I'd like to accomplish something more with cycling or have goals, and so, without further ado, why don't we play that? Now, let's do it. And now, continuing the Cycling Women of Leisure series, we have a very special guest on. It is a teammate, but at the same time, we've been told that she's got a phenomenal story, and I love to hear inspirational stories. Let me welcome Melanie Erickson. Melanie, welcome to Cycling Men of Leisure. Thank you for coming.

Speaker 4: 22:48

Thank you, Adam and Michael, for the invitation.

Speaker 2: 22:51

Absolutely. So a little history here. We actually met you on a bus on the way to RAGBRAI, the 50th anniversary, which some say I was like heaven. My friend Tom says that I think that year might have been more like hell, but that's just my own personal opinion. But not because of meeting you, because every day was 90 miles and 100,000 degrees outside. But you and Keith rode the bus, had some travel issues but ended up making it and had said hey, we listened to your show. We were so excited about that and then you decided you were crazy enough to join us at Bragg. I decided to wear my Bragg hat today and we were lucky. And Michael, let's be honest, they're so cool because they wear DeBrims. I mean, let's.

Speaker 3: 23:43

I thought we agreed we were going to not mention DeBrims.

Speaker 2: 23:47

I didn't agree to that. I will never agree to that, because it's one DeBrim nation, baby.

Speaker 4: 23:52

I forgot my helmet.

Speaker 3: 23:56

I should have grabbed it and, you know, had it on with my DeBrim. That's okay, really Not needed Anyway we won't hold that against you.

Speaker 2: 24:03

So well welcome. So tell us, you and Keith did RAGBRAI this year. We, michael and I, did Shoreline. First of all, what was it like to be on separate bikes and not on a camera?

Speaker 4: 24:17

You know, this year was the 51st anniversary and they decided, instead of making it the longest or you know, one of the longest in distance they made it the hilliest. And so Keith and I decided we were going to make it even harder and we rode separate bikes, we rode our touring bikes fully loaded, we were baggers, and so we just made it really hard on ourselves. But you know, we had some really good times, met some really great people, had some amazing experiences and, especially with the Iowa, Nice and Iowa hospitality Right, we had a great time. By the end we were done.

Speaker 2: 24:58

Yeah.

Speaker 4: 24:59

We were tired.

Speaker 3: 25:01

You know they do have like charter services. Well, I know you know they have charter services, but you guys just decided what the heck We've done it with charter before. Now. We're just going to drag all of our stuff along up and down the hills.

Speaker 4: 25:13

Yeah, pretty much. This was our fourth year we have done Ragbri and every year we've ridden a different bike and done it a different way, so we really did it a different way this time. And I have to say it would be hard to go back to using the charter because it's so nice to have all of your stuff.

Speaker 4: 25:32

It doesn't matter where you're at, you've got everything. You didn't leave your sunscreen in the bag that was going on the truck. You know you didn't forget your money. You have everything there. You pick where you want to stay, yeah.

Speaker 3: 25:44

But the problem with that? As I'm chugging up this big hill in the non-flat Iowa, I have everything that I brought. That's my problem.

Speaker 4: 25:53

Well, I have to say we did not have to walk up any hills. Our touring bikes are geared right, they are pinion drive with the Gates belts and we have 18 speeds, so we were able to get up every single hill without having to walk it. And that was my goal was just to not have to walk any hills.

Speaker 2: 26:16

Congratulations. Awesome. And to be clear, they did not have motors minus your legs.

Speaker 4: 26:23

No, no motors.

Speaker 3: 26:24

No, e-bikes Okay.

Speaker 4: 26:25

No, gosh, I think we need a few more years on us.

Speaker 3: 26:31

They generally do it on a tandem bike. So, for anybody who is not aware of that, they're generally together on a tandem bike. So this is a really complete diversion from what you normally do yeah.

Speaker 4: 26:42

And we did all of our training this year on the tandem because we were training for Bragg right. And so we got most of our miles in leading up to Bragg and then I think we got maybe 100 miles in on our touring bikes that are new this year. So they were. You know it was getting to know those bikes and you know we had a little bit of a mechanical issue right at the beginning due to my my mechanic, who happens to be my husband, but we did get it sorted out.

Speaker 3: 27:12

I wasn't going to say anything, I was going to let it go yeah, really, we're just going to leave it at mechanic, but okay, that's fine.

Speaker 2: 27:18

You know he's very supportive of the show. He's going to hear that oh he knows I've asked him before.

Speaker 4: 27:24

I'm like, hey, does it bother you when I rib you about being the mechanic who messed everything up? He said no, he thinks it's pretty funny too.

Speaker 3: 27:30

All right he was probably wearing a DeBrim at the time and that got him all messed up. Wait a minute.

Speaker 2: 27:36

That kept the sun out of his face when he was working on the bike. I mean, otherwise he would have carcinogens all over his face. It would have been horrible.

Speaker 4: 27:44

He could have sprayed some sunscreen in his eyeballs, that's right, it would have been horrible. So, besides the mechanical in the beginning, how? How the rest of the week go? Any flats, any mechanicals after that no mechanicals. After that no flats, just smooth sailing.

Speaker 2: 27:59

Slow but smooth sailing long as you get there one flat and shoreline, but uh, uh wasn't too bad. We kind of just pulled over and we teamed it and held this, although there was one funny moment where we're using his you know, mechanic automatic pump and the thing's got a hose on it. That's like this long and I'm standing there listening to the thing going and I'm looking at it going. This is where the trip ends. Right here I'm holding the tire and I'm thinking, bam, this thing is going to explode in my face. But it did not and we used one of those new real thin tubes, which was really amazing. So if you're looking into those, I'm impressed they were. They were pretty cool.

Speaker 4: 28:39

So, yeah, we actually did get one. We had it on Bragg with us, because you guys had talked about getting one for Bragg and we've got to get one of these. And we had the same issue where we have pulled the core out before yeah. So you know. I think there's a learning curve there and I wish there was a better way that you know to figure it out. So you don't pull it out, because even after using it several times, we still managed to pull the core out.

Speaker 2: 29:04

And so the shoreline trip, I was basically the guy who would say, okay, I'll tell you what, because my stuff would normally be packed down. So I said, okay, I'm not going to be that guy who just stands here with my arms crossed looking on and going, come on, let's go. So we were trying to team it and I would be the guy that would fill the tires. And, I swear, every morning I'd pull someone's core out and even though I was like purposely holding that tube straight, I'm like, okay, I don't want to pull any cores out. Well, there went 120 PSI.

Speaker 2: 29:42

And 120 psi and, like michael said, it's a good thing it's not five in the morning people would be really frustrated.

Speaker 3: 29:45

So, but the good news is I think I found a solution to that problem. Oh, you did so stay tuned to the, to to our podcast, because in a couple weeks I may have a solution that will resolve the whole. You using that and pulling the core out, so we'll see if it works.

Speaker 4: 29:53

Great, I I'll be listening with my ears tuned, hoping for a good solution.

Speaker 2: 29:59

After multiple recordings, this is the first time that the number switched while we were talking it literally switched from 1237 to 1238. So I just heard it behind me, so pretty cool. Um so, how was RAGBRAI in general? Was the towns? Was it smaller? Did it feel smaller than the year before?

Speaker 4: 30:20

It definitely felt smaller. It was. There were more people than I thought there were going to be, you know.

Speaker 4: 30:27

I thought the hills would scare a bunch of people off, but it was not the massive crowds like last year. You still had to get off your bike and walk it through town, but the small towns did a phenomenal job coming out and supporting all the riders and it wasn't as hot. The weather was much nicer. The only thing we really had to contend with this year were the hills, and then we had headwinds towards the end of the week.

Speaker 2: 30:54

Contend with this year were the hills and then we had headwinds towards the end of the week. I saw keith's post and transparency I love, uh, following you guys on facebook and I saw he would have a post about a day delayed and so I would see like the day before where maybe you guys were resting and then you would do his post from the day before the day you did the 80 mile. Um, he said that the headwinds were just horrible that day.

Speaker 4: 31:14

Yeah, that was the second 80, I think the one towards the end of the week where they had the century loop. We did not do the century loop. I mean, we were very aware of how long it was taking us to get through the regular 85 miles and the headwinds and we're like, no, we're not going to do that.

Speaker 2: 31:35

You know what? There's no bonus points or trophies. I mean, there's a patch. There's a patch.

Speaker 4: 31:40

There is a patch.

Speaker 2: 31:41

You can buy it on eBay, I'm sure, if you really wanted it.

Speaker 3: 31:43

Now I have a very important question before we get into what we brought you on to talk about. Did you see the birthplace, the childhood home of John Wayne?

Speaker 4: 31:55

We did not.

Speaker 2: 32:02

When we came into Winterset, it was a hike up this hill to get in.

Speaker 4: 32:05

It was a hike to get up the hill into Winterset and we had arranged to stay at Pepper Harrow Flower Farm that night. And so we got to the top of the hill right outside the John Wayne Museum which we were so late getting in. It was already closed and realized that we had missed our turn, had to turn around, go back half a mile or so to make our turn. So no, we actually didn't do a lot of exploring in Winterset.

Speaker 4: 32:41

That day kind of kicked our butts. But yeah, all right, just wondering, I know. I know, but we did go to the American Gothic House in Eldon Iowa. We stopped there and we went through the museum and had a great, did you do a picture out front? We did not because it was so busy. There were a lot of people doing that and you know we paid our money to see the museum instead of getting our picture taken.

Speaker 3: 33:08

That's okay. Yeah, you saw the house.

Speaker 4: 33:10

We saw the house. I have pictures to prove it and I think I even put it on Strava. Oh well, there we go, if it's not on.

Speaker 2: 33:19

Strava. It didn't happen, that's right. There you go straw. That didn't happen, that's right.

Speaker 4: 33:24

You know, pause mine if I ever fall over, but um, uh, any rain this year on ragbrai? Uh, not really. There were a couple of sprinkles. The first day was very, very foggy. Okay for the first, I don't know 30 miles or so you know the kind of fog that fogs up your glasses and you can't even see out of them. You, you have to like use your fingers as windshield wipers.

Speaker 2: 33:44

But uh, that was you know when it rains us with the brims we have like a shield there. So we could, we would have been fine so yeah, when I'm on

Speaker 4: 33:52

when I rode through sprinklers this year I didn't have to like duck and hide, hide my glasses, because my debris just kept that right off my glasses.

Speaker 2: 34:02

I will say, while he won't wear one, he will admit in Perry, Georgia and Bragg where it was coming down like mercy buckets. You were a little jealous of my overhang, and I do mean my Debrim overhang.

Speaker 3: 34:16

Thanks for clarifying overhang there. That was a few pounds ago, so yeah yeah uh, you know, maybe once out of all the rides we've done I maybe saw an advantage, but we don't have to listen to him anymore.

Speaker 2: 34:30

So, anyways, uh, that's a great thing. You know, his, his stepson, loves the fact that I sometimes censor him, and so they went on vacation and then he got such a kick out of it. Every time michael's like we're gonna do this. You don't want to hear it.

Speaker 2: 34:43

So we're not going to make you don't have to indict him next time I know, I know, I mean maybe, oh wait, no, uh, so I did see, and I'm curious if, now that you've been home for a little bit, a very emotional post by your husband, the mechanic, who said that maybe you guys are, dare I say it, done with rag braai. Is that a true statement?

Speaker 4: 35:08

for now yeah, for now, um, we have used our vacation time for four years now, four years in a row, to carve out that week for rag braai week, week plus right, because you have your travel on either end right and uh, this year we did brag and we want to branch out to some other rides and cool you know we'd like to maybe do a little more of the bike packing we're talking about, like the cno and um, the cno canal trail and the gap trail, maybe stringing those together for a ride, or the Katy Trail.

Speaker 3: 35:41

I was going to say right next door here, katy Trail.

Speaker 4: 35:44

Yeah.

Speaker 3: 35:45

Are you?

Speaker 2: 35:46

saying we could all stay at your house and then go on the Katy Trail, buddy, absolutely.

Speaker 3: 35:50

I got a camper too. I got extra room. Yeah, we can make it work.

Speaker 4: 35:54

Well, we may just take you up on that, Michael.

Speaker 3: 35:57

Absolutely.

Speaker 2: 35:58

It is in central time, but we can both put up with that, right, I think. So All the time zones today we've made the schedule work, so I'm thinking we can make it work. But I got a kick out of when you said the almighty Michiganda. I'm like, yes, I love it. But Michael was like, oh my gosh, okay. Well, thank you for giving us the update on RAGBRAI For Michael. I did ask um when we weren't recording. I said, hey, did you know? Do you miss it? Do you do you feel it? Do you wish we were there? And he and I had a little bit of a difference of opinion. He had the opinion of um, and if I'm wrong, please put me in my place here but.

Speaker 3: 36:38

I will.

Speaker 2: 36:38

You're like no, I, I don't miss it, I'm fine with it. Oh, I'm like man, I'm roaming in Iowa this week. I'm roaming in Iowa this week, and so, although I was able to participate in a thing at work called the bus rodeo and I'm usually gone, so that was kind of good that I got to go to there but I had a mixed emotions. A part of me was wishing I was there and another part of me was like you know, you probably heard the story. We were traveling down the road one day and I said, god, we've been right here. And he was like how can you tell we've been right here? I'm like, dude, I've been down this exact road. And we got to camp that night and I pulled it up on Strava, because there's nothing else to do when you're sitting around in camp. And I looked it up, I'm like look. And he's like, oh my gosh, you were right. It was that moment. We were like okay, we gotta do something else. We got there's. So much.

Speaker 3: 37:42

The only thing that I missed is I'm a big john wayne fan. I have been to uh winterset and visited, but uh adam can attest every year before they did the announcement. It's like I want to ride through winterset, I want to, and the one year they rode through winterset we didn't do it. But other than that I'm ready to see new roads, see new territories, try new things.

Speaker 4: 38:06

I think it'll be hard next year, when RAGBRAI gets going and the Facebook posts start ramping up again, I think there's going to be a little bit of regret that we're not doing it. But we've got to pick and choose now, right? We? Only have so much vacation time and we've had some great experiences and met some great people on RAGBRAI. We'll be back. We just want to do some other things in the meantime.

Speaker 2: 38:31

And I think, michael, you and I said we'll do it again at some point, but we wanted to take a break for a while. Now, brag, on the other hand, we've decided to go back. We've got and, and truthfully, I mean I'll, I'll be a hundred percent transparent. It's it's more for the friends that we've made and such a great impact for the show and and and and the core basis. If you look at the stats, when we go into the deep dive of data, we can see we have so many Georgia friends and so for us it's like okay, yeah, we're going to go back. We're going to go back, so at least this year I'm not sure what will, I mean 2025, we will. I'm not sure. After that We'll see. Yeah, but at least this year. That's one of the ones. And then we're going to try to find something else to do Completely different, so maybe we'll just do like the fault line.

Speaker 4: 39:24

That's the one we've been looking at a little bit, it's on the list, so we'll never know. Well, you never know if we'll follow you right. There you go, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 39:28

As far as I'm concerned, you'd be welcome. Now, the only story I didn't tell with Ragbri then we're going to move forward is in the middle of Iowa you go to the expo and you run into our sales rep for the jersey, our jersey store, and and how did that happen? I mean you just did you go by the jackrew tent and then say hey, blah, blah, or was it just random, or so I happened to be wearing my cycling men of leisure um jersey.

Speaker 4: 40:01

I don't know what you call these, the little jackets the performance hoodies and um, keith and I had purchased them with the intention to kind of wear them to Iowa. And the day of the expo it started out, um, just pouring rain, and then by the time midday came, it had cleared up a bit but it wasn't super hot out, and so we had our hoodies on. Jack Rue was set up at the expo and he recognized the logo right off the bat. He's like hey, that's one of my customers. And so I started talking to him and I said you know, I made a terrible mistake when I ordered my. And I said you know, I made a terrible mistake when I ordered my cycling men of leisure. I misunderstood the ordering system. I thought that because I had put in women's, my women's size that I would get the women's and, alas, the women's does have a different SKU.

Speaker 2: 40:58

So make sure, if you want the women's, that you go to that SKU and order the right one, but they got me hooked up for the right one and appreciate the assistance and then, according to his email to me is he was going to take the men's version of the ladies cut back and then use that for trade shows. Is that true?

Speaker 4: 41:24

That's what he had told me when we were in Iowa, and then, when it came down to making the transaction, they told me to keep it.

Speaker 2: 41:32

Wow.

Speaker 4: 41:33

And just to make sure I become, and you know, talk them up and what great service they are and the product is great. And so, yes, what great service they are and the product is great.

Speaker 2: 41:44

And so, yes, jackaroo give him two thumbs up, okay, there we go.

Speaker 2: 41:47

Awesome, that's awesome. Well, that's an honest review. I knew part of it because one day I was out doing my workout and all of a sudden I got this text and it was Keith and he's like hey, when you get a chance, can you give me his email? Well, he has been our sales rep and the design team at Jack Rue for the minimal ordering that we're actually doing, which we're hoping that with more events and it'll actually pay off better. He's so receptive and he's like absolutely, I want to take care of you, I want to take care of you.

Speaker 2: 42:17

And so Keith had said that he gave him Jerome or whatever, gave the card to Keith and then two minutes later, keith's like I'm at the expo, I lost it. And he's like can you give me his number? I'm like put it in the phone and then that's how I guess that all happened. So great to hear, good to hear. I think they're phenomenal products. They've been a great team to work with. They're a great team to work with their design team. We literally put a request in for something and within less than 24 to 48 hours it's on the store. So our store is growing. We've got a jersey which is obviously what I'm wearing right now.

Speaker 3: 42:55

if you're looking at us in the not ours, but the RAGBRAI one it's kind of the collared shirt made out of performance material.

Speaker 2: 43:04

The young man in Bragg, phoenix, who unfortunately got hurt and had to go home, and we're sorry that we missed him. He inspired our jersey, so we had to spin one up for him and anyone else who wants it, by the way, but the inspiration was Phoenix, the inspiration was Phoenix. So if you met him, maybe he was the young 15-year-old boy who always had dad jokes left and right.

Speaker 4: 43:29

I don't think I had the pleasure of meeting him this year.

Speaker 2: 43:32

Too bad. He was a good guy and then he had a crash and I'm not so much sure that it was hurt, but just, I think, pride and nervousness, and all of us have had that where you're like, oh, I don't want to fall on it, but but that being said, all right. So your husband and your mechanic has told us that you've got an inspirational cycling story and, being the Cycling Women of Leisure series, we would love if you could kick us off on your story and tell us, because I actually don't know. I asked you to keep it quiet until today, so tell us what is the inspirational story.

Speaker 4: 44:10

So I want to first start off by saying that I am not an athletic person. I have never been an athletic person. The thought of exercising, doing anything active, just did nothing for me ever. And as our kids started getting older, my husband said hey, we've got to figure out what we're going to do when they're out of the house. You know, we've spent a lot of time catering to their needs and we need to look at what can we do as a couple to be close. After all, the kids are gone, and this was about the time. My, our two oldest, are twins. They'll be 28 the end of this month.

Speaker 4: 44:55

And um, thanks, they were getting ready to graduate and I thought, well, you know, keith, he's riding a bike, maybe I can get a bike. And I had volunteered at a couple of the charity events that he had cycled in and you know, I just really loved the community, I loved the support and the inclusiveness that I saw at these events and I said, okay, I want a bike, I want to participate in these events, so got a bike, kind of started riding a little bit. We had, where we were living at the time, there was a great rail trail right across the road from our subdivision and I could ride that about six or seven miles to the next town to catch my train to work. And I got a bike storage locker so I'd, you know, ride my bike down there occasionally. I'm totally a fair weather rider, so, you know, here in Washington that means like May through August, but I, you know, would keep my bike in the storage locker and then I'd pick it up at the end of the day and cycle home, you know, totally flat, nothing, nothing hard. And after doing that for, you know, a summer, I'm like, okay, I think I'm ready to participate in these events that you know, different organized rides.

Speaker 4: 46:30

So the first one that I was part of was it was a really cool ride that they do in Seattle called the Emerald Ride, and the year that I rode in it they blocked off all the highways and so you did a loop, you went up I-5 and then you cut over on the I don't remember the name of it up north by University of Washington. Then you came down and then cut across on the I-90 back to the starting point. So it was really cool. They shut the highways down. You got to ride them and it was like 22 miles. Okay, I got this and you know it was hard. When you're going up over bridges you don't think that there's much of an incline, but there is. And I was just mortified when I was, you know, headed, headed back, and a kid on a scooter passed me. I'm like, oh, my goodness, I am just and you know I was not in shape, I was quite a bit heavier than I am now and I'm just like, okay, whatever, I'll just train harder, right, I'll ride more. And so that fall.

Speaker 4: 47:33

I participated in the MS ride that they do in Deception Pass, deception Pass, and that ride is, it benefits MS Research and you have four different distances that you can pick on day one and they had a 22-mile one. I'm like, ah, I, you know, I just did 22 miles, I know I can do that, let's go to the next one. So I picked the 60 mile and the idea was to ride out to the lunch stop and then ride back essentially an out and back and the day was just awful. The weather was awful, it was pouring rain. We went down the first big hill.

Speaker 2: 48:14

It was raining in.

Speaker 4: 48:15

Washington. I know, so weird I'm so surprised. Raining in September in Washington, yeah, really weird. Going down the first hill it was raining so much we had to stop at the bottom of the hill and dump water out of our shoes there was that much coming up off the roads.

Speaker 4: 48:30

By the time we got to the halfway point for the 60 miles the lunch stop I was done. I was cold, I was soaking wet and I knew I did not have 60 more miles or 30 more miles in me. So I sagged back and I was just so disappointed in myself, you know, I was sure I was going to be able to hit that 60 mile mark and I didn't, and I was just kicking myself. You know, what could I have done differently? How could I have made it.

Speaker 4: 48:59

You know, honestly, I couldn't have with the shape I was in, the weather, the way it was, the way I was dressed, none of it worked together to have made for a successful 60-mile ride in the rain. And that's really what kicked off my motivation to get healthy. And so I used that winter, got a Peloton. I was Pelotoning five nights a week and I was eating better and I dropped about 50 pounds by the time summer rolled around Awesome.

Speaker 4: 49:33

And when I was able to finally get on my road bike, I went so fast. I was like, oh my goodness, this is amazing, I have improved so much. I like, like, oh my goodness, this is amazing, I have improved so much.

Speaker 2: 49:44

I like the wind bullseye yeah.

Speaker 4: 49:47

So I really trained hard that summer too. I rode 1400 miles and my goal was I was going to hit the next level up. I was going to bypass the 60 on that MS ride and I was going to do 80 miles, like I can do it, I can do it. And we rode with a combined team from our work. And then there were some other people in there too and one of the guys that was on the team. He rode the 80 with me and he was so encouraging and I had a flat and he helped me fix the flat and I made it and I was so proud of myself that I, you know, hit that goal.

Speaker 4: 50:29

I I could not believe that I had actually done 80 miles. That was by far the longest distance I had ever tried to, and and completed, and completed, and I just kept cycling. And the next year yeah, you want to guess I opted to go for the 100 miles, like, why not? I've done all the others, let's go for the 100 miles. But not only did I do the 100 miles on the MS Deception pass ride, but I also completed five other centuries that summer.

Speaker 4: 51:03

Whoa nice and I was in my prime. I was just so like eat, sleep, breathe, bicycling, that's all I could think about. I'd come home from work and I'd hit the rail trail and I'd you know the couple of towns away. If I did a round trip, it's 26 miles and I could that in under two hours, run down and back and still make my bedtime and just really trained hard.

Speaker 4: 51:29

I had a friend from work that kind of lives, well, not super close to me but along the train route home, and so I would park my bike at the train station in the morning and take the train up to work and then we would ride home, like once a week, and her home, you know, I would drop her at her the place, she would go off and head to her house and I'd continue on. And so my evening rides on those once a week during the summer were about 34 miles, 34 miles in one shot. And you know, do that once a week plus the rides on the weekends. And you know I was averaging a hundred miles, a hundred miles a week through that summer, just to, just to be ready for all those centuries.

Speaker 2: 52:13

That's awesome.

Speaker 3: 52:15

So so, what year did this, this journey began? What, what year did you start this?

Speaker 4: 52:20

Uh, 2016 was when I got my bike and like, okay, I'm gonna, I'm gonna start doing this.

Speaker 3: 52:29

Yeah, well, I think I think that's awesome because you know we, uh, adam shared his story about how he was riding and then, you know, had a health scare and and really started, you know, um, getting healthier, um, and so I think it's cool and I think it really demonstrates. Your story really demonstrates that and what we promote, you know, a community you know really about let's motivate each other, let's be there for each other. You know we're not all going to be able to go out. In fact, most people starting writings aren't going to be able to go out and do a century, right, you know that first year that they get writing, and I think that's demoralizing because I think sometimes when people start writing, they're immediately like, oh, I'm going to do 75 or a hundred miles this year and really that's not, that's not in most people's wheelhouse to be able to do it, especially if you know, I mean, maybe if you're 25 or under, you might be able to pull that off.

Speaker 3: 53:22

But, uh, you know you've got to have realistic you know expectations when you're going out there and you know you had one bad ride, but that's one bad ride that didn't like derail your whole, you know, idea of wanting to go out and hit the road and stuff. So, uh, I think your story is good in that it shows cycling is this great community of support, and you know there are going to be setbacks. I mean there's times when you and I, adam, are riding, days that we're riding and it's just like we've got another 35 miles to go and either you or I it's like, man, we're just done. I mean we're just really going to have to. We keep going. But you know, I mean this is going to take us a lot longer than normal, just the way it is.

Speaker 2: 54:04

So, uh, and that's where the, that's where our, in our case, that's where the friendship is bonded. We've had an agreement from day one of writing together, which is, if one of us feels it, okay, no problem, we're not going to hold the other one back. Um, now, out of respect for each other, we usually pull over and wait, and the years of big boy, adam Michael, would smoke me. And then, you know, sometimes it's hard in your mind to be like, oh, my God, I'm so far back, am I ever going to catch my friends? And then, but the same was the opposite, whereas this year, you know, I'm Adam 2.0. And I mean, like you said, you were 50 pounds and you know, goodbye, see ya. Um, same thing. But we've always had this agreement where we're going to wait for each other or support each other.

Speaker 2: 54:49

And I'll give you a ride, exactly where we did that. We, we were doing um, uh, a ride across Illinois and it was 160 miles and um, which we were somewhat out of our element. There was some few issues there, but we won't go into that. I, I, I did tell you and Keith at the gas station that day, but, um, and then, but we were 125 in and both of us were just spent, I mean, and so we would pull over and then we would rest and then we would do 10 miles. Then we'd pull over and we'd do five miles or 10 and just kind of work our way. But your story could have had an opposite ending. Your story could have. You could have first done the first 60, gotten the rain and said forget this, I'm selling this thing and I think you're you're better, better woman than me, because you did six centuries or whatever in one year during my rag.

Speaker 3: 55:37

I hope she's a better woman than you, but you won't get into that right now.

Speaker 2: 55:41

That was said for comic relief, but I do the same thing at work. I said, well, you're a better woman than me, but my story, of course, I've told here on this show, which is during 2016. I'd never tried a century before and, like you said, I mean, michael saw me that day in the middle of Iowa. I probably looked like I was going to die and he just said, hey, man, you can ride with me, and I don't think I would have ever finished, I think I would have sagged in if it wouldn't have been for michael. To be honest, um, and and when you're done, it's really weird, because then you're like, oh, I could go more, I could do that, you know, because once you're done, then it's like this pressure is off, uh, until the next morning when you got to get on the bike and you're like, oh, wow, so, but that's that is.

Speaker 2: 56:25

Keith said your story would be inspirational and I'm so glad that you, that you shared it here with us because, you know, I think this resonates with people who are getting into cycling and thinking that maybe not so much long distance if they're not in a long distance, but adventure like bike packing and, um, I, I told Michael last night we were doing some show prep for the few shows coming up. I'm doing some traveling and and so I we're. We put a bunch of work in together and I told him last night I can fully admit that doing a century where I park in one parking lot and then circle back and ending in the same parking lot is not as exciting to me as doing a century where I'm I don't know x, x town and then go to b yeah, go and then go east 100 miles or or whatever, and then finishing that. That's much more exciting to me than, um, than circling back to the car. So your story could have had a different ending. I mean, you could have done the.

Speaker 2: 57:22

The, by the way, the rain and cold is exactly what happened to us at shoreline recently. Both of us were freezing, we had to jump in the jump in the shower trailer and then we got in the car and I think we had the heat on for the first 40 miles driving home. So, um, it was definitely a cold day, it was 50 degrees out and we were 10 miles in. We were 10 miles in, we were going up to mission point and it just started to pour and we're like I will be fine. Yeah, I wonder what our friends were thinking.

Speaker 3: 57:49

like these michigan boys are nuts, so um and and since 2016 now we've talked a little bit about it you, you guys have got a tandem, so you do tandem, uh, cycling. And you've got tour bikes now, so you're doing the tour bike thing, so um you just really absorb this cycling and just taking it to the next level.

Speaker 3: 58:11

As far as doing the tandem and then doing the tour, because I think we probably told you about our our outlook on tandem, I mean, if I rode tandem with my wife, the joke is that in the box comes with divorce papers, because so many times you go up that hill and there's a couple at the top and they're having a discussion which seems a bit heated and it's a bit tense and you can feel it and you just keep going.

Speaker 3: 58:37

But yeah, I think we would have gotten a divorce if we got on a tandem bike and tried to ride.

Speaker 4: 58:42

I think that riding a tandem is not something I ever thought we would do. In fact, I'm like there's no way I could ever ride a tandem with Keith. First of all, he's a terrible driver, you know.

Speaker 2: 58:54

You know he listens to the show. I do, I do Okay, and he knows that.

Speaker 3: 58:59

We'll have him on in a couple of shows for rebuttal, so don't worry about it.

Speaker 4: 59:02

Yeah. So I just and he's very much the stop along the way and take lots of stops and I'm like go to get there Right. So on other RAGBRAIs prior to us taking the tandem on it last year, I would you know we'd ride together for the first couple of miles and then I'd like, hey, meet you in the next town and I'd get to the next town, wait for him to come in, and you know we'd spend the time together in the town and you know, rinse and repeat for the whole day. The tandem forces us to be together all the time.

Speaker 2: 59:36

Yeah you better not wait for him in the next town.

Speaker 4: 59:39

Yeah, it's not like we could leave one or the other behind You'd surely notice but it's really improved our communication and letting each other know what we want, and I think that that would be very hard in an early marriage or an early relationship with somebody to have that kind of communication. I mean, we've been married almost 31 years so I think that if we can weather all the raising five kids and all the other stuff that comes along with life, that the tandem is easy compared to some of the other stuff that we've done.

Speaker 2: 1:00:20

Well, I am a happily married man, but I'm going to tell you that A you don't look like you've been married 31 years, and when you earlier told us, before hitting record, that you've had five children, I was like, wow, I would not have guessed that. So good job for you. I think the cycling is working. I think cycling keeps us young. So that's what I attested for. But I think you're right about the tandem thing, because how many times have you heard the joke?

Speaker 2: 1:00:48

she's not pedaling I'm sure you've heard that about five billion times daily.

Speaker 3: 1:00:52

You've heard it from adam every day he passes you or you pass him.

Speaker 2: 1:00:56

So I mean there it is quiet. I actually, I actually like making that stupid joke and but if I, if I know the people, it's more fun. Um, I, I have met some people where I've said she's not pedaling and the guy gets really angry up front. He's like I'm like dude, you gotta let it go, buddy, I mean, it's got a long day in the saddle if you're gonna let that make you mad. So, um, I like you guys's tandem bike. I like that, the fact that it has like a carbon um chain.

Speaker 4: 1:01:26

Uh, not chain, yeah, that's nice.

Speaker 2: 1:01:30

I like the quick disconnect, so the whole thing comes apart. I think the way that you guys have taken it apart and shown you know, watched your pictures and stuff I think that's really cool. How what is the name of that bike? It's a Co-Motion. Co-motion. And you know what's funny is another woman on our team, annette, had a Co-Motion. That was great.

Speaker 4: 1:01:52

Every time we'd pass each other, we'd yell out Yay Go Co-Motion.

Speaker 3: 1:01:58

And ironically isn't she from. Washington too.

Speaker 2: 1:02:02

She's from the Northwest. Is she from washington too? I, she's from the northwest. Is she from?

Speaker 4: 1:02:04

she's from washington or oregon I think she might be from oregon okay, is it one of one of those?

Speaker 2: 1:02:10

sorry, I don't remember but she's from from up there I know that all of you guys had to fly in and and she flew in early and her posts are always so funny because she's like where can I store my bike box in the back of the hotel or something I'm like you know you could. Maybe we, franklin, will hold it for you. What about brag? Are you guys interested at all coming back to brag or no?

Speaker 4: 1:02:37

I think someday we will want to do brag again. You know we talked about limited vacation time and we have a family reunion we've got to get to next year. So that really only leaves us possibly one other bicycling adventure next year, and I'm not sure Bragg's going to hit the list for next year.

Speaker 2: 1:02:57

You know, what's funny is, as Michael and I started the year off thinking we were going to do um three cycling trips and then um with both of our schedules, both of our work schedules and then personal. He's got a family where they do camping and stuff. We were only able to do two this year, but we are looking at a non-cycling trip. Uh, yes, I told him to give me some weekends. We can uh take advantage of my time sharing chasing the white ball in Florida, and we usually take all the podcasting stuff and do some shows down there. So, um, but uh, it doesn't always have to be in cycling, but uh it sure is fun.

Speaker 2: 1:03:31

It sure is.

Speaker 3: 1:03:34

Well, one of these days, he, he loves golf, I love golf, I'm just no good at it. Uh, I, I told him, one of these days we're going to be cycling someplace and we're, you know, we pass golf courses all the time. I'm going to say let's stop, let's grab a bucket of balls, rent a couple of clubs and we'll go to the driving range in our cycling gear and just hit a bucket of balls and uh, do a little podcast from from there. I think that would be cool.

Speaker 2: 1:03:57

Now I have offered, by the way, just as a side note, to do cycling, golf of leisure cycling, or golfing men of leisure, or something like that. And he's like, yeah, but I don't golf. I'm like we got to change that, buddy. Well.

Speaker 3: 1:04:08

I golf, but not on a regular basis.

Speaker 2: 1:04:11

Not like you. I mean I'm not on like a league or anything like that, but hey, we're playing for third and fourth place, so there's two guys who are a little bit better than us, which I'm fine with saying there are people better, but Wednesday night is the championship. So if we get third, we walk away a little money.

Speaker 3: 1:04:28

If we get fourth you just walk away.

Speaker 4: 1:04:31

You walk away. If you're not first, you're last.

Speaker 3: 1:04:34

That's right. Ricky Bobby.

Speaker 2: 1:04:37

I wake up and, oh, never mind, this is a. I promise to keep the show clean. Yeah, which is a. I promise to keep the show clean, yeah, which is difficult because if you've ever been with me in real life, you know it's not always easy, but I could always bleep myself there. But well, melanie, I know that we know you and I really appreciate that A all of you and Keith's support. You know, when Michael and I started this, we never thought it would be where it is. And um, no, we've got uh celebration and this show is going to actually come out after our 50th um episode celebration. So, um, you are now part of the, the upper half of the, of the 50 to 100 show, and nothing better to kick it off with a lady like yourself who we think the world of. And so, while Michael is not on board with the DeBrim, I think that you guys are awesome for being DeBrim friends and one DeBrim nation Hashtag one DeBrim. Look it up.

Speaker 3: 1:05:38

I won't hold it against you. I may make fun of you, but I will not hold it against you.

Speaker 2: 1:05:42

Listen, we're not, we don't care.

Speaker 4: 1:05:44

Once you get to a certain age, you don't care what other people think, and there's power in numbers, michael.

Speaker 2: 1:05:49

Absolutely.

Speaker 4: 1:05:50

The number one.

Speaker 2: 1:05:53

It's not like the other. I mean he does love essential time. I mean, yeah Well, please share your our, our best to your husband and mechanic. We think the world of both of you. I have to tell you, one of the biggest smiles on my face in a long time was when you guys were on your way to Ragbriam and you sent me the picture on the plane and I immediately, right away, I sent it to Michael. I'm like dude, they're on a freaking airplane and they're wearing cycling men of leisure.

Speaker 3: 1:06:25

Sporting our gear. It was an awesome picture, absolutely.

Speaker 4: 1:06:28

We did have one of the flight attendants ask us about it too.

Speaker 2: 1:06:32

Awesome, so awesome. And then, the day that you guys actually wore the jersey, keith said that you guys had a couple of people who were hey, you have cats like me. Yeah, me too.

Speaker 4: 1:06:43

I have had a couple people who were hey, you have cats like me, so yeah, me too I have two, but uh, we have five in residence right now.

Speaker 2: 1:06:46

I mean five kids, five cats uh, keith is probably really outnumbered, so but, um, but yeah, that was a, that was a great day and to see that. But he said that you guys were actually writing and people were asking so you were wearing the psychonumerable leisure jersey and they're like what's that all about? And you guys were able to talk about it so yeah, we gotta get some stickers and hand them out when people start asking we can hook you up.

Speaker 3: 1:07:13

And we will hook you up, actually. So absolutely.

Speaker 2: 1:07:16

Let me tell you this much we had stickers and we meant to pass them out at shoreline, but by by the time you got in, we actually got to visit with people, and so what would happen is we would sit, I know, we would sit and talk to people, and by the time the night was over, I'm like we didn't pass any stickers out. And he'd go man, we got to do that tomorrow. And then we'd be like we didn't pass any stickers out.

Speaker 3: 1:07:35

And we talked to a lot of people. Yeah, I had a lot of great people had a lot of good conversations, so that's all that really matters.

Speaker 2: 1:07:40

That's right so well. Thank you, melanie. You, you, uh, you really made the made the evening. I really had a. I was really looking forward to this all day. So thank you so much for giving us some of your time and agreeing to be on the show and telling your story, I think, to anyone who's out there who might listen to us or who has a friend who says you know, I know someone who's having a hard time getting an inspirational start in cycling. Um, I think that's very inspirational.

Speaker 2: 1:08:06

The fact that the Peloton which is not easy, and if anyone's ever had one of those trainers, the dedication that it takes to jump on that thing. It's easy to hang a sweater on, it's easy to dry a shirt on, but to jump on it and actually use it on a regular basis, um, cause I have one right behind that wall, that that I must tell you, that doesn't always get the love and attention that it should. But I'm hoping, with my journey this year, that I'm going to be seeing a little bit more. Um, got to do something, that's for sure. But, um, um, that's not easy. And and then, and then going out and doing, you know, and then coming back and saying not only am I going to do 60, I'm going to do 80. And then the next, jumping to a century. And if you're just catching the show and not sure what a century is, a century is like the almighty, like I did 100 miles.

Speaker 3: 1:08:57

It's like the pinnacle of cycling. You did 100 miles in a day.

Speaker 2: 1:09:01

People say you rode 100 miles. Yeah, in one day, baby One day.

Speaker 3: 1:09:05

And let me tell you when you've done a century I remember still doing my first century when you ride on your bicycle for 100 miles, you realize the freedom that you have in cycling Because you're thinking, well, 100 miles Back home I could have went all the way there and back. And it's just incredible, once you've done that, to go on a bicycle I can go a long ways. It's it's a great feeling.

Speaker 2: 1:09:31

How far is the world's open to you?

Speaker 3: 1:09:32

now.

Speaker 2: 1:09:33

Exactly how far is the gorge from you?

Speaker 4: 1:09:37

About three and a half hours, I think by car. My daughter just was just there this weekend. I should ask her.

Speaker 2: 1:09:46

And another part of my life. I used to be a Dave Matthews band groupie and follow all over the place. Many times I flew into SeaTac and then we'd rent a car and then take. Is it five? Ninety. Ninety yeah.

Speaker 4: 1:10:00

Out to George.

Speaker 2: 1:10:01

Washington yeah, Out to out to the George Washington, the gorge and George. And then we stayed in Moses Lake and so another part of my life where tickets were only 38 bucks and now they're like 238 bucks.

Speaker 4: 1:10:15

So now it's YouTube for me, If you guys ever want to come out this way and experience some of the cycling out here. We'd love to have you out here. There's a couple of we don't have week-long events necessarily, but there's a couple of two-dayers that are challenging.

Speaker 3: 1:10:34

We've been talking about doing a couple of shorter ones as opposed to the long ones, but we're looking at our calendar and hopefully this next year. Well, we will keep in touch, find out what you guys are doing. You never know when, when we might be able to to sync up and and ride some more miles together.

Speaker 2: 1:10:53

That would be awesome. I would highly look forward to it. I highly enjoy you and Keith's company. I mean, listen, if you wear a Debrim, you know that life is good it never stops. Let me give you your evening back, melanie. We highly appreciate your time. I've had a great time and thank you. It's wonderful catching up with you and thank you so much.

Speaker 4: 1:11:17

Thank you, thanks again for having me on.

Speaker 2: 1:11:20

Absolutely Well. We really appreciate Melanie coming on. It was wonderful having her. I of course love teasing you about the brim, but that's okay. We still love you, brother.

Speaker 3: 1:11:35

But I thought, her it was a fantastic story. I mean, what if she?

Speaker 2: 1:11:41

would have went on that first ride, cold wet, feet wet, and said forget it. I mean, think of the adventure she would have missed out on. So just awesome. So, melanie, I know it's not always easy to be on a show and be on a podcast, but thank you so much for coming on. I really appreciate it. Yes, greatly appreciated. So much for coming on, I really appreciate it. So, yes, greatly appreciated. Um, well, I tell you what, uh, we've kind of went a little longer. We keep saying we're not going to do this, but we keeps happening.

Speaker 3: 1:12:09

So, uh, can't stop you. Sometimes you just want to talk and talk.

Speaker 2: 1:12:13

I felt that all the people who took their energy to write us, I mean, I thought that they would deserve to be out there.

Speaker 3: 1:12:21

And people are listening to us at 1.6. So you know, this is really only a 35-minute podcast at that speed.

Speaker 2: 1:12:28

I mean Ed is Ed's like. I don't have time for YouTube. He's got just a little bit of time for us. He doesn't have the full time. He's got 1.6.

Speaker 3: 1:12:36

I'll give you 42 minutes. That's all. I'm giving you 1.5,. I can make it.

Speaker 2: 1:12:41

I wonder what this commute is. He's like I can get there. Actually, he travels a lot, so we appreciate him. I'll tell you what. Why don't we jump into our ending of the show? Ladies and gentlemen, it is now time for Listener Spotlight.

Speaker 3: 1:13:00

I got some good clues this week. I think okay, uh, this city was originally named after a fur trader, not?

Speaker 2: 1:13:10

saint louis um but you can see, you can see saint louis.

Speaker 3: 1:13:17

You can see three states from some location in this town. The settlement that became this town was originally started or was originally created by miners, and that settlement was created before the area actually became the state that it's in. So that means there was no state there originally Following the Civil War. The economy was based or flourished around transportation and lumber, and this town pioneered TV reception in the 1950s. Wow, yes, so there you go.

Speaker 2: 1:14:17

That's what I got. Hmm, well, okay, no guesses. No, I'm trying to play on words like pioneer versus TV, I'm wondering, like pioneered versus the brand pioneer. So that's in my mind. And then like fur trading in three states. I don't know why, but when you said three states, I pictured, like Cairo, illinois, where you're right there, the bridges go each way to Kentucky and Tennessee. But those are my only guesses and so I like to do the guesses now. So then it's on tape, I mean, or on digital proof, so later I can be like I was thinking that no, you weren't, yes, I was.

Speaker 2: 1:14:53

I opened my big mouth, so we'll say to all of our listeners and thank you for everybody who took the time to write us and the fan mail, and thank you again to Scott. That will definitely be helpful and help us go further into the goal here. So thank you so much, sir, and we appreciate all of you. So, that being said, today was a great day for a bike ride.

Speaker 3: 1:15:21

It was indeed.

Speaker 1: 1:15:24

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. You.