July 20, 2025 • 68 mins
Michael's fractured clavicle changed everything about this summer's cycling plans, but it led to unexpected adventures worth sharing. While nursing his broken collarbone (or "fractured clavicle" as his doctor insists on calling it), Michael took his family to Kentucky's bourbon country, visiting seven distilleries in a single day - though he made sure the kids had plenty of fun too with stops at a candy factory and the Louisville Slugger Museum. He proudly shows off his new mini Louisville Slugger bat engraved with "Cycling Men of Leisure" - the perfect souvenir for a cyclist temporarily sidelined from riding.
Meanwhile, Adam made the most of expiring timeshare points with a spontaneous Disney World trip alongside his wife, who's been dealing with the difficult process of moving her father into memory care. With temperatures soaring both in Florida and back home in Michigan, Adam shares his veteran Disney strategies - knowing exactly where to find air conditioning and even which ride photos to pose for. His childlike joy on Space Mountain proves you're never too old to throw your hands up and smile for the camera.
The most difficult decision they faced was what to do about their planned participation in RAIN (Ride Across Indiana). After exploring every possible scenario - including having Michael provide SAG support - they ultimately decided to cancel. "I just did not want to do it without you," Adam explains, capturing the essence of their friendship and podcast partnership. They reflect on how their adventures are meaningful because they're shared experiences, not solo accomplishments.
Adam shares surprising bicycle accident statistics (did you know 73% of cycling crashes don't involve motor vehicles?), while Michael recounts the hose incident that led to his injury. The episode culminates with the full Cycling Men of Leisure origin story - how two strangers met during a 2016 Iowa ride and formed a friendship that evolved into a podcast, brand, and growing community united by the philosophy that cycling is about savoring the journey rather than racing to the finish.
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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 Cycling Men of Leisure.
Once again I am Adam and I amlucky again to be joined with my
good friend all the way fromCentral Time, mr Michael Sharp.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
That's right.
Central time because it is theright time, essentially located
behind everything and we arealways central.
Everybody likes to be central,sure, sure, okay, I need to.
I could be on the commercial topromote central time.
Everyone should live in CentralTime.
I see something in your hand.
(01:08):
Oh yeah, I was getting ready topour a little, is that okay?
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah, but you still got that purse on.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Well, number one, it's not a purse, it's called a
satchel for adventurers.
Yeah, I've still got that on.
I still have a fracturedclavicle.
For all you non-medical people,it's a broken collarbone.
I love it how, when my doctorcame in and he's like, well, it
appears that you have afractured clavicle, and I was
(01:41):
like, well, it sounds like I'vegot a broken collarbone.
He's like, yeah, you're right.
I was like, well, it soundslike I've got a broken
collarbone.
He's like, yeah, you're right.
It's like okay, you know youdon't have to fancy it up and
let's just say what it is.
But I did in watching the tourwho was it?
Alaphilippe day three crash.
And I was watching it and I waslike he went down hard and he
(02:02):
just like laid there for aminute and it's like, oh man, I
know that, look, cause that'sexactly what I look like and how
I felt, was there a hose in theground?
There wasn't.
There was another bicyclist inhis way, gotcha Um, who came
over into his line Cause itdidn't hold the line.
But, uh, he went down and I waslike I recognize this and they
(02:22):
immediately helped him get offbecause you know, they've got
other cyclists and cars andthings coming through, and he
went over and sat on the sideand I was like, yep, been there,
done that.
And literally four secondslater they were bringing out the
sling and I was like, yeah, hebroke his collarbone, he
fractured his clavicle, but heneeded surgery.
I didn't, oh boy, when he neededsurgery.
(02:47):
I didn't, oh boy.
When it happened.
I was like, oh, I know exactlywhat happened because I had that
same look on my face when itdid occur.
So I am self-medicating here.
A new riff.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Well, now, you recently went on a trip.
You recently went on a trip andafter you pour your delicious,
wonderful, tasty beverage if youcould please give us an update
on your wonderful trip with yourfamily.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
I did go on a wonderful trip with my family.
My wife felt it important thaton my birthday we go somewhere
exciting and fun.
So for the week of my birthdaywe went to the great state of
Kentucky.
We've been to Kentucky before,on the other side of the state,
and did you know Pigeon Forgeand Mammoth Cave and all that?
(03:38):
This time we hit bourboncountry, okay, and we did some
other family stuff my son's biginto antique shops, which is
cool because I like those thingstoo.
And uh, my daughter's birthdayis a day after mine and we went
and had, you know, like formaltea, and that was really good.
I mean, you gotta love kentucky.
They give you choices of teaand one of them is bourbon black
(04:01):
tea.
So, yes, please, yes, please.
Uh, you know, I had the littlesandwiches and the little finger
desserts and it was a lot offun.
But uh, on my birthday I think Iwent to seven different
distilleries just on my birthday, um, you know, hit a bunch of
good ones.
It's a, you know, wild turkeyand will it.
And uh, four roses, and uh, allof them, especially the ones
(04:26):
Bardstown and the ones furtherdown south, lux Row, things like
that.
But it was a good time and sawa lot of distilleries and I have
some ideas for our trip when wego.
I got a couple ideas that I'mgoing to suggest and I haven't
talked to you about it, but I'mgoing to suggest that maybe we
partake in a couple of things,maybe the day before or whatever
(04:51):
.
I think it could be fun, buthad a fantastic trip.
Everybody always asks did thekids have any fun?
Fair question yeah, they had agreat time.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
I mean, we made sure that we I was going to say,
because I asked you the samequestion.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
You did and everybody else was asking oh, you took
your kids to bourbon country.
Well, that sounds like a goodtime for them, but no, in
addition to that, we also wentto.
There's a big candy maker, anold candy maker there in
Frankfurt, ruth, something orother, I'm forgetting the name
right now.
We went and toured theirfactory, um learned how they
(05:25):
made their, their candies, anduh.
Then we also went to theLouisville slugger factory.
You know the baseball batpeople.
That's something to show.
You showed us everything, likeyou know how they make the
professional bats and how theymake you know bats for you and
me everything from you knowafter they've cut the tree down,
(05:46):
to the whole process and thefinishing.
And it was a very good tour.
I would suggest anybody inLouisville stop by and do it.
Not super expensive, veryeducational.
I didn't know that much.
I mean, I knew they had scienceinto bats.
I did not know they had thatmuch science in bats.
And I picked up this littlepiece of memorabilia right here,
(06:10):
which you have not seen.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Oh no, it is the mini Louisville Slugger but genuine.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Louisville Slugger with cycling men of leisure.
I love it Engraved in it.
That's pretty cool, man.
Yeah, so I now have an officialbat.
So here's what cool man.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Yeah, so I now have an officially official bat.
So here's what I'm, here's whatI'm guessing.
Yes, I know that your commuteis 13 steps to work.
Yes, and if somebody breaksinto your office, they are going
to have an imprint of cyclingmen of leisure across their
forehead.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Yes it is very possible, because I keep it
right over here, on this shelfRight over here.
If anybody breaks into myoffice, let me tell you they
better hope that's the onlyimpression they get on them, but
that would be the quickest Iget to smack them upside the
head and wander on out of here.
Cowboy Ladies and gentlemen,this bruise has been brought to
(07:07):
you by Cycling Men of Leisure.
No officer, I didn't break intohis house.
Well then, why is there animprint backwards of genuine
Louisville Slugger Cycling Menof Leisure on your?
forehead there yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
That's pretty cool man.
It was a great trip.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
The weather was nice, a couple of rain showers late
in the evening and and we tookour camper and, uh, we had a
great, you know, campsite.
I mean we didn't primitive itat all, I mean it was glam
camping all the way, but, um, itwas nice.
We stayed right out, uh, rightin Georgetown, which you and I
have been to, and let me tellyou we've been through there a
(07:45):
couple of times, georgetown is alot bigger than we ever thought
.
Gotcha, you know, we come inthere and we knew there's a
college, and then we go down theold Main Street and you know,
then, over to where Bourbon 30was, it's not there anymore
because they moved and that kindof looked like the whole town.
But if you go south of on thatstreet, let me tell you you've
(08:07):
got hotels and restaurants andall sorts of fun stuff.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Only because you mentioned Bourbon 30 and you
have a nice picture of me fromBourbon 30, where it was.
Did you go to the new place?
Speaker 3 (08:18):
I did not go to the new place.
Because, I didn't know if, whenwe went to the bourbon thing, if
we were going to go there orwhatever.
So I didn't know if, when wewent to the bourbon thing, if we
were going to go there orwhatever.
So I didn't go there.
But what was also cool is therewas a restaurant in downtown
Georgetown, right where we'veridden down, kind of
canny-cornered, from that parkwhere they always have the rest
(08:40):
stop.
It's got that old cabin from1804 or whatever the historical
marker there.
I was sitting there and Iordered uh, stromboli, very good
, and I was going through theirbeer selection and I was
astonished they had narragansettlager.
And for people who don't drinka lot of beer from up north into
(09:07):
the northeast Rhode Island,massachusetts, it wouldn't mean
anything to you, but I hadn'thad that since I lived in
probably Rhode Island years agoand it just brought back so many
memories I was like no way,this is not, is this the real
deal?
And for those of you who don'tknow what it is, you have
actually seen it if you've seenthe movie Jaws, because the old
shark hunter is like sittingthere on his boat and he's, like
(09:30):
you know, singing sea shantiesor whatever, and you see him
drink the Narragansett lager andthen crush the can.
You're going to need a biggerboat.
You're going to need a biggerboat, but it was fun.
You're going to need a biggerboat.
You're going to need a biggerboat, but it was fun.
But I also.
While I was there, you went andvisited your mouse with a house
(09:51):
.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
I did.
I went to my place with miceit's called an exterminator.
So we've said a few times onthis show that we both have
timeshares there.
My wife is probably goingthrough one of the toughest
times of her life.
She's putting her father into amemory care center and our
(10:13):
normal trip that we wouldnormally take we were unable to
take our annual time that welike to go down, and so with our
timeshare you have the same one.
We can move points around.
They let you to bank them forthe next year, but they only let
you bank so far, and sonormally going to Orlando in
(10:36):
July is not high on my prioritylist, but I had points that were
going to expire.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
And I sure that we're losing.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Yeah, and so I decided to use them and it also
gave my wife and I.
First of all, delta flightswere only 220 bucks round trip,
which is unheard of nowadays,and it gave us the time just to
have a nice five days togetherto get away, and so really
didn't average.
I didn't even tell you.
I mean, it wasn't like I waslike shocked because I'm driving
(11:06):
and all of a sudden my phonedings.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
and I'm driving and of course you know I'm a little
handicapped right now.
So it's like both hands on thewheel, all that.
And she's like, oh yeah, heydid you know Adam's in in
Florida.
And I was like what?
I have no idea you were goingto Florida, which is okay, I
mean you don't have to, you know, get your travel plans approved
(11:30):
by me.
But you know, generally wecomes up in conversation but I
had known what was going on withyour life and stuff like that.
So I just assumed it's like youand your wife got some time and
decided to to go down there andhang out.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
So that's cool.
Yeah, I I kind of teased herand I said, uh, are we going to
be able to cohabitate in thesame same same room?
Because we were hotel room bythe airport and then Disney for
four nights and then I stayed.
You know, you and I always dothe same thing I stay at the
airport in Orlando, the Hyattthere, and then flew, took the
(11:59):
five o'clock flight back, fiveam flight back in the morning,
and so the first night we werein the in the hotel.
I'm like, all right, well, I'mgonna brush my teeth.
So, uh, can I have the bathroomfor a while?
Because we have, we haveliterally lived.
She's been living in myfather-in-law's in ohio, so
she's been.
She's been living at mysister-in-law's house and so she
comes home for doctor'sappointment or or change of
clothes, medication, but she'sbasically been there and so it
(12:22):
was nice to spend time with her.
Cool, um, it wasn't, wasn't, itwas hot, I'm not going to say I
mean, but it was also the sametemperature in Michigan.
I was kind of watching mywatching home, you know, and I
think we all do that now withtechnology, but, um, it was the
same temperature in Michigan.
It was ironic, but there wasonly one day that I was in
orlando.
That was just just miserable.
(12:44):
I mean, uh, just stupid hot andand.
Um, you know we're, we're,we're.
We go there so much that youknow we know where the air
condition is, we know where wecan jump into gift shops or sit
down, or you know let's go get ago get a water or whatever
cocktail in the water.
And we're're not like peoplewho buy the hats and balloons
(13:07):
every time.
We like to do a few things hereand there.
We're actually finding now thatwe're enjoying the resort more
than the park.
And so we were able to do that.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
I gave you that.
Did you get my advice that oneday You're at Disney World and
it was super hot and I was like,well, you've got to go to a.
What is it?
Speaker 2 (13:26):
The carousel of progress to take a nap, carousel
of progress.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
It's like a 20 minute that you sat down in one seat
and it kind of goes around andit, but it takes like 20 minutes
.
It's air conditioned, the bestplace to take a nap.
It's dark, it's cool.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
It's a great big, beautiful tomorrow yeah, yeah,
you know this dog yeah, we didthat.
We did the people mover so Icould sit back because it, you
know, goes on different rides.
And then, uh, I did dosomething, following my wife, we
did something a little bitdifferent.
I, I made her get on thetomorrowland speedway and she's
like, why are we doing this?
(14:03):
I'm like because pretty soonthey're going to make it green
and they're going to make itelectric.
That's only semi-rumored, bythe way, but Disneyland says
they're going to do it very soon.
And I figured you know.
I said, come on, let's do it.
You know, and there was no, itwas weird, because of the heat
there wasn't a lot of lines.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
We were bunch of stuff and like peter pan's
flights, unheard of that you canget on.
We just like pretty much walkedright on and then, um well, who
wants to?
What kid?
Speaker 2 (14:33):
wants to hang out, you know, in the heat, in those
long lines, so I don't blame him.
But but a lot of, a lot of uh,foreign tourists, um they didn't
know any better.
It's like oh hey, I get cheaperprices, now exactly but no, we
had a good time, a good, youknow good a few restaurants it
was.
It was just nice to spend timewith my wife, so that was.
That was great.
No, no travel issues and um, um, you know you and I joke on
(14:54):
this show about upgrades.
We did get upgraded on the waydown.
I gotta tell you, um, I had mybest breakfast, uh, on a plane
that I've ever had, you know.
So, yeah, I've been prettylucky with work and travel and
everything um to to be able toget in first class and get some
meals and stuff.
I got to tell you I had this,this, uh, pineapple crepe
(15:14):
breakfast and I was, I wasimpressed.
I mean, it was normally it's asmall sandwich and a small, you
know whatever.
I mean um, but, and you and Ialways tease cause you're like
I'm back in the cattle car orwhatever, but this was, I got to
tell you, delta, on that meal,knocked themselves out.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Yeah, it was pretty good.
What's funny is I got all youknow.
You sent me picturesperiodically.
Let me tell everyone out thereseeing Adam in these, because
Adam's been there a lot.
He knows where all the camerasare for the rides so he knows
where he really needs to ham itup.
Let me tell you all of hispictures.
He looks like I'm going to saylike an eight year old little
(15:56):
boy on the ride.
He's just always got this bigsmile on his face and his hands
are up and he's like having agreat.
He would be the poster childfor in this, this version, the
poster man of Disney, cause he'salways got these big smiles on
his face and I mean it justlooks like he's having the time
(16:18):
of his life.
So I enjoyed the picture.
Thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Well, and, and to add to that, um, for, for fun, for
here, so like when we do SpaceMountain, it's.
You know, it's a childhoodmemory of mine to always go on
Space Mountain.
So love it, love it, love it,love it Makes me think of my
parents and how we used to go toDisney when I was younger, and
so I am so bad with the camerasthat I know that I'll even say
(16:45):
to Lauren now wait to the secondflash and then look up here,
Look up at like at three o'clock.
And then she's like well, howdo you know that?
And I'm like, just wait, I'mtelling you.
And so because we were on SpaceMountain, you know it was one,
two, three, four, five, six.
And so I was five and six and Isaid, OK, wait to the second
flash, look at three o'clock,hold your chin up a little bit.
And she's like how do you knowall this dumb stuff?
Speaker 3 (17:06):
you set people up for glamour shots on uh roller
coasters.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
But you're right, you know, the only one I didn't
know was tron.
I don't.
I still.
You know it's so new that thepicture turned out great, but
I'm still learning where they'reusing.
They got to be using likedaylight cameras because I
didn't see any flashes, but yeah, I haven't.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
I haven't been on that ride.
It was there last time I wasthere but, uh, the line was
crazy and I, you know we didn'tdeal with it.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
But yeah well, so no, I had a good time.
Yeah, I had a good time, andand then, um, you know, the
original plan was to go downthere and then be home for a few
days and head to rain with you,which is why, if you're a
YouTube follower, I am wearingJersey.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
That I one way, 160 miles, that's right.
And guess what I wrote?
Speaker 2 (17:59):
I wore it yesterday.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
Oh yeah, you didn't wear it yesterday.
No, I didn't wear it yesterday.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
No, I didn't wear it yesterday, we were recording
this before, but the jersey camein the mail and you know we
teased last time either possiblyme riding by myself we teased
you doing SAG.
We got a lot of responses.
We asked for responses and wegot them and we thank you all
for responding about SAG thingsto have in the vehicle, and you
(18:28):
and I just kind of had a heartto heart and I didn't want to do
it without you.
I'm probably for those.
Anyone who knows me personallyprobably knows that I'm in the
best shape that I've been inprobably 12 years.
I mean, of course I have thehealth scare we've talked about
on the show a few times and I'vemaintained it every day and a
(18:52):
lot of people say how do youwalk and how does that go into
cycling and actually they gohand in hand.
And I know that I could ridethe ride.
I know that I could do it, butfor me it wouldn't have ride the
ride.
I know that I could do it andbut for me it wouldn't have been
(19:13):
the same.
For me it would have, eventhough you would have done the
SAG and and you and I have doneall of these thousands of miles
together and the stories are ourstories and the show and we'll
get into that in a little bit.
But how it got, how we're heretoday, was our adventures, and
it just didn't feel right to methat that we were going to go do
(19:37):
this ride you were going to be.
I mean, first of all, we hadhotel expenses, travel expenses
to get to the hotels, then,whatever we were going to do for
a vehicle to drive, you know,to Terre Haute, somehow get to
Terre Haute.
And if we kept our YMCA becausewe had paid for the overnight
YMCA, if we kept that, then didwe get up at five and then did
(19:57):
you drive 20 miles or 20 minutesdown the road or 20 miles on
the road, and then I meet upwith you and then, once we
started doing a deep dive, therewere certain stops that they
did not want support vehicles at, and so, looking at it, we just
, uh, we did email them, um,full transparency.
(20:19):
Um, if you know me, you know I'man extremely transparent guy.
I emailed them and asked themif they would make us.
I know on the website it saidabout four times that there was
non-refundable and so we asked,you know, not for a refund, but
maybe to push till next year andthat we could do interviews or
whatever.
And it was about two weeks ago.
(20:44):
We finally got the answer,which was just because of
planning and logistics.
They declined our offer, whichis fine, I get it.
I mean, they're paying for food.
They probably had to havecertain, you know, being in
event.
Both of us did events beforeevents in our lives, either your
auctioning or weddings or myweddings, and I get it.
You have to hire certain people, you have to make certain cuts
(21:12):
for meals and things of thatnature, and so they they
declined our offer, which,unfortunately, things happen the
way they did.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
I just did not want to do it without you and, and
you know, I appreciate thatCause, I would have felt the
same way, um, but I didn't wantto clout your judgment if you
wanted to go ride it.
But I had already had plannedthat if I was sagging, I was
going to take a little videoevery 20 miles and I was going
(21:39):
to somehow fake it.
I'm on the phone call, put myearbuds in and go oh, you want
to sag?
No, you can't sag, no, can't,can't.
You can't sag right now.
Why?
Why?
Because I and have like an icecream cone in my hand or an ice
cream bar no, I'm having icecream.
You can't sag now keep going,that's.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
That's the best, I mean, in days of thunder.
If anyone's never seen thatmovie robert duvall and tom
cruise he's like I'm coming, I'mcoming in for a pit, not right
now, why not?
We're having ice cream andthey're all got ice cream cones
like right out in the pit area.
Yeah, you know, I was torn alittle bit because it wasn't
(22:17):
that big of a.
I mean, if it would have beenlike a five-day entry fee or a
seven-day entry fee, then itmight have been you know money
to eat, and so a seven day entryfee, then it might have been
you know money to eat and and soI haven't sent you my bill yet,
so don't don't be afraid, I'llbe sending that over to you,
okay, um, yeah, right, but uh,we were only out like 140 bucks
for the ride and I still haven'tgot my jersey
Speaker 3 (22:38):
you're out 240 bucks it's like no, you're like at the
beginning week.
It's like I got my jersey.
I've been waiting, waiting,waiting.
Haven't got my jersey yet.
So if you're listening andyou're part of rain, michael
sharp has not got his jerseythat he paid for.
Uh, not that it's a huge dealbecause I didn't participate in
the ride, but still you know.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Hello american express.
How can I help you?
Yes, I'd like to dispute acharge.
Oh sorry, mr sharp, don't makeme do it exactly I love that
when someone says oh no, wecan't help you, okay, okay well
whatever you say, that's exactlyI'm gonna help me out, trust me
(23:19):
.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Um, yeah, unfortunately, due to the
fractured clavicle, we're notable to do that ride, so it's
very disappointing.
It was really disappointingwhen the emails were coming
through.
It's like, yeah, hey, are youready?
And we're you know bus is goingto leave at this time and stuff
.
So yeah, I was verydisappointed.
(23:40):
But then I also look at, Iwouldn't have been able to make
160 miles.
I, deep inside I mean, I stillgot some pain a little bit.
Uh, I'm getting better mobility.
I think deep inside of me Icould have gotten 75, maybe even
a hundred, but beyond thatthere's no way I would have, I
(24:04):
would have been able to to keepgoing.
And that is if you know theroads weren't.
If the roads were in really badshape, yeah, that would have
been probably reduced by half.
So, and then it wasn't worthpotentially hurting it more,
making it worse or anything andfor our leisure community.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
I just have to tell you, michael and I looked at all
pieces.
We talked about even you ridingout with me for 10 miles,
getting some photos and thenriding back and then meeting me
on the end 10 miles in andfinishing it.
We looked at all kinds ofthings but really part of our
friendship is not that we can'tride bikes without each other.
(24:44):
I mean, I go out and train allthe time you try training.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
I'm not doing that anymore.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Exactly, you know, I used to tease you for not
training.
Now I understand why I mean Notdoing it.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
Setting my basement on my Peloton.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
And I do all kinds of rides here in Michigan.
You know, I do the Dawn Farmand it's something I'm proud to
do, and one on farm, and it'ssomething I'm proud to do, and
one hell of a ride and tour deliving, I mean, I mean it's
something I can't ride my bikewithout you.
But when we do these adventures, you know we did old Ram
together and old Ram one dayright across Michigan, and then
the ride we don't speak aboutand you know, we, we we've done
(25:18):
so many States on.
You know, iowa.
Iowa sounds like a pompous youknow what, but Iowa five times
and Georgia four times, I meanit wouldn't have felt the same
for me, because then here's whatI pictured, just to be truthful
with you.
Oh yeah, have you guys everdone rain?
Well, he has, and that's that'skind of what, for me, was like
(25:39):
that's a deal breaker.
And you know we do this stufftogether.
The show's about us and ouradventures.
It's not about my adventures, Imean.
So then if I'd be like, oh man,you missed it, there was this
one section and I was down on mybars and I was doing.
You know what I mean.
I mean, you know and you'relike well, thanks a lot, I did
miss it.
And then I thought you know,riding a ride like that?
(26:01):
You know, usually you want togo out to dinner and then it's
the celebratory and here, I amgoing yeah, I made it across the
state.
And you're like, yeah, that'sgreat.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
No, I put on the jersey one day, one way, and
right there where it says 160miles, I'd get some letters and
put on there however many icecream bars I ate during that day
.
That's right, 16 ice cream barsone day, one way.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
Anyways, I digress.
That being said, you do have afew well wishes.
So on YouTube Senscape, Angiesaid hope you heal.
Well.
Alex Bell and I were textingabout Kentucky.
Unfortunately, I'm sad to say,he's not going to be able to
make it, he's got anotherobligation.
But, alex, we love you.
(26:45):
You brother, um, but he didwish you well, michael um, and
melanie, our team member, andthe brim, where I love you.
Melanie, uh, she has alsowished you the best, so, um, a
few others as well, but, uh,just want to know some, some
notable people that we mentionedon the show.
But, um, well, a.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
DeBrim would not have helped my situation, just
getting it out there to theuniverse.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
I don't know, you might have had a better, like
the sun could have been blockingand you could have.
I'm okay, just kidding.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
Tilt scape was off.
No, no.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
That being said, I think we'll move on.
I think it's that time, mayberain next year.
Stay tuned.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
We've only tried twice.
Let's see.
Maybe third time's a charm, hey.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
I got this great jersey.
I got to get some miles fromTerre Haute to Richmond.
So if you're looking on YouTuberight here, I've driven it
before.
Does that count?
Yeah, me too Many a times.
Speaker 3 (27:48):
All right I think it's time.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
Ladies and gentlemen, it is that time again.
It is now time for listenerspotlight.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
All right, listener spotlight, let me go over the uh
, over the clues that I providedlast episode.
The first immigrants to thiscommunity were predominantly
German and Irish.
It began as a mill town.
You know grist mills, cottonmills, things like that, wool
mills I can't even read my ownnotes now.
(28:23):
The current town name came intoexistence in the 1840s.
Um, um, blues and jazz cantrace some of its early
successes to this town.
It sets on a historic trail andI'm putting trail in air quotes
(28:46):
and this town sets um in acommunity that the Secret
Service probably would wouldhave wanted to either avoid or
checked out more in our past.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
So the first time you said that I was like thinking
Secret Service, assassinationattempt or assassination, you
know I was thinking OK, well, Iknow that on my mother's it's
not St Louis.
I know, on my mother's sweet16th birthday, jfk was
(29:31):
unfortunately assassinated, andso I thought about OK, texas.
But then the other things yousaid didn't match up.
But Tom, from Utah, he has saidSioux Falls, south Dakota.
Gentlemen, I enjoy the show,thanks for what you do, please
keep it up.
But I was thinking somethinglike assassination attempt or
(29:54):
something like that, but I don'tknow what.
Okay, well, if we have no otherguesses, no, and it's not st
louis, then I will let you knowwhat it is.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
It is, it is not going to even insult you with
the guess of st louis.
No um, the town for listenerspotlight is in fact graft
Grafton, wisconsin.
I think it's up the river fromSt Louis, some river, it's up
north.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
I hate to do this but , Tom, thank you for taking the
time to write us but.
Okay.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
I'll give you a little bit more insight.
It was originally named for aEuropean city.
The first immigrants werepredominantly German and Irish.
It began as a mill town becauseit sits on the Milwaukee River.
It was big for grist mills andwool production.
The record as far as blues andand jazz can trace some of its
(30:58):
early successes to this town.
Uh, paramount records um had asubsidiary called race records
that was there and um they had aproduction studio or they had a
production facility and astudio there and that produced a
(31:18):
lot of uh.
The early um early records andblues and jazz came out of that
gotcha.
Um the record companies uhheadquarters and studios
actually moved there in 1925.
(31:39):
Oh, it was a great year in 1925.
1925, it was a good year.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
My pappy got me some whiskey, yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:52):
I just got to move along here.
It sets on a historic trail.
Just got to move along.
Here.
It sets on a historic trail,and reason why I put trail in
air quotes is because it isactually one, uh, one of the few
northern points on themississippi blues trail.
Oh, that's a real thing.
So, uh, you can look it up.
Uh, and then the other one.
(32:12):
That was a tough one, it's thebest I could come up with.
Uh, as far as the secretservice, either wanting to avoid
this community or reallywanting to check it out.
In our past, uh, charles gutier, gutier, gutier, um lived there
in the county as a child andin81.
(32:35):
He in fact assassinated James AGarfield.
So the assassin Of Garfield In1881.
Was from Nearby this town.
You were going down the rightroad, though.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
I don't think that's anything you ever want like in
your name, like Michael Sharpwas an assassin from.
I don't think that's anything.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
Michael, yeah, highway signs.
Michael Sharp, assassin ofwhatever president you know, no,
you don't want it, and younotice when you drive up through
town, is there will not be thatsign because now we don't want
anybody to know anything aboutthat.
Yeah, that's what.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
I say it works.
I'm always telling people Idon't want to be in the paper
for that.
So no, we're not doing thatStupid internet Leave those
kinds of things out.
Well, thank you.
Thank you all listeners, butthank you, you said Grafton.
Thank you all listeners, butthank you, you said Grafton.
Grafton Wisconsin.
Grafton Wisconsin.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
So, thank you.
It's on the.
What river did I say theMilwaukee River?
Speaker 2 (33:45):
Hmm, yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Well, blues Trail If you haven't been on the Blues
Trail, check it out.
It's very interesting.
If you're into blues and jazzmusic, that kind of stuff, you
can follow it all down.
It takes you to interestingplaces like Grafton, which used
to have a big record presence,that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
It takes you through all these kind of interesting
places that have associationswith the river, jazz and blues
music.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
Well, thank you, very much has been listener
spotlight we'll have a second,uh one at the end of the show.
I'm excited.
I have a little surprise foryou now I must.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Oh well, there it is I must tell you that this is um
in the spirit of your bicycle.
Clavicle break.
Clavicle fracture collarbonebreak.
Speaker 3 (34:50):
Clavicle fracture.
Yeah, it's a collarbone break.
Let's, let's get it right.
So it sounds good.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
You're our resident researcher for the show, I am
the technology nutjob and PR andmarketing and all that good
jazz, but the roles are going tobe reversed for the next
segment.
This can't be good.
I have put together some funand surprising bicycle accident
(35:18):
facts.
Oh man.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
Yeah, the fact that Michael had a bicycle accident.
How about that?
Speaker 2 (35:25):
That's 100%.
Yes, all right, here we go.
Most crashes don't involve cars.
About 73% of all bicyclecrashes do not involve a motor
vehicle.
They're often due to a roadhazard, ride error, mechanical
(35:46):
failure or a hose.
It did not say hose.
It did not say hose, but Ithought that was interesting.
Speaker 3 (35:58):
I would have thought it was much lower than that, but
okay.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
A little interesting fact here.
I thought this number was crazy.
Helmets reduce head injury riskby 85%, yet many cyclists still
ride without one, especiallyamong adults and recreational
urban areas.
Which brings me to a good point.
When I go to our Metro Park inmy area I always talk about it,
(36:25):
but it's a connection of parks,multiple parks called Metro
Parks, and you can actually rideto each one of them through
trails and stuff.
I always love it when I see thekid.
Head to toe They've got elbowpads and knee pads and the
helmet and streamers and likelike I'm surprised nowadays they
(36:45):
don't have like an airbagaround them, but the parent has
got the helmet around thehandlebar.
You know what?
Well go ahead.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
Nevermind.
No.
I have a rant.
Perhaps we'll save that for arant of dissatisfaction.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
Yes, yes, we haven't had one in a while.
So I'll just keep that forlater, all right, but this is
kind of interesting.
Most crashes happen close tohome.
Around 50 to 60% of bicycleaccidents occur less than one
mile from home.
Michael, I have a question.
Yes, adam, did you hit the hoseless than one mile from home.
Michael, I have a question.
Did you hit the hose less thanone mile from your house?
Speaker 3 (37:23):
I am going to say that the hose attacked me at
about almost exactly one milefrom my house.
Speaker 2 (37:33):
Then okay, there we go.
Speaker 3 (37:38):
Honestly, I think it would be almost dead on a mile.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
This next fact is not good for you and I Uh-oh, you
and I both have an M on ourlicense for sex.
Male riders are more likely tocrash Now.
Now listen to this.
This is very interesting.
Males account for 88 percent 88, now think about that for a
(38:06):
second of bicycle fatalities and80 percent of all injuries in
the United States when it comesto cycling.
So you have helped out the 80%cycling stats.
You're welcome.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
Gentlemen, you're welcome, ladies, you're welcome
too.
But does that really surpriseyou, though?
No, because there's more males.
I mean, you know, guys have atendency to, you know, just
think they're invincible.
Speaker 2 (38:32):
And do something stupid.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
Yeah, go out cycling and do something stupid.
Yeah, go out cycling.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
I'm going to take this time to mention that I
always tease you about nottraining for these things.
I'm like how can you not train?
This is why you don't train.
Speaker 3 (38:50):
I think we've proven it right now that you should
never get on Michael's case fornot training.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
I'm done getting on your case, because look what
happens, I know.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
When I train, I damage myself.
When we misride, all right.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
Back to some facts here.
Okay, time of day Now.
This is probably not going tobe good for you.
The most dangerous time to ridea bike between 6 pm and 9 pm,
when visibility drops andtraffic is high.
Michael, what time was it whenyou hit the?
Speaker 3 (39:18):
hose, it was 1121 in the morning, oh man.
Speaker 2 (39:22):
Okay, you did not so close, so close, all right.
No, it was in the morning.
Intersections are hot spots.
About 30% of serious crashesoccur at intersections, often
due to cars failing to yield.
Did any car have any kind offact in your hose crash?
Speaker 3 (39:45):
I would say yes, because there was the truck of
the lawn care guy parkedalongside the road and he had
all the hose strung out all theway back, a hundred and 55 feet
of it, strung all the way back,single up the road and it was on
(40:07):
a curve.
And then there was another carcoming, you know, in my
direction there was actually twoone passed and there was
another one coming and so, asI'm getting close to the car or
the truck I had to get over.
I was like, hey, that one'spassed, now I can get over, and
that's when it happened.
So yes, indirectly there werecars involved, but it wasn't
like car pulled out when he was,but there was, there was cars
(40:31):
involved.
Speaker 2 (40:33):
Distracted cycling is real.
Using a phone, listening toloud music or riding under the
influence contributes tothousands of accidents each year
.
My question to you, sir yes,Were you under the influence?
Speaker 3 (40:50):
Under the influence of what I don't know 11.21 in
the morning oh my God, as hesays that I pick up my glass.
No, I was not under theinfluence.
(41:12):
I was not writing back from thebar that early in the morning,
nor was I writing back from thebar from the night before I was
just out for a ride.
I was not smoking, drinkingdrinking anything.
Speaker 2 (41:28):
Urban areas see more accidents.
Roughly 75% of fatal bikecrashes happen in urban areas
with higher traffic volumes andmore complex road layouts.
Did the urban area have anyeffect on your hose bicycle
wheel interaction?
Speaker 3 (41:46):
I guess you have to define.
What do you consider an urbanarea?
Speaker 2 (41:50):
Yeah, I mean, I guess it would be different because,
like in transportation, urban isa little bit different than,
you know, rural.
Speaker 3 (41:58):
Because my urban area here is 5,000 total.
Speaker 2 (42:04):
So I wouldn't call that really urban area.
No, and that's in case Janinehad her baby.
That would be 5,001.
Speaker 3 (42:12):
She hasn't had the baby yet, or didn't have it at
that time.
So we're still at 4997.
Speaker 2 (42:21):
And ending this a little bit of humor, percentages
of causes of bicycle accidentsMotor vehicle involvement is 27%
.
Cyclist error, turns, signals,things of this nature 13%.
Road conditions, potholes,gravel hoses 13%.
Poor visibility and lighting12%.
(42:41):
And riding under the influence8%.
And mechanical failure, brakeset cetera, 5%.
Speaker 3 (42:46):
So what is the percentage of lawn care workers
who leave 155 feet of hosestrung out in the middle of the
road?
That's the same color as theroad.
Speaker 2 (42:59):
What's that 100%?
Speaker 3 (43:04):
Oh boy.
Well listen, those areinteresting facts.
I had no idea that you weredoing research.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
Good job uh, that you were doing research, a good job
.
In the spirit of your hosewheel interaction, I felt, as
that I it was my job to do some,some, some research for the
show, so it's amazing what I'lldo when I'm stuck in an airport
for a while.
So, um, connie, it is now timefor the official Armando update.
Speaker 3 (43:39):
The Armando update.
Very nice, I like that.
Speaker 2 (43:43):
So we got a message on our brag team Facebook group
page and I'm going to let youtake this one.
Speaker 3 (43:52):
This was so cool.
Speaker 2 (43:53):
I'm letting you take it buddy.
Speaker 3 (43:56):
I was blown away by this one.
Our buddy, armando, whom we'vementioned many a time on here
and we've ridden with him onmany occasions, is traveling in
France, and I don't know if itwas just randomly or if he, if
him and Connie deliberatelyfixed it so that they were going
(44:18):
to be at a spot where theycould see the tour de France.
I'm assuming that's the case,but I don't know.
Speaker 2 (44:23):
Well, I can answer that just real quick and I'm
going to throw it right back toyou.
It was planned.
He and Mike were talking aboutit and said that he was
purposely going to see the tourwhen he was there.
Speaker 3 (44:37):
Yeah, so, um, he sent a picture this morning and that
picture was him standing nextto the tour de france trailer.
You know, it has tour de franceand the big map of yellow map
(44:57):
of france and and, uh, he'sstanding there pointing at tour
de France and what does he haveon?
But he has a cycling men ofleisure shirt and uh, that's
right.
So I thought it was so cool.
It's like all right, cyclingmen of leisure has been
(45:20):
represented at tour de france.
That's amazing.
I think that's then, but wait,there's more about I don't know.
Four hours later, we get anotherpicture of him and there is our
buddy, armando, still in hiscycling men of leisure shirt,
with his arm around Phil Liggett, the voice of the Tour de
(45:45):
France.
And if you're not familiar withthe tour and all that kind of
stuff, that's fine, phil Liggettis British.
He, you know, anytime you hearany commentary come from it and
it, you know, it's typicallyPhil Liggett.
Phil Liggett, bob Roller, thetwo big play-by-play color
people that do this.
(46:06):
Well, phil Liggett has beendoing this, for I think this is
his 53rd year.
He's an institution.
And here, lo and behold,armando's standing there with
our shirt on.
Well, it's his shirt, butCycling, cycling men of leisure
next to phil, it was the mostawesome thing ever.
And what was even cooler is Iremember a couple years ago him
(46:28):
showing me a picture, and hemade mention of it is 15 years
ago.
He was at the tour and he got apicture taken with phil.
That's cool.
I remember him showing us thatpicture a couple years ago.
So, uh, you know, I mean, canwe get any bigger than that?
Cycling men of leisure has beenrepresented at the tour de
france we will.
Speaker 2 (46:48):
We will give some autographs, uh, at the end of
this show.
Speaker 3 (46:50):
So yes, yes to all the crowd and and that kind of
thing, but, um, this year, uh,the tour de france 2025 is the
112th edition of that, of thatthat race.
Um, I mean, it's just got aphenomenally long history and,
uh, it just, it's my bigsporting event for the year, so
(47:12):
really cool.
Speaker 2 (47:13):
That's pretty cool.
Um Joe Grammar, dennis Keeler,alex Bell and Scott Garwick.
What do all those gentlemenhave in common, sir?
Speaker 3 (47:26):
They all tried to escape from a maximum security
penitentiary.
Speaker 2 (47:31):
That could be.
I don't know, I can't speak onthat.
I think it was like 1984.
Oh, that was such a good yeartoo.
Speaker 3 (47:38):
It was a good year.
Speaker 2 (47:39):
yeah, these four gentlemen are monthly
subscribers and we appreciateyou.
We just want to make a mention.
So thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (47:48):
Just joking about the federal pen.
As far as I know, none of themhave ever been in a federal
penitentiary as far as I know.
So let's just leave it at that.
Speaker 2 (47:57):
All right, fair enough, fair enough, fair enough
.
I have something pretty cool.
You and I are working on aspecial project.
Can't talk about it yet, butwe're working on.
Have you told me about it?
Of course I've told you aboutit.
Oh, okay, we've worked on ittogether.
Yikes, okay.
(48:22):
But we're trying to puttogether some marketing
materials.
We're trying to put some statstogether.
It's not that big of a secret.
We're just trying to findsomething cool to do.
And, with that being said, weneeded an origin story and we
have a lot of new listeners.
Ever since Bragg 2025 and someorganic marketing that we did,
(48:48):
we actually have some new people, and what I thought I would do
is, before our last listenerspotlight, I thought I would
just take a second and read ourorigin story, because I was so
excited myself writing it.
Origin story because I was soexcited myself writing it, and I
thought this is actuallysomething after I read it to my
wife that she said you shouldsay you should say that on the
show, cause if you have allkinds of new listeners, they may
(49:09):
not know the history of ourfriendship.
And so I thought, if you wouldallow me, I would uh, I would
read it quickly.
So this is our origin story.
Origin story quickly, so thisis our origin story.
Speaker 3 (49:21):
Origin story now.
Did you take the one where wewere accidentally irradiated and
we got the special abilities?
Is that the one you chose?
Speaker 2 (49:31):
we weren't supposed to talk about that.
Oh, and I'm just kidding.
No, uh, I did not.
Speaker 3 (49:37):
I mean, I can still shoot webs, like you have the
best spider-man in the world,but no, uh, okay no, usually
origin stories start out withradiation of some kind, uh you
know, massive trauma whichcauses you to, like you know, go
insane or run over a hose,addictive well, there you go,
(50:00):
that's my origin story for neverpracticing cycling again is the
host.
Speaker 2 (50:05):
So I always tell people I'm fully transparent.
I put a lot of these factstogether and then I told ChatGBT
to help me summarize it.
I also told it to do an extremedeep dive by going through all
70 some of our podcast episodesand coming up and helping me get
this thing right.
(50:26):
And I gotta tell you the futureof technology history things
that that can gather data andput data together is is just so
exciting to be part of this partof technology.
Once I read this to you, you'llknow that no, you're not
(50:48):
excited about it.
Speaker 3 (50:51):
Skynet and it took that out of Universal.
Speaker 2 (50:55):
It's going to happen.
It could happen, possibly, butit still helped me get this
thing right.
So, without further notice,here it goes how it all began.
In the middle of Iowa duringthe summer of 2016, adam
Baranski of Michigan and MichaelSharp of Kansas crossed paths
on a famous week-long bike rideknown as Ragbri.
(51:18):
The two strangers quicklybecame friends as they pedaled
side by side for miles, chattingabout cycling, finance and
swapping memorable stories.
By the end of the ride acrossIowa, the lasting bond had
formed out of their sharedadventures on two wheels.
They reunited two years laterto tackle another Iowa ride in
(51:38):
2018, and their tradition oflong-distance cycling adventures
only grew from there.
Every summer since, adam andMichael have made a point to
embark on at least two week-longcycling tours, along with
several other multi-day ridesall over the country, through
countless hours on the road andplenty of post-ride laughs.
(51:59):
Their friendship kept growingstronger with each new journey,
turning miles into microphone.
As the years rolled on, adam andMichael developed a signature
riding style equal parts passionfor cycling and passion for
enjoying life.
That started getting themnoticed on group rides In 2022,.
(52:20):
During a bike ride acrossGeorgia, the duo could be found
relaxing after a long day's ridewith a bourbon and a cigar in
hand.
It was there.
After passing cyclists made anoffhanded comment about their
laid back affair not affair,sorry, laid back flare, my
apologies.
That spark for something biggerwas lit.
Within a couple of months.
They channeled excuse me,challenged the inspiration into
(52:42):
creating Cycling Men of Leisurebrand and online community.
They launched a Facebook page,built a website and, most
notably, started Road Adventuresof Cycling Men of Leisure
podcast to share their roadstories for cycling philosophy
with the world.
And yes, despite thetongue-in-cheek title, it's for
women too with the world.
And yes, despite thetongue-in-cheek title, it's for
(53:03):
women too.
By late 2022, the podcast waslive on every major platform and
by 2024, they were filmingepisodes for YouTube.
What began as two buddiestalking on their bikes became a
show inviting everyone along forthe ride.
Our philosophy and style CyclingMen of Leisure is more than a
cycling club or a podcast.
It's a lifestyle and a leisureand life philosophy centered on
(53:27):
savoring the journey.
Adam and Michael believe intaking in the moment, enjoying
the ride, not racing to thefinish line.
They're not opposed to ending along day's ride with a
celebratory whiskey or craftbeer and maybe a fine cigar, a
tradition that's become ahallmark of their style.
For them, cycling isn't justabout exercise, it's about the
(53:48):
exploration, exploration,conversation and the joy of the
open road.
They often say it's never aboutthe destination, it's about the
journey and the people you meetalong the way.
And we've met some wonderfulpeople, sir.
Indeed, the approach comesthrough every podcast episode.
Their playful banter, reallaughs and good nature, teasing
(54:10):
Adam and Michael make listenersfeel part of the gang.
Episodes cover everything fromepic rides and quickly small
town stops to gear reviews andrecovery bourbon recommendations
.
Of course.
The vibe is always welcoming.
Whether you're a seasonedcyclist or just bought your
first bike, you've got a placehere, a growing community.
(54:31):
Today, cycling man of Leisureis more than a two-man team.
It's a growing nationwidecommunity.
Adam and Michael have ledgroups of fellow writers on
Malta Day Adventures, includingorganizing a 43-person team of
cycling men and women of leisureto tackle the hills of Georgia.
33 writers from many statescame together with CMOL for a
(54:55):
team dinner, many meeting inperson for the first time and
even surprising the host withgifts of local whiskey and
flasks.
The kind of generosity andcamaraderie is what Cycling man
of Leisure is all about.
Since launching the podcast inlate 2022,.
Adam and Michael have recordedover 70 episodes filled with
(55:16):
stories, laughs, gear, tips,meaningful conversations.
They've hosted interviews withcycling event directors,
endurance riders and other greatvoices from the world of two
wheels, and they're just gettingstarted.
At its core, cycling Land ofLeisure remains of what it's
always been two good friends, acouple of bikes and endless open
road stories to tell and, asthey remind the listeners on
(55:39):
every episode, it's a great dayfor a bike ride.
I mean, I know Wow.
So I gave it a bunch ofinformation, but I told it to do
a deep dive and it literallycombed through all 73 episodes
(56:03):
of the podcast.
It formulated that it tookabout 25 minutes for it to put
together.
I actually thought it wasbroken.
I thought I'm like did I reallybreak ChatGPT?
And then it said we'll get backto you when we're done.
And then it came up and gave mea notification.
But I just thought that was.
Speaker 3 (56:21):
That is impressive.
That is cool.
Um, I know the story, you knowthe story, but it's cool to hear
the story written out.
I would have rather had theirradiated special powers one,
but that's okay.
Uh, that's for another story,um, but uh, no, it's really
really cool.
So I think it's neat that youdid that.
Speaker 2 (56:44):
Well, I appreciate that.
I figured, if anyone hadn'tknown some of our story or some
of the highlights, that I woulddo that and I mean, who would
have thought back in 2016, thatday doing the 100 miler We'd met
?
Speaker 3 (57:00):
but we didn't really know anything about each other.
You know, it's like, hey, let'sjust finish this up.
And we finished that up.
Who would have ever thoughtthat we'd be sitting here today
doing a podcast and riding crazyrides and, you know, fracturing
clavicles and all that kind ofstuff?
Speaker 2 (57:18):
so I could do without the fractured clavicle I'm
supposed to be packing me on theway to terre haute right now,
but that's all right, umtechnically, we should be in
terre haute right now.
I was gonna say um, you know,and when you say that for anyone
who's never um had a regular, Imean, I know people have
(57:40):
regular meetings, but you knowit gives us a chance to.
You know, we're obviouslyphenomenal friends and our
families have intertwined andyou know we think the world of
each other, but this podcastgives us a platform to.
Sometimes it's work, I'm notgoing to lie.
I mean, sometimes it's like, ohGod, we got to hurry up and get
this done, but it gives us achance to purposely continue the
(58:01):
relationship and theconversation and and um, it's a
lot of fun for me.
So, uh, I know we're coming upon a pretty, pretty monumental
uh mark, which is almost 75episodes, which is just yeah,
we're close, but um, butdefinitely cool.
Who would have thought?
But um thought.
Speaker 3 (58:21):
And you're right.
I mean we would still befriends without this podcast.
We'd still be really goodfriends without this podcast and
we'd still be writing and thatkind of stuff.
But this actually gives us timewhere we set aside once or
twice every couple of weeks,depending on how much time we
need and that kind of thing forus to sit here across from each
(58:41):
other to see each other andactually, before we get into
things, you know how much timewe need and that kind of thing
for us to sit here across fromeach other to see each other.
And actually, you know, beforewe get into things, you know we,
you know you were talking aboutmy trip, I was asking about
yours.
You know we really have time tokind of deep dive into things
because I mean, we communicateall the time.
Thank God, with the technologywe have, you know, instant
message, send pictures, thatkind of stuff.
But I mean that's, you know,that's just on the surface.
(59:02):
You don't really get a deepdive into.
You know, hey, you know this orthat or that kind of thing.
So it's really cool becausethis gives us that, not just a
platform, but gives us anopportunity to like, sit here
face to face and spend five or10 minutes before we get into
the business of podcasting tojust chat with each other and
catch up?
Speaker 2 (59:21):
It's definitely no.
And I get asked a lot, you know, do you still enjoy it?
I do, I do enjoy it.
It's definitely a fun, funproject.
And then never in our, ourthoughts in the beginning we
actually said, well, this thinggoes six episodes and we'll just
say it was fun.
And then now where we are inthe, we can see download numbers
(59:45):
.
I mean, it's not all about, youknow, quantitative it's I.
I actually would like to sayit's more qualitative.
Now, what is what we try to puttogether?
Um, numbers are still important, don't get me wrong.
It kind of gives us a mark, abenchmark of what's going on.
But, um, we're at the point nowwhere we pretty much know what
to expect of how many downloadsand when we get new, new people.
Speaker 3 (01:00:09):
We think last couple weeks.
It's just something's beenblowing the doors off of it.
But what?
What?
I think the true reward to thewhole thing is yeah, the numbers
are important, but what thetrue reward is is when we go out
to these rides and stuff andpeople come up to us and go, hey
, are you those guys?
Or you're the guys with thepodcast, or I listened to you or
I really liked that episode, orI really liked this episode.
(01:00:31):
Or when we run into our friendsthat we've ridden with you know
for a couple of years that wemet because of cycling men of
leisure and they're our friendsand we're riding with them yet
again and it's that communitythat's grown out of this.
That, for me, is the biggestreward, you know, because we've
(01:00:52):
got friends all over the countrynow that we would have never
had.
Even if we went to these eventswithout kind of doing the
Cycling, men of Leisure andhaving the podcast and stuff, we
would have probably never metand had, you know, the
friendships that we've got.
Speaker 2 (01:01:06):
So yeah, for sure.
No, absolutely.
I mean this one side piece andwe'll get into listener
spotlight.
But in Georgia this summersomeone said you sound like just
you, sound like that guy in thepodcast.
Well, I am that guy in thepodcast.
He said you sound just likeyourself.
I hope so.
Speaker 3 (01:01:23):
Cause it's me.
Well, that's the other thingthat we get a lot is, people are
like when they meet us, they'relike you guys are like exactly
like you're on the show, Exactly.
And it's like, well, yeah,because, uh, we don't create any
persona or anything.
I mean, we're not creatingsomebody different when we're
sitting here talking with eachother.
This is how we are and that'show we want it.
(01:01:43):
We want it very genuine.
I mean, you know us horsingaround is exactly what you're
going to find when you see ushanging out after a ride.
We're doing the exact samething, Cause that's just who we
are, and I always love it whenpeople are like you guys are
exactly like you sound on thething or you guys act the same
way.
It's like that's good, that'swhat we want.
Yeah, we don't want to try tomake ourselves something
(01:02:05):
different than we're not.
Speaker 2 (01:02:07):
That's not kind of and and we, we, you know, at um
pod fest we met some people whodo a complete different.
Where they, they, they, they,uh, I don't want to say act, I
guess, guess they do act.
Speaker 3 (01:02:21):
They have a podcast persona that's different than
who they are and there's nothingwrong with that.
I mean, you know, we could havedone that, we could have
created different kind ofpersonas for us, but we were
just looking at telling ourstories and this is who we are.
But yeah, you're right, thereare people out there that kind
of have these differentpersonalities when they're on,
(01:02:45):
so to speak, than they are whenthey're in public.
I think that is disappointingbecause if they get people who
are following them and beforesatellite radio was a thing you,
I'm sure you were in somevehicle listening to a radio
(01:03:08):
station and the guy's like hi, Iam DJ Jim.
Speaker 2 (01:03:12):
And then you go, like you meet DJ Jim at a mall and
he stands up and he's like hi,how you doing?
You're like what the heck?
That doesn't sound like thesame guy, you know.
So I got a voice changer orwhatever you're exactly right.
Speaker 3 (01:03:24):
I used to work in radio way back in the day and I
worked with a guy who did thatexact same.
He had a completely differentpersona for his radio.
Yeah, and he did in real life.
In fact, he used aquote-unquote stage name.
Speaker 2 (01:03:39):
You know, he didn't even use his own, his own name,
and you know that's fine, but itwas just like a completely
different person when he's onair versus off air, yeah, so
yeah, I remember there's nothingwrong with that, it's just it's
not the way we we want to work,so yeah, I remember one time we
were they're giving awayconcert tickets and there was a
line and I went up and I said,hey, I just want you to know I
(01:04:01):
really appreciate your radioshow.
And it wasn't like I'm makingfun, like a high pitch, it
wasn't like that.
But I was expecting what Iheard in my car day in and day
out.
And then when the DJ host hesaid, oh no, no, thank you,
thank you very much.
I walked away going.
Was that really him?
Speaker 3 (01:04:21):
Whatever?
Speaker 2 (01:04:21):
Dave's voice.
Speaker 3 (01:04:22):
Yeah, exactly, I walked away going.
Was that really him?
Whatever Dave's voice, yeah,exactly.
Speaker 2 (01:04:25):
At the motor speedway , all right.
Well, that being said, it isnow time.
What everybody enjoys Alistener's spotlight.
Speaker 3 (01:04:37):
All right, have a good one.
St Louis, we can all go homenow.
If it were St Louis, yes, allright.
This city sets on a former mainhighway that is between two
(01:05:00):
major cities.
Main highway that is betweentwo major cities, so it used to
be the main highway between twomajor cities.
Monopoly has nothing on thiscommunity's railroad, got it?
Speaker 2 (01:05:20):
So it's not reading railroad, not a short line.
I'm just kidding.
Just kidding Go ahead.
Speaker 3 (01:05:31):
The community was founded in the 1830s and named
after a local fairy.
This town was also shelled bythe British, so that should
start limiting the area.
And the final one I'm going togive to you is George dreamed of
(01:05:58):
a great victory in thiscommunity.
George dreamed of a greatvictory.
George dreamed of a greatvictory in this community.
Speaker 2 (01:06:04):
George dreamed of a great victory.
Speaker 3 (01:06:07):
George dreamed of a great victory.
Yes, sir.
Speaker 2 (01:06:11):
Well, with that being said, since this is coming out
on Sunday, I bet you, the guysin Indiana, had a great day for
a bike ride.
Speaker 3 (01:06:19):
I bet they did, although it was supposed to rain
, so we'll see.
Speaker 2 (01:06:26):
We will find out in two weeks.
Always good to be with you,buddy.
Same to you sir.
Speaker 1 (01:06:30):
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 Cycling Men of Leisure.
Once again I am Adam and I amlucky again to be joined with my
good friend all the way fromCentral Time, mr Michael Sharp.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
That's right.
Central time because it is theright time, essentially located
behind everything and we arealways central.
Everybody likes to be central,sure, sure, okay, I need to.
I could be on the commercial topromote central time.
Everyone should live in CentralTime.
I see something in your hand.
(01:08):
Oh yeah, I was getting ready topour a little, is that okay?
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah, but you still got that purse on.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Well, number one, it's not a purse, it's called a
satchel for adventurers.
Yeah, I've still got that on.
I still have a fracturedclavicle.
For all you non-medical people,it's a broken collarbone.
I love it how, when my doctorcame in and he's like, well, it
appears that you have afractured clavicle, and I was
(01:41):
like, well, it sounds like I'vegot a broken collarbone.
He's like, yeah, you're right.
I was like, well, it soundslike I've got a broken
collarbone.
He's like, yeah, you're right.
It's like okay, you know youdon't have to fancy it up and
let's just say what it is.
But I did in watching the tourwho was it?
Alaphilippe day three crash.
And I was watching it and I waslike he went down hard and he
(02:02):
just like laid there for aminute and it's like, oh man, I
know that, look, cause that'sexactly what I look like and how
I felt, was there a hose in theground?
There wasn't.
There was another bicyclist inhis way, gotcha Um, who came
over into his line Cause itdidn't hold the line.
But, uh, he went down and I waslike I recognize this and they
(02:22):
immediately helped him get offbecause you know, they've got
other cyclists and cars andthings coming through, and he
went over and sat on the sideand I was like, yep, been there,
done that.
And literally four secondslater they were bringing out the
sling and I was like, yeah, hebroke his collarbone, he
fractured his clavicle, but heneeded surgery.
I didn't, oh boy, when he neededsurgery.
(02:47):
I didn't, oh boy.
When it happened.
I was like, oh, I know exactlywhat happened because I had that
same look on my face when itdid occur.
So I am self-medicating here.
A new riff.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Well, now, you recently went on a trip.
You recently went on a trip andafter you pour your delicious,
wonderful, tasty beverage if youcould please give us an update
on your wonderful trip with yourfamily.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
I did go on a wonderful trip with my family.
My wife felt it important thaton my birthday we go somewhere
exciting and fun.
So for the week of my birthdaywe went to the great state of
Kentucky.
We've been to Kentucky before,on the other side of the state,
and did you know Pigeon Forgeand Mammoth Cave and all that?
(03:38):
This time we hit bourboncountry, okay, and we did some
other family stuff my son's biginto antique shops, which is
cool because I like those thingstoo.
And uh, my daughter's birthdayis a day after mine and we went
and had, you know, like formaltea, and that was really good.
I mean, you gotta love kentucky.
They give you choices of teaand one of them is bourbon black
(04:01):
tea.
So, yes, please, yes, please.
Uh, you know, I had the littlesandwiches and the little finger
desserts and it was a lot offun.
But uh, on my birthday I think Iwent to seven different
distilleries just on my birthday, um, you know, hit a bunch of
good ones.
It's a, you know, wild turkeyand will it.
And uh, four roses, and uh, allof them, especially the ones
(04:26):
Bardstown and the ones furtherdown south, lux Row, things like
that.
But it was a good time and sawa lot of distilleries and I have
some ideas for our trip when wego.
I got a couple ideas that I'mgoing to suggest and I haven't
talked to you about it, but I'mgoing to suggest that maybe we
partake in a couple of things,maybe the day before or whatever
(04:51):
.
I think it could be fun, buthad a fantastic trip.
Everybody always asks did thekids have any fun?
Fair question yeah, they had agreat time.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
I mean, we made sure that we I was going to say,
because I asked you the samequestion.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
You did and everybody else was asking oh, you took
your kids to bourbon country.
Well, that sounds like a goodtime for them, but no, in
addition to that, we also wentto.
There's a big candy maker, anold candy maker there in
Frankfurt, ruth, something orother, I'm forgetting the name
right now.
We went and toured theirfactory, um learned how they
(05:25):
made their, their candies, anduh.
Then we also went to theLouisville slugger factory.
You know the baseball batpeople.
That's something to show.
You showed us everything, likeyou know how they make the
professional bats and how theymake you know bats for you and
me everything from you knowafter they've cut the tree down,
(05:46):
to the whole process and thefinishing.
And it was a very good tour.
I would suggest anybody inLouisville stop by and do it.
Not super expensive, veryeducational.
I didn't know that much.
I mean, I knew they had scienceinto bats.
I did not know they had thatmuch science in bats.
And I picked up this littlepiece of memorabilia right here,
(06:10):
which you have not seen.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Oh no, it is the mini Louisville Slugger but genuine.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Louisville Slugger with cycling men of leisure.
I love it Engraved in it.
That's pretty cool, man.
Yeah, so I now have an officialbat.
So here's what cool man.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Yeah, so I now have an officially official bat.
So here's what I'm, here's whatI'm guessing.
Yes, I know that your commuteis 13 steps to work.
Yes, and if somebody breaksinto your office, they are going
to have an imprint of cyclingmen of leisure across their
forehead.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Yes it is very possible, because I keep it
right over here, on this shelfRight over here.
If anybody breaks into myoffice, let me tell you they
better hope that's the onlyimpression they get on them, but
that would be the quickest Iget to smack them upside the
head and wander on out of here.
Cowboy Ladies and gentlemen,this bruise has been brought to
(07:07):
you by Cycling Men of Leisure.
No officer, I didn't break intohis house.
Well then, why is there animprint backwards of genuine
Louisville Slugger Cycling Menof Leisure on your?
forehead there yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
That's pretty cool man.
It was a great trip.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
The weather was nice, a couple of rain showers late
in the evening and and we tookour camper and, uh, we had a
great, you know, campsite.
I mean we didn't primitive itat all, I mean it was glam
camping all the way, but, um, itwas nice.
We stayed right out, uh, rightin Georgetown, which you and I
have been to, and let me tellyou we've been through there a
(07:45):
couple of times, georgetown is alot bigger than we ever thought
.
Gotcha, you know, we come inthere and we knew there's a
college, and then we go down theold Main Street and you know,
then, over to where Bourbon 30was, it's not there anymore
because they moved and that kindof looked like the whole town.
But if you go south of on thatstreet, let me tell you you've
(08:07):
got hotels and restaurants andall sorts of fun stuff.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Only because you mentioned Bourbon 30 and you
have a nice picture of me fromBourbon 30, where it was.
Did you go to the new place?
Speaker 3 (08:18):
I did not go to the new place.
Because, I didn't know if, whenwe went to the bourbon thing, if
we were going to go there orwhatever.
So I didn't know if, when wewent to the bourbon thing, if we
were going to go there orwhatever.
So I didn't go there.
But what was also cool is therewas a restaurant in downtown
Georgetown, right where we'veridden down, kind of
canny-cornered, from that parkwhere they always have the rest
(08:40):
stop.
It's got that old cabin from1804 or whatever the historical
marker there.
I was sitting there and Iordered uh, stromboli, very good
, and I was going through theirbeer selection and I was
astonished they had narragansettlager.
And for people who don't drinka lot of beer from up north into
(09:07):
the northeast Rhode Island,massachusetts, it wouldn't mean
anything to you, but I hadn'thad that since I lived in
probably Rhode Island years agoand it just brought back so many
memories I was like no way,this is not, is this the real
deal?
And for those of you who don'tknow what it is, you have
actually seen it if you've seenthe movie Jaws, because the old
shark hunter is like sittingthere on his boat and he's, like
(09:30):
you know, singing sea shantiesor whatever, and you see him
drink the Narragansett lager andthen crush the can.
You're going to need a biggerboat.
You're going to need a biggerboat, but it was fun.
You're going to need a biggerboat.
You're going to need a biggerboat, but it was fun.
But I also.
While I was there, you went andvisited your mouse with a house
(09:51):
.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
I did.
I went to my place with miceit's called an exterminator.
So we've said a few times onthis show that we both have
timeshares there.
My wife is probably goingthrough one of the toughest
times of her life.
She's putting her father into amemory care center and our
(10:13):
normal trip that we wouldnormally take we were unable to
take our annual time that welike to go down, and so with our
timeshare you have the same one.
We can move points around.
They let you to bank them forthe next year, but they only let
you bank so far, and sonormally going to Orlando in
(10:36):
July is not high on my prioritylist, but I had points that were
going to expire.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
And I sure that we're losing.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Yeah, and so I decided to use them and it also
gave my wife and I.
First of all, delta flightswere only 220 bucks round trip,
which is unheard of nowadays,and it gave us the time just to
have a nice five days togetherto get away, and so really
didn't average.
I didn't even tell you.
I mean, it wasn't like I waslike shocked because I'm driving
(11:06):
and all of a sudden my phonedings.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
and I'm driving and of course you know I'm a little
handicapped right now.
So it's like both hands on thewheel, all that.
And she's like, oh yeah, heydid you know Adam's in in
Florida.
And I was like what?
I have no idea you were goingto Florida, which is okay, I
mean you don't have to, you know, get your travel plans approved
(11:30):
by me.
But you know, generally wecomes up in conversation but I
had known what was going on withyour life and stuff like that.
So I just assumed it's like youand your wife got some time and
decided to to go down there andhang out.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
So that's cool.
Yeah, I I kind of teased herand I said, uh, are we going to
be able to cohabitate in thesame same same room?
Because we were hotel room bythe airport and then Disney for
four nights and then I stayed.
You know, you and I always dothe same thing I stay at the
airport in Orlando, the Hyattthere, and then flew, took the
(11:59):
five o'clock flight back, fiveam flight back in the morning,
and so the first night we werein the in the hotel.
I'm like, all right, well, I'mgonna brush my teeth.
So, uh, can I have the bathroomfor a while?
Because we have, we haveliterally lived.
She's been living in myfather-in-law's in ohio, so
she's been.
She's been living at mysister-in-law's house and so she
comes home for doctor'sappointment or or change of
clothes, medication, but she'sbasically been there and so it
(12:22):
was nice to spend time with her.
Cool, um, it wasn't, wasn't, itwas hot, I'm not going to say I
mean, but it was also the sametemperature in Michigan.
I was kind of watching mywatching home, you know, and I
think we all do that now withtechnology, but, um, it was the
same temperature in Michigan.
It was ironic, but there wasonly one day that I was in
orlando.
That was just just miserable.
(12:44):
I mean, uh, just stupid hot andand.
Um, you know we're, we're,we're.
We go there so much that youknow we know where the air
condition is, we know where wecan jump into gift shops or sit
down, or you know let's go get ago get a water or whatever
cocktail in the water.
And we're're not like peoplewho buy the hats and balloons
(13:07):
every time.
We like to do a few things hereand there.
We're actually finding now thatwe're enjoying the resort more
than the park.
And so we were able to do that.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
I gave you that.
Did you get my advice that oneday You're at Disney World and
it was super hot and I was like,well, you've got to go to a.
What is it?
Speaker 2 (13:26):
The carousel of progress to take a nap, carousel
of progress.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
It's like a 20 minute that you sat down in one seat
and it kind of goes around andit, but it takes like 20 minutes
.
It's air conditioned, the bestplace to take a nap.
It's dark, it's cool.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
It's a great big, beautiful tomorrow yeah, yeah,
you know this dog yeah, we didthat.
We did the people mover so Icould sit back because it, you
know, goes on different rides.
And then, uh, I did dosomething, following my wife, we
did something a little bitdifferent.
I, I made her get on thetomorrowland speedway and she's
like, why are we doing this?
(14:03):
I'm like because pretty soonthey're going to make it green
and they're going to make itelectric.
That's only semi-rumored, bythe way, but Disneyland says
they're going to do it very soon.
And I figured you know.
I said, come on, let's do it.
You know, and there was no, itwas weird, because of the heat
there wasn't a lot of lines.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
We were bunch of stuff and like peter pan's
flights, unheard of that you canget on.
We just like pretty much walkedright on and then, um well, who
wants to?
What kid?
Speaker 2 (14:33):
wants to hang out, you know, in the heat, in those
long lines, so I don't blame him.
But but a lot of, a lot of uh,foreign tourists, um they didn't
know any better.
It's like oh hey, I get cheaperprices, now exactly but no, we
had a good time, a good, youknow good a few restaurants it
was.
It was just nice to spend timewith my wife, so that was.
That was great.
No, no travel issues and um, um, you know you and I joke on
(14:54):
this show about upgrades.
We did get upgraded on the waydown.
I gotta tell you, um, I had mybest breakfast, uh, on a plane
that I've ever had, you know.
So, yeah, I've been prettylucky with work and travel and
everything um to to be able toget in first class and get some
meals and stuff.
I got to tell you I had this,this, uh, pineapple crepe
(15:14):
breakfast and I was, I wasimpressed.
I mean, it was normally it's asmall sandwich and a small, you
know whatever.
I mean um, but, and you and Ialways tease cause you're like
I'm back in the cattle car orwhatever, but this was, I got to
tell you, delta, on that meal,knocked themselves out.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Yeah, it was pretty good.
What's funny is I got all youknow.
You sent me picturesperiodically.
Let me tell everyone out thereseeing Adam in these, because
Adam's been there a lot.
He knows where all the camerasare for the rides so he knows
where he really needs to ham itup.
Let me tell you all of hispictures.
He looks like I'm going to saylike an eight year old little
(15:56):
boy on the ride.
He's just always got this bigsmile on his face and his hands
are up and he's like having agreat.
He would be the poster childfor in this, this version, the
poster man of Disney, cause he'salways got these big smiles on
his face and I mean it justlooks like he's having the time
(16:18):
of his life.
So I enjoyed the picture.
Thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Well, and, and to add to that, um, for, for fun, for
here, so like when we do SpaceMountain, it's.
You know, it's a childhoodmemory of mine to always go on
Space Mountain.
So love it, love it, love it,love it Makes me think of my
parents and how we used to go toDisney when I was younger, and
so I am so bad with the camerasthat I know that I'll even say
(16:45):
to Lauren now wait to the secondflash and then look up here,
Look up at like at three o'clock.
And then she's like well, howdo you know that?
And I'm like, just wait, I'mtelling you.
And so because we were on SpaceMountain, you know it was one,
two, three, four, five, six.
And so I was five and six and Isaid, OK, wait to the second
flash, look at three o'clock,hold your chin up a little bit.
And she's like how do you knowall this dumb stuff?
Speaker 3 (17:06):
you set people up for glamour shots on uh roller
coasters.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
But you're right, you know, the only one I didn't
know was tron.
I don't.
I still.
You know it's so new that thepicture turned out great, but
I'm still learning where they'reusing.
They got to be using likedaylight cameras because I
didn't see any flashes, but yeah, I haven't.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
I haven't been on that ride.
It was there last time I wasthere but, uh, the line was
crazy and I, you know we didn'tdeal with it.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
But yeah well, so no, I had a good time.
Yeah, I had a good time, andand then, um, you know, the
original plan was to go downthere and then be home for a few
days and head to rain with you,which is why, if you're a
YouTube follower, I am wearingJersey.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
That I one way, 160 miles, that's right.
And guess what I wrote?
Speaker 2 (17:59):
I wore it yesterday.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
Oh yeah, you didn't wear it yesterday.
No, I didn't wear it yesterday.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
No, I didn't wear it yesterday, we were recording
this before, but the jersey camein the mail and you know we
teased last time either possiblyme riding by myself we teased
you doing SAG.
We got a lot of responses.
We asked for responses and wegot them and we thank you all
for responding about SAG thingsto have in the vehicle, and you
(18:28):
and I just kind of had a heartto heart and I didn't want to do
it without you.
I'm probably for those.
Anyone who knows me personallyprobably knows that I'm in the
best shape that I've been inprobably 12 years.
I mean, of course I have thehealth scare we've talked about
on the show a few times and I'vemaintained it every day and a
(18:52):
lot of people say how do youwalk and how does that go into
cycling and actually they gohand in hand.
And I know that I could ridethe ride.
I know that I could do it, butfor me it wouldn't have ride the
ride.
I know that I could do it andbut for me it wouldn't have been
(19:13):
the same.
For me it would have, eventhough you would have done the
SAG and and you and I have doneall of these thousands of miles
together and the stories are ourstories and the show and we'll
get into that in a little bit.
But how it got, how we're heretoday, was our adventures, and
it just didn't feel right to methat that we were going to go do
(19:37):
this ride you were going to be.
I mean, first of all, we hadhotel expenses, travel expenses
to get to the hotels, then,whatever we were going to do for
a vehicle to drive, you know,to Terre Haute, somehow get to
Terre Haute.
And if we kept our YMCA becausewe had paid for the overnight
YMCA, if we kept that, then didwe get up at five and then did
(19:57):
you drive 20 miles or 20 minutesdown the road or 20 miles on
the road, and then I meet upwith you and then, once we
started doing a deep dive, therewere certain stops that they
did not want support vehicles at, and so, looking at it, we just
, uh, we did email them, um,full transparency.
(20:19):
Um, if you know me, you know I'man extremely transparent guy.
I emailed them and asked themif they would make us.
I know on the website it saidabout four times that there was
non-refundable and so we asked,you know, not for a refund, but
maybe to push till next year andthat we could do interviews or
whatever.
And it was about two weeks ago.
(20:44):
We finally got the answer,which was just because of
planning and logistics.
They declined our offer, whichis fine, I get it.
I mean, they're paying for food.
They probably had to havecertain, you know, being in
event.
Both of us did events beforeevents in our lives, either your
auctioning or weddings or myweddings, and I get it.
You have to hire certain people, you have to make certain cuts
(21:12):
for meals and things of thatnature, and so they they
declined our offer, which,unfortunately, things happen the
way they did.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
I just did not want to do it without you and, and
you know, I appreciate thatCause, I would have felt the
same way, um, but I didn't wantto clout your judgment if you
wanted to go ride it.
But I had already had plannedthat if I was sagging, I was
going to take a little videoevery 20 miles and I was going
(21:39):
to somehow fake it.
I'm on the phone call, put myearbuds in and go oh, you want
to sag?
No, you can't sag, no, can't,can't.
You can't sag right now.
Why?
Why?
Because I and have like an icecream cone in my hand or an ice
cream bar no, I'm having icecream.
You can't sag now keep going,that's.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
That's the best, I mean, in days of thunder.
If anyone's never seen thatmovie robert duvall and tom
cruise he's like I'm coming, I'mcoming in for a pit, not right
now, why not?
We're having ice cream andthey're all got ice cream cones
like right out in the pit area.
Yeah, you know, I was torn alittle bit because it wasn't
(22:17):
that big of a.
I mean, if it would have beenlike a five-day entry fee or a
seven-day entry fee, then itmight have been you know money
to eat, and so a seven day entryfee, then it might have been
you know money to eat and and soI haven't sent you my bill yet,
so don't don't be afraid, I'llbe sending that over to you,
okay, um, yeah, right, but uh,we were only out like 140 bucks
for the ride and I still haven'tgot my jersey
Speaker 3 (22:38):
you're out 240 bucks it's like no, you're like at the
beginning week.
It's like I got my jersey.
I've been waiting, waiting,waiting.
Haven't got my jersey yet.
So if you're listening andyou're part of rain, michael
sharp has not got his jerseythat he paid for.
Uh, not that it's a huge dealbecause I didn't participate in
the ride, but still you know.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Hello american express.
How can I help you?
Yes, I'd like to dispute acharge.
Oh sorry, mr sharp, don't makeme do it exactly I love that
when someone says oh no, wecan't help you, okay, okay well
whatever you say, that's exactlyI'm gonna help me out, trust me
(23:19):
.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Um, yeah, unfortunately, due to the
fractured clavicle, we're notable to do that ride, so it's
very disappointing.
It was really disappointingwhen the emails were coming
through.
It's like, yeah, hey, are youready?
And we're you know bus is goingto leave at this time and stuff
.
So yeah, I was verydisappointed.
(23:40):
But then I also look at, Iwouldn't have been able to make
160 miles.
I, deep inside I mean, I stillgot some pain a little bit.
Uh, I'm getting better mobility.
I think deep inside of me Icould have gotten 75, maybe even
a hundred, but beyond thatthere's no way I would have, I
(24:04):
would have been able to to keepgoing.
And that is if you know theroads weren't.
If the roads were in really badshape, yeah, that would have
been probably reduced by half.
So, and then it wasn't worthpotentially hurting it more,
making it worse or anything andfor our leisure community.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
I just have to tell you, michael and I looked at all
pieces.
We talked about even you ridingout with me for 10 miles,
getting some photos and thenriding back and then meeting me
on the end 10 miles in andfinishing it.
We looked at all kinds ofthings but really part of our
friendship is not that we can'tride bikes without each other.
(24:44):
I mean, I go out and train allthe time you try training.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
I'm not doing that anymore.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Exactly, you know, I used to tease you for not
training.
Now I understand why I mean Notdoing it.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
Setting my basement on my Peloton.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
And I do all kinds of rides here in Michigan.
You know, I do the Dawn Farmand it's something I'm proud to
do, and one on farm, and it'ssomething I'm proud to do, and
one hell of a ride and tour deliving, I mean, I mean it's
something I can't ride my bikewithout you.
But when we do these adventures, you know we did old Ram
together and old Ram one dayright across Michigan, and then
the ride we don't speak aboutand you know, we, we we've done
(25:18):
so many States on.
You know, iowa.
Iowa sounds like a pompous youknow what, but Iowa five times
and Georgia four times, I meanit wouldn't have felt the same
for me, because then here's whatI pictured, just to be truthful
with you.
Oh yeah, have you guys everdone rain?
Well, he has, and that's that'skind of what, for me, was like
(25:39):
that's a deal breaker.
And you know we do this stufftogether.
The show's about us and ouradventures.
It's not about my adventures, Imean.
So then if I'd be like, oh man,you missed it, there was this
one section and I was down on mybars and I was doing.
You know what I mean.
I mean, you know and you'relike well, thanks a lot, I did
miss it.
And then I thought you know,riding a ride like that?
(26:01):
You know, usually you want togo out to dinner and then it's
the celebratory and here, I amgoing yeah, I made it across the
state.
And you're like, yeah, that'sgreat.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
No, I put on the jersey one day, one way, and
right there where it says 160miles, I'd get some letters and
put on there however many icecream bars I ate during that day
.
That's right, 16 ice cream barsone day, one way.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
Anyways, I digress.
That being said, you do have afew well wishes.
So on YouTube Senscape, Angiesaid hope you heal.
Well.
Alex Bell and I were textingabout Kentucky.
Unfortunately, I'm sad to say,he's not going to be able to
make it, he's got anotherobligation.
But, alex, we love you.
(26:45):
You brother, um, but he didwish you well, michael um, and
melanie, our team member, andthe brim, where I love you.
Melanie, uh, she has alsowished you the best, so, um, a
few others as well, but, uh,just want to know some, some
notable people that we mentionedon the show.
But, um, well, a.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
DeBrim would not have helped my situation, just
getting it out there to theuniverse.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
I don't know, you might have had a better, like
the sun could have been blockingand you could have.
I'm okay, just kidding.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
Tilt scape was off.
No, no.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
That being said, I think we'll move on.
I think it's that time, mayberain next year.
Stay tuned.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
We've only tried twice.
Let's see.
Maybe third time's a charm, hey.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
I got this great jersey.
I got to get some miles fromTerre Haute to Richmond.
So if you're looking on YouTuberight here, I've driven it
before.
Does that count?
Yeah, me too Many a times.
Speaker 3 (27:48):
All right I think it's time.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
Ladies and gentlemen, it is that time again.
It is now time for listenerspotlight.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
All right, listener spotlight, let me go over the uh
, over the clues that I providedlast episode.
The first immigrants to thiscommunity were predominantly
German and Irish.
It began as a mill town.
You know grist mills, cottonmills, things like that, wool
mills I can't even read my ownnotes now.
(28:23):
The current town name came intoexistence in the 1840s.
Um, um, blues and jazz cantrace some of its early
successes to this town.
It sets on a historic trail andI'm putting trail in air quotes
(28:46):
and this town sets um in acommunity that the Secret
Service probably would wouldhave wanted to either avoid or
checked out more in our past.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
So the first time you said that I was like thinking
Secret Service, assassinationattempt or assassination, you
know I was thinking OK, well, Iknow that on my mother's it's
not St Louis.
I know, on my mother's sweet16th birthday, jfk was
(29:31):
unfortunately assassinated, andso I thought about OK, texas.
But then the other things yousaid didn't match up.
But Tom, from Utah, he has saidSioux Falls, south Dakota.
Gentlemen, I enjoy the show,thanks for what you do, please
keep it up.
But I was thinking somethinglike assassination attempt or
(29:54):
something like that, but I don'tknow what.
Okay, well, if we have no otherguesses, no, and it's not st
louis, then I will let you knowwhat it is.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
It is, it is not going to even insult you with
the guess of st louis.
No um, the town for listenerspotlight is in fact graft
Grafton, wisconsin.
I think it's up the river fromSt Louis, some river, it's up
north.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
I hate to do this but , Tom, thank you for taking the
time to write us but.
Okay.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
I'll give you a little bit more insight.
It was originally named for aEuropean city.
The first immigrants werepredominantly German and Irish.
It began as a mill town becauseit sits on the Milwaukee River.
It was big for grist mills andwool production.
The record as far as blues andand jazz can trace some of its
(30:58):
early successes to this town.
Uh, paramount records um had asubsidiary called race records
that was there and um they had aproduction studio or they had a
production facility and astudio there and that produced a
(31:18):
lot of uh.
The early um early records andblues and jazz came out of that
gotcha.
Um the record companies uhheadquarters and studios
actually moved there in 1925.
(31:39):
Oh, it was a great year in 1925.
1925, it was a good year.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
My pappy got me some whiskey, yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:52):
I just got to move along here.
It sets on a historic trail.
Just got to move along.
Here.
It sets on a historic trail,and reason why I put trail in
air quotes is because it isactually one, uh, one of the few
northern points on themississippi blues trail.
Oh, that's a real thing.
So, uh, you can look it up.
Uh, and then the other one.
(32:12):
That was a tough one, it's thebest I could come up with.
Uh, as far as the secretservice, either wanting to avoid
this community or reallywanting to check it out.
In our past, uh, charles gutier, gutier, gutier, um lived there
in the county as a child andin81.
(32:35):
He in fact assassinated James AGarfield.
So the assassin Of Garfield In1881.
Was from Nearby this town.
You were going down the rightroad, though.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
I don't think that's anything you ever want like in
your name, like Michael Sharpwas an assassin from.
I don't think that's anything.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
Michael, yeah, highway signs.
Michael Sharp, assassin ofwhatever president you know, no,
you don't want it, and younotice when you drive up through
town, is there will not be thatsign because now we don't want
anybody to know anything aboutthat.
Yeah, that's what.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
I say it works.
I'm always telling people Idon't want to be in the paper
for that.
So no, we're not doing thatStupid internet Leave those
kinds of things out.
Well, thank you.
Thank you all listeners, butthank you, you said Grafton.
Thank you all listeners, butthank you, you said Grafton.
Grafton Wisconsin.
Grafton Wisconsin.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
So, thank you.
It's on the.
What river did I say theMilwaukee River?
Speaker 2 (33:45):
Hmm, yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Well, blues Trail If you haven't been on the Blues
Trail, check it out.
It's very interesting.
If you're into blues and jazzmusic, that kind of stuff, you
can follow it all down.
It takes you to interestingplaces like Grafton, which used
to have a big record presence,that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
It takes you through all these kind of interesting
places that have associationswith the river, jazz and blues
music.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
Well, thank you, very much has been listener
spotlight we'll have a second,uh one at the end of the show.
I'm excited.
I have a little surprise foryou now I must.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Oh well, there it is I must tell you that this is um
in the spirit of your bicycle.
Clavicle break.
Clavicle fracture collarbonebreak.
Speaker 3 (34:50):
Clavicle fracture.
Yeah, it's a collarbone break.
Let's, let's get it right.
So it sounds good.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
You're our resident researcher for the show, I am
the technology nutjob and PR andmarketing and all that good
jazz, but the roles are going tobe reversed for the next
segment.
This can't be good.
I have put together some funand surprising bicycle accident
(35:18):
facts.
Oh man.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
Yeah, the fact that Michael had a bicycle accident.
How about that?
Speaker 2 (35:25):
That's 100%.
Yes, all right, here we go.
Most crashes don't involve cars.
About 73% of all bicyclecrashes do not involve a motor
vehicle.
They're often due to a roadhazard, ride error, mechanical
(35:46):
failure or a hose.
It did not say hose.
It did not say hose, but Ithought that was interesting.
Speaker 3 (35:58):
I would have thought it was much lower than that, but
okay.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
A little interesting fact here.
I thought this number was crazy.
Helmets reduce head injury riskby 85%, yet many cyclists still
ride without one, especiallyamong adults and recreational
urban areas.
Which brings me to a good point.
When I go to our Metro Park inmy area I always talk about it,
(36:25):
but it's a connection of parks,multiple parks called Metro
Parks, and you can actually rideto each one of them through
trails and stuff.
I always love it when I see thekid.
Head to toe They've got elbowpads and knee pads and the
helmet and streamers and likelike I'm surprised nowadays they
(36:45):
don't have like an airbagaround them, but the parent has
got the helmet around thehandlebar.
You know what?
Well go ahead.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
Nevermind.
No.
I have a rant.
Perhaps we'll save that for arant of dissatisfaction.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
Yes, yes, we haven't had one in a while.
So I'll just keep that forlater, all right, but this is
kind of interesting.
Most crashes happen close tohome.
Around 50 to 60% of bicycleaccidents occur less than one
mile from home.
Michael, I have a question.
Yes, adam, did you hit the hoseless than one mile from home.
Michael, I have a question.
Did you hit the hose less thanone mile from your house?
Speaker 3 (37:23):
I am going to say that the hose attacked me at
about almost exactly one milefrom my house.
Speaker 2 (37:33):
Then okay, there we go.
Speaker 3 (37:38):
Honestly, I think it would be almost dead on a mile.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
This next fact is not good for you and I Uh-oh, you
and I both have an M on ourlicense for sex.
Male riders are more likely tocrash Now.
Now listen to this.
This is very interesting.
Males account for 88 percent 88, now think about that for a
(38:06):
second of bicycle fatalities and80 percent of all injuries in
the United States when it comesto cycling.
So you have helped out the 80%cycling stats.
You're welcome.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
Gentlemen, you're welcome, ladies, you're welcome
too.
But does that really surpriseyou, though?
No, because there's more males.
I mean, you know, guys have atendency to, you know, just
think they're invincible.
Speaker 2 (38:32):
And do something stupid.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
Yeah, go out cycling and do something stupid.
Yeah, go out cycling.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
I'm going to take this time to mention that I
always tease you about nottraining for these things.
I'm like how can you not train?
This is why you don't train.
Speaker 3 (38:50):
I think we've proven it right now that you should
never get on Michael's case fornot training.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
I'm done getting on your case, because look what
happens, I know.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
When I train, I damage myself.
When we misride, all right.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
Back to some facts here.
Okay, time of day Now.
This is probably not going tobe good for you.
The most dangerous time to ridea bike between 6 pm and 9 pm,
when visibility drops andtraffic is high.
Michael, what time was it whenyou hit the?
Speaker 3 (39:18):
hose, it was 1121 in the morning, oh man.
Speaker 2 (39:22):
Okay, you did not so close, so close, all right.
No, it was in the morning.
Intersections are hot spots.
About 30% of serious crashesoccur at intersections, often
due to cars failing to yield.
Did any car have any kind offact in your hose crash?
Speaker 3 (39:45):
I would say yes, because there was the truck of
the lawn care guy parkedalongside the road and he had
all the hose strung out all theway back, a hundred and 55 feet
of it, strung all the way back,single up the road and it was on
(40:07):
a curve.
And then there was another carcoming, you know, in my
direction there was actually twoone passed and there was
another one coming and so, asI'm getting close to the car or
the truck I had to get over.
I was like, hey, that one'spassed, now I can get over, and
that's when it happened.
So yes, indirectly there werecars involved, but it wasn't
like car pulled out when he was,but there was, there was cars
(40:31):
involved.
Speaker 2 (40:33):
Distracted cycling is real.
Using a phone, listening toloud music or riding under the
influence contributes tothousands of accidents each year
.
My question to you, sir yes,Were you under the influence?
Speaker 3 (40:50):
Under the influence of what I don't know 11.21 in
the morning oh my God, as hesays that I pick up my glass.
No, I was not under theinfluence.
(41:12):
I was not writing back from thebar that early in the morning,
nor was I writing back from thebar from the night before I was
just out for a ride.
I was not smoking, drinkingdrinking anything.
Speaker 2 (41:28):
Urban areas see more accidents.
Roughly 75% of fatal bikecrashes happen in urban areas
with higher traffic volumes andmore complex road layouts.
Did the urban area have anyeffect on your hose bicycle
wheel interaction?
Speaker 3 (41:46):
I guess you have to define.
What do you consider an urbanarea?
Speaker 2 (41:50):
Yeah, I mean, I guess it would be different because,
like in transportation, urban isa little bit different than,
you know, rural.
Speaker 3 (41:58):
Because my urban area here is 5,000 total.
Speaker 2 (42:04):
So I wouldn't call that really urban area.
No, and that's in case Janinehad her baby.
That would be 5,001.
Speaker 3 (42:12):
She hasn't had the baby yet, or didn't have it at
that time.
So we're still at 4997.
Speaker 2 (42:21):
And ending this a little bit of humor, percentages
of causes of bicycle accidentsMotor vehicle involvement is 27%
.
Cyclist error, turns, signals,things of this nature 13%.
Road conditions, potholes,gravel hoses 13%.
Poor visibility and lighting12%.
(42:41):
And riding under the influence8%.
And mechanical failure, brakeset cetera, 5%.
Speaker 3 (42:46):
So what is the percentage of lawn care workers
who leave 155 feet of hosestrung out in the middle of the
road?
That's the same color as theroad.
Speaker 2 (42:59):
What's that 100%?
Speaker 3 (43:04):
Oh boy.
Well listen, those areinteresting facts.
I had no idea that you weredoing research.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
Good job uh, that you were doing research, a good job
.
In the spirit of your hosewheel interaction, I felt, as
that I it was my job to do some,some, some research for the
show, so it's amazing what I'lldo when I'm stuck in an airport
for a while.
So, um, connie, it is now timefor the official Armando update.
Speaker 3 (43:39):
The Armando update.
Very nice, I like that.
Speaker 2 (43:43):
So we got a message on our brag team Facebook group
page and I'm going to let youtake this one.
Speaker 3 (43:52):
This was so cool.
Speaker 2 (43:53):
I'm letting you take it buddy.
Speaker 3 (43:56):
I was blown away by this one.
Our buddy, armando, whom we'vementioned many a time on here
and we've ridden with him onmany occasions, is traveling in
France, and I don't know if itwas just randomly or if he, if
him and Connie deliberatelyfixed it so that they were going
(44:18):
to be at a spot where theycould see the tour de France.
I'm assuming that's the case,but I don't know.
Speaker 2 (44:23):
Well, I can answer that just real quick and I'm
going to throw it right back toyou.
It was planned.
He and Mike were talking aboutit and said that he was
purposely going to see the tourwhen he was there.
Speaker 3 (44:37):
Yeah, so, um, he sent a picture this morning and that
picture was him standing nextto the tour de france trailer.
You know, it has tour de franceand the big map of yellow map
(44:57):
of france and and, uh, he'sstanding there pointing at tour
de France and what does he haveon?
But he has a cycling men ofleisure shirt and uh, that's
right.
So I thought it was so cool.
It's like all right, cyclingmen of leisure has been
(45:20):
represented at tour de france.
That's amazing.
I think that's then, but wait,there's more about I don't know.
Four hours later, we get anotherpicture of him and there is our
buddy, armando, still in hiscycling men of leisure shirt,
with his arm around Phil Liggett, the voice of the Tour de
(45:45):
France.
And if you're not familiar withthe tour and all that kind of
stuff, that's fine, phil Liggettis British.
He, you know, anytime you hearany commentary come from it and
it, you know, it's typicallyPhil Liggett.
Phil Liggett, bob Roller, thetwo big play-by-play color
people that do this.
(46:06):
Well, phil Liggett has beendoing this, for I think this is
his 53rd year.
He's an institution.
And here, lo and behold,armando's standing there with
our shirt on.
Well, it's his shirt, butCycling, cycling men of leisure
next to phil, it was the mostawesome thing ever.
And what was even cooler is Iremember a couple years ago him
(46:28):
showing me a picture, and hemade mention of it is 15 years
ago.
He was at the tour and he got apicture taken with phil.
That's cool.
I remember him showing us thatpicture a couple years ago.
So, uh, you know, I mean, canwe get any bigger than that?
Cycling men of leisure has beenrepresented at the tour de
france we will.
Speaker 2 (46:48):
We will give some autographs, uh, at the end of
this show.
Speaker 3 (46:50):
So yes, yes to all the crowd and and that kind of
thing, but, um, this year, uh,the tour de france 2025 is the
112th edition of that, of thatthat race.
Um, I mean, it's just got aphenomenally long history and,
uh, it just, it's my bigsporting event for the year, so
(47:12):
really cool.
Speaker 2 (47:13):
That's pretty cool.
Um Joe Grammar, dennis Keeler,alex Bell and Scott Garwick.
What do all those gentlemenhave in common, sir?
Speaker 3 (47:26):
They all tried to escape from a maximum security
penitentiary.
Speaker 2 (47:31):
That could be.
I don't know, I can't speak onthat.
I think it was like 1984.
Oh, that was such a good yeartoo.
Speaker 3 (47:38):
It was a good year.
Speaker 2 (47:39):
yeah, these four gentlemen are monthly
subscribers and we appreciateyou.
We just want to make a mention.
So thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (47:48):
Just joking about the federal pen.
As far as I know, none of themhave ever been in a federal
penitentiary as far as I know.
So let's just leave it at that.
Speaker 2 (47:57):
All right, fair enough, fair enough, fair enough
.
I have something pretty cool.
You and I are working on aspecial project.
Can't talk about it yet, butwe're working on.
Have you told me about it?
Of course I've told you aboutit.
Oh, okay, we've worked on ittogether.
Yikes, okay.
(48:22):
But we're trying to puttogether some marketing
materials.
We're trying to put some statstogether.
It's not that big of a secret.
We're just trying to findsomething cool to do.
And, with that being said, weneeded an origin story and we
have a lot of new listeners.
Ever since Bragg 2025 and someorganic marketing that we did,
(48:48):
we actually have some new people, and what I thought I would do
is, before our last listenerspotlight, I thought I would
just take a second and read ourorigin story, because I was so
excited myself writing it.
Origin story because I was soexcited myself writing it, and I
thought this is actuallysomething after I read it to my
wife that she said you shouldsay you should say that on the
show, cause if you have allkinds of new listeners, they may
(49:09):
not know the history of ourfriendship.
And so I thought, if you wouldallow me, I would uh, I would
read it quickly.
So this is our origin story.
Origin story quickly, so thisis our origin story.
Speaker 3 (49:21):
Origin story now.
Did you take the one where wewere accidentally irradiated and
we got the special abilities?
Is that the one you chose?
Speaker 2 (49:31):
we weren't supposed to talk about that.
Oh, and I'm just kidding.
No, uh, I did not.
Speaker 3 (49:37):
I mean, I can still shoot webs, like you have the
best spider-man in the world,but no, uh, okay no, usually
origin stories start out withradiation of some kind, uh you
know, massive trauma whichcauses you to, like you know, go
insane or run over a hose,addictive well, there you go,
(50:00):
that's my origin story for neverpracticing cycling again is the
host.
Speaker 2 (50:05):
So I always tell people I'm fully transparent.
I put a lot of these factstogether and then I told ChatGBT
to help me summarize it.
I also told it to do an extremedeep dive by going through all
70 some of our podcast episodesand coming up and helping me get
this thing right.
(50:26):
And I gotta tell you the futureof technology history things
that that can gather data andput data together is is just so
exciting to be part of this partof technology.
Once I read this to you, you'llknow that no, you're not
(50:48):
excited about it.
Speaker 3 (50:51):
Skynet and it took that out of Universal.
Speaker 2 (50:55):
It's going to happen.
It could happen, possibly, butit still helped me get this
thing right.
So, without further notice,here it goes how it all began.
In the middle of Iowa duringthe summer of 2016, adam
Baranski of Michigan and MichaelSharp of Kansas crossed paths
on a famous week-long bike rideknown as Ragbri.
(51:18):
The two strangers quicklybecame friends as they pedaled
side by side for miles, chattingabout cycling, finance and
swapping memorable stories.
By the end of the ride acrossIowa, the lasting bond had
formed out of their sharedadventures on two wheels.
They reunited two years laterto tackle another Iowa ride in
(51:38):
2018, and their tradition oflong-distance cycling adventures
only grew from there.
Every summer since, adam andMichael have made a point to
embark on at least two week-longcycling tours, along with
several other multi-day ridesall over the country, through
countless hours on the road andplenty of post-ride laughs.
(51:59):
Their friendship kept growingstronger with each new journey,
turning miles into microphone.
As the years rolled on, adam andMichael developed a signature
riding style equal parts passionfor cycling and passion for
enjoying life.
That started getting themnoticed on group rides In 2022,.
(52:20):
During a bike ride acrossGeorgia, the duo could be found
relaxing after a long day's ridewith a bourbon and a cigar in
hand.
It was there.
After passing cyclists made anoffhanded comment about their
laid back affair not affair,sorry, laid back flare, my
apologies.
That spark for something biggerwas lit.
Within a couple of months.
They channeled excuse me,challenged the inspiration into
(52:42):
creating Cycling Men of Leisurebrand and online community.
They launched a Facebook page,built a website and, most
notably, started Road Adventuresof Cycling Men of Leisure
podcast to share their roadstories for cycling philosophy
with the world.
And yes, despite thetongue-in-cheek title, it's for
women too with the world.
And yes, despite thetongue-in-cheek title, it's for
(53:03):
women too.
By late 2022, the podcast waslive on every major platform and
by 2024, they were filmingepisodes for YouTube.
What began as two buddiestalking on their bikes became a
show inviting everyone along forthe ride.
Our philosophy and style CyclingMen of Leisure is more than a
cycling club or a podcast.
It's a lifestyle and a leisureand life philosophy centered on
(53:27):
savoring the journey.
Adam and Michael believe intaking in the moment, enjoying
the ride, not racing to thefinish line.
They're not opposed to ending along day's ride with a
celebratory whiskey or craftbeer and maybe a fine cigar, a
tradition that's become ahallmark of their style.
For them, cycling isn't justabout exercise, it's about the
(53:48):
exploration, exploration,conversation and the joy of the
open road.
They often say it's never aboutthe destination, it's about the
journey and the people you meetalong the way.
And we've met some wonderfulpeople, sir.
Indeed, the approach comesthrough every podcast episode.
Their playful banter, reallaughs and good nature, teasing
(54:10):
Adam and Michael make listenersfeel part of the gang.
Episodes cover everything fromepic rides and quickly small
town stops to gear reviews andrecovery bourbon recommendations
.
Of course.
The vibe is always welcoming.
Whether you're a seasonedcyclist or just bought your
first bike, you've got a placehere, a growing community.
(54:31):
Today, cycling man of Leisureis more than a two-man team.
It's a growing nationwidecommunity.
Adam and Michael have ledgroups of fellow writers on
Malta Day Adventures, includingorganizing a 43-person team of
cycling men and women of leisureto tackle the hills of Georgia.
33 writers from many statescame together with CMOL for a
(54:55):
team dinner, many meeting inperson for the first time and
even surprising the host withgifts of local whiskey and
flasks.
The kind of generosity andcamaraderie is what Cycling man
of Leisure is all about.
Since launching the podcast inlate 2022,.
Adam and Michael have recordedover 70 episodes filled with
(55:16):
stories, laughs, gear, tips,meaningful conversations.
They've hosted interviews withcycling event directors,
endurance riders and other greatvoices from the world of two
wheels, and they're just gettingstarted.
At its core, cycling Land ofLeisure remains of what it's
always been two good friends, acouple of bikes and endless open
road stories to tell and, asthey remind the listeners on
(55:39):
every episode, it's a great dayfor a bike ride.
I mean, I know Wow.
So I gave it a bunch ofinformation, but I told it to do
a deep dive and it literallycombed through all 73 episodes
(56:03):
of the podcast.
It formulated that it tookabout 25 minutes for it to put
together.
I actually thought it wasbroken.
I thought I'm like did I reallybreak ChatGPT?
And then it said we'll get backto you when we're done.
And then it came up and gave mea notification.
But I just thought that was.
Speaker 3 (56:21):
That is impressive.
That is cool.
Um, I know the story, you knowthe story, but it's cool to hear
the story written out.
I would have rather had theirradiated special powers one,
but that's okay.
Uh, that's for another story,um, but uh, no, it's really
really cool.
So I think it's neat that youdid that.
Speaker 2 (56:44):
Well, I appreciate that.
I figured, if anyone hadn'tknown some of our story or some
of the highlights, that I woulddo that and I mean, who would
have thought back in 2016, thatday doing the 100 miler We'd met
?
Speaker 3 (57:00):
but we didn't really know anything about each other.
You know, it's like, hey, let'sjust finish this up.
And we finished that up.
Who would have ever thoughtthat we'd be sitting here today
doing a podcast and riding crazyrides and, you know, fracturing
clavicles and all that kind ofstuff?
Speaker 2 (57:18):
so I could do without the fractured clavicle I'm
supposed to be packing me on theway to terre haute right now,
but that's all right, umtechnically, we should be in
terre haute right now.
I was gonna say um, you know,and when you say that for anyone
who's never um had a regular, Imean, I know people have
(57:40):
regular meetings, but you knowit gives us a chance to.
You know, we're obviouslyphenomenal friends and our
families have intertwined andyou know we think the world of
each other, but this podcastgives us a platform to.
Sometimes it's work, I'm notgoing to lie.
I mean, sometimes it's like, ohGod, we got to hurry up and get
this done, but it gives us achance to purposely continue the
(58:01):
relationship and theconversation and and um, it's a
lot of fun for me.
So, uh, I know we're coming upon a pretty, pretty monumental
uh mark, which is almost 75episodes, which is just yeah,
we're close, but um, butdefinitely cool.
Who would have thought?
But um thought.
Speaker 3 (58:21):
And you're right.
I mean we would still befriends without this podcast.
We'd still be really goodfriends without this podcast and
we'd still be writing and thatkind of stuff.
But this actually gives us timewhere we set aside once or
twice every couple of weeks,depending on how much time we
need and that kind of thing forus to sit here across from each
(58:41):
other to see each other andactually, before we get into
things, you know how much timewe need and that kind of thing
for us to sit here across fromeach other to see each other.
And actually, you know, beforewe get into things, you know we,
you know you were talking aboutmy trip, I was asking about
yours.
You know we really have time tokind of deep dive into things
because I mean, we communicateall the time.
Thank God, with the technologywe have, you know, instant
message, send pictures, thatkind of stuff.
But I mean that's, you know,that's just on the surface.
(59:02):
You don't really get a deepdive into.
You know, hey, you know this orthat or that kind of thing.
So it's really cool becausethis gives us that, not just a
platform, but gives us anopportunity to like, sit here
face to face and spend five or10 minutes before we get into
the business of podcasting tojust chat with each other and
catch up?
Speaker 2 (59:21):
It's definitely no.
And I get asked a lot, you know, do you still enjoy it?
I do, I do enjoy it.
It's definitely a fun, funproject.
And then never in our, ourthoughts in the beginning we
actually said, well, this thinggoes six episodes and we'll just
say it was fun.
And then now where we are inthe, we can see download numbers
(59:45):
.
I mean, it's not all about, youknow, quantitative it's I.
I actually would like to sayit's more qualitative.
Now, what is what we try to puttogether?
Um, numbers are still important, don't get me wrong.
It kind of gives us a mark, abenchmark of what's going on.
But, um, we're at the point nowwhere we pretty much know what
to expect of how many downloadsand when we get new, new people.
Speaker 3 (01:00:09):
We think last couple weeks.
It's just something's beenblowing the doors off of it.
But what?
What?
I think the true reward to thewhole thing is yeah, the numbers
are important, but what thetrue reward is is when we go out
to these rides and stuff andpeople come up to us and go, hey
, are you those guys?
Or you're the guys with thepodcast, or I listened to you or
I really liked that episode, orI really liked this episode.
(01:00:31):
Or when we run into our friendsthat we've ridden with you know
for a couple of years that wemet because of cycling men of
leisure and they're our friendsand we're riding with them yet
again and it's that communitythat's grown out of this.
That, for me, is the biggestreward, you know, because we've
(01:00:52):
got friends all over the countrynow that we would have never
had.
Even if we went to these eventswithout kind of doing the
Cycling, men of Leisure andhaving the podcast and stuff, we
would have probably never metand had, you know, the
friendships that we've got.
Speaker 2 (01:01:06):
So yeah, for sure.
No, absolutely.
I mean this one side piece andwe'll get into listener
spotlight.
But in Georgia this summersomeone said you sound like just
you, sound like that guy in thepodcast.
Well, I am that guy in thepodcast.
He said you sound just likeyourself.
I hope so.
Speaker 3 (01:01:23):
Cause it's me.
Well, that's the other thingthat we get a lot is, people are
like when they meet us, they'relike you guys are like exactly
like you're on the show, Exactly.
And it's like, well, yeah,because, uh, we don't create any
persona or anything.
I mean, we're not creatingsomebody different when we're
sitting here talking with eachother.
This is how we are and that'show we want it.
(01:01:43):
We want it very genuine.
I mean, you know us horsingaround is exactly what you're
going to find when you see ushanging out after a ride.
We're doing the exact samething, Cause that's just who we
are, and I always love it whenpeople are like you guys are
exactly like you sound on thething or you guys act the same
way.
It's like that's good, that'swhat we want.
Yeah, we don't want to try tomake ourselves something
(01:02:05):
different than we're not.
Speaker 2 (01:02:07):
That's not kind of and and we, we, you know, at um
pod fest we met some people whodo a complete different.
Where they, they, they, they,uh, I don't want to say act, I
guess, guess they do act.
Speaker 3 (01:02:21):
They have a podcast persona that's different than
who they are and there's nothingwrong with that.
I mean, you know, we could havedone that, we could have
created different kind ofpersonas for us, but we were
just looking at telling ourstories and this is who we are.
But yeah, you're right, thereare people out there that kind
of have these differentpersonalities when they're on,
(01:02:45):
so to speak, than they are whenthey're in public.
I think that is disappointingbecause if they get people who
are following them and beforesatellite radio was a thing you,
I'm sure you were in somevehicle listening to a radio
(01:03:08):
station and the guy's like hi, Iam DJ Jim.
Speaker 2 (01:03:12):
And then you go, like you meet DJ Jim at a mall and
he stands up and he's like hi,how you doing?
You're like what the heck?
That doesn't sound like thesame guy, you know.
So I got a voice changer orwhatever you're exactly right.
Speaker 3 (01:03:24):
I used to work in radio way back in the day and I
worked with a guy who did thatexact same.
He had a completely differentpersona for his radio.
Yeah, and he did in real life.
In fact, he used aquote-unquote stage name.
Speaker 2 (01:03:39):
You know, he didn't even use his own, his own name,
and you know that's fine, but itwas just like a completely
different person when he's onair versus off air, yeah, so
yeah, I remember there's nothingwrong with that, it's just it's
not the way we we want to work,so yeah, I remember one time we
were they're giving awayconcert tickets and there was a
line and I went up and I said,hey, I just want you to know I
(01:04:01):
really appreciate your radioshow.
And it wasn't like I'm makingfun, like a high pitch, it
wasn't like that.
But I was expecting what Iheard in my car day in and day
out.
And then when the DJ host hesaid, oh no, no, thank you,
thank you very much.
I walked away going.
Was that really him?
Speaker 3 (01:04:21):
Whatever?
Speaker 2 (01:04:21):
Dave's voice.
Speaker 3 (01:04:22):
Yeah, exactly, I walked away going.
Was that really him?
Whatever Dave's voice, yeah,exactly.
Speaker 2 (01:04:25):
At the motor speedway , all right.
Well, that being said, it isnow time.
What everybody enjoys Alistener's spotlight.
Speaker 3 (01:04:37):
All right, have a good one.
St Louis, we can all go homenow.
If it were St Louis, yes, allright.
This city sets on a former mainhighway that is between two
(01:05:00):
major cities.
Main highway that is betweentwo major cities, so it used to
be the main highway between twomajor cities.
Monopoly has nothing on thiscommunity's railroad, got it?
Speaker 2 (01:05:20):
So it's not reading railroad, not a short line.
I'm just kidding.
Just kidding Go ahead.
Speaker 3 (01:05:31):
The community was founded in the 1830s and named
after a local fairy.
This town was also shelled bythe British, so that should
start limiting the area.
And the final one I'm going togive to you is George dreamed of
(01:05:58):
a great victory in thiscommunity.
George dreamed of a greatvictory.
George dreamed of a greatvictory in this community.
Speaker 2 (01:06:04):
George dreamed of a great victory.
Speaker 3 (01:06:07):
George dreamed of a great victory.
Yes, sir.
Speaker 2 (01:06:11):
Well, with that being said, since this is coming out
on Sunday, I bet you, the guysin Indiana, had a great day for
a bike ride.
Speaker 3 (01:06:19):
I bet they did, although it was supposed to rain
, so we'll see.
Speaker 2 (01:06:26):
We will find out in two weeks.
Always good to be with you,buddy.
Same to you sir.
Speaker 1 (01:06:30):
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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