July 6, 2025 • 71 mins
When the unexpected strikes, how do you adapt? Michael shares the story of his recent cycling accident where he encountered an almost-invisible brown hose stretched across concrete pavement during a training ride. With just seconds to react, his front tire turned 90 degrees, sending him face-first onto the road, resulting in a fractured clavicle and extensive road rash. This first-ever broken bone in thousands of cycling miles comes with particularly unfortunate timing—just 19 days before the pair's planned Ride Across Indiana (RAIN).
As the hosts navigate this setback, they explore options ranging from postponing their registration to next year, Michael serving as SAG driver while Adam rides, or finding alternative adventures altogether. The conversation reveals the philosophy that defines their approach to cycling: it's not about reaching destinations, but experiencing the journey and connections made along the way.
Adam shares his recent trip to Des Moines, Iowa, where cycling memories unexpectedly surfaced through familiar establishments from previous RAGBRAI rides, including the beloved Big Red Truck food vendor and Thelma's ice cream sandwiches. These culinary touchpoints sparked nostalgic conversations about past cycling adventures and the communities that form around these shared experiences.
Through injury recovery discussions, nostalgic food memories, and planning for future adventures (including Michael's upcoming bourbon country birthday trip), the episode exemplifies how the spirit of leisure continues even when the cycling temporarily cannot. Whether you're recovering from injury or simply seeking the deeper connections that come from shared adventures, this conversation reminds us that adaptability remains key to maintaining perspective when life throws obstacles in our path.
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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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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Well, it's time for Road Adventures with Cycling Men
of Leisure, the podcast forcyclists who understand that
riding is not just about gettingto the destination, but the
experience along the way.
Now here are the originalCycling Men of Leisure Adam and
Michael.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Welcome to Road Adventures of Cycling Men of
Leisure.
I am Adam and today, once again, I am joined with my good
friend, Mr Michael Sharp.
Hello, sir.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Greetings.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Adam, how you doing Well, I'm doing good, but when
did you start wearing a purse orwhatever you're wearing?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
This is not a purse, this is a satchel.
No, I'm kidding For those thatcan't see.
There appears to be some kindof strap around the left side of
my body here.
Well, that would have to dowith the fact that I decided to
go out and do some training onthe road.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
You mean the fact that I'm going to have to change
our texting thread between youand I and Joe to Cycling man of
Leisure, not Cycling Men ofLeisure.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Well, you could de-emphasize the cycling.
For the moment, I'm still a manof leisure, not cycling men of
leisure.
Well, you could de-emphasizethe cycling.
For the moment I'm still a manof leisure.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
I've often thought maybe I should support a support
group for those who had somebad luck in 2025.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Okay, now that you brought up the topic, I'm going
to spill the beans.
Here's the deal Juneteenthgovernment holiday I had the day
off I was going to.
I said you know what?
I need to start really traininghard because rain is coming,
not the kind that falls, but thelong distance ride.
So I went out and it was aboutmile 24.
(02:00):
It's like, yeah, I'll get 25,30 miles in it, it's not too bad
, we're not going to push it.
It's like, yeah, I'll get 25,30 miles in it, it's not too bad
, we're not going to push it.
Come around the corner.
Ahead of me it was a curvedstreet and ahead of me, on up
about 100 yards, is a truck.
Okay, no problem, it's parkedup there, got plenty of time.
There's some cars coming by,not heavy traffic, but there's
(02:21):
some construction going on.
Okay, I'm looking ahead, I'mplanning.
As I'm coming around the corner, there's a guy working off to
my right.
Okay, that's great, he'sspraying something, no problem,
as I'm going, I'm probably onlygoing about 12, 13 miles an hour
(02:45):
because I had stopped and Iturned into a thing.
I went over a bump, no big deal.
And then I'm going and as I'mgetting closer to the truck,
it's like, okay, there's carscoming, cars coming, okay,
perfect, I can go over.
And as I'm about ready to goover, I look down and on the
concrete is a brown hose that'sabout the same color of the
concrete and at that point intime I'm like six inches from it
(03:05):
.
I'm like, oh crap, nothing Ican do because it's all
happening so fast.
Next thing, I know my fronttire is 90 degrees to the rest
of my bike and I am sliding inthe concrete.
The good news is, you know, Iwas sliding on the concrete with
my glasses, so that protectedyou know this wonderfulness.
(03:29):
So don't worry, still look asgood as I always did.
Oh, thank God or not, mypersonal opinion, yeah.
So I wound up face first intothe concrete, was laying there,
and this guy walks up slowly,walks up and I'm laying there.
I got winded, I can't reallymove.
(03:51):
The guy walks up slowly and islike, oh, are you okay?
Can I help you get you up?
And I was like I just need tolay here for a minute.
Please don't let a car run meover, because I'm in the middle
of the road, just like the hosethat I ran over was in the
middle of the road and I satthere for a couple minutes and
(04:12):
then I managed to get myself upand go off to the side and he's
like well, I'm going to be overhere at this construction site
if you need anything.
And he just like left Not,however, not before he took the
hose that was in the middle ofthe street and moved it to the
curb.
And the reason why it was in themiddle of street number one he
was working and we went back andmeasured it all it was 55 yards
(04:37):
at least of hose he had strungout along the road.
In the road and because ofwhere his truck parked and
because of the curve, it was astraight line of hose from his
vehicle to basically right wherehe was working.
So, uh, of course, with thecurve, it went right down the
middle of the road.
So I bid it uh, called my wifeand was like uh, I need you to
(05:02):
come and get me had a littleaccident.
She showed up.
There was another guy there thatcame over who was far more
helpful than the guy that causedthe accident, who was mowing
grass.
He's like dude, are you OK?
And I was like yeah, I thinkI'm OK.
Do you need me to call anambulance.
I was like no, my wife iscoming to get me, she's in the
health medical profession, I'llbe fine.
This guy stayed with me for thewhole time until my wife showed
(05:24):
up.
The other guy just like movethe hose over and went off,
which I was a little tickedabout.
And he's like man, I wassitting there, I saw you go down
and I noticed right after youwent down he went over and moved
that hose out of the way,didn't he?
And I was like yeah, he wasquick to do that, but that's
about the only thing he wasquick with.
But uh, and then another ladyup the street brought me some
(05:47):
ice.
Needless to say, I had down theright-hand side, my knee, my
elbow, my hand got a lot of, myshoulder got a lot of road rash.
But, um, when I got up from thepavement, um, I pretty much
knew I had broken my collarboneso I fractured my clavicle.
That's the polite way ofmedical way of saying that I
(06:09):
broke my collarbone.
Never broke a bone before in myentire body.
In fact, this is the first timein the thousands of miles I've
ridden a bicycle that I've everput it into the concrete.
Yeah, the upside.
Let's start with the upside.
How about that?
I'm listening.
The upside this whole thing isI don't know if you know this or
(06:31):
not about me, adam, but um, Ihave a tendency to be a little
slow at putting, at putting mybicycle together after it's been
on a trip.
It tends to sit in the box fora little while.
It's kind of like, you know,whiskey in a bottle.
It ages.
There's a reason for it, Ithink.
I don't know, but I have atendency to be lazy about it.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
You know the best thing about recording a podcast
with you.
What's that Is?
Since I do all the editing, Icould grab any clip I want.
And you literally just said,and I quote I tend to be a
little slow.
That's it.
I'm going to cut it out of thatand when you text me from now
on I'm going to put that on myphone.
I tend to be a little slow.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
You know why I paused ?
Because I thought there wasgoing to be a smart aleck
comment coming from you and Iwas getting ready for my
rebuttal.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
No, is getting ready for my rebuttal?
No, no, no, no, no, no see, Itold everyone that you're always
behind because you're incentral time and now you just
literally quoted I'm.
I tend to be a little slow,boom, cut, cut all right.
Oh man, you can't find goodhelp nowadays so I'm assuming,
after being a Hanyok and beingfunny with you, that your bike,
(07:46):
your Italian stallion, yourBianchi from another mother, was
still packed away.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
It is still in the box.
Thank God for that, because Imean I basically had pulled down
, you know, I mean I basicallyhad pulled down, you know, my
old bike, my Le Mans, anddecided to use it because the
other one wasn't put together.
I actually thought aboutputting together, I didn't, and
(08:15):
it's aluminum bike and I'mpretty sure that if I'd had the
carbon one I would have probablyat least cracked the fork, if
not more.
But you know, I mean itshredded my my you know
handlebar tape completelyshredded on one side.
It broke the covers on both ofmy shifters.
(08:41):
The wheel, you know, you canspin it.
It'll go around one and a halftimes before it immediately
comes to a stop.
So it needs some, some TLC.
And I got a big gouge in theback.
So fortunately I had the oldbicycle out, um, so that was the
one.
The one positive thing about itis that I didn't have and I
didn't have my good sunglasses.
(09:01):
I had my old because I ridewith with reading sunglasses and
, uh, didn't have my goodsunglasses.
I had my old because I ridewith reading sunglasses and
didn't have my good ones outeither.
So that helped.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
The following segment has been brought to you by Eric
Cycle, where you'll be takingthe bike.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
You're absolutely correct, yeah, and see what else
is potentially, becauseobviously I haven't got on the
bike to try it to see what elsemight be.
These are just immediate thingsI could point out now.
Here's the downside.
We're supposed to ride acrossindiana in like three weeks uh,
(09:38):
exactly 19 days, but who'scounting?
Apparently someone is.
So the good news is I did go toa surgeon.
He says, based upon what he sawthe day after it happened, it
was a clean fracture, whateverthat means.
Apparently it's good.
I'm not going to need surgeryunless something changes.
(10:00):
I've been keeping it isolated.
In fact, today, instead of myusual uh, you know, uh good
juice that I typically pourmyself, I'm a drinking glass of
milk, so is that fermented milk?
nope, that is straight out ofthe refrigerator ice cold, you
(10:21):
know, 2% milk, in hopes thatsomehow that's going to
magically assist me which it'snot, but it's going to make me
feel better about what I'm doing.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Did you ever see the family guy episode where he said
, well, I've milked all thegoats and she says those are all
male goats.
And well, they're happy now ohboy.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
So I've got another meeting with my surgeon, uh,
this thursday, and we're gonnatake another, gonna take some
more x-rays and see um see whathe says.
So we'll.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
So that kind of leaves things at a standstill?
Yes, it does, but we got someoptions.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
There's always options.
I mean, what are you looking atas options?
Ditching me and riding with AI?
That's an option.
What's your other one?
What are you looking at asoptions?
Ditching me and riding with ai,that's an option.
Uh, what's your?
Speaker 2 (11:27):
other one, I do pay for the premium version of chat
gbt for the show.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
So I could do that just have ai put me in every
single picture you take, that'sright see, right now I'm keeping
my lips closed so I don't haveproof.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
But no, we did email them and we've not heard back
yet.
We did not ask for a refund,because we are very aware we can
read top to bottom, left toright it clearly states that
there is no refunds.
We're not asking for a refund.
We did ask if we could advanceour registration until next year
(12:07):
.
Have, we don't feel like we'regoing to get a reply.
Um, we're not sure, but wedon't feel like we're going to
get a reply.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Yeah, this is not a ride like rag bry or brag, where
they've got like full-timepeople, uh, or even part-time
people checking these things.
This is like more or lessvolunteer type stuff.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
We've talked about.
Possibly, if no refund or noadvancement, do we still make a
trip out of it for the show?
And then you drive SAG, andthen we could still make some
fun times.
Sag, and then we could stillmake some fun times.
(12:50):
I mean, um, I ride it and thenyou know, every 20 miles meet up
with you.
And I was picturing the days ofthunder.
I know we talked about twoshows ago, but how's, how's the
sagging going?
Speaker 3 (12:56):
well, I've had some ice cream, so I need a sag not
now, because I'm eating icecream Come get me, you know.
We did, which would suck.
But you know there would be aflip side to that, although I
would dearly miss riding withyou and I don't know how you
(13:16):
could ride without me.
I mean, it would just.
I'm sure it would be verydifficult, but we would have the
.
Oh, am I supposed to answerthat?
No, no, I was answering.
It would be very difficult, butwe would have the— oh, am I?
Speaker 2 (13:26):
supposed to answer that?
No, no, I was answering it foryou, no, I actually want to say
something, because I know wehave a bunch of new listeners.
As a matter of fact, we have130 new listeners today, just
today, yeah, in a singledisloyal ban.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Good day for podcasting.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Michael and I please understand, this show is built
off of the structure of humor.
I would actually be pretty toreup to write it without you.
I mean, we've done Illinoistogether, We've done Michigan
together, we've done Iowa fivetimes and Georgia four times.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Michigan a couple more times.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Yeah, and Iowa five times, and Georgia four times,
michigan a couple more times,yeah, I mean.
So the idea was I mean, andthen rain has just been one of
those ones where we've signed upfor a couple of times and then,
due to one thing or another,covid or whatever, it's just
been one on the bucket list.
So when you called me, you said, hey, I've been meaning to call
you.
I wasn't sure what you weregoing to say.
So, um, even when I tell thestory at work that we're, you
(14:28):
know, we're not sure what to do.
We're hoping they write us back, and so, if anyone's never done
rain riding, they actually it'sa bloomington cycle club, um, I
may have that wrong, butcycling club or cycle club, I'm
not.
I don't want to misspeak, but,um, so what they did is is it
(14:51):
was like organized and then, andthen they weren't going to run
it, and then this Bloomington,indiana cycling club, um, picked
it up, and so we're not sure ifthe email is going just to, um,
you know, uh, a generalized boxor whatever, but we're not
getting any kind of response.
So it kind of leads us tobelieve that it is what it is.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
I mean it's the Bloomington Bicycle Club.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
Thank, you the official Bloomington Bicycle
Club.
So they took it over andthey're going to run it.
And then someone was able toset up transportation, so we
were able to get you know aregistered night at the YMCA and
then.
So anyways, long story short,it's just been something that's
been in our wheelhouse just toknock off another state of the
(15:38):
map.
One of these days we're goingto do Rhode Island.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
But it's a two-day ride 30 days one way, or 30
miles, one way, 30 miles, andnext you cross it twice, twice
in one day, um.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
so, yeah, I mean there's, I I do tease you and
and you know there's the thoughtabout doing it, and then, um,
if there's no response, and thenof course it's like you know
would love to not loseeverything, and then we could
still, you know, stop along theway and with those microphones
that we have there.
I mean that's how we were ableto get a bunch of those pieces
(16:15):
across the state from in Georgiarecently, so we could
definitely record, if you'relike, hey, how's it going out
there?
Well, michigan roads are betterthan this or this, you know,
whatever.
So, um, but anyways, um, yeah,so it's so.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
yeah, it's all in humor, um, but we would also
have the side of.
We've never really talked aboutsagging as far as that job that
you know, maybe it'sprofessionally done, maybe it's
a significant other, whatever.
We would then have theperspective of a sag driver.
What is this really all about?
(16:52):
We see them, but if we're alllike avid cyclers, most of us
have never sagged for someonebefore, so it's an option.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
We're looking into things.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
And there's, you know , I mean we could always, if
they would let us push it, wecould still get together
someplace and, you know, find aninteresting restaurant or two
interesting drink or two, hangout, do some podcasting,
whatever.
But we'll have to see.
See, Well, a big thing I thinkwill be is is find out what the
(17:29):
surgeon says he feels, basedupon my, you know, week and a
half of looking at the x-raysand stuff.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
You know where I'm at .
Yeah Well, we'll hope.
I mean, your health and safetyis number one.
That's obviously in your family.
Obviously, that's the mostimportant thing.
I mean Obviously in your family, obviously that's the most
important thing.
I mean we're going to haveother adventures, so that's for
sure.
So we still have the bourboncountry burn.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
You should be.
We'll patch you up for that, ohfor that one.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
I'll bring a roll of duct tape and duct tape my
shoulder together if I have to,but the last time you talked to
the surgeon, just to be clear,he had advised you not to right.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
He said five to six weeks.
At that point it was four,maybe slightly a day or two over
four, and I was like, so we'llsee.
You know, doctors will neversay, oh yeah, I think you can do
.
You know, they always tend toto overestimate.
I mean I've, I've watched thetour de France when you know, I
(18:39):
mean, collarbones are prettycommon injury, uh, with cyclists
, especially in the professionalworld.
And you know, I mean I've seenthem go 75 miles or more with a
broken collarbone.
Now, granted, they'reprofessionals and all this kind
of stuff, but still they justbroke it.
(18:59):
They got back on their bike andthey kept riding.
Would not be the case.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Right.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
The other good thing I found out about this is I now
have an excuse.
And the other day my daughterwas up there I was eating
breakfast or something, and Isaid the tour to France starts
just a few days.
This is going to be awesome.
I said the sad thing about itis, maya, that your dad is is is
(19:26):
not going to make the cut thisyear that doggone broken bone.
And she looked at me, stoppedexactly what she's doing, stared
at me for like two seconds deadstare and was like well, dad,
you weren't going to make itanyway.
And I was like, well, at leastI have an excuse.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
That's not the point.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Yeah, she called me out.
She's like you're not going tomake it anyway and you're too
old, and I was like, well, thankyou for bringing some real-life
reality back to my life.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
We're going to make the best of it.
I'm not sure what that means.
Appreciate it.
We're going to make the best ofit.
I'm not sure what that means,but whatever that, whatever,
we'll figure it out.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
You know what It'll be.
Whatever it is, be anotheradventure, whether we're there,
we're not there, whatever.
Another adventure of therecycling men of leisure.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Well, we'll see, we'll update you guys.
Um, you know, with that beingsaid, it's always like you
always say.
You know, for sure, it's notalways about the destination,
but the people you meet alongthe way.
I I I mean, obviously we stillhave our, our hotels lined up
and there'll be other cyclistsand and we can spread the word
(20:45):
of, you know, our leisurecommunity and try to grow our
leisure community.
So there's definitely stillsome opportunity to meet people,
and normally you and I are notafraid to wear cycling men of
leisure or cycling women ofleisure outfits.
And then people ask what it'sall about.
It gives us a chance to talkabout.
You know our team.
It's been really fun for mewith sharing stories about
(21:07):
having 43 people in Georgiatoday in the Bragg, and writes
the newsletter from Bragg.
Thanks Franklin, yeah, Thankyou very much.
He even says right in therethat the largest team again and
so we're so proud of all of ourfriends and family and all
across this great nation andCanada Is that the 51st state.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
No, no, no.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Sorry.
It was funny.
We're going to get into this ina little bit, but I just
traveled somewhere and when theguy was there he was a keynote
speaker and said I'm fromalberta and that's not the 51st
day, so who was it back in thewhat the late 1700s, early 1800s
(21:54):
were?
Speaker 3 (21:55):
was it henry clay and some of his buddies?
Somebody back there that youknow, back uh, around the war of
1812?
Uh, you know, we're wanting toturn.
You know we're wanting to turn.
You know, go, we're going to goinvade Canada, we're going to
turn it.
You know, turn it into ourterritory.
And they were.
They were all big and sure ofthemselves.
But you know, I think we burnedMontreal, if I remember
(22:18):
correctly, and that's about it,that's about all we did.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Of course, they came back a couple of months later
and burned Washington DC andshowed us but you know, you know
you mentioned something yousaid it would give us a
different aspect of sagging.
You know, usually we're sotrusting of the bikes being in
good shape.
We definitely have our bikestuned up, ready to go, and then
you know, we've been luckyenough to have organized rides
(22:44):
that part of our entry fee ispaying for those services and
we've not had to take advantageof that.
So if you're out there andyou're listening to this and you
had an opinion for somethingthat may be good to be in the
SAG vehicle, such as a bike pump, a floor pump, you know, such
as you know things that wouldhelp pump a floor pump, you know
(23:06):
, such as um, you know thingsthat would help if that, if this
is what we have to do where Iride and you you kind of take
the uh road.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
You know, um, what do I need to bring?
Because I could not.
This doesn't have aprofessional sag.
You can't just stop and go.
Uh, I can't make it.
Or whatever you got to.
You know, if I did wind up insag, I could sag for everybody.
Well, or whatever you got to,you know, if I did wind up in
(23:35):
sag, I could sag for everybody.
Well, let's make sure you takecare of me.
Well, okay, I'll be first.
But you're right.
But you know, we could put the.
I could put the, uh, cyclingmen of leisure, uh, magnets.
Magnets on the side could havesome water.
I could be out there saggingfor other folk too.
So we'll see.
You never know, whateverhappens will turn out okay well,
we'll be.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
We'll have another adventure, something to talk
about for sure.
On the show and share we weusually end up with some
shenanigans and where we are, soit doesn't matter.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Speaking of where we are.
Are we ready?
Speaker 2 (24:10):
For Listener Spotlight.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Are you ready for this?
I mean I'm ready.
I just kind of jumped in andguess I get a little excited
here and I got a good one.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
I got a guess.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
Whoa, I'm doing all sorts of crazy things here.
I got a guess.
Whoa, I'm doing all sorts ofcrazy things here.
Give me a second.
Well, I just lost my screen.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Oh man, I know Technical difficulties I told
you guys, it's hard to get goodhelp hey there we go.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
All right, listener spotlight, let me give you the
clues and then we'll see ifanybody had any guesses this
week.
The clues were as followed yourcat would love this city,
that's right.
Number two History can be foundall over the city.
(25:05):
You can even get a bit of localculture at a well-known fast
food restaurant.
The city owes a great deal to aparticular church, just one of
this city's fountains.
You could retire on in stylewith the help of one of the
(25:32):
fountains of this city.
And the city has a type of or adistinct, I'll say a distinct
article of clothing that isassociated with it, easily
associated with it.
As soon as I would say thisarticle of clothing, you'd be
(25:53):
like I know exactly what that is.
And the final one was is thatthis city has an association
with this year's Big Bragg?
It's not St Louis.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
We didn't ride in St Louis.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
We have, but not on this ride yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
I do have a guess from a VIP listener.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
Okay, who is that?
We've got many.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Well, this one happens to be Trip Barker our
team member Cool Yep, good oldTrip.
He says Heartwell Georgia forthe water feature and because
it's associated with Big Brag2025, hartwell Georgia.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
Well, tripp, I appreciate the effort and, by
the way, I know you got out ofschool and you're now looking
for a job, so good luck on thejob search.
But you are not correct.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
Sorry, you lose Good day sir.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
But you're a cycling man of leisure so technically
you win, you are a winner, so itis a good day.
Good job everybody, all rightyou have any guesses?
All right.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
You have any guesses?
The only thing that I was sortof thinking about is you
mentioned the water feature andwe went through two areas with
water Waterfalls.
We did, yes, and largewaterfalls, and large waterfalls
.
The first waterfall was notactually the city, but the
(27:48):
second one was a city.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
And for that reason I am guessing Toccoa, toccoa, huh
.
Yeah, you and Trip can sit onthe bus together, because you're
both wrong.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, boysand girls, this episode's
listener spotlight is the cityof Rome, italy oh, that is a
(28:19):
stretch no, how was it a stretch?
Because you said this year'sbrag has an association with
this year's brag.
Did we not spend time in rome,you?
Speaker 2 (28:31):
still got that challenge flag.
No, no yeah, somewhere throw itwhy?
Speaker 3 (28:39):
I'm just kidding, I get it um, I do have the
challenge flag.
I'm throwing it, but I'm goingto ignore it.
We went through rome, georgia,did we not?
Did we not see aqueduct typestructures in rome, georgia?
That?
They have put up there becauseit's associated, their
(28:59):
association with rome.
We did we did yeah I didn't sayit was on the thing anyway.
Uh, obviously, rome very muchconnected with the catholic
church in vatican city.
Um, cats, uh, cats actuallyhave the right to free rome.
(29:20):
In rome, like that what I didthere, yeah, uh, yeah, it's, uh,
it's a law that cats can roamfree in the city.
Uh, one of the city's waterfeatures?
Uh, you could retire in stylewith.
Um, just a single one of theircity's water features earns up
(29:44):
to 700,000 euros each year bypeople throwing coins into them.
It is known as the city offountains, with over 2000 of
them.
So, the article of clothes.
When you think of rome, what doyou think of?
(30:06):
Article of clothes?
Speaker 2 (30:07):
the hat, the, the beret or no, no, that's paris
and france.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
Oh, they do berets there, that's okay.
He's from michigan.
I apologize, I want to takethat out think animal house, the
party them yelling.
It's time for a toga.
Toga, toga, toga.
(30:34):
Remember the toga very muchassociated with rome, although
the romans little bit of sidebarhere.
Rom Romans did not invent thetoga.
It's associated with them, butthey did not invent them.
It was actually invented by theEtruscans, which was a
civilization that occupied thearea of Rome before Rome was
(30:55):
built and the Romans came along.
So the Etruscans don't get theproper credit Was Rome built in
a day.
Well, yeah, and all roads leadthere.
So, finally, history can befound all over the city.
There is McDonald's believe itor not, did not come to Rome
(31:18):
until the mid 80s and there is aMcDonald's in the city that is
actually built right next toRoman ruins.
In fact, you can go inside theMcDonald's, order your food and
sit down right next to anancient Roman wall while you
have your Big Mac.
A Royale with cheese.
I'll take the Royale withcheese.
(31:39):
Now you think, though, if it'snext to a Roman wall, Burger
King should have got in there.
And you know, come, be royal.
But there you go.
It's Rome.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
That's my Pulp Fiction reference the Royale
with cheese.
Ladies and gentlemen, gentlemenfrom Rome Actually, any city
that's Rome, thank you forlistening but this particular
case Rome, Italy.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Yes, thank you to our Italian listeners.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Wow nice.
I love international listeners.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
Well, roughly 12, 13%-ish of our listeners are
from out of the United States.
Love it, love it.
We're getting far-reaching here.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
All right.
So I just traveled somewhere.
It wasn't to Rome, it was not,but a lot of roads lead where I
went.
A lot of roads don't, I took aplane, okay.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
Did you fly into the big international airport?
Speaker 2 (32:55):
I did the big international of Des Moines.
Speaker 3 (33:00):
Des Moines Now is that really an international
airport?
It is.
Where do they fly that reallyan international airport?
It is.
Where do they fly?
That makes it international?
I don't know, or are they aKansas City, that Kansas City
International Airport?
Well, once upon a time it wasan international airport.
There is not a single flightthat you can get internationally
directly out of Kansas City.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
I'm going to guess, because it says international
airport.
At one time some flight wentinternationally.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
Reykjavik, iceland.
I bet you, I bet you it wasIceland.
Let's take a look, check it out.
I bet it was Iceland.
So you flew to Iowa withoutyour bicycle.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
I know, it felt really weird.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
I mean, did you like freak out mid-flight and go?
Oh crud, I didn't put mybicycle on.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
You know, here's the funny thing.
I'm searching here for ourlisteners, who I know Ed is
listening at 1.6 right now,based on the provided search
result, it appears there are nodirect international flights
departing from.
However, you can fly to aninternational destination.
We're going to Des Moines bytaking a flight with at least
(34:10):
one stop, so you're right.
Speaker 3 (34:13):
It's not an international airport, but
that's OK, we won't take awayfrom Des Moines.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
You can get to Singapore from Des Moines with
two stops on Air Canada Well.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
I could get to anywhere, probably from Des
Moines with two stops, londonwith two stops.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
Anyways, I digress.
I went to something calledTransit Retreat.
Being many times on this show Ihave mentioned, I am in
transportation.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
Sounds like a vacation in.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
Iowa Say what.
Speaker 3 (34:41):
Sounds like.
A vacation in Iowa is what itsounds like.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Well, just hold on.
Multiple times, you and I havebeen in Iowa with bicycles.
Yes, a few times we've been inIowa with something related to
bicycles, such as the RAGBRAIannouncement party.
We did not have bicycles withus.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
But it was bicycle-related.
Yeah, definitelybicycle-related.
We froze our fannies off bothtimes.
We went.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
So this is the first time that I've been to Iowa with
something that was not relatedto cycling.
I did keep telling my friendsand family this feels so weird
to be going here without abicycle.
(35:33):
But, sir, you and I talk aboutmany, many things leisure,
unsightly men of leisure, and Iflew with my golf clubs and I
played golf in altuna, iowawhich we have ridden through
which we have ridden through,and so um no thatden through,
and so Now that wasn't the town.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
we actually stayed on the golf course, was it?
No, okay.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
No, because I was looking for the lady who yelled
at us.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
That would have been funny.
I golfed, yeah a few years ago.
I stayed right there.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
You screamed at us about your horses, but that's
okay.
Speaker 3 (35:58):
Some reason she thought we were going to steal
her horses.
I've just spent like 90 milesin the saddle of my bike.
I'm not getting on your horse.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
But yes, we uh, the point was not there to go
golfing, but of course you knowme, I'm Delta takes my clubs for
free.
So I, I flew and I met somefriends and some other vendors
and we, we played golf andthankfully I played well.
That's nothing like travelingwith your clubs and then playing
like complete beep, but luckilyI played well and we went to
(36:33):
many Des Moines areas that youand I have been, and so I told
people even on the golf coursethat many times when riding our
bikes I usually make a joke whenwe pass a golf course and I
would say I wonder if my golfclubs miss me right now.
And this time I changed it andI said I wonder if my bicycle is
(36:56):
thinking about me right now.
So really cool to be downtownDes Moines, a lot of stuff going
on there, and we stayed rightby the Capitol.
Our hotel was.
We toured DART, which is thebig transportation there in Des
Moines which we've used before,say what which you and I have
(37:17):
used before on a ride.
Yes, we used it on a 2023, when,when it was staying down at
waterworks park and then we tookit to go have the zombie burger
, um, a lot of good stuff and Iactually sent you some
photographs, you did, and I waslike, oh, wow, flashbacks we
(37:37):
went to big grove brewery.
if you have been to rag baraiand you've either had a Tailwind
or a Neighborhood Beer.
They are the official brewerybeer of Ragbri and multiple
times we've had the big beer inthe can with the Ragbri logo.
This year they're doingNeighborhood Beer from Big Grove
(37:58):
Brewery, which I had Prettygood, beer from big grove
brewery um, which I had prettygood um.
They also have a 1939 amber andI had many of those at big
grove brewery.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
So this isn't stuff left over from 1939, is it?
Speaker 2 (38:13):
I believe it's a recipe from 1939.
I hope actually it was reallytasty.
But the next night we went tothis place called Ricochet.
So anyone from the Des Moinesarea probably was like, oh yeah,
I've been to Ricochet.
Ricochet is like a DaveBuster's that had skeeball and
(38:40):
table tennis and darts and justbig bar games, right.
And part of this networkingtransit retreat is they provided
meals and they had food trucks,the food trucks of Iowa.
And so when they first saidfood trucks, I was like okay,
food trucks, whatever.
And they told us how we got ourfood is you get a ticket and
then you take the ticket upthere and that's how they know
(39:02):
that you're actually part of ourorganization or part of our
group that we were over therewith.
And if anyone's ever been to aconference, you know, you know
there's there's certain linesfor people at the conference
attending the conference, etc.
Etc.
So I come around the corner andI saw it said the big red truck
oh yes and and I was so excitedbecause if you've ever ridden
(39:26):
rag bright, they're normallysomewhere on the route at rag
bright, depending on what areathey are and depending on the on
the, on the radius that they'regoing to travel, and they have
a euro sandwich that is just outof this world.
Now, normally I eat it whenit's 100 degrees outside and I
pedaled about 50 miles to getthere, so I felt kind of spoiled
(39:49):
by getting in line with myticket without getting out my
wallet.
Speaker 3 (39:58):
With standing in line getting my cheese curds that
went along with it.
Here's the question.
Yes, sir.
Speaker 2 (40:06):
Did you have to sit on the ground?
No, I did you have to sit onthe ground?
No, I did not have to sit onthe ground.
I I actually um, we were.
We were playing cricket on theon the dartboard, and so I got
to sit in a bar seat with a beerin front of me in an
air-conditioned building.
So it was definitely adifferent experience on scale
and of course I had to.
I had to tell the young ladyworking at the big red truck.
I'm like hey, I've seen you atRAGBRAI.
(40:27):
And she's like oh, you knowwhat it is.
And I said yes, and I said,well, you know, we've done it
five times.
And she said, oh, my gosh,that's great.
And of course I don't think shecared at all.
But I got out my phone andclicked on the map and showed
her all my pictures and, and soI showed her that I had a big
red truck picture.
Speaker 3 (40:45):
So I'm surprised they didn't go.
Welcome back, mr Baranski.
Would you like your usual,because I think that one year it
seems like you probably didn't,but it seems like every day we
ate at the big red truck and youhad the same thing every single
day.
I did.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
And then every day I'd say I'm going to get the big
red truck.
And you had the same thingevery single day.
I did.
And then every day I'd say I'mgoing to get it.
I would come into town and Iwould say I'm going to get
something different this timeand you're like, yeah, and then
sometimes I would.
But then sometimes the othertrucks that were there I would
look at and either the lineswould be just ridiculously long
or I can think of three times,three times vividly in my mind,
(41:21):
where you're like I'm going toget something different.
Speaker 3 (41:22):
It's like, okay, cool , I'm sitting there with my food
probably from the big red truckand here you walk up with your
hero sandwich from the big redtruck and I was like I thought
you were going to get somethingdifferent.
They just lured you in, that'sright.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
A lot of times, you and I being in Boy Scouts, we
would like to support thescouting.
You know scouting.
You know tents and stuff andthere was a while there where we
weren't seeing a lot of the BoyScouts.
You know selling burgers andstuff.
Speaker 3 (42:13):
And but if we did, then we you know you and
something the first time I rodeit, I remember you go to
community.
I don't remember any foodtrucks and it probably wasn't
back in 04, you know, and therewas the boy Scouts and there was
the Methodist church and theCatholic church and they were
all selling different stuff andbut they don't have a lot of
that anymore and that'sunfortunate and I think it's
(42:34):
just got so big and they needthe food trucks and they need to
, you know, to bring the foodtrucks in.
I think they need to say, hey,yeah, you can be with us the
whole week, type thing, and youknow too bad.
Speaker 2 (42:45):
I remember you and Ernie when you and Joe and
myself and you and Ernie had aconference call in 2015 about
the 2016 RAGBRAI.
I remember you and Ernie bothsaying, oh, what we'd like to do
is support the local churches.
They'll have spaghetti dinnersand things, and there have been
(43:09):
towns, don't get me wrong.
In five years we did see therewere some Catholic churches and
different churches that you andI went to, but a lot of times
Ragbri was so large that ourcharter was nowhere near some of
them churches.
And then you can get on theshuttle bus and you went
downtown because the shuttle buswas, you know, free or you know
, by gratuity or whatever.
And then you come into townwhere all the food trucks were
the same trucks that were out onthe road that day and so, um,
(43:32):
but there wasn't sometimes a lotof the churches, but, um, I
remember you guys clearly sayingthat you like to support local
when you were out there.
So, but yeah, it was a reallycool experience.
I mean, I was there from Tuesdayto Friday and being on the
ground and eating it.
We went to a really neat bar.
(43:53):
We never saw this on Ragbri,but the vendor I was with his
brother was from the area and wewent to a place called High
Life and it was a really neatlike bowling nostalgia.
I really thought about youbecause it had all these old
signage from Miller High Lifeand all these older beers and
(44:15):
you could tell that these werenot reproductions, these were
original.
Like this owner of this HighLife had really gone to
extensive lengths to get all ofthese old nostalgia signs and
traveled Like moving circlethings like with Clydesdales
(44:37):
going around the Globe with theClydesdale and the wagon.
Speaker 3 (44:41):
Yeah, it's a classic.
Speaker 2 (44:42):
Yes, and then they had like big high life, like
different Miller high life.
This show is not sponsored byMiller high life.
No Different high life,different signs throughout the
years of the high life logo, alot of bowling memorabilia.
I mean, just really I mean, andthe more that you sat and and
cause we were talking for a longtime, you know, um, but the
(45:05):
more you looked around therestaurant there was like
something new to see.
Each each booth had like atheme to it.
It was really cool.
So if you find yourself, if youfind yourself, excuse me, in
Des Moines, iowa and you'relooking for like a really cool
restaurant, uh, high life, highlife, it was a really good.
Speaker 3 (45:25):
So, um, well, I might be going through Des Moines in
October, so maybe I'll look thatup.
Speaker 2 (45:31):
There you go.
Speaker 3 (45:31):
But it's, it's funny that you brought up stuff like
that.
You saw so many things and theybrought up memories of like you
know, as soon as you saw thebig red truck, that immediately
in my mind is pulling up severalmemories of like getting in hot
and sweaty, we're, you know,getting this, we're sitting down
in you know a park or on theside of the street and eating
this.
I went to Casey's four days agotrue story with my daughter
(45:56):
middle of the day.
It's like I'd been working inmy office, it's like I just need
a soda and my daughter was homeand I said, hey, you want to go
grab a?
We call them road sodas.
You want to go get a road soda?
And it's like, yeah, sure.
So we went to our local Casey'sand we were getting our soda and
as we were leaving the sodaarea, there's like one of those
big, you know ice cream chestswhere they slide open and you
(46:17):
can get ice cream bars andsandwiches and stuff.
And she's like do you need anice cream sandwich, dad?
And I was like, oh, I don'tthink so.
And I looked down and I saw asticker and it was one of those
situations where immediatelythis image popped in my mind and
it was for Thelma's ice creamsandwiches.
(46:38):
And as soon as I saw thatsticker I was like they have
like a food truck, an ice creamsandwiches.
And as soon as I saw thatsticker I was like they have a
like a food truck, an ice creamtruck, every single day on rag
braai selling these ice creamsandwiches.
And it was just so kind of coolbecause you just had that
moment where it's like you knowwhat, I haven't thought about
these ice cream sandwiches intwo years.
Haven't really been thinkingmuch about ragGBRAI because I'm
(47:00):
not going.
If I was planning on, itwouldn't be because of this
shoulder thing.
But I saw that and it was justlike no way.
I was like what does it say onthe back?
And yep, made in Des Moines, sosame company.
So it's just one of thosesituations where you're just out
and about and all of a suddensomething just completely takes
you back to that experiencetakes you back to that
(47:27):
experience and it was reallycool.
Speaker 2 (47:28):
What's that?
I have a uh, an ironic moment.
Speaker 3 (47:29):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (47:30):
At one of my networking dinners they brought
out Thelma's ice creamsandwiches.
Speaker 3 (47:37):
Stop, no way.
Yes, yep I had the mintchocolate chip.
Now how?
Weird is that.
That's just getting bizarre.
Now we're living in a bizarreworld.
Speaker 2 (47:46):
Yeah, I promised we were sitting outside of the
hotel we were staying at, theSavory, which is an historic
building from 1919.
And outside, in the courtyardon Fifth Street, they had all
these tables set up and a barand it was a nice evening and
(48:07):
there's a big Welcome to DesMoines painting, huge painting
on the side of the wall.
I bet you, it's like 30, 40, 50feet.
It says Des Moines.
And then each letter of theword Des Moines there's, like
you know, inside one is like a Idon't know like a butterfly,
and one's a bicycle, and butyeah, and then they had waiters
(48:29):
and waitresses walking aroundand I said, oh, what is that?
And they're like oh, ice creamsandwiches.
I'm like ice cream, oh yeah.
And then, all of a sudden, Ilooked at the package and it
said Thelma's, and it remindedme of the silver food truck,
what looked like a silver watertrough or whatever.
I mean ice cream sandwich.
I clearly remember that.
(48:49):
So, yeah, it was definitely anostalgia road of bringing me to
my cycling world, but I haveanother one.
Listen to this, okay, listen tothis Okay.
You and I have been to a Ragbriannouncement party and we stayed
in that Fairfield Hotel acrossfrom what was the Wells Fargo
building where the Wolves orTimberwolves or whatever played
(49:12):
hockey.
Guess what it's called nowTimberwolves Stadium, the
Casey's Center.
No, like the convenience store,like the convenience store
casey's.
So our stock is is paying offis it?
Speaker 3 (49:28):
I hope so.
Spend a bunch of money?
Yeah, we'll see, but that's no,that's cool.
I did not know that casey's wasnow in the business of of, uh,
getting the naming rights.
Speaker 2 (49:37):
That's pretty cool but I did hear.
I did hear something concerningwhen I was there.
Okay, and that is I'm beingserious I'm understanding that
Casey's is now getting somecompetition from a convenience
store.
There was a whole dynamic and awhole conversation that I
happened to overhear, and it wasone of those things I
(49:59):
definitely was eavesdroppinglistening to because, from my
understanding that there is anew convenience store coming
into play called QS, quick Stop,a big convenience store.
(50:27):
There's quick trip, quick stop,and casey's and the quick stops
are trying to build or get nearthe casey's, and so I wanted
you to know that that's I.
Speaker 3 (50:31):
I have never heard of a quick no, there was a quick
stop growing up in the smalltown that I grew up in.
Uh, it was just like a local,regional thing.
It's not the same but um,that's interesting.
I'm not, because I know in Iowacome and goes are big.
Speaker 2 (50:47):
And did you know that the name come and go has been
bought out by a company calledMaverick?
Speaker 3 (50:53):
Really.
Speaker 2 (50:53):
And they're going to change all the.
They are changing the come andgoes to Mavericks.
Now how well do you thinkthat's going to go over in Iowa?
Speaker 3 (51:05):
Yeah, yeah, no, okay, it's business.
I guess I'm sure they've donelots of research on this, but I
had not heard about theQuickstop, so I'll have to keep
an eye on them.
I wonder if they're publiclytraded.
Speaker 2 (51:19):
I don't know, because they might want to get on that
quick.
Speaker 3 (51:30):
That's right, let's hop on that train.
Um, but one thing you did sendme that provoked another ride
memory of you being in iowa.
You sent me something to saythat you were like in the
vicinity or across the streetfrom a very interesting pizza
place that we've been to.
Speaker 2 (51:45):
Oh, fong's, fong's.
Speaker 3 (51:48):
Fong's Pizza.
This is, I think, our secondyear.
We went to the RAGBRAIannouncement.
We were just looking forrestaurants and we saw Fong's
Pizza.
Well, number one.
The name is enough to just makeyou want to go, because it's
like what is up with this?
An Asian, an Asian pizza place.
Uh, so we went.
Uh, you walked in.
(52:08):
I mean you got to the outsideof the building.
It was in downtown.
It kind of looked like a divebar as you were walking in.
When you walk in, it kind oflooked like a asian restaurant
you would find in, say, downtownnew york city yeah it just had
(52:29):
that feel felt very asian.
they had asian decor, all thiskind of stuff.
Um, so you go in, you sit down,they you a menu, and then they
had all these weird like pizzachoices that had, like I don't
know, all sorts of crazy Asianstuff on them and I remember at
the time we were kind of lookingat each other going, eh, but I
(52:52):
don't remember what I ordered,but I just remembered it was
really good and walking out ofthat I was like this place is
kind of a surreal type place.
The food was good, but you'dmade mention of that last week
about Fong's and that brought upthat memory.
Speaker 2 (53:09):
I was like oh yeah, I remember Fong's.
So where that came from is twothings.
First of all, we had crabragoon pizza when we were there.
Speaker 3 (53:14):
Man, you got a good memory.
Speaker 2 (53:16):
So here's what happened.
What was good you know how yougo to your respective brand's
app for your hotel where you'restaying at.
Speaker 3 (53:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (53:27):
So I was staying at the Savory, which is a Bonvoy
Marriott branded hotel, andinside the app it says
restaurants nearby, and so itliterally said Fong's Pizza.
And so that's where I took thescreenshot from.
I'm like, bro, and I had lookedat that before I flew out there
and I'm like, hey, look at this, remember this memory.
(53:49):
And you said yeah, and so Iwalked down there and when I got
there it said Fong's had movedto its new location.
And I did not go that far, butfrom my understanding they had
moved across the river to a newlocation which, by the way, the
river was right by my hotel.
It's not that big of a deal,but just because of the other
networking things, I just didn'tgo there.
Speaker 3 (54:11):
Well, that was cool.
When you sent that to me I gota good laugh and hadn't thought
about that in a couple of yearsand it was like that was
probably the most interestingpizza place I've probably ever
been to.
But you're right, it was theCrab Rangoon pizza, which sounds
maybe quite horrible butactually was very delicious.
Speaker 2 (54:32):
It was very good.
Speaker 3 (54:34):
Well, that's cool.
It's just weird that we had allof like this last week here.
We had all these kind ofmemories taking us back to to
Ragbri.
Now I get yours, you were rightthere in des moines and stuff,
but the thelma thing was justlike you gotta be kidding me
yeah, it's definitely.
Speaker 2 (54:50):
Um, of course, I think all the people that I was
around probably got sick of megoing.
I've been to ragbri five timesragbri adam.
Okay, yeah, yeah and actually,um, the director of Department
of Transportation was a keynotespeaker for one of my days of my
conference and he said I'm notsure if any of you have ever
been to our beautiful state, butwe have RAGBRAI coming up and
(55:12):
if you don't know what that is,and then my friend Jim looked at
me and I'm like I just told youabout it, guys.
Speaker 3 (55:20):
They're all pointing at you going.
Adam knows about it.
Speaker 2 (55:23):
Yeah, if you guys don't want the longest elevator
ride in the world.
But if you find yourself in DesMoines, I recommend a few
things.
I recommend the Savory Hotel,beautiful place.
Had a nice speakeasy bar in thelobby.
I know you would have likedthat.
Speaker 3 (55:40):
Can't go wrong.
Speaker 2 (55:42):
Had a nice smoked Woodford Old Fashioned in there
and that was wonderful.
May have had a couple Anyways,and Ricochet was a fun place if
you're looking for a place.
So a lot of good times, a lotof good memories and kind of
funny that you and your daughterNow we call road sodas
(56:05):
something a little octane, soyou uh we are out here in the
midwest, my friend, and a roadsoda is simply a soda.
Speaker 3 (56:14):
You buy to go on the road.
Speaker 2 (56:15):
So I'll be curious for those of you who are regular
leisure, leisure listenershipwhat do you call road sodaOTY?
Send me a message, I'm curiousto see.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (56:26):
Again they're going to go.
Michael's wrong on this one.
Speaker 2 (56:29):
I mean, have you ever like gotten the idea that
everyone keeps telling youyou're wrong?
Speaker 3 (56:33):
Yeah, constantly Like no, that's not right, michael,
you know, and in the beginningpeople were polite about it
Going.
Oh well, no, you're kind of alittle off there, a little
mistaken.
Nowadays it's just like you'rewrong, michael.
Speaker 2 (56:46):
Hashtag Michael's wrong.
Michael's wrong, nope, yeah,when I was in Southern Illinois
we called road sodas a beer.
I mean that was like you know,and then you hit the sign with
the beer can.
Speaker 3 (57:03):
I have young kids.
Speaker 2 (57:05):
I wonder why I went to military school.
Speaker 3 (57:08):
These are things we don't need to ponder.
Speaker 2 (57:10):
On that note, ladies and gentlemen, it is now time
for Listener Spotlight.
Speaker 3 (57:19):
All righty, let's see what we got for this week.
All righty, let's see what wegot for this week.
All right, this week's listenerspotlight clues are as follows
this town began as a mill town,so you know, like Grist Mills,
(57:39):
wool production, things likethat the first immigrants who
came to this community werepredominantly german and irish,
and this town was originallynamed for a european city.
Blues and jazz can trace someof its early commercial success
(58:11):
to this town.
The current town's name cameinto existence in 18, in the
1840s.
Now, side note, have younoticed that no town, it seems
like, has the name it startedwith I'm starting to see this as
a common trim that somebodycame and said we're naming this
town this and then, you know, 20, 30 years later someone came
(58:33):
through and said, no, we'rechanging it.
Speaker 2 (58:35):
That's because it opened to the public in the town
square.
They're like this name sucks.
Speaker 3 (58:42):
We're voting to change it.
Right now, four of us we needto vote.
Well, and back then half thepopulation couldn't vote anyway,
so there's like one guy out ofthose four who could vote.
Speaker 2 (58:54):
It's like we're naming it after me it's like I'm
brother, we're out, though thisguy's going to pay you to sing
into a can.
How many are there?
There's four of us.
Speaker 3 (59:05):
Hey, this town sets on a historical trail and when I
say trail, if you can't see me,I'm using air quotes.
(59:26):
Take that for what you will andthis town is located in a
county that the united statessecret service would probably
want to avoid or, in the past,should have avoided.
Speaker 2 (59:44):
So, all kidding aside , for a little bit I thought you
were skating near St Louis, butnot the German.
I know it's not German, 1840smaybe but I think St Louis is in
St Louis County and so thatdoesn't jive.
But just for a second, some ofthe clues that you were sort of
(01:00:05):
navigating around made me thinkis this the time that he tries
to pull the wool over my eyes ofSt Louis?
Speaker 3 (01:00:11):
You never know, but there was Germans in St Louis,
wasn't there?
I mean, isn't that whereAnheuser-Busch is?
Speaker 2 (01:00:19):
Well, yeah, it's German.
Now Well.
Speaker 3 (01:00:24):
I'm sure some people coming there were German, so
yeah, so it sits in a countythat the US Secret Service would
or should have issue with atsome point in history.
Speaker 2 (01:00:44):
Well, on that beautiful note.
Speaker 3 (01:00:48):
And I will tell you, I'll even give you an easier one
.
It is in the United States.
I didn't go offshore for thisone.
Speaker 2 (01:00:58):
You mean like Rome and Bragg?
Speaker 3 (01:01:02):
We even drove past those things and it's like look
at this.
They've even recreated whatlooked like Roman aqueducts.
Right as you're coming in, bigsign says welcome to Rome, and
on the other side are thesearches that look like the Roman
aqueducts.
Come on.
Speaker 2 (01:01:18):
And we did actually, yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:01:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:01:20):
Yeah, we did, and then we'd go to town wheregg had
its base camp, and then wewould go back to our hotel and
then we'd see, there's theoctagon.
Speaker 3 (01:01:31):
Hey look, Clark.
Speaker 2 (01:01:32):
Hey, look kids.
Speaker 3 (01:01:33):
Parliament.
Speaker 2 (01:01:34):
Big Ben, I got to give you credit.
I mean, normally you know we'reGPS bound, but after a while I
go, I think you turn.
You're like no, no, I go uphere.
So you were learning your room.
Speaker 3 (01:01:47):
So you know, roam, if you want to.
Speaker 2 (01:01:50):
According to Melanie, that's the B-52s, yes, or?
If she mistypes it, then Imisread it like a dummy.
But my fault, melanie, my fault.
But appreciate your continuedsupport.
Well, with that being said,this week is a holiday.
If you're listening to this,you've probably already
(01:02:12):
experienced July 4th.
I hope that you have all ofyour fingers and vision and
everything else that you had itbefore.
Hopefully, you celebrated thisgreat country with your families
and you're safe, and if youwant to hear something, if you
want us to talk about something,please let us know.
This is my chance to now thankJoe, grammar, dennis Scott and
(01:02:37):
Alex.
We really appreciate yourcontinued support.
If you want to hear your nameon this show, just please become
a monthly subscriber.
That's right.
Speaker 3 (01:02:48):
So with that being said, you are traveling right.
Speaker 2 (01:02:52):
Somebody else we need to thank isn't there.
Oh, yes, thank you so much.
You're welcome.
Oh my gosh, where is StephenWitts?
Stephen once again knockedagain.
I apologize, stephen.
This is the problem when youdon't follow your notes.
(01:03:13):
I was following mine, stephen.
Thank you, michael.
I really appreciate youreminding me.
Stephen not only gave us abeautiful, large donation, thank
you, thank you.
He says hi guys, love what youdo.
It seems fitting that the lastepisode started in Rome.
(01:03:35):
Okay, georgia should end inRome.
I remember the story of the300,000 cats in Rome.
I remember the story of the300,000 cats in Rome.
Not only were the cats good ratcatchers, but the Romans may
have given cats deity statuswith their hodgepodge of stolen
(01:03:57):
religions.
The Vatican, trevi Fountain,architecture and togas were all
excellent clues.
Keep up the excellent work.
Speaker 3 (01:04:05):
So I I owe steven an apology so we actually had
somebody who guessed it.
You know what?
Look at that.
And you thought my clues werehorrible.
Steven got it.
Why didn't anybody else?
Speaker 2 (01:04:28):
steven, I apologize, but he definitely got it.
And on top of that, not onlydid he guess correctly, he put
some money in our pocket and wealways, we always appreciate
that.
Speaker 3 (01:04:42):
So, uh, yeah, and to get back to what you were saying
uh, when this comes out, I willbe traveling, I will, indeed
and um, going to oklahoma for acouple days, coming back, and
then I am going to the greatstate of kentucky.
My wife thought it was fittingfor my birthday, which is coming
(01:05:03):
up next week, to take me tobourbon country, and I said,
well, yes, you should, but it'salso my daughter's birthday the
day after mine, so she gonna getsome buffalo trays too, uh you
know that little girl knows moreabout whiskeys and bourbons
(01:05:24):
than I do.
Probably, um, it'll serve herwell in college, but, um, no, on
her birthday I believe we aresetting up.
One thing that she wanted was aformal high tea nice.
So we were going to have aformal high tea, uh, there
somewhere around lexington orsomewhere in the in the general
area.
So, um, we are going to haveformal high tea there, somewhere
around Lexington or somewherein the general area.
(01:05:45):
So we're going to have a littlebourbon, going to have a little
tea, and who knows what elsewe're going to find along the
way.
So it'll be a good time, don't?
Speaker 2 (01:05:54):
forget your app to figure out what Buffalo Trace or
the probability of BuffaloTrace is selling that day.
Speaker 3 (01:06:01):
Oh yeah, that's got to be strategically uh,
strategically thought out.
Speaker 2 (01:06:05):
so hey hon, I'm thinking that we need to go buy
buffalo trace today you knowwhat?
Speaker 3 (01:06:14):
I get no arguments from her because you know what I
think.
Two weeks ago I sent you apicture of what I was drinking.
We had some family in town.
I thought you know what?
They hadn't tried it.
So we broke open a bottle ofblantons so they could try it.
And you know what?
My wife is a huge fan.
So no argument from herwhatsoever, and she's really
(01:06:35):
started getting intoold-fashioned.
So, uh, you know, life isgetting good for me.
Speaker 2 (01:06:41):
Here's my hint, if you both go together, get in
line separately and pretend youdon't know each other.
Speaker 3 (01:06:53):
We could do that we could do that Max Cohen.
Speaker 2 (01:06:59):
Yeah, there's three, but he won't be of age.
Speaker 3 (01:07:03):
Oh man, he'll miss it by like two months, because
what you can get, what Onebottle?
Speaker 2 (01:07:10):
Yeah, and then it's per person and then every three
months.
But you'll be back, I will be,you'll be back.
Speaker 3 (01:07:22):
I will be, and then I can pick up what I didn't pick
up a couple of months before.
Speaker 2 (01:07:29):
Go to the ladies in the gift shop.
Can you hold this behind thecounter for me?
I'll be back.
Speaker 3 (01:07:36):
I'll be back, no, but we're going to.
We're going to try to hit someplaces that I haven't hit up in,
like Louisville, nice, thatkind of thing, and we're going
to throw some places that Ihaven't hit nice up in, uh, like
Louisville, that kind of thing,um, and we're going to throw
some cultural things in thereWe've thought about.
Maybe they got a nice, you know, uh, you know set in a lazy
river type thing.
You know you set an inner tubeall day on the river, that kind
(01:07:56):
of thing.
So nice.
Yeah, it should be fun.
I'll send you pictures.
Speaker 2 (01:08:00):
Well, that'd be great , and I knew it was your
birthday, so I figured that youwere.
You were about to turn 29.
Speaker 3 (01:08:07):
So I know, life is flying by Wow.
Done so much in 28 and almost29 years.
Speaker 2 (01:08:15):
Hopefully that surgeon says you can have
something a little more octanemilk.
Speaker 3 (01:08:21):
Oh, I'm going to.
I mean, the point is really,the first week I took painkiller
here and there.
Um, now I haven't been takingany.
So I could technically startgoing.
But I'm not going to cause, I'mgoing to give my body every
chance it can get until Kentuckyand then at that point chance
(01:08:42):
it can get until Kentucky andthen at that point.
Speaker 2 (01:08:45):
Well, no holds barred , like the first day in college,
woo-hoo.
Speaker 3 (01:08:50):
We're having a party.
Speaker 2 (01:08:52):
Yeah Well, we will update everybody with your
medical condition and our plansby the time the next show comes
out.
We'll tell you our plans,because we don't know yet to be
honest.
Speaker 3 (01:09:04):
What are the Cycling Men of Leisure going to do next?
We don't know, so it'll be funfor everybody.
Speaker 2 (01:09:11):
But once we figure it out, maybe you'll know, at the
same time we do.
You never know.
With that being said, I'm suresomewhere, somehow, somebody had
a great day for a bike ride.
Speaker 3 (01:09:24):
It wasn't me, but it definitely was for somebody.
Speaker 2 (01:09:27):
Watch out for those poses.
Speaker 1 (01:09:31):
Thank you for coming along with Adam and Michael on
Road Adventures with Cycling Menof Leisure.
If you have enjoyed this,please subscribe to the show on
the podcast app of your choice.
Well, it's time for Road Adventures with Cycling Men
of Leisure, the podcast forcyclists who understand that
riding is not just about gettingto the destination, but the
experience along the way.
Now here are the originalCycling Men of Leisure Adam and
Michael.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Welcome to Road Adventures of Cycling Men of
Leisure.
I am Adam and today, once again, I am joined with my good
friend, Mr Michael Sharp.
Hello, sir.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Greetings.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Adam, how you doing Well, I'm doing good, but when
did you start wearing a purse orwhatever you're wearing?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
This is not a purse, this is a satchel.
No, I'm kidding For those thatcan't see.
There appears to be some kindof strap around the left side of
my body here.
Well, that would have to dowith the fact that I decided to
go out and do some training onthe road.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
You mean the fact that I'm going to have to change
our texting thread between youand I and Joe to Cycling man of
Leisure, not Cycling Men ofLeisure.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Well, you could de-emphasize the cycling.
For the moment, I'm still a manof leisure, not cycling men of
leisure.
Well, you could de-emphasizethe cycling.
For the moment I'm still a manof leisure.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
I've often thought maybe I should support a support
group for those who had somebad luck in 2025.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Okay, now that you brought up the topic, I'm going
to spill the beans.
Here's the deal Juneteenthgovernment holiday I had the day
off I was going to.
I said you know what?
I need to start really traininghard because rain is coming,
not the kind that falls, but thelong distance ride.
So I went out and it was aboutmile 24.
(02:00):
It's like, yeah, I'll get 25,30 miles in it, it's not too bad
, we're not going to push it.
It's like, yeah, I'll get 25,30 miles in it, it's not too bad
, we're not going to push it.
Come around the corner.
Ahead of me it was a curvedstreet and ahead of me, on up
about 100 yards, is a truck.
Okay, no problem, it's parkedup there, got plenty of time.
There's some cars coming by,not heavy traffic, but there's
(02:21):
some construction going on.
Okay, I'm looking ahead, I'mplanning.
As I'm coming around the corner, there's a guy working off to
my right.
Okay, that's great, he'sspraying something, no problem,
as I'm going, I'm probably onlygoing about 12, 13 miles an hour
(02:45):
because I had stopped and Iturned into a thing.
I went over a bump, no big deal.
And then I'm going and as I'mgetting closer to the truck,
it's like, okay, there's carscoming, cars coming, okay,
perfect, I can go over.
And as I'm about ready to goover, I look down and on the
concrete is a brown hose that'sabout the same color of the
concrete and at that point intime I'm like six inches from it
(03:05):
.
I'm like, oh crap, nothing Ican do because it's all
happening so fast.
Next thing, I know my fronttire is 90 degrees to the rest
of my bike and I am sliding inthe concrete.
The good news is, you know, Iwas sliding on the concrete with
my glasses, so that protectedyou know this wonderfulness.
(03:29):
So don't worry, still look asgood as I always did.
Oh, thank God or not, mypersonal opinion, yeah.
So I wound up face first intothe concrete, was laying there,
and this guy walks up slowly,walks up and I'm laying there.
I got winded, I can't reallymove.
(03:51):
The guy walks up slowly and islike, oh, are you okay?
Can I help you get you up?
And I was like I just need tolay here for a minute.
Please don't let a car run meover, because I'm in the middle
of the road, just like the hosethat I ran over was in the
middle of the road and I satthere for a couple minutes and
(04:12):
then I managed to get myself upand go off to the side and he's
like well, I'm going to be overhere at this construction site
if you need anything.
And he just like left Not,however, not before he took the
hose that was in the middle ofthe street and moved it to the
curb.
And the reason why it was in themiddle of street number one he
was working and we went back andmeasured it all it was 55 yards
(04:37):
at least of hose he had strungout along the road.
In the road and because ofwhere his truck parked and
because of the curve, it was astraight line of hose from his
vehicle to basically right wherehe was working.
So, uh, of course, with thecurve, it went right down the
middle of the road.
So I bid it uh, called my wifeand was like uh, I need you to
(05:02):
come and get me had a littleaccident.
She showed up.
There was another guy there thatcame over who was far more
helpful than the guy that causedthe accident, who was mowing
grass.
He's like dude, are you OK?
And I was like yeah, I thinkI'm OK.
Do you need me to call anambulance.
I was like no, my wife iscoming to get me, she's in the
health medical profession, I'llbe fine.
This guy stayed with me for thewhole time until my wife showed
(05:24):
up.
The other guy just like movethe hose over and went off,
which I was a little tickedabout.
And he's like man, I wassitting there, I saw you go down
and I noticed right after youwent down he went over and moved
that hose out of the way,didn't he?
And I was like yeah, he wasquick to do that, but that's
about the only thing he wasquick with.
But uh, and then another ladyup the street brought me some
(05:47):
ice.
Needless to say, I had down theright-hand side, my knee, my
elbow, my hand got a lot of, myshoulder got a lot of road rash.
But, um, when I got up from thepavement, um, I pretty much
knew I had broken my collarboneso I fractured my clavicle.
That's the polite way ofmedical way of saying that I
(06:09):
broke my collarbone.
Never broke a bone before in myentire body.
In fact, this is the first timein the thousands of miles I've
ridden a bicycle that I've everput it into the concrete.
Yeah, the upside.
Let's start with the upside.
How about that?
I'm listening.
The upside this whole thing isI don't know if you know this or
(06:31):
not about me, adam, but um, Ihave a tendency to be a little
slow at putting, at putting mybicycle together after it's been
on a trip.
It tends to sit in the box fora little while.
It's kind of like, you know,whiskey in a bottle.
It ages.
There's a reason for it, Ithink.
I don't know, but I have atendency to be lazy about it.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
You know the best thing about recording a podcast
with you.
What's that Is?
Since I do all the editing, Icould grab any clip I want.
And you literally just said,and I quote I tend to be a
little slow.
That's it.
I'm going to cut it out of thatand when you text me from now
on I'm going to put that on myphone.
I tend to be a little slow.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
You know why I paused ?
Because I thought there wasgoing to be a smart aleck
comment coming from you and Iwas getting ready for my
rebuttal.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
No, is getting ready for my rebuttal?
No, no, no, no, no, no see, Itold everyone that you're always
behind because you're incentral time and now you just
literally quoted I'm.
I tend to be a little slow,boom, cut, cut all right.
Oh man, you can't find goodhelp nowadays so I'm assuming,
after being a Hanyok and beingfunny with you, that your bike,
(07:46):
your Italian stallion, yourBianchi from another mother, was
still packed away.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
It is still in the box.
Thank God for that, because Imean I basically had pulled down
, you know, I mean I basicallyhad pulled down, you know, my
old bike, my Le Mans, anddecided to use it because the
other one wasn't put together.
I actually thought aboutputting together, I didn't, and
(08:15):
it's aluminum bike and I'mpretty sure that if I'd had the
carbon one I would have probablyat least cracked the fork, if
not more.
But you know, I mean itshredded my my you know
handlebar tape completelyshredded on one side.
It broke the covers on both ofmy shifters.
(08:41):
The wheel, you know, you canspin it.
It'll go around one and a halftimes before it immediately
comes to a stop.
So it needs some, some TLC.
And I got a big gouge in theback.
So fortunately I had the oldbicycle out, um, so that was the
one.
The one positive thing about itis that I didn't have and I
didn't have my good sunglasses.
(09:01):
I had my old because I ridewith with reading sunglasses and
, uh, didn't have my goodsunglasses.
I had my old because I ridewith reading sunglasses and
didn't have my good ones outeither.
So that helped.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
The following segment has been brought to you by Eric
Cycle, where you'll be takingthe bike.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
You're absolutely correct, yeah, and see what else
is potentially, becauseobviously I haven't got on the
bike to try it to see what elsemight be.
These are just immediate thingsI could point out now.
Here's the downside.
We're supposed to ride acrossindiana in like three weeks uh,
(09:38):
exactly 19 days, but who'scounting?
Apparently someone is.
So the good news is I did go toa surgeon.
He says, based upon what he sawthe day after it happened, it
was a clean fracture, whateverthat means.
Apparently it's good.
I'm not going to need surgeryunless something changes.
(10:00):
I've been keeping it isolated.
In fact, today, instead of myusual uh, you know, uh good
juice that I typically pourmyself, I'm a drinking glass of
milk, so is that fermented milk?
nope, that is straight out ofthe refrigerator ice cold, you
(10:21):
know, 2% milk, in hopes thatsomehow that's going to
magically assist me which it'snot, but it's going to make me
feel better about what I'm doing.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Did you ever see the family guy episode where he said
, well, I've milked all thegoats and she says those are all
male goats.
And well, they're happy now ohboy.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
So I've got another meeting with my surgeon, uh,
this thursday, and we're gonnatake another, gonna take some
more x-rays and see um see whathe says.
So we'll.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
So that kind of leaves things at a standstill?
Yes, it does, but we got someoptions.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
There's always options.
I mean, what are you looking atas options?
Ditching me and riding with AI?
That's an option.
What's your other one?
What are you looking at asoptions?
Ditching me and riding with ai,that's an option.
Uh, what's your?
Speaker 2 (11:27):
other one, I do pay for the premium version of chat
gbt for the show.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
So I could do that just have ai put me in every
single picture you take, that'sright see, right now I'm keeping
my lips closed so I don't haveproof.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
But no, we did email them and we've not heard back
yet.
We did not ask for a refund,because we are very aware we can
read top to bottom, left toright it clearly states that
there is no refunds.
We're not asking for a refund.
We did ask if we could advanceour registration until next year
(12:07):
.
Have, we don't feel like we'regoing to get a reply.
Um, we're not sure, but wedon't feel like we're going to
get a reply.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Yeah, this is not a ride like rag bry or brag, where
they've got like full-timepeople, uh, or even part-time
people checking these things.
This is like more or lessvolunteer type stuff.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
We've talked about.
Possibly, if no refund or noadvancement, do we still make a
trip out of it for the show?
And then you drive SAG, andthen we could still make some
fun times.
Sag, and then we could stillmake some fun times.
(12:50):
I mean, um, I ride it and thenyou know, every 20 miles meet up
with you.
And I was picturing the days ofthunder.
I know we talked about twoshows ago, but how's, how's the
sagging going?
Speaker 3 (12:56):
well, I've had some ice cream, so I need a sag not
now, because I'm eating icecream Come get me, you know.
We did, which would suck.
But you know there would be aflip side to that, although I
would dearly miss riding withyou and I don't know how you
(13:16):
could ride without me.
I mean, it would just.
I'm sure it would be verydifficult, but we would have the
.
Oh, am I supposed to answerthat?
No, no, I was answering.
It would be very difficult, butwe would have the— oh, am I?
Speaker 2 (13:26):
supposed to answer that?
No, no, I was answering it foryou, no, I actually want to say
something, because I know wehave a bunch of new listeners.
As a matter of fact, we have130 new listeners today, just
today, yeah, in a singledisloyal ban.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Good day for podcasting.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Michael and I please understand, this show is built
off of the structure of humor.
I would actually be pretty toreup to write it without you.
I mean, we've done Illinoistogether, We've done Michigan
together, we've done Iowa fivetimes and Georgia four times.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Michigan a couple more times.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Yeah, and Iowa five times, and Georgia four times,
michigan a couple more times,yeah, I mean.
So the idea was I mean, andthen rain has just been one of
those ones where we've signed upfor a couple of times and then,
due to one thing or another,covid or whatever, it's just
been one on the bucket list.
So when you called me, you said, hey, I've been meaning to call
you.
I wasn't sure what you weregoing to say.
So, um, even when I tell thestory at work that we're, you
(14:28):
know, we're not sure what to do.
We're hoping they write us back, and so, if anyone's never done
rain riding, they actually it'sa bloomington cycle club, um, I
may have that wrong, butcycling club or cycle club, I'm
not.
I don't want to misspeak, but,um, so what they did is is it
(14:51):
was like organized and then, andthen they weren't going to run
it, and then this Bloomington,indiana cycling club, um, picked
it up, and so we're not sure ifthe email is going just to, um,
you know, uh, a generalized boxor whatever, but we're not
getting any kind of response.
So it kind of leads us tobelieve that it is what it is.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
I mean it's the Bloomington Bicycle Club.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
Thank, you the official Bloomington Bicycle
Club.
So they took it over andthey're going to run it.
And then someone was able toset up transportation, so we
were able to get you know aregistered night at the YMCA and
then.
So anyways, long story short,it's just been something that's
been in our wheelhouse just toknock off another state of the
(15:38):
map.
One of these days we're goingto do Rhode Island.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
But it's a two-day ride 30 days one way, or 30
miles, one way, 30 miles, andnext you cross it twice, twice
in one day, um.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
so, yeah, I mean there's, I I do tease you and
and you know there's the thoughtabout doing it, and then, um,
if there's no response, and thenof course it's like you know
would love to not loseeverything, and then we could
still, you know, stop along theway and with those microphones
that we have there.
I mean that's how we were ableto get a bunch of those pieces
(16:15):
across the state from in Georgiarecently, so we could
definitely record, if you'relike, hey, how's it going out
there?
Well, michigan roads are betterthan this or this, you know,
whatever.
So, um, but anyways, um, yeah,so it's so.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
yeah, it's all in humor, um, but we would also
have the side of.
We've never really talked aboutsagging as far as that job that
you know, maybe it'sprofessionally done, maybe it's
a significant other, whatever.
We would then have theperspective of a sag driver.
What is this really all about?
(16:52):
We see them, but if we're alllike avid cyclers, most of us
have never sagged for someonebefore, so it's an option.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
We're looking into things.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
And there's, you know , I mean we could always, if
they would let us push it, wecould still get together
someplace and, you know, find aninteresting restaurant or two
interesting drink or two, hangout, do some podcasting,
whatever.
But we'll have to see.
See, Well, a big thing I thinkwill be is is find out what the
(17:29):
surgeon says he feels, basedupon my, you know, week and a
half of looking at the x-raysand stuff.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
You know where I'm at .
Yeah Well, we'll hope.
I mean, your health and safetyis number one.
That's obviously in your family.
Obviously, that's the mostimportant thing.
I mean Obviously in your family, obviously that's the most
important thing.
I mean we're going to haveother adventures, so that's for
sure.
So we still have the bourboncountry burn.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
You should be.
We'll patch you up for that, ohfor that one.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
I'll bring a roll of duct tape and duct tape my
shoulder together if I have to,but the last time you talked to
the surgeon, just to be clear,he had advised you not to right.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
He said five to six weeks.
At that point it was four,maybe slightly a day or two over
four, and I was like, so we'llsee.
You know, doctors will neversay, oh yeah, I think you can do
.
You know, they always tend toto overestimate.
I mean I've, I've watched thetour de France when you know, I
(18:39):
mean, collarbones are prettycommon injury, uh, with cyclists
, especially in the professionalworld.
And you know, I mean I've seenthem go 75 miles or more with a
broken collarbone.
Now, granted, they'reprofessionals and all this kind
of stuff, but still they justbroke it.
(18:59):
They got back on their bike andthey kept riding.
Would not be the case.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Right.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
The other good thing I found out about this is I now
have an excuse.
And the other day my daughterwas up there I was eating
breakfast or something, and Isaid the tour to France starts
just a few days.
This is going to be awesome.
I said the sad thing about itis, maya, that your dad is is is
(19:26):
not going to make the cut thisyear that doggone broken bone.
And she looked at me, stoppedexactly what she's doing, stared
at me for like two seconds deadstare and was like well, dad,
you weren't going to make itanyway.
And I was like, well, at leastI have an excuse.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
That's not the point.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Yeah, she called me out.
She's like you're not going tomake it anyway and you're too
old, and I was like, well, thankyou for bringing some real-life
reality back to my life.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
We're going to make the best of it.
I'm not sure what that means.
Appreciate it.
We're going to make the best ofit.
I'm not sure what that means,but whatever that, whatever,
we'll figure it out.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
You know what It'll be.
Whatever it is, be anotheradventure, whether we're there,
we're not there, whatever.
Another adventure of therecycling men of leisure.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Well, we'll see, we'll update you guys.
Um, you know, with that beingsaid, it's always like you
always say.
You know, for sure, it's notalways about the destination,
but the people you meet alongthe way.
I I I mean, obviously we stillhave our, our hotels lined up
and there'll be other cyclistsand and we can spread the word
(20:45):
of, you know, our leisurecommunity and try to grow our
leisure community.
So there's definitely stillsome opportunity to meet people,
and normally you and I are notafraid to wear cycling men of
leisure or cycling women ofleisure outfits.
And then people ask what it'sall about.
It gives us a chance to talkabout.
You know our team.
It's been really fun for mewith sharing stories about
(21:07):
having 43 people in Georgiatoday in the Bragg, and writes
the newsletter from Bragg.
Thanks Franklin, yeah, Thankyou very much.
He even says right in therethat the largest team again and
so we're so proud of all of ourfriends and family and all
across this great nation andCanada Is that the 51st state.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
No, no, no.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Sorry.
It was funny.
We're going to get into this ina little bit, but I just
traveled somewhere and when theguy was there he was a keynote
speaker and said I'm fromalberta and that's not the 51st
day, so who was it back in thewhat the late 1700s, early 1800s
(21:54):
were?
Speaker 3 (21:55):
was it henry clay and some of his buddies?
Somebody back there that youknow, back uh, around the war of
1812?
Uh, you know, we're wanting toturn.
You know we're wanting to turn.
You know, go, we're going to goinvade Canada, we're going to
turn it.
You know, turn it into ourterritory.
And they were.
They were all big and sure ofthemselves.
But you know, I think we burnedMontreal, if I remember
(22:18):
correctly, and that's about it,that's about all we did.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Of course, they came back a couple of months later
and burned Washington DC andshowed us but you know, you know
you mentioned something yousaid it would give us a
different aspect of sagging.
You know, usually we're sotrusting of the bikes being in
good shape.
We definitely have our bikestuned up, ready to go, and then
you know, we've been luckyenough to have organized rides
(22:44):
that part of our entry fee ispaying for those services and
we've not had to take advantageof that.
So if you're out there andyou're listening to this and you
had an opinion for somethingthat may be good to be in the
SAG vehicle, such as a bike pump, a floor pump, you know, such
as you know things that wouldhelp pump a floor pump, you know
(23:06):
, such as um, you know thingsthat would help if that, if this
is what we have to do where Iride and you you kind of take
the uh road.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
You know, um, what do I need to bring?
Because I could not.
This doesn't have aprofessional sag.
You can't just stop and go.
Uh, I can't make it.
Or whatever you got to.
You know, if I did wind up insag, I could sag for everybody.
Well, or whatever you got to,you know, if I did wind up in
(23:35):
sag, I could sag for everybody.
Well, let's make sure you takecare of me.
Well, okay, I'll be first.
But you're right.
But you know, we could put the.
I could put the, uh, cyclingmen of leisure, uh, magnets.
Magnets on the side could havesome water.
I could be out there saggingfor other folk too.
So we'll see.
You never know, whateverhappens will turn out okay well,
we'll be.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
We'll have another adventure, something to talk
about for sure.
On the show and share we weusually end up with some
shenanigans and where we are, soit doesn't matter.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Speaking of where we are.
Are we ready?
Speaker 2 (24:10):
For Listener Spotlight.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Are you ready for this?
I mean I'm ready.
I just kind of jumped in andguess I get a little excited
here and I got a good one.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
I got a guess.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
Whoa, I'm doing all sorts of crazy things here.
I got a guess.
Whoa, I'm doing all sorts ofcrazy things here.
Give me a second.
Well, I just lost my screen.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Oh man, I know Technical difficulties I told
you guys, it's hard to get goodhelp hey there we go.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
All right, listener spotlight, let me give you the
clues and then we'll see ifanybody had any guesses this
week.
The clues were as followed yourcat would love this city,
that's right.
Number two History can be foundall over the city.
(25:05):
You can even get a bit of localculture at a well-known fast
food restaurant.
The city owes a great deal to aparticular church, just one of
this city's fountains.
You could retire on in stylewith the help of one of the
(25:32):
fountains of this city.
And the city has a type of or adistinct, I'll say a distinct
article of clothing that isassociated with it, easily
associated with it.
As soon as I would say thisarticle of clothing, you'd be
(25:53):
like I know exactly what that is.
And the final one was is thatthis city has an association
with this year's Big Bragg?
It's not St Louis.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
We didn't ride in St Louis.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
We have, but not on this ride yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
I do have a guess from a VIP listener.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
Okay, who is that?
We've got many.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Well, this one happens to be Trip Barker our
team member Cool Yep, good oldTrip.
He says Heartwell Georgia forthe water feature and because
it's associated with Big Brag2025, hartwell Georgia.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
Well, tripp, I appreciate the effort and, by
the way, I know you got out ofschool and you're now looking
for a job, so good luck on thejob search.
But you are not correct.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
Sorry, you lose Good day sir.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
But you're a cycling man of leisure so technically
you win, you are a winner, so itis a good day.
Good job everybody, all rightyou have any guesses?
All right.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
You have any guesses?
The only thing that I was sortof thinking about is you
mentioned the water feature andwe went through two areas with
water Waterfalls.
We did, yes, and largewaterfalls, and large waterfalls
.
The first waterfall was notactually the city, but the
(27:48):
second one was a city.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
And for that reason I am guessing Toccoa, toccoa, huh
.
Yeah, you and Trip can sit onthe bus together, because you're
both wrong.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, boysand girls, this episode's
listener spotlight is the cityof Rome, italy oh, that is a
(28:19):
stretch no, how was it a stretch?
Because you said this year'sbrag has an association with
this year's brag.
Did we not spend time in rome,you?
Speaker 2 (28:31):
still got that challenge flag.
No, no yeah, somewhere throw itwhy?
Speaker 3 (28:39):
I'm just kidding, I get it um, I do have the
challenge flag.
I'm throwing it, but I'm goingto ignore it.
We went through rome, georgia,did we not?
Did we not see aqueduct typestructures in rome, georgia?
That?
They have put up there becauseit's associated, their
(28:59):
association with rome.
We did we did yeah I didn't sayit was on the thing anyway.
Uh, obviously, rome very muchconnected with the catholic
church in vatican city.
Um, cats, uh, cats actuallyhave the right to free rome.
(29:20):
In rome, like that what I didthere, yeah, uh, yeah, it's, uh,
it's a law that cats can roamfree in the city.
Uh, one of the city's waterfeatures?
Uh, you could retire in stylewith.
Um, just a single one of theircity's water features earns up
(29:44):
to 700,000 euros each year bypeople throwing coins into them.
It is known as the city offountains, with over 2000 of
them.
So, the article of clothes.
When you think of rome, what doyou think of?
(30:06):
Article of clothes?
Speaker 2 (30:07):
the hat, the, the beret or no, no, that's paris
and france.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
Oh, they do berets there, that's okay.
He's from michigan.
I apologize, I want to takethat out think animal house, the
party them yelling.
It's time for a toga.
Toga, toga, toga.
(30:34):
Remember the toga very muchassociated with rome, although
the romans little bit of sidebarhere.
Rom Romans did not invent thetoga.
It's associated with them, butthey did not invent them.
It was actually invented by theEtruscans, which was a
civilization that occupied thearea of Rome before Rome was
(30:55):
built and the Romans came along.
So the Etruscans don't get theproper credit Was Rome built in
a day.
Well, yeah, and all roads leadthere.
So, finally, history can befound all over the city.
There is McDonald's believe itor not, did not come to Rome
(31:18):
until the mid 80s and there is aMcDonald's in the city that is
actually built right next toRoman ruins.
In fact, you can go inside theMcDonald's, order your food and
sit down right next to anancient Roman wall while you
have your Big Mac.
A Royale with cheese.
I'll take the Royale withcheese.
(31:39):
Now you think, though, if it'snext to a Roman wall, Burger
King should have got in there.
And you know, come, be royal.
But there you go.
It's Rome.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
That's my Pulp Fiction reference the Royale
with cheese.
Ladies and gentlemen, gentlemenfrom Rome Actually, any city
that's Rome, thank you forlistening but this particular
case Rome, Italy.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Yes, thank you to our Italian listeners.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Wow nice.
I love international listeners.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
Well, roughly 12, 13%-ish of our listeners are
from out of the United States.
Love it, love it.
We're getting far-reaching here.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
All right.
So I just traveled somewhere.
It wasn't to Rome, it was not,but a lot of roads lead where I
went.
A lot of roads don't, I took aplane, okay.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
Did you fly into the big international airport?
Speaker 2 (32:55):
I did the big international of Des Moines.
Speaker 3 (33:00):
Des Moines Now is that really an international
airport?
It is.
Where do they fly that reallyan international airport?
It is.
Where do they fly?
That makes it international?
I don't know, or are they aKansas City, that Kansas City
International Airport?
Well, once upon a time it wasan international airport.
There is not a single flightthat you can get internationally
directly out of Kansas City.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
I'm going to guess, because it says international
airport.
At one time some flight wentinternationally.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
Reykjavik, iceland.
I bet you, I bet you it wasIceland.
Let's take a look, check it out.
I bet it was Iceland.
So you flew to Iowa withoutyour bicycle.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
I know, it felt really weird.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
I mean, did you like freak out mid-flight and go?
Oh crud, I didn't put mybicycle on.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
You know, here's the funny thing.
I'm searching here for ourlisteners, who I know Ed is
listening at 1.6 right now,based on the provided search
result, it appears there are nodirect international flights
departing from.
However, you can fly to aninternational destination.
We're going to Des Moines bytaking a flight with at least
(34:10):
one stop, so you're right.
Speaker 3 (34:13):
It's not an international airport, but
that's OK, we won't take awayfrom Des Moines.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
You can get to Singapore from Des Moines with
two stops on Air Canada Well.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
I could get to anywhere, probably from Des
Moines with two stops, londonwith two stops.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
Anyways, I digress.
I went to something calledTransit Retreat.
Being many times on this show Ihave mentioned, I am in
transportation.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
Sounds like a vacation in.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
Iowa Say what.
Speaker 3 (34:41):
Sounds like.
A vacation in Iowa is what itsounds like.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Well, just hold on.
Multiple times, you and I havebeen in Iowa with bicycles.
Yes, a few times we've been inIowa with something related to
bicycles, such as the RAGBRAIannouncement party.
We did not have bicycles withus.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
But it was bicycle-related.
Yeah, definitelybicycle-related.
We froze our fannies off bothtimes.
We went.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
So this is the first time that I've been to Iowa with
something that was not relatedto cycling.
I did keep telling my friendsand family this feels so weird
to be going here without abicycle.
(35:33):
But, sir, you and I talk aboutmany, many things leisure,
unsightly men of leisure, and Iflew with my golf clubs and I
played golf in altuna, iowawhich we have ridden through
which we have ridden through,and so um no thatden through,
and so Now that wasn't the town.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
we actually stayed on the golf course, was it?
No, okay.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
No, because I was looking for the lady who yelled
at us.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
That would have been funny.
I golfed, yeah a few years ago.
I stayed right there.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
You screamed at us about your horses, but that's
okay.
Speaker 3 (35:58):
Some reason she thought we were going to steal
her horses.
I've just spent like 90 milesin the saddle of my bike.
I'm not getting on your horse.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
But yes, we uh, the point was not there to go
golfing, but of course you knowme, I'm Delta takes my clubs for
free.
So I, I flew and I met somefriends and some other vendors
and we, we played golf andthankfully I played well.
That's nothing like travelingwith your clubs and then playing
like complete beep, but luckilyI played well and we went to
(36:33):
many Des Moines areas that youand I have been, and so I told
people even on the golf coursethat many times when riding our
bikes I usually make a joke whenwe pass a golf course and I
would say I wonder if my golfclubs miss me right now.
And this time I changed it andI said I wonder if my bicycle is
(36:56):
thinking about me right now.
So really cool to be downtownDes Moines, a lot of stuff going
on there, and we stayed rightby the Capitol.
Our hotel was.
We toured DART, which is thebig transportation there in Des
Moines which we've used before,say what which you and I have
(37:17):
used before on a ride.
Yes, we used it on a 2023, when,when it was staying down at
waterworks park and then we tookit to go have the zombie burger
, um, a lot of good stuff and Iactually sent you some
photographs, you did, and I waslike, oh, wow, flashbacks we
(37:37):
went to big grove brewery.
if you have been to rag baraiand you've either had a Tailwind
or a Neighborhood Beer.
They are the official brewerybeer of Ragbri and multiple
times we've had the big beer inthe can with the Ragbri logo.
This year they're doingNeighborhood Beer from Big Grove
(37:58):
Brewery, which I had Prettygood, beer from big grove
brewery um, which I had prettygood um.
They also have a 1939 amber andI had many of those at big
grove brewery.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
So this isn't stuff left over from 1939, is it?
Speaker 2 (38:13):
I believe it's a recipe from 1939.
I hope actually it was reallytasty.
But the next night we went tothis place called Ricochet.
So anyone from the Des Moinesarea probably was like, oh yeah,
I've been to Ricochet.
Ricochet is like a DaveBuster's that had skeeball and
(38:40):
table tennis and darts and justbig bar games, right.
And part of this networkingtransit retreat is they provided
meals and they had food trucks,the food trucks of Iowa.
And so when they first saidfood trucks, I was like okay,
food trucks, whatever.
And they told us how we got ourfood is you get a ticket and
then you take the ticket upthere and that's how they know
(39:02):
that you're actually part of ourorganization or part of our
group that we were over therewith.
And if anyone's ever been to aconference, you know, you know
there's there's certain linesfor people at the conference
attending the conference, etc.
Etc.
So I come around the corner andI saw it said the big red truck
oh yes and and I was so excitedbecause if you've ever ridden
(39:26):
rag bright, they're normallysomewhere on the route at rag
bright, depending on what areathey are and depending on the on
the, on the radius that they'regoing to travel, and they have
a euro sandwich that is just outof this world.
Now, normally I eat it whenit's 100 degrees outside and I
pedaled about 50 miles to getthere, so I felt kind of spoiled
(39:49):
by getting in line with myticket without getting out my
wallet.
Speaker 3 (39:58):
With standing in line getting my cheese curds that
went along with it.
Here's the question.
Yes, sir.
Speaker 2 (40:06):
Did you have to sit on the ground?
No, I did you have to sit onthe ground?
No, I did not have to sit onthe ground.
I I actually um, we were.
We were playing cricket on theon the dartboard, and so I got
to sit in a bar seat with a beerin front of me in an
air-conditioned building.
So it was definitely adifferent experience on scale
and of course I had to.
I had to tell the young ladyworking at the big red truck.
I'm like hey, I've seen you atRAGBRAI.
(40:27):
And she's like oh, you knowwhat it is.
And I said yes, and I said,well, you know, we've done it
five times.
And she said, oh, my gosh,that's great.
And of course I don't think shecared at all.
But I got out my phone andclicked on the map and showed
her all my pictures and, and soI showed her that I had a big
red truck picture.
Speaker 3 (40:45):
So I'm surprised they didn't go.
Welcome back, mr Baranski.
Would you like your usual,because I think that one year it
seems like you probably didn't,but it seems like every day we
ate at the big red truck and youhad the same thing every single
day.
I did.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
And then every day I'd say I'm going to get the big
red truck.
And you had the same thingevery single day.
I did.
And then every day I'd say I'mgoing to get it.
I would come into town and Iwould say I'm going to get
something different this timeand you're like, yeah, and then
sometimes I would.
But then sometimes the othertrucks that were there I would
look at and either the lineswould be just ridiculously long
or I can think of three times,three times vividly in my mind,
(41:21):
where you're like I'm going toget something different.
Speaker 3 (41:22):
It's like, okay, cool , I'm sitting there with my food
probably from the big red truckand here you walk up with your
hero sandwich from the big redtruck and I was like I thought
you were going to get somethingdifferent.
They just lured you in, that'sright.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
A lot of times, you and I being in Boy Scouts, we
would like to support thescouting.
You know scouting.
You know tents and stuff andthere was a while there where we
weren't seeing a lot of the BoyScouts.
You know selling burgers andstuff.
Speaker 3 (42:13):
And but if we did, then we you know you and
something the first time I rodeit, I remember you go to
community.
I don't remember any foodtrucks and it probably wasn't
back in 04, you know, and therewas the boy Scouts and there was
the Methodist church and theCatholic church and they were
all selling different stuff andbut they don't have a lot of
that anymore and that'sunfortunate and I think it's
(42:34):
just got so big and they needthe food trucks and they need to
, you know, to bring the foodtrucks in.
I think they need to say, hey,yeah, you can be with us the
whole week, type thing, and youknow too bad.
Speaker 2 (42:45):
I remember you and Ernie when you and Joe and
myself and you and Ernie had aconference call in 2015 about
the 2016 RAGBRAI.
I remember you and Ernie bothsaying, oh, what we'd like to do
is support the local churches.
They'll have spaghetti dinnersand things, and there have been
(43:09):
towns, don't get me wrong.
In five years we did see therewere some Catholic churches and
different churches that you andI went to, but a lot of times
Ragbri was so large that ourcharter was nowhere near some of
them churches.
And then you can get on theshuttle bus and you went
downtown because the shuttle buswas, you know, free or you know
, by gratuity or whatever.
And then you come into townwhere all the food trucks were
the same trucks that were out onthe road that day and so, um,
(43:32):
but there wasn't sometimes a lotof the churches, but, um, I
remember you guys clearly sayingthat you like to support local
when you were out there.
So, but yeah, it was a reallycool experience.
I mean, I was there from Tuesdayto Friday and being on the
ground and eating it.
We went to a really neat bar.
(43:53):
We never saw this on Ragbri,but the vendor I was with his
brother was from the area and wewent to a place called High
Life and it was a really neatlike bowling nostalgia.
I really thought about youbecause it had all these old
signage from Miller High Lifeand all these older beers and
(44:15):
you could tell that these werenot reproductions, these were
original.
Like this owner of this HighLife had really gone to
extensive lengths to get all ofthese old nostalgia signs and
traveled Like moving circlethings like with Clydesdales
(44:37):
going around the Globe with theClydesdale and the wagon.
Speaker 3 (44:41):
Yeah, it's a classic.
Speaker 2 (44:42):
Yes, and then they had like big high life, like
different Miller high life.
This show is not sponsored byMiller high life.
No Different high life,different signs throughout the
years of the high life logo, alot of bowling memorabilia.
I mean, just really I mean, andthe more that you sat and and
cause we were talking for a longtime, you know, um, but the
(45:05):
more you looked around therestaurant there was like
something new to see.
Each each booth had like atheme to it.
It was really cool.
So if you find yourself, if youfind yourself, excuse me, in
Des Moines, iowa and you'relooking for like a really cool
restaurant, uh, high life, highlife, it was a really good.
Speaker 3 (45:25):
So, um, well, I might be going through Des Moines in
October, so maybe I'll look thatup.
Speaker 2 (45:31):
There you go.
Speaker 3 (45:31):
But it's, it's funny that you brought up stuff like
that.
You saw so many things and theybrought up memories of like you
know, as soon as you saw thebig red truck, that immediately
in my mind is pulling up severalmemories of like getting in hot
and sweaty, we're, you know,getting this, we're sitting down
in you know a park or on theside of the street and eating
this.
I went to Casey's four days agotrue story with my daughter
(45:56):
middle of the day.
It's like I'd been working inmy office, it's like I just need
a soda and my daughter was homeand I said, hey, you want to go
grab a?
We call them road sodas.
You want to go get a road soda?
And it's like, yeah, sure.
So we went to our local Casey'sand we were getting our soda and
as we were leaving the sodaarea, there's like one of those
big, you know ice cream chestswhere they slide open and you
(46:17):
can get ice cream bars andsandwiches and stuff.
And she's like do you need anice cream sandwich, dad?
And I was like, oh, I don'tthink so.
And I looked down and I saw asticker and it was one of those
situations where immediatelythis image popped in my mind and
it was for Thelma's ice creamsandwiches.
(46:38):
And as soon as I saw thatsticker I was like they have
like a food truck, an ice creamsandwiches.
And as soon as I saw thatsticker I was like they have a
like a food truck, an ice creamtruck, every single day on rag
braai selling these ice creamsandwiches.
And it was just so kind of coolbecause you just had that
moment where it's like you knowwhat, I haven't thought about
these ice cream sandwiches intwo years.
Haven't really been thinkingmuch about ragGBRAI because I'm
(47:00):
not going.
If I was planning on, itwouldn't be because of this
shoulder thing.
But I saw that and it was justlike no way.
I was like what does it say onthe back?
And yep, made in Des Moines, sosame company.
So it's just one of thosesituations where you're just out
and about and all of a suddensomething just completely takes
you back to that experiencetakes you back to that
(47:27):
experience and it was reallycool.
Speaker 2 (47:28):
What's that?
I have a uh, an ironic moment.
Speaker 3 (47:29):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (47:30):
At one of my networking dinners they brought
out Thelma's ice creamsandwiches.
Speaker 3 (47:37):
Stop, no way.
Yes, yep I had the mintchocolate chip.
Now how?
Weird is that.
That's just getting bizarre.
Now we're living in a bizarreworld.
Speaker 2 (47:46):
Yeah, I promised we were sitting outside of the
hotel we were staying at, theSavory, which is an historic
building from 1919.
And outside, in the courtyardon Fifth Street, they had all
these tables set up and a barand it was a nice evening and
(48:07):
there's a big Welcome to DesMoines painting, huge painting
on the side of the wall.
I bet you, it's like 30, 40, 50feet.
It says Des Moines.
And then each letter of theword Des Moines there's, like
you know, inside one is like a Idon't know like a butterfly,
and one's a bicycle, and butyeah, and then they had waiters
(48:29):
and waitresses walking aroundand I said, oh, what is that?
And they're like oh, ice creamsandwiches.
I'm like ice cream, oh yeah.
And then, all of a sudden, Ilooked at the package and it
said Thelma's, and it remindedme of the silver food truck,
what looked like a silver watertrough or whatever.
I mean ice cream sandwich.
I clearly remember that.
(48:49):
So, yeah, it was definitely anostalgia road of bringing me to
my cycling world, but I haveanother one.
Listen to this, okay, listen tothis Okay.
You and I have been to a Ragbriannouncement party and we stayed
in that Fairfield Hotel acrossfrom what was the Wells Fargo
building where the Wolves orTimberwolves or whatever played
(49:12):
hockey.
Guess what it's called nowTimberwolves Stadium, the
Casey's Center.
No, like the convenience store,like the convenience store
casey's.
So our stock is is paying offis it?
Speaker 3 (49:28):
I hope so.
Spend a bunch of money?
Yeah, we'll see, but that's no,that's cool.
I did not know that casey's wasnow in the business of of, uh,
getting the naming rights.
Speaker 2 (49:37):
That's pretty cool but I did hear.
I did hear something concerningwhen I was there.
Okay, and that is I'm beingserious I'm understanding that
Casey's is now getting somecompetition from a convenience
store.
There was a whole dynamic and awhole conversation that I
happened to overhear, and it wasone of those things I
(49:59):
definitely was eavesdroppinglistening to because, from my
understanding that there is anew convenience store coming
into play called QS, quick Stop,a big convenience store.
(50:27):
There's quick trip, quick stop,and casey's and the quick stops
are trying to build or get nearthe casey's, and so I wanted
you to know that that's I.
Speaker 3 (50:31):
I have never heard of a quick no, there was a quick
stop growing up in the smalltown that I grew up in.
Uh, it was just like a local,regional thing.
It's not the same but um,that's interesting.
I'm not, because I know in Iowacome and goes are big.
Speaker 2 (50:47):
And did you know that the name come and go has been
bought out by a company calledMaverick?
Speaker 3 (50:53):
Really.
Speaker 2 (50:53):
And they're going to change all the.
They are changing the come andgoes to Mavericks.
Now how well do you thinkthat's going to go over in Iowa?
Speaker 3 (51:05):
Yeah, yeah, no, okay, it's business.
I guess I'm sure they've donelots of research on this, but I
had not heard about theQuickstop, so I'll have to keep
an eye on them.
I wonder if they're publiclytraded.
Speaker 2 (51:19):
I don't know, because they might want to get on that
quick.
Speaker 3 (51:30):
That's right, let's hop on that train.
Um, but one thing you did sendme that provoked another ride
memory of you being in iowa.
You sent me something to saythat you were like in the
vicinity or across the streetfrom a very interesting pizza
place that we've been to.
Speaker 2 (51:45):
Oh, fong's, fong's.
Speaker 3 (51:48):
Fong's Pizza.
This is, I think, our secondyear.
We went to the RAGBRAIannouncement.
We were just looking forrestaurants and we saw Fong's
Pizza.
Well, number one.
The name is enough to just makeyou want to go, because it's
like what is up with this?
An Asian, an Asian pizza place.
Uh, so we went.
Uh, you walked in.
(52:08):
I mean you got to the outsideof the building.
It was in downtown.
It kind of looked like a divebar as you were walking in.
When you walk in, it kind oflooked like a asian restaurant
you would find in, say, downtownnew york city yeah it just had
(52:29):
that feel felt very asian.
they had asian decor, all thiskind of stuff.
Um, so you go in, you sit down,they you a menu, and then they
had all these weird like pizzachoices that had, like I don't
know, all sorts of crazy Asianstuff on them and I remember at
the time we were kind of lookingat each other going, eh, but I
(52:52):
don't remember what I ordered,but I just remembered it was
really good and walking out ofthat I was like this place is
kind of a surreal type place.
The food was good, but you'dmade mention of that last week
about Fong's and that brought upthat memory.
Speaker 2 (53:09):
I was like oh yeah, I remember Fong's.
So where that came from is twothings.
First of all, we had crabragoon pizza when we were there.
Speaker 3 (53:14):
Man, you got a good memory.
Speaker 2 (53:16):
So here's what happened.
What was good you know how yougo to your respective brand's
app for your hotel where you'restaying at.
Speaker 3 (53:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (53:27):
So I was staying at the Savory, which is a Bonvoy
Marriott branded hotel, andinside the app it says
restaurants nearby, and so itliterally said Fong's Pizza.
And so that's where I took thescreenshot from.
I'm like, bro, and I had lookedat that before I flew out there
and I'm like, hey, look at this, remember this memory.
(53:49):
And you said yeah, and so Iwalked down there and when I got
there it said Fong's had movedto its new location.
And I did not go that far, butfrom my understanding they had
moved across the river to a newlocation which, by the way, the
river was right by my hotel.
It's not that big of a deal,but just because of the other
networking things, I just didn'tgo there.
Speaker 3 (54:11):
Well, that was cool.
When you sent that to me I gota good laugh and hadn't thought
about that in a couple of yearsand it was like that was
probably the most interestingpizza place I've probably ever
been to.
But you're right, it was theCrab Rangoon pizza, which sounds
maybe quite horrible butactually was very delicious.
Speaker 2 (54:32):
It was very good.
Speaker 3 (54:34):
Well, that's cool.
It's just weird that we had allof like this last week here.
We had all these kind ofmemories taking us back to to
Ragbri.
Now I get yours, you were rightthere in des moines and stuff,
but the thelma thing was justlike you gotta be kidding me
yeah, it's definitely.
Speaker 2 (54:50):
Um, of course, I think all the people that I was
around probably got sick of megoing.
I've been to ragbri five timesragbri adam.
Okay, yeah, yeah and actually,um, the director of Department
of Transportation was a keynotespeaker for one of my days of my
conference and he said I'm notsure if any of you have ever
been to our beautiful state, butwe have RAGBRAI coming up and
(55:12):
if you don't know what that is,and then my friend Jim looked at
me and I'm like I just told youabout it, guys.
Speaker 3 (55:20):
They're all pointing at you going.
Adam knows about it.
Speaker 2 (55:23):
Yeah, if you guys don't want the longest elevator
ride in the world.
But if you find yourself in DesMoines, I recommend a few
things.
I recommend the Savory Hotel,beautiful place.
Had a nice speakeasy bar in thelobby.
I know you would have likedthat.
Speaker 3 (55:40):
Can't go wrong.
Speaker 2 (55:42):
Had a nice smoked Woodford Old Fashioned in there
and that was wonderful.
May have had a couple Anyways,and Ricochet was a fun place if
you're looking for a place.
So a lot of good times, a lotof good memories and kind of
funny that you and your daughterNow we call road sodas
(56:05):
something a little octane, soyou uh we are out here in the
midwest, my friend, and a roadsoda is simply a soda.
Speaker 3 (56:14):
You buy to go on the road.
Speaker 2 (56:15):
So I'll be curious for those of you who are regular
leisure, leisure listenershipwhat do you call road sodaOTY?
Send me a message, I'm curiousto see.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (56:26):
Again they're going to go.
Michael's wrong on this one.
Speaker 2 (56:29):
I mean, have you ever like gotten the idea that
everyone keeps telling youyou're wrong?
Speaker 3 (56:33):
Yeah, constantly Like no, that's not right, michael,
you know, and in the beginningpeople were polite about it
Going.
Oh well, no, you're kind of alittle off there, a little
mistaken.
Nowadays it's just like you'rewrong, michael.
Speaker 2 (56:46):
Hashtag Michael's wrong.
Michael's wrong, nope, yeah,when I was in Southern Illinois
we called road sodas a beer.
I mean that was like you know,and then you hit the sign with
the beer can.
Speaker 3 (57:03):
I have young kids.
Speaker 2 (57:05):
I wonder why I went to military school.
Speaker 3 (57:08):
These are things we don't need to ponder.
Speaker 2 (57:10):
On that note, ladies and gentlemen, it is now time
for Listener Spotlight.
Speaker 3 (57:19):
All righty, let's see what we got for this week.
All righty, let's see what wegot for this week.
All right, this week's listenerspotlight clues are as follows
this town began as a mill town,so you know, like Grist Mills,
(57:39):
wool production, things likethat the first immigrants who
came to this community werepredominantly german and irish,
and this town was originallynamed for a european city.
Blues and jazz can trace someof its early commercial success
(58:11):
to this town.
The current town's name cameinto existence in 18, in the
1840s.
Now, side note, have younoticed that no town, it seems
like, has the name it startedwith I'm starting to see this as
a common trim that somebodycame and said we're naming this
town this and then, you know, 20, 30 years later someone came
(58:33):
through and said, no, we'rechanging it.
Speaker 2 (58:35):
That's because it opened to the public in the town
square.
They're like this name sucks.
Speaker 3 (58:42):
We're voting to change it.
Right now, four of us we needto vote.
Well, and back then half thepopulation couldn't vote anyway,
so there's like one guy out ofthose four who could vote.
Speaker 2 (58:54):
It's like we're naming it after me it's like I'm
brother, we're out, though thisguy's going to pay you to sing
into a can.
How many are there?
There's four of us.
Speaker 3 (59:05):
Hey, this town sets on a historical trail and when I
say trail, if you can't see me,I'm using air quotes.
(59:26):
Take that for what you will andthis town is located in a
county that the united statessecret service would probably
want to avoid or, in the past,should have avoided.
Speaker 2 (59:44):
So, all kidding aside , for a little bit I thought you
were skating near St Louis, butnot the German.
I know it's not German, 1840smaybe but I think St Louis is in
St Louis County and so thatdoesn't jive.
But just for a second, some ofthe clues that you were sort of
(01:00:05):
navigating around made me thinkis this the time that he tries
to pull the wool over my eyes ofSt Louis?
Speaker 3 (01:00:11):
You never know, but there was Germans in St Louis,
wasn't there?
I mean, isn't that whereAnheuser-Busch is?
Speaker 2 (01:00:19):
Well, yeah, it's German.
Now Well.
Speaker 3 (01:00:24):
I'm sure some people coming there were German, so
yeah, so it sits in a countythat the US Secret Service would
or should have issue with atsome point in history.
Speaker 2 (01:00:44):
Well, on that beautiful note.
Speaker 3 (01:00:48):
And I will tell you, I'll even give you an easier one
.
It is in the United States.
I didn't go offshore for thisone.
Speaker 2 (01:00:58):
You mean like Rome and Bragg?
Speaker 3 (01:01:02):
We even drove past those things and it's like look
at this.
They've even recreated whatlooked like Roman aqueducts.
Right as you're coming in, bigsign says welcome to Rome, and
on the other side are thesearches that look like the Roman
aqueducts.
Come on.
Speaker 2 (01:01:18):
And we did actually, yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:01:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:01:20):
Yeah, we did, and then we'd go to town wheregg had
its base camp, and then wewould go back to our hotel and
then we'd see, there's theoctagon.
Speaker 3 (01:01:31):
Hey look, Clark.
Speaker 2 (01:01:32):
Hey, look kids.
Speaker 3 (01:01:33):
Parliament.
Speaker 2 (01:01:34):
Big Ben, I got to give you credit.
I mean, normally you know we'reGPS bound, but after a while I
go, I think you turn.
You're like no, no, I go uphere.
So you were learning your room.
Speaker 3 (01:01:47):
So you know, roam, if you want to.
Speaker 2 (01:01:50):
According to Melanie, that's the B-52s, yes, or?
If she mistypes it, then Imisread it like a dummy.
But my fault, melanie, my fault.
But appreciate your continuedsupport.
Well, with that being said,this week is a holiday.
If you're listening to this,you've probably already
(01:02:12):
experienced July 4th.
I hope that you have all ofyour fingers and vision and
everything else that you had itbefore.
Hopefully, you celebrated thisgreat country with your families
and you're safe, and if youwant to hear something, if you
want us to talk about something,please let us know.
This is my chance to now thankJoe, grammar, dennis Scott and
(01:02:37):
Alex.
We really appreciate yourcontinued support.
If you want to hear your nameon this show, just please become
a monthly subscriber.
That's right.
Speaker 3 (01:02:48):
So with that being said, you are traveling right.
Speaker 2 (01:02:52):
Somebody else we need to thank isn't there.
Oh, yes, thank you so much.
You're welcome.
Oh my gosh, where is StephenWitts?
Stephen once again knockedagain.
I apologize, stephen.
This is the problem when youdon't follow your notes.
(01:03:13):
I was following mine, stephen.
Thank you, michael.
I really appreciate youreminding me.
Stephen not only gave us abeautiful, large donation, thank
you, thank you.
He says hi guys, love what youdo.
It seems fitting that the lastepisode started in Rome.
(01:03:35):
Okay, georgia should end inRome.
I remember the story of the300,000 cats in Rome.
I remember the story of the300,000 cats in Rome.
Not only were the cats good ratcatchers, but the Romans may
have given cats deity statuswith their hodgepodge of stolen
(01:03:57):
religions.
The Vatican, trevi Fountain,architecture and togas were all
excellent clues.
Keep up the excellent work.
Speaker 3 (01:04:05):
So I I owe steven an apology so we actually had
somebody who guessed it.
You know what?
Look at that.
And you thought my clues werehorrible.
Steven got it.
Why didn't anybody else?
Speaker 2 (01:04:28):
steven, I apologize, but he definitely got it.
And on top of that, not onlydid he guess correctly, he put
some money in our pocket and wealways, we always appreciate
that.
Speaker 3 (01:04:42):
So, uh, yeah, and to get back to what you were saying
uh, when this comes out, I willbe traveling, I will, indeed
and um, going to oklahoma for acouple days, coming back, and
then I am going to the greatstate of kentucky.
My wife thought it was fittingfor my birthday, which is coming
(01:05:03):
up next week, to take me tobourbon country, and I said,
well, yes, you should, but it'salso my daughter's birthday the
day after mine, so she gonna getsome buffalo trays too, uh you
know that little girl knows moreabout whiskeys and bourbons
(01:05:24):
than I do.
Probably, um, it'll serve herwell in college, but, um, no, on
her birthday I believe we aresetting up.
One thing that she wanted was aformal high tea nice.
So we were going to have aformal high tea, uh, there
somewhere around lexington orsomewhere in the in the general
area.
So, um, we are going to haveformal high tea there, somewhere
around Lexington or somewherein the general area.
(01:05:45):
So we're going to have a littlebourbon, going to have a little
tea, and who knows what elsewe're going to find along the
way.
So it'll be a good time, don't?
Speaker 2 (01:05:54):
forget your app to figure out what Buffalo Trace or
the probability of BuffaloTrace is selling that day.
Speaker 3 (01:06:01):
Oh yeah, that's got to be strategically uh,
strategically thought out.
Speaker 2 (01:06:05):
so hey hon, I'm thinking that we need to go buy
buffalo trace today you knowwhat?
Speaker 3 (01:06:14):
I get no arguments from her because you know what I
think.
Two weeks ago I sent you apicture of what I was drinking.
We had some family in town.
I thought you know what?
They hadn't tried it.
So we broke open a bottle ofblantons so they could try it.
And you know what?
My wife is a huge fan.
So no argument from herwhatsoever, and she's really
(01:06:35):
started getting intoold-fashioned.
So, uh, you know, life isgetting good for me.
Speaker 2 (01:06:41):
Here's my hint, if you both go together, get in
line separately and pretend youdon't know each other.
Speaker 3 (01:06:53):
We could do that we could do that Max Cohen.
Speaker 2 (01:06:59):
Yeah, there's three, but he won't be of age.
Speaker 3 (01:07:03):
Oh man, he'll miss it by like two months, because
what you can get, what Onebottle?
Speaker 2 (01:07:10):
Yeah, and then it's per person and then every three
months.
But you'll be back, I will be,you'll be back.
Speaker 3 (01:07:22):
I will be, and then I can pick up what I didn't pick
up a couple of months before.
Speaker 2 (01:07:29):
Go to the ladies in the gift shop.
Can you hold this behind thecounter for me?
I'll be back.
Speaker 3 (01:07:36):
I'll be back, no, but we're going to.
We're going to try to hit someplaces that I haven't hit up in,
like Louisville, nice, thatkind of thing, and we're going
to throw some places that Ihaven't hit nice up in, uh, like
Louisville, that kind of thing,um, and we're going to throw
some cultural things in thereWe've thought about.
Maybe they got a nice, you know, uh, you know set in a lazy
river type thing.
You know you set an inner tubeall day on the river, that kind
(01:07:56):
of thing.
So nice.
Yeah, it should be fun.
I'll send you pictures.
Speaker 2 (01:08:00):
Well, that'd be great , and I knew it was your
birthday, so I figured that youwere.
You were about to turn 29.
Speaker 3 (01:08:07):
So I know, life is flying by Wow.
Done so much in 28 and almost29 years.
Speaker 2 (01:08:15):
Hopefully that surgeon says you can have
something a little more octanemilk.
Speaker 3 (01:08:21):
Oh, I'm going to.
I mean, the point is really,the first week I took painkiller
here and there.
Um, now I haven't been takingany.
So I could technically startgoing.
But I'm not going to cause, I'mgoing to give my body every
chance it can get until Kentuckyand then at that point chance
(01:08:42):
it can get until Kentucky andthen at that point.
Speaker 2 (01:08:45):
Well, no holds barred , like the first day in college,
woo-hoo.
Speaker 3 (01:08:50):
We're having a party.
Speaker 2 (01:08:52):
Yeah Well, we will update everybody with your
medical condition and our plansby the time the next show comes
out.
We'll tell you our plans,because we don't know yet to be
honest.
Speaker 3 (01:09:04):
What are the Cycling Men of Leisure going to do next?
We don't know, so it'll be funfor everybody.
Speaker 2 (01:09:11):
But once we figure it out, maybe you'll know, at the
same time we do.
You never know.
With that being said, I'm suresomewhere, somehow, somebody had
a great day for a bike ride.
Speaker 3 (01:09:24):
It wasn't me, but it definitely was for somebody.
Speaker 2 (01:09:27):
Watch out for those poses.
Speaker 1 (01:09:31):
Thank you for coming along with Adam and Michael on
Road Adventures with Cycling Menof Leisure.
If you have enjoyed this,please subscribe to the show on
the podcast app of your choice.
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