Wheeling into Memories: Celebrating Birthdays, Community Festivities, and the Collector's Spirit

As I celebrated another trip around the sun with a brisk 48-mile ride, it struck me just how intertwined our lives are with the cycle of our wheels—and this episode is all about those connections. We're spinning tales from the abrupt halt of Ride the Rockies 2024 to the cherished memories of Georgia's Spring Tune-Up, all while keeping our spirits high for what's next in the cycling world. Our group, Cycling Men of Leisure, misses the camaraderie of the ride but finds solace in the stories shared, like that of a listener's hometown with a rich milling heritage that resonates beyond the bike trails.

Shifting gears, we take you on a scenic tour through the upcoming Shoreline ride in Michigan, painting a picture of the route confirmations and community festivities that await. You'll feel the anticipation building as we discuss the intricate event logistics, from the transportation of bikes to the thrilling optional rides. Whether it's exploring Traverse City's wine country or Mackinac Island's charm, we ensure every pedal stroke leads to an unforgettable adventure. And don't worry, we've thrown in a discount code for listeners eager to join us, because who doesn't love a good deal?

But wait, there's more! We're not just about bicycles; we're about the bonds formed through shared passions. Pour yourself a glass as we unravel the stories behind my whiskey collection and Michael's vintage cameras, proving that hobbies do more than just fill time—they create lifelong memories and friendships. Whether it's signing whiskey bottles around a campfire or chuckling over an impromptu camera collection, these moments are as integral to our journey as the miles we log. So tune in, enjoy the ride, and maybe you'll be inspired to start a quirky collection of your own.

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We will be back

Transcript

Speaker 1: 1:13

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

Speaker 2: 1:27

Welcome to Road Adventures of Cycling Men of Leisure. As usual, I am Adam and, luckily for me, once again in human format, my good friend and co-host, mr michael sharp. How we doing adam, doing wonderful, doing wonderful. Uh, just celebrated a big milestone in my life. I, oh, you did, yeah, I went out for a 48 mile bike ride and celebrating my 29th birthday.

Speaker 3: 1:57

Okay, yeah, well, I'll play along.

Speaker 2: 2:01

I'm just kidding 48 for 48, baby 48 for 48. So what I hadn't counted on, it was also 48 degrees, but whatever made the best of it. So got to celebrate with some family. Too bad, you live about a 12-hour drive away. I would have been there. Absolutely. You know what this thing really needs to kick off, so we can buy the cycling Learjet, so you can be here in a couple of hours.

Speaker 3: 2:30

That would be nice. You just have to wait for your gift, until I see you, man.

Speaker 2: 2:34

All right, no problem, all right, somewhere in this room. I don't want to point where man. All right, no problem, sorry, somewhere in this room. I don't want to point where is a gift for you as well. I had to do a little while your birthday is a little bit off. You know when I, when the guy when you see the right gift.

Speaker 3: 2:50

that's right, you just got to go for it.

Speaker 2: 2:53

So that was that good ride. Good good, good people, good friends. So that was that Good ride. Good people, good friends, family Feel healthy, getting back on the mend, so that's good. But on a serious note, did you Going serious now? I'm serious. This is kind of disappointing. Did you see the news this weekend?

Speaker 3: 3:19

I've seen a lot of news. Now I don't know specifically what you're speaking of.

Speaker 2: 3:24

Ride the Rockies Canceled. What? Yes, wow Got the website up here. After much consideration and evaluation of the limited registration, we regret that Ride the Rockies 2024 is canceled. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the towns, participants, sponsors, crew, volunteers and supporters who have had a role in making this ride so special for the past 37 years. Going to buzz through this real quick what happened in 2024 ride? Um, gonna buzz through this real quick. What happened in 2024 ride? After careful consideration? Um, as then they offered two other cycling experiences, which was a tour of the bat and kill and a little known ride called rag brime. How do you request a refund, etc. Etc. What if I bought items, but the big one is here at the bottom? We'll ride the rockies return, and what they type was very simple uh, we are assessing the best option for this beloved ride, so maybe there's still a chance that I could come back. I know that's one that you've talked about before.

Speaker 3: 4:35

Well, I lived in color, colorado for many years. Yeah, excuse me, that was always a big ride and I know in 2021, that ride sold from. What was sold was purchased by another organization. I'm going to bet that it's going to stick around in some format maybe not be every year, but we'll see, because I mean it. It was huge and I know it was a big boost to a lot of the economy of of some of the smaller communities that they were going through. But part of me is not surprised by this, because Ride the Rockies is not like your Bragg, your Brand, your Back, your Rag Bry. It's not like any of those. I mean, this is like a next level in writing, because, if I remember right, you're going over like 28 000 feet of climb or something okay over those six days, a beautiful country.

Speaker 3: 5:29

I've been over most of it, not on a bicycle, but been through most of it. But, um, you know, it's a lot of climb, it's a lot of mountains, it's a lot of mountains and there's a lot of people out there. That just you know. I mean you've got to really dedicate some hardcore training to this. Plus, you're in high altitude, so you've got, you know, the, the less oxygen and things like that. So, not surprised. I hope they find a, a, a solution to it.

Speaker 2: 5:56

I hope they find a solution to it. So, just as a general question, I know we, you know usually you and I pre-plan before talking about this show, but this is just an organic question. You know you and I have had multiple conversations about rides like this slipping to the non-popular side, where you know people aren't buying bicycles, people aren't, you know, have the availability of doing these long week long rides with vacation time and they're doing other things. Completely respect where you're coming from with with. I mean, we sat with that wonderful family in Iowa. They just got back from Ride the Rockies told us about how, how challenging it was and how fun it was. Do you think it is more of the additional effort to do all the climbing or do you think it is a combination of people aren't doing this as much or any open opinion on that?

Speaker 3: 6:51

Well, my opinion and that's all it is is my opinion. You and I, I think, have talked about it many times and we have both kind of agreed that not as many people are participating in this type of cycling anymore. Um, so I think that, in and of itself I think you know, it's like anything else you got your peaks and your valleys. I think we're starting to go through a time when cycling uh, recreational cycling on these type of big events is decreasing, and we've seen that in our past history where it goes down and then, you know, over time it comes back up. So I think that is part of it. And, like I said, I think this is, this is like one of those hardcore rides. This isn't just a. You know, we're going to train for a month and then we're going to go out and ride this. I mean it's, it's no joke. So I think between the two.

Speaker 3: 7:38

So I hope they find an alternative for it, but we'll see. I mean a lot of other rides we've seen have closed up shop over the course of the last few years and a lot of other ones have had a reduced participation ship.

Speaker 2: 7:56

So yeah, Well, and I respect your opinion. I mean I, you know, you and I tease each other a lot, but, um, I do respect your opinion. I was just just curious, um, um, turning it to something when we will, we'll think the best for ride the Rockies. Hate to see something like that. I mean, you know, we know because of our um working with rag Brian, you know the interviews and the interviews and things that you know they're owned by the same company and so we've seen multiple things shared by Ragbri about Ride the Rockies. So we'll hope the best that it can come back, maybe in a different format or maybe something that will yet to be seen. But, uh, on a more positive note, um, did you see some of our friends pictures from the weekend as well?

Speaker 3: 8:44

I did. I saw a lot of pictures from a lot of friends, uh, from the spring tune-up yeah uh, the the bike ride across georgia has a spring tune-up. We were there last year. Weren't able to make it this year, but I did see a lot of pictures from a lot of friends that we know. Um kind of made me sad that we weren't there.

Speaker 2: 9:02

But me too.

Speaker 3: 9:03

Me too, it does look like they had a, they had a good time and and that type of thing.

Speaker 2: 9:07

So I mean just a quick name, uh, uh, walter, savannah Lacey, sarah, um, trip, trip, yeah, scott and and and cricket, um, you know just I'll, I got to kind of kind of see it through like Strava, watching it on Strava at the same time watching their pictures and, uh, it looks like they had great weather until the last day and so, um, look beautiful. So I was definitely um disappointed, but at the same time, you know, I I know there's some private reasons why we both couldn't go. So, uh, you had to do that weekend jail thing, which is no big deal, but, um, it's not a weekend jail thing, it's public service.

Speaker 2: 10:00

I'm providing a public term, if you're wearing an ankle brace that makes an alarm when you leave your house. I'm just kidding, I'm just teasing, that's just a kidding, I'm just joking. For the health reasons in your family, because I know your wife is an avid listener we are thinking about you, chity and and, and your struggles, of your, of your family, and we're keeping your mom in our hearts. So, um but um, but it's more fun to say that you're wearing an ankle bracelet.

Speaker 3: 10:29

Well, you know it makes for a way better story. People are going oh my god, he's a criminal. Yeah you know, I spent two days picking up litter at the city park, but what was cool is Cycling. Men of Leisure was in fact represented. Absolutely Proud of that.

Speaker 2: 10:50

I saw the picture. Armando had the jersey on the 100% factual that I know was. There was armando and and he took a picture and and by the picture it said free snacks, free beer. And I I wrote him and then on facebook and live so everybody could see it. I said, well, did you get the beer? And he said, of course, I'm a cycling man of leisure. So nice yeah, it looks like they had a good time.

Speaker 3: 11:17

I'm sorry chris might have been there as well, I think, yeah, chris was there.

Speaker 2: 11:21

I saw that he took pictures of flying in. So, um, uh, he's got a nice bike, thule bike case. I saw that in the pictures I'm like. So his is one. I think the bike almost stays pretty much together where you and I are.

Speaker 3: 11:34

That's you know, takes all the fun out of it. Where's the adventure in that?

Speaker 2: 11:39

he, he doesn't want extra parts, smart guy. So, yes, it was neat to see all their pictures, and Franklin had a bunch of pictures with his children, and so that's great. I just wonder if Heather is going to make it for Big Brag or not. So she is she's, so she's expecting soon. But anyways, I just wanted to bring the show down, with cancellation of Ride the Rockies. Let's bring it back up with Stu. And now it is time for something that people are really enjoying, I've heard, is our listener spotlight. All right, so the last time you gave some hints.

Speaker 2: 12:27

Would you mind to give those hints again?

Speaker 3: 12:30

I would absolutely love to give those hints again. The hints that I provided last episode was that originally Hate lyrics oh no, just kidding, sorry. Please forget him. I'm looking for a replacement, I just can't find one Good luck.

Speaker 2: 12:50

Oh yeah really, because the pay is just amazing.

Speaker 3: 12:54

Yeah, the pay is fantastic and you have to work with me all the time, so probably too negative.

Speaker 2: 12:59

I'll be good. I'll be good.

Speaker 3: 13:02

Originally this started out as part of another town. The name was changed and then later it was incorporated and the name was changed again, and when they finally changed it to the last final name, it was named after Colonel in the Militia. It became a big mill town due to its location on a river. It is located in a state that it was not originally established in. Ie, it was in a different state when it was originally incorporated. That's a tricky one. Ie it was in a different state when it was originally incorporated. That's a tricky one, and a canal ran through this town in the early part of the 1800s. No, it was not St Louis.

Speaker 2: 13:59

Yeah, I know. So I don't really have a good guess, but all I want to say is in my mind is, when you say it's now different state that is originally incorporated. I kind of went to the part of the country of like the three corners of kentucky, tennessee and illinois, right there where the you can go either way on the bridge, and maybe broke off. That's's my only guess.

Speaker 3: 14:27

You're starting to get down, you're starting to think about this and go down the right road. Let me break these hints down for you, to let you know.

Speaker 3: 14:35

Okay, started out in a different town, then it was changed, and, and basically the town that I'm speaking of is Westbrook, maine okay how I got that is is that it was named after Colonel Thomas Westbrook, who was a colonel in the New England militia, and he was famous for his work in basically the fourth French and Indian War. So we're going back a ways. It became a big mill town due to its location on a river, and the river was the Prezumpsket River. I'm probably pronouncing that wrong. I apologize.

Speaker 2: 15:21

I never mispronounced anything, I'm just kidding, can't?

Speaker 3: 15:24

bepronounced anything. Well, a canal ran through it in the early part of the 1800s and that was the Cumberland and Oxford Canal, which was opened in 1832. It connected the Great Lakes with the seaport of Portland Maine Big fan of Portland Maine. And here's the big one it was located in a state that it didn't originally start out in. Now, I can think of three or four times when the United States shuffled up states, changed borders. There was a few more than that due to, you know, changes of rivers and different things but the big one was the Missouri Compromise. And in the Missouri Compromise, maine back in those days or, excuse me, massachusetts back in those days is where it was at and went all the way up through Maine to Canada. And as part of the Missouri Compromise they broke Massachusetts into two states. You had Massachusetts in the south, you had Maine in the north. So originally this started out in Massachusetts.

Speaker 2: 16:30

Okay.

Speaker 3: 16:31

And then later, after that compromise, it became part of Maine. But you know there's other. Virginia gave away some territory, North Carolina has given away some territory. There's been different times when that has actually happened, but our town for this episode is Westbrook, Maine.

Speaker 2: 16:54

Thank you, listeners from Westbrook Maine. Actually, thank you all listeners, but especially for this week's listener spotlight Westbrook Maine. So that's cool, I mean it's. You know, when you and I were first starting this whole idea of cycling, men of leisure, and then the podcast um, never would I have dreamed that we would hit over 10 000 downloads now. Yes, and I I didn't think it would be more than just our families in kansas and in michigan. So exactly.

Speaker 3: 17:27

You know we started out from nothing. Um, what a year and a half ago. Yeah, roughly, hasn't been that long. Uh, you know, the first episode we put out there, we started from nothing, we had no website, no, anything, starting out from scratch, nothing. That first episode, I think, when we, after like two weeks, we may have hit 30 downloads and I'm gonna say 20 of those downloads were friends and family we were like woohoo, you know, and uh, it is just kind of blossomed from there. So, thanks to people like know, our folks out in Westbrook, maine that listen into us.

Speaker 2: 18:06

So here's a little side piece. If we've never said this before, what if I told our listenership that you and I recorded the first show? 12?

Speaker 3: 18:21

times. Now see, now you're, you're, you're giving away how we make the sausage here. Well, yeah, totally funny story. We thought we had to be perfect, our first one. We'd never done any kind of this before and we did it. We listened to it. It's like that stinks. We did, and literally we recorded that episode 12 times before we were like, ah, that's good enough to let it go. And the good news is now we record one time, one time, and we really don't make many edits. I mean, maybe, if there's a time when we don't hit mute and somebody you know has a coughing fit or something like that, we'll we'll that out. But most of the time, what you're getting here is a single recording, raw as it is, and we just go with it.

Speaker 2: 19:09

That's right, and then if we don't like it, we just cut it out. We've learned not to do things like bang on desks and be like, no, we're not doing that, and then it makes us sound later. So we've learned all kinds of stuff. But when I said 12 times, all I could picture was in Ferris Bueller's Day Off Nine times. I don't remember him being sick nine times. That's because he probably wasn't sick, mrs Bueller, he's just leading you down the Fremrose Path.

Speaker 3: 19:37

Yes, we've certainly came a long ways in a very short time and you know, now I don't even know if our families listen anymore. I know your mom does, my mom does. Yeah, Thank you, Mom.

Speaker 2: 19:53

I do send a link to my family, they usually give me like a thumbs up and I'm sure they roll their eyes. They're like, yeah, we get it. You got a podcast. You know, we understand.

Speaker 3: 20:01

Now they're probably like we'd really love to listen to it, but is that Michael guy still on there? Cause you know, oh, look at that control.

Speaker 2: 20:09

Well, look at that, my camera is overheated and shut down. So, on that note, uh, we will, uh, we will. This is live. See, we just talked about this there you go.

Speaker 2: 20:21

This is what happens when you this is what's gonna happen you go do uh, let's let my camera shut down, but in the meantime, um, we do have something for this week, uh, which will be actually live in person with an actual camera footage. Um, we did an episode before with a gentleman named Neil Glazebrook, the events director for the LMB League of Michigan Bicyclists, and we are doing a ride of his called Shoreline rideshorelineorg, and so I'll tell you what why don't we bring Neil on now?

Speaker 3: 20:55

Yeah, let's hear it.

Speaker 2: 20:57

Hey, neil, welcome back to the show. I appreciate you being on how you been.

Speaker 4: 21:02

Not bad, not bad. How are you guys doing? How's things going in your perspective? Parts of the country.

Speaker 2: 21:08

Well, as far as Livingston County goes, good. I got out for a 48-mile ride on Sunday 48 for my 29th birthday if you go with that but it was a good day, a little chilly, but at the same time glad I got out. What about you, michael?

Speaker 3: 21:25

You know I haven't been getting out a lot. Had a lot of personal things going with my family, so that's been keeping me, and the winds here have just been blowing crazy and I know you got to ride in the wind, but I'm using it as an excuse and, by the way, throwing the flag on the 28th or 29th birthday, by the way.

Speaker 2: 21:47

Okay, fine, fine, fine. It's 48 for 48. But nevertheless, let's move on. This is about Shoreline. We want to hear about our second big ride of the year. I'm excited. I talked to Neil maybe about a month ago and I think you were traveling, as they say, up north here, but that you were traveling in that area and we'd love to see if you have any updates that you can share for those who might be interested in joining us in Michigan in August and to see anything new since the last time we talked to you.

Speaker 4: 22:26

Yeah, absolutely so. Several things have come on mind. So I was up in the region traveling, working on some partnerships and some of the amenities and things we're adding alongside the ride here, and we say largely at schools on Shoreline. So a lot of this runs through school boards and it takes a little bit of time and planning and many meetings to make these happen. So what you folks will start seeing is next week we're going to start sending out all our sites that have been confirmed and we'll be doing that via social kind of like many events do, just so people can have eyes on.

Speaker 4: 23:08

Go on Google, check out what's around the lay of the land, you know, maybe the shades on this side of the building where we camp things like that. So those announcements will start coming out. We have several communities confirmed already. We will be at the Civic Center Park in Traverse City, which is where we normally do our layover in years past, but for this year's edition that's where we will be ending, doing an out and back on Saturday with multiple route options and wrapping up the day with a big community party, which will be the next big announcement.

Speaker 4: 23:47

You folks see, I was up there working on some things and we have a promoter that I'm working with that's going to be running the music side of the programming. Those bands are going to start getting announced over the next few weeks of who's going to be there no spoiler alert not Leonard Skinner, but we will have some very cool hacks up there and have, um you know, some great entertainment, some great food and a really nice beer garden and um libations for everyone to kind of hang out after the party. We're going to be working with some other organizations in the state, like Norte and Tart Trails and some regional partners up there to really try to give everyone a absolute up north experience. So that's some of the things that have changed since maybe the last time we talked, the things that have changed since maybe the last time we talked. We have Traverse City confirmed, charlevoix confirmed and Mackinac confirmed. The other cities of Sheboygan, roger City and Alpena are really close and we'll be able to announce those probably in cadence of all these other announcements, cool, awesome.

Speaker 2: 25:01

So if you listen to us and haven't heard about Shoreline, or wasn't something that you've heard us talk about yet, shoreline is in the lower peninsula of Michigan, at the tippy top, mackinac City, and on the layover day, depending on how you sign up for the ride. Because, neil, you do the same thing that Bragg does, which is you offer they can sign up for the first half or the last half.

Speaker 4: 25:30

Is that correct, Correct? And that's something else we haven't really talked about on here. But there is a three-day option for folks that want to dabble their toe in this route, in this sort of adventure. There is a three-day option where you could start in Mackinac and then end in Traverse City.

Speaker 2: 25:47

But for those who are doing the week-long, the day off, you can head to the island.

Speaker 4: 25:53

Absolutely. Yep, yep, you can head out to the island. Our good friend of the league and one of our star volunteers, mark Cope, actually lives in that region, or not lives, has a cottage in that region, has family that's been in Mackinac City for many years and we're working on some really cool routes. That showcases the history in Mackinac City proper. If you don't feel like venturing over to the island that day, so we'll have some things in the city for you to do as well.

Speaker 3: 26:25

Let me just say let me translate for the non-Michigan people as I am. He's saying lower peninsula and all this, and trust me, I've been up there enough now that I know it. But what we're talking about is, you know, michigan's in the little mitten thing we're talking about up across the top of the mitten, the top of the state. So when you say lower peninsula, there is another piece of Michigan that goes up. That's the upper peninsula, but if you look at Michigan proper, it's along the very top. Of Michigan is what we're talking about. So I just wanted to clarify that for anybody who was not familiar with Michigan. Thank, you.

Speaker 2: 27:03

So what you're saying is is that they're not watching this on YouTube. To take their left hand and put it in front of their face and start in the index finger and come all the way around the hand to almost the pinky, would be the right. Yes, okay, don't do it backwards.

Speaker 3: 27:23

Yeah, that won't work very well.

Speaker 2: 27:26

So not on the UPA, as we say here.

Speaker 4: 27:29

No, not in the UPA.

Speaker 2: 27:33

But you do have a ride that goes there as well.

Speaker 4: 27:35

I do have one there as well, and that one's a little earlier in the season, but that one's called Mup. If anyone's interested, check that one out as well.

Speaker 2: 27:45

And they can find that at LMBorg.

Speaker 4: 27:48

LMBorg and that one has its own website as well. Ridemuporg.

Speaker 2: 27:56

Perfect, we'll put that in the link as well. Obviously, we're more concerned about Shoreline, but I mean for those looking for other rides, maybe they're busy August 3rd through the 10th and maybe they're available for that one. So, shoreline something that after you and I spoke, neil, and after we did the interview before something, I'm still a little bit just not seeing it yet and maybe I need to just cool my jets until the ride guide comes out. But how does the parking and the bus work? Is that something we have to sign up for?

Speaker 4: 28:32

No, parking is included. The bus, however, is something you have to sign up for, so the bus is probably one of the only standalone things that would be an extra charge and would require signing up. Alongside registration. That is an item you can pick as you're going through the registration portal. Parking that is something else that will be announced. That was just confirmed last week. We will be parking not in Civic Center Park, but we will be parking across the street at Northwestern Michigan University, so we'll be parking over in their parking lot. They were gracious enough and thank you very much to them for donating the space to help us have a good parking experience for everyone. So that is where folks will be parking and snatching the bus to head from Traverse City to Alpena for the start.

Speaker 2: 29:32

And that bus is on the 3rd of August.

Speaker 4: 29:34

That bus is on the 3rd. We do preloading on the night of August 2nd for a handful of hours. Those times will be released in the rider's guide mid-May here. Perfect. But we do a few hours in the night. That's just for people that come into town early and just to make it easier and less chaotic in the morning. Then we don't get one big rush of folks trying to get all their stuff on the bike truck and into the bus and load it up. So just makes that morning a little smoother. We'll be doing bike loading that evening, the second in that same parking lot, as well as the morning of before the bus rolls out and the bus. Once registration's closed and I can confirm how many buses we're having with the busing company, the bus will generally leave between 10 and 11, depending on how many buses we have.

Speaker 2: 30:29

Perfect, perfect, awesome, so that actually answered your question, yeah. Yeah, we were actually talking about it before, which is we figured that there was parking in a bus, and I know we talked about it, but we just weren't sure exactly how that works. So, and then, once you take the, those who are doing the week long ride, of course, will then park the car, take the bus over and then successfully finish the ride on on the ninth, but then have the option to stay on the 10th as well.

Speaker 4: 31:03

Yes, actually, just to correct you just a little bit on that, there is ride and festivities that are part of the normal event on the 10th.

Speaker 4: 31:14

Okay, I apologize you are able to go out and ride. We're going to have multiple routes. The big one I'm working on some things with the road commissions and stuff in Traverse City for how we're going to get out here but the big one should be our optional ride, which was always Mission Point, which is absolutely stunning and beautiful to ride. There is a little construction at the throat of that peninsula but for any of you folks that aren't from Michigan, mission Point is like its own beautiful little lakeside wine country up there with beautiful rolling hills, tons of vineyards, little farm stands. It is one of the quintessential Traverse City rides and that is part of the few routes we're going to have. Of the few routes we're going to have, that will be the supported route for Saturday, august 10th, while we're back at camp setting up for all of you folks to come back and hang out for the after party. Cool.

Speaker 2: 32:10

Sounds good. No, it definitely sounds good. So we've got August 3rd through. The 10th is the dates of rideshorelineorg. The dates of rideshorelineorg and then the first day of actual riding that is supported is on the 4th of August, but on the 3rd, if I remember. Looking on the website, those who are in the area can more than welcome. Unsupported can go out and ride their bike on the night of the 3rd.

Speaker 4: 32:41

Absolutely.

Speaker 4: 32:42

Once you're in town in Alpena you get checked in or even, if you want to go for a ride before we've released the route that everyone is riding for the seven and three day, what you folks have not seen released yet and you will see in subsequent announcements leading up to the rider's guide mid-May here is alternate routes and we have a ton of routes that were assets of our former event in the Alpena region called Sunrise. So there's a multitude of little road loops, a multi-use path loop you can do as well as the Northeastern Trail leaves and kind of runs a diagonal really close to one of the towns we're ending up in. That is a mixed use kind of converted rail trail. So that is crushed limestone, a little bit of two track in sections not completely paved. So that may not be for everyone, but there is that option, multi-use options, and several road routes we're going to be posting up that folks can go out, spin out their legs, get those plane bugs off if they've flown in, or just get warmed up and ready for the next day.

Speaker 2: 33:53

Those guys who are flying in.

Speaker 3: 33:55

What a bunch of clowns. I'll be ready to go.

Speaker 2: 34:00

I was going to say he actually might fly in a few days early. We might do some lower Michigan distillery tours there you go. But just to review for those who are considering it which I know there's a few people out there that I've been speaking with who are highly considering it For the ride, part of the entry fee, you get breakfast and dinner. You're on your own for lunch, and I know there's probably a few few times there that there's not meals included, but in general, uh, ride days, um, um, that you get breakfast and dinner, lunches on your own, supported SAG stops, sag support and a slew of other things such as the ticket to go out to Mackinac is included.

Speaker 4: 34:52

I'm sure I'm missing something Ticket to go to Mackinac, jerseys included. We're going to have beverages and snacks and little light things for you once you get back to camp, so you don't got to run out to a store Depending on where the location is. Another thing you'll see announcements for is, for example, charlotte Boy. We're at the high school a little bit outside of town. We're working with a few local partners there and we're going to have some shuttles running in every town that we can along this corridor to get you folks back and forth without having to ride your bike, if that's what you choose, so you'll have things like that going on where we can swing it. We're going to have nightly entertainment. Some of these are just going to be local venues that are putting on an extra concert or bringing in talent for us because we're in town, and those announcements will be getting made throughout the month of May. One item.

Speaker 4: 35:48

I probably should bring up that we haven't discussed on here is that I do have a few key deadlines with the event, and that is we just spoke about the jersey. Right, so you do get an included jersey, but how that works is we have to have them produced before the event.

Speaker 2: 36:07

You don't just make them in your garage the night before. No.

Speaker 4: 36:12

I wish I'd be rolling in the dough. Anyway, we are shutting down on June 3rd Doesn't mean you can't register anymore, but on June 3rd I push the order out to Primal, which is our jersey vendor, in case anyone's wondering. So the included jersey deadline ends June 3rd. On June 3rd, from that point on, your included jersey will not be available for you at the event. You will, however, get a jersey post the event when we make a second order and ship those things out. So it's not that you're losing out, it's just that if you want to have that jersey to utilize on the ride, your deadline is June 3rd to make that registration live Perfect, and then one other date with another three in. It is. Typically this is not something the league has done in the past, but we are closing registration 30 days out.

Speaker 4: 37:12

There's a number of reasons for that, but registration is closing at 1159 pm on July 3rd. I don't think anyone would register on the 4th of July anyway, so we're shutting it down before the weekend. I will actually be heading to Mup on that day to get set up for our UP event, so we're shutting things down so we can calculate and tabulate that stuff and get everything in line so everyone can have a great experience on shoreline.

Speaker 2: 37:41

But we're going to celebrate America by signing up for a bike ride.

Speaker 3: 37:44

You could do that Sign up the day ahead and then celebrate America's birthday.

Speaker 2: 37:49

Okay, fine, okay. So just to be clear, part of the one price point includes the included jersey. To get that jersey and to be able to wear it while on the ride, you have to register and let you know by june 3rd, and then the last day to register for rideshorelineorg is july 3rd. Probably want to get on there like 1150 and not wait until 1159.

Speaker 4: 38:23

Yeah, so that would be wise I'd recommend uh signing up uh now just sign up now.

Speaker 3: 38:31

That's what I was gonna say just sign up now, why wait yeah?

Speaker 2: 38:34

if you're seriously considering a ride like this. Um, the only thing I would say, like, if you may be waiting, is making sure that you're like our good friend Armando. You know he had some physical replacement of a body part. He was making sure he was ready, but I did see that he was recently in Georgia riding, so he was indeed.

Speaker 3: 38:59

I think the replacement is working. So, yes, yes.

Speaker 2: 39:03

Yes, well, that's cool. I'm glad you were willing to come back on and we wanted to definitely spread the word for those who might be interested. I mean we're excited. Our two big week-long rides are Georgia and Michigan. Rides are Georgia and Michigan and you know we're looking at doing a couple weekend things here or still trying to finalize those before we announce where we're actually going to go. But not everybody can do week-long rides. But we're pretty excited and we knew that you still had some rough draft planning and so I appreciate you coming on and kind of giving us an update. So the availability is still there to sign up. But you do have to be considerate. I mean we're almost at the end of April here. If you want that jersey, you've got, by my calculations, about 40 days to sign up. So don't wait 40 days. But if someone does sign up afterwards, don't wait 40 days. But if someone does sign up afterward, they catch the word. You'll still give them a jersey. You just can't promise that they'll have them there at the actual event.

Speaker 2: 40:14

That's awesome, I would rent mine out.

Speaker 3: 40:19

It'd be a premium Premium. For who?

Speaker 2: 40:23

I don't know.

Speaker 3: 40:26

No, it's going to be an exciting ride. We're looking forward to it. I know the northern part of Michigan, especially along the shore, is beautiful up there. So that's going to be exciting and we're definitely looking forward to it. So anybody out there who wants to join us and come along, get signed up, plenty of time to train and come on out and enjoy the beauty of Michigan.

Speaker 2: 40:53

Absolutely.

Speaker 3: 40:54

Yeah. Look at that the non-Michigan guy is promoting Michigan. So there we go.

Speaker 2: 41:00

Well, we've got him trained, Neil. I mean, we're going to, we're going to, we're going to pass the central time, we're going to, we're going to let that go, but we still love them and and I appreciate you pumping the the mitten, yeah, Appreciate that, definitely appreciate it, you know.

Speaker 4: 41:18

And just just to make sure that your folks and your listeners have every opportunity to enjoy this ride, I also wanted to come on here and offer all your listeners a special deal to come out and join us and be a part of your first adventure. Michael and Adam on Shoreline so I actually have a discount code I would like to share with your listeners.

Speaker 2: 41:51

I'm listening.

Speaker 4: 41:53

And I'm going to let this roll. Let's see, here I think I'm going to do something fun. I'm going to give $100 off to the seven-day shoreline. Wow or $50 off on the three-day option. So some of your listeners don't really want to commit to a full week up here in Michigan. They want to dabble their toe in Lake Michigan.

Speaker 2: 42:19

We got an option for that.

Speaker 4: 42:21

So $100 off of shoreline seven day, 50 off of three day. Nice, you know what I'll throw in if someone can't make it in august, they could come on up with the same discount. So I'll throw the whole kitten and caboodle in there. So wow, the letters c, wow the letters C-M-L.

Speaker 2: 42:43

Very famous letters.

Speaker 4: 42:45

Uh-huh, might resemble something here.

Speaker 2: 42:47

Yes, cycling in the Leisure, of course.

Speaker 4: 42:50

So C-M-L-2-4 is the discount code that.

Speaker 2: 42:56

Cycling.

Speaker 4: 42:57

Men of Leisure can use and their listeners to come on out and join us this year for shoreline or for month wow, that's awesome, that's really nice and remember it's for women too. So I, I know I was it's okay, I wanted to put.

Speaker 3: 43:15

I mean, the code would have been like no no, no, I'm just making sure the code is fine. I'm just making sure the code is fine. I'm just making sure that you know. Everybody understands that. Hey, the ladies can sign up to using that code the ladies love shoreline it is.

Speaker 4: 43:47

It is where you see the big group, friend groups of ladies coming out and just having a a good old time. Um, there were a couple of years in times where cycling wasn't as diverse, where we had like a 60% women attendance and 50% male so or 40% male so it is an event that is for everyone. I have one thing I didn't tell you guys yet we have families coming out again.

Speaker 4: 44:10

I have a mother and a father and there are six kids coming out to ride the entire week long tour and these kids are 12 and under. So this is going to be a very cool thing to see and watch Love to see that.

Speaker 2: 44:21

Yeah, so this is going to be a very cool thing to see and watch Love to see that.

Speaker 4: 44:23

Yeah, so it is for everyone. We'd love to have you come out and join us. I'm excited to get to hang out with the two of you and show you, guys, what we do here at the league.

Speaker 2: 44:34

That's awesome that is fantastic. I was just doing some quick letters here. If he would have said it's for women too, the code would have been cml, if wt24, it would have looked kind of weird. So, uh, we'll just stick with cml24.

Speaker 3: 44:52

Yeah, I, I think the cml224 works just fine. I just wanted to make sure that we were including the ladies, sure?

Speaker 2: 44:59

so uh, you know by the way, the video on the website does show a lot of a lot of ladies uh climbing uh strawberry hill, I think, or or where they get uh the watermelon hill, where they get watermelon at the top, and you know, that's probably something else I should say you know, we this route's changed a little so so there's a number of our longtime riders that got really used to doing it in the direction we were going, but we're actually from Mackinac down to Traverse we're going the opposite direction we normally would.

Speaker 4: 45:34

So there's a lot like there's people that have rode it for 30 and 35 years and went that same way every time, and I bet you're going to find something new, unique and different that you've never seen or experienced before, just by switching the route up and going the other way.

Speaker 2: 45:54

Oh yeah, so what you're saying is you're going to have the watermelon at the bottom of the hill.

Speaker 3: 45:59

To be determined.

Speaker 4: 46:02

You'll just have to come along to find out effectively watermelon hill anymore, because, yes, we are going down the other way.

Speaker 2: 46:08

So that's fair enough. You know, when I was in college we made watermelon luges with the bot never mind, never mind, that's, yeah, that's yeah clean show, clean show.

Speaker 2: 46:19

Okay. On a serious note, a hundred dollars off of our listeners If they want to do the week long shoreline. But if they only want to do the three day, you're still willing to help them out by getting a taste of Michigan and $50 off for the three day and those codes. If they can't make it August 3rd to the 10th and want to check out your muck ride in the up, those codes will work for that as well absolutely that's awesome, cool.

Speaker 2: 46:48

Well, neil, we appreciate you coming on giving us an update. We we were curious ourselves and of course, you know we're planning and trying to put everything together and we figured that the people who are interested in this ride and um would like to hear a little bit of an update as well. So we really appreciate you coming on. Yeah, absolutely Appreciate the time.

Speaker 4: 47:07

Yeah, I really appreciate it, and if you got any questions concerns or your listeners reach out with anything, please don't hesitate. We're here to help guide you into having a good time.

Speaker 2: 47:18

Perfect. Well, neil, you've been very gracious to give me some of your contact information. So if anyone out there and uh, our listenership wants to have a question that we didn't ask in this interview and said, man, I really wish they would have asked blank um cyclingmanofleisure at gmailcom, please email me. I know a lot of you do um, and thank you, by the way. Email me and I'll. I'll shoot neil the the question that we didn't ask her today. So, um, neil, thank you, by the way. Email me and I'll. I'll shoot Neil the question that we didn't ask her today. So, um, uh, neil, thank you so much for coming on.

Speaker 4: 47:47

Yeah, thank you, john. Thank you Really appreciate it.

Speaker 2: 47:50

Thank you, no problem. Well, that was great to have Neil on. That was exciting.

Speaker 3: 47:54

That was good. Got a little bit more information. Um, yeah, I'm getting more excited about the ride. That's awesome, yeah, and it's even cooler. If anybody wants to join us, he's going to give them a little bit of a discount, so that's even even cooler listen, I mean, if you were already on the fence, 100 bucks will make you pull the trigger absolutely absolutely you and I um two episodes ago for those playing along at home, teased about a mailbag.

Speaker 2: 48:25

And then last episode it was so powerful about 9-11 trail and having Bruce on and Ryan and we went long but I think it was worth it.

Speaker 3: 48:39

We wanted to give them full amount of time because I think that's an important topic but now I think it is finally time to open the mailbag.

Speaker 2: 48:50

all right, okay, we, what do we got from gary vaughn? Okay, adam, michael, looking forward to riding with you with the Cyclingmen of Leisure logo this summer. Thanks for coming back to my home state and brag this year. Love the new video access on YouTube. Love the new video access on YouTube. I generally listen while on a walk or ride and repeat the program again on YouTube. Adam, a suggestion for a program topic Tell your story of your chosen screen and he puts in quote background uh, whiskey choices for you and all the collectible cameras for Michael. See you this summer, gary. Okay, cool. Well, gary, thank you for your lovely message. Uh, while I'm a little bit late getting to it, you wrote this on March 26, but only a month behind.

Speaker 3: 50:02

Better late than never.

Speaker 2: 50:04

He doesn't realize I work for the government. Gary background. It is actually not a green screen, it is real. These are collectible problems. To have my latest acquisition, whatever acquisition Acquisition, japanese, japanese, blanton. My camera's pretty sensitive. There we go. We'll cover up the cover up there, but check this out. I took it out of its magical box.

Speaker 3: 50:45

Now the bottle itself looks exactly like the American Blanton's, although it does have some Japanese writing. It looks like on the bottle, yes, but the bag that it comes in is what color? Black.

Speaker 2: 50:58

It is a different color than the normal one. It's a velvet bag matching the box of maroon, but this was from my favorite mother. Well, she's my only mother.

Speaker 3: 51:14

She's an awesome mom. That's all I got to say.

Speaker 2: 51:16

That's right, this was a big surprise, very cool surprise, so very cool.

Speaker 3: 51:20

And for the people that don't know, blanton's produces, uh, they're domestic, but then they produce a percentage that they send to japan for the japanese markets and, uh, it's not something you can go down to your local uh liquor store and just pick up, because it's all of it's sent to the japanese market. So, uh, it's a little harder to come by. So she did well. I'm jealous.

Speaker 2: 51:44

She did well. I was pretty impressed. I asked her her secrets and she said that those were sworn family secrets.

Speaker 3: 51:53

Now what I want to know is back last October, when we were touring Buffalo Trace, which is who makes Blantons we were in the bottling room and they were bottling the Japanese Blantons at the time. I wonder if that was one of those bottles that was in that big pallet that was just full of cases of that stuff.

Speaker 2: 52:13

I would say no. Okay, what's the date? I'll tell you why the date is 9-8-20-22. Nope, it wouldn't have been no.

Speaker 3: 52:25

No.

Speaker 2: 52:25

Okay, but to answer Gary's question Gary, this problem I mean hobby began 2017. Gary, I can tell you the exact day because it was my wedding, uh, february 3rd, uh, 2017,. I probably could count on two fingers how many whiskeys I had ever had in my life. Somebody probably gave me a Jack Daniels somewhere down the road, and with mixed with a Coke Coke, and I'll go one other, just to be fair. So my wife and I were married.

Speaker 2: 53:09

Her aunt worked for an exclusive hotel chain gave us a suite for our honeymoon, or beginning of our honeymoon. We went somewhere else, but for that night the room was probably bigger than a executive floor of a building. I couldn't believe it had rooms and conference rooms inside. The hotel room was amazing. Um, we could actually be in one side of the room and be like hello and you never hear each other. But, um, and the lobby of the the hotel was a bar and, uh, my wife and I went down to the bar and I said, oh yeah, we can get something, you know, and she was thinking, probably something fruity, and I was, uh, definitely into you know I see a different beer.

Speaker 2: 54:00

Oh yeah, zima zima with a jelly rancher in it. I and I'm just kidding you know different Amber beers and different breweries and stuff. So I thought I'd go down for a beer. And I went to order a beer and guy says we don't have beer. I'm looking around the room and I'm like nobody has a beer nothing. And my wife was going to get like some kind of fruity cocktail, you beer, nothing. And my wife was going to get like some kind of fruity cocktail, you know. And and he said listen, do you know where you are? And I thought to myself I think I know where I am. And then he says you're, you're, you're in a high established whiskey cocktail bar. And I was like, oh I, I, I don't know, I'm out of my element, I don't know what to order. And he's like well, what kind of flavors do you like? And I was thinking to myself, captain Morgan, you know? And so I said, well, you know. He said, well, would you let me make you something? And I said sure.

Speaker 2: 54:55

And so it was Christmas time or winter time, out in February, and he made, he took clothes and star anise with a, with a muddler, inside of a cup, and he made? Uh, he took clothes and star anise with a, with a muddler, inside of a cup, and he started smashing the clothes and the star anise together and we're kind of kind of intrigued thinking, oh my God, what are we going to drink? Um, and he took knob Creek rye whiskey over the rocks, rock cube, cube ice I'd never seen that before in that time. Rock cube ice I'd never seen that before in that time. Now I have some in my own freezer but a nice, wonderful craft cocktail. And what he did is he took the Knob Creek rye whiskey, poured it into the star anise and crushed up cloves and then took a real fine mesh screen and then, after he stirred it, then poured it over the ice and then put the Luxardo cherries and, gary, you know, it might as well have just been an illegal drug. I'll just say that because we promised to keep the show clean. So it was, it was wonderful, it was a wonderful refreshing change, and that's kind of where it started.

Speaker 2: 56:06

And then, of course, after that night, wanting to share that memory, I then went and found a bottle of Knob Creek rye whiskey and then, gary, it kind of took legs, legs. And it's just been this amazing experience where, before introducing michael to some of the distilleries, I would go on my own and and kind of I don't want to use the word collect, but I'll say that behind me is part of collection and consumption. I have some woodford here that is 100 proud to share with you. Open I definitely open, definitely open them. I definitely consume them Not as much, otherwise I wouldn't have a wall behind me but there are some that are also for non-opening, to be truthful. But the answer to your question, gary, for me and my part of the question is this is background. Here I'll move here. Usually I'm in front of it, but there's multiple, multiple whiskeys, multiple bourbons.

Speaker 2: 57:09

And then I was able to introduce sharing my friendship with Michael. Michael would ask me if I wanted a wine and to be honest I am not a wine guy and I would always tease him and say wine, how come you don't come in with some whiskeys? And Michael had made some jokes and said I thought it was all just like fire, water. After I put out the lighter and the fire I said come on, let's go. And so I was able to share some of my knowledge, and a lot of it, truthfully, is not just only for consumption, but the education and the history and learning different ways to produce whiskey, how some people think. Well, it has to be from Bourbon County, kentucky, to be called the bourbon, which is not true. And finding out all these things and going to the distilleries and the tours and the history and reading about it is more of an excitement for me. I definitely enjoy it as well. You'll catch me, gary and and Brad and Georgia. You will see me I'll have a glass with some bourbon after a successful day of writing.

Speaker 2: 58:14

But, uh, the background is, um, part of my passion, which is a lot of memories behind me on the wall and I hope to find more distilleries. And then Michael and I, throughout the show, have been known to go to distilleries and then we record shows from the distilleries and take the tours and usually support local distilleries. Many whiskeys on the shelf are from I can look at a few Kentucky. We went to Bourbon Country. Burn there is from Swamp Fox Distillery. We went to Bragg before, so there are a lot of memories here. Bull Creek Distillery is from Michael's area. I mean I could just go on here. Holiday, michael and I went to Missouri together and so a lot of memories back here. It's not just like a wall of booze, there's probably a wall of memories. I think the answer to the question would be the background. Background is definitely memories collection and just a hobby that I really enjoy.

Speaker 3: 59:14

I think that's the best answer I can give Very nice, very nice.

Speaker 2: 59:19

What about.

Speaker 3: 59:20

I've got some memories on your back wall there too. Yes, you do, I mean. I look at a few of those. I see Castle and Key is up there and I see, you know not your King's Rye, I believe and some other ones.

Speaker 2: 59:32

Yeah, yeah, and I'm like I remember that I was there and so, yeah, you know what there's one I'll share and you know what there's one I'll share, and then we'll go to your background. But this is important. So my camera is so sensitive I use an SLR that focuses on my eyes, but I think this is something that I could definitely share. So Freddie Johnson III is from Buffalo Trace Distillery and if you've ever had a chance to hear him speak, it'll make the hair on your arms stand up, the hair on the back of your neck, with some of the emotional ways that he talks about sharing whiskey with friends. Something here in a second, which is he told a story that when you get to share a special bottle of bourbon or whiskey or something that's been produced and trapped and shared, and opened that sign, that bottle, and so that makes them more of a memory. And so just to back up, gary, what I'm talking about, for those of you watching this on YouTube, this is a bottle that was recommended to us, um, by our good friend Phil, who is part of the Kentucky whiskey uh area, does tours and and Phil talks whiskey and everything, and he had mentioned to Michael and I Michael kind of put him on the spot and said what was a whiskey that you would would recommend and he had mentioned to Michael and I. Michael kind of put him on the spot and said what was a whiskey that you would would recommend? And he recommended the, the Angel's Envy rye whiskey, finished in the Caribbean rum cask, which is right here. It has a green label green at the top and then Angel's Envy finished in rye.

Speaker 2: 1:01:19

I'm purposely covering my face here, but on the back of this bottle, gary, I'd like to answer. Your question is making memories. You will see that there is Bourbon Country Burn 2023, ms and AB, michael Sharp and Adam Baranski, and so we opened this bottle, shared a wonderful drink around the campfire with a lot of our friends, and this bottle shared a wonderful drink around the campfire with a lot of our friends, and this bottle then came back and hopefully Michael will be here in August. We can take this down and have some again. So, gary, I think the answer to your question is a lot of memories, a lot of impulse purchases of stuff I probably really didn't need, but that's part of the fun. So a lot of impulse purchases of stuff I probably really didn't need, but that's part of the fun. So a lot of memories, and so after that I'll be quiet. I just wanted to share that. That's kind of a special one Sign in the bottle.

Speaker 3: 1:02:14

In fact, right here out of my desk, I've got one of my pens that we take along and we sign our bottles with that.

Speaker 2: 1:02:22

Uh, we take along and we sign our bottles with, so that way, when I can't remember in 10 years which one we had, when we'll be able to look in the back. Oh, yeah, oh yeah, well, cool so Gary had another question, which was your cameras.

Speaker 3: 1:02:37

Um, yes, my cameras. Um, as you can see, I've got a lot of cameras. This all really started I don't know how many years ago, but basically my father and I were both trained as auctioneers. You know American style auctioneering, the fast talk, all that. And him and I style auctioneering, the fast talk, all that. And him and I had an auctioning company for many years and the rest of my family always helped us at auctions and we did estate auctions and consignment auctions and things like that and part of that job, as I also did antique appraisals and that type of thing. So we're kind of full service doing all of this.

Speaker 3: 1:03:24

Well, when you do an auction, you fill out a contract and you basically, if it's like an estate auction, it's like, yes, we'll sell everything, floor to ceiling. Sometimes we'd sell the house just depended. And if you look around your house right now, whatever room you're in, you'll look around and you'll see trinkets, you'll see home decor, you'll see basic stuff in your home that really has no or doesn't have much intrinsic value. You know your alarm clock and those baskets that you throw blankets in next to your couch and you know some decor pieces you've got on the walls and things like that. Alone you couldn't sell them. I mean, nobody's that interested in them. So what you do is you box lot them. You take all these things that really don't have you know much value and you put them in, basically, beer flats. You fill beer flats. You know you generally have a couple of tables full of beer flats all this stuff with the hopes that someone will come along and see something in a box that they really want and they'll put a couple of bucks down for that box and then the idea is that they have to take everything with them. It's now yours. You got to take everything Everything must go that you've purchased. So I mean you go to any auction, you'll find these box lots.

Speaker 3: 1:04:40

So my brother-in-law, ernie, who has ridden with us a couple of times and we've mentioned on the show, was helping us out with an auction and there was a box slot just full of the most ridiculous random stuff. I don't even know what was in there, but it was one of those things that's like no one's buying this. In fact, I think I said it's like that box slot. You got to do something with it because I guarantee nobody's going to buy that, because there just wasn't anything in there that anybody would be remotely interested in. Well, what he did is he went through and this isn't the exact thing, but found like an old camera like this, and so he stuck it in that box.

Speaker 3: 1:05:20

Now I used to be a photographer, as did you, and I used to shoot weddings and special events and I worked for a big a special event photography company when I was in college and when that box came up, I was like, ah, we've got box slots here. And Ernie was like, hey, there's a camera in here, michael, you should buy that. Michael, you should buy that. No one else was bid and it's like yeah, I'll throw a couple of bucks, I'll take that box. Nobody else wants it for a couple of bucks. So I bought the box and the funny thing was is I got all this junk with it. So I had the camera and I stuck it somewhere.

Speaker 3: 1:05:54

And then it started to become a joke by family members when they would see cameras and these were just cameras from like the 1980s, the 1970s, I mean, they weren't like old cameras that had value and that kind of thing. They were just, you know, different cameras that really weren't worth much money and they would take them and stick them in different box lots, and I think they made a game out of it, trying to find the worst box lot they could find that wasn't going to sell, to try to get me to buy it if they had a camera in it. So, needless to say, over the course of several years they would became a laughing thing. Oh hey, this box lot's got a camera in it. Michael, you need to buy it. And you know our regular customers started getting a kick out of it. It's like, oh, that'll be Michael's box.

Speaker 3: 1:06:47

And so I started buying it and you know I'm getting two, three, four, five. And then I started putting them on a shelf and then I would go to antique stores and find them and buy them if they were a good price. And that's really how it started. I just started collecting them and then I pulled out some of my old cameras.

Speaker 3: 1:06:59

If you look right here behind me, right there, like that, is a Mamiya medium format camera film which I actually used to shoot medium format photography at like weddings, and there's other 35 millimeters like a Canon AE-1 is here that I actually use. But everything else is just stuff that I bought in over time because I find them interesting and it's neat when, like my nieces and nephews would come over. They'd always want to come in my, my office and look, because kids are just fascinated with all these different types of cameras and I've got some land and sea accordion style, uh, insta cameras and different things like that, and so they're always fun. So that that's how it started. Uh, one of my mini collections. You can see, I got a lot of other collections of stuff, but, uh, it started all because, um, you know, my family thought it would be fun if they stuck me with boxes of junk at my own auction.

Speaker 3: 1:07:51

So did you resell the other junk no, I mean, you know, one time I got like a whole, I got bags of rubber bands. I mean, you know, more rubber bands than a human could ever go through.

Speaker 2: 1:08:04

And you can make a largest rubber band ball and we could ride by it.

Speaker 3: 1:08:07

We could, we could ride by it and then like six different things of like pencils, but they they hadn't been opened, but they weren't like Ticonderoga pencils, they were like the the off off brand of pencil Gotcha, so you know just different stuff like that. So it was like, okay, well, I got my camera, so it became a running joke and that's how I got that and I've got, you know, whiskey, decanters and other things which we will talk about at some other time.

Speaker 2: 1:08:35

But Well, gary, thank you for being our first ever mailbag participant and sending that. So if there's something out there that our listenership would like to hear us answer or talk about, or send us a piece of mail cyclingmenofleisure at gmailcom, send us an email. We'd love to hear from you. So, gary, thank you for the question and we look forward to seeing you June 1st. So, or thereof short thereof.

Speaker 2: 1:09:12

So somewhere there in that general area Just got a small piece. Here is I want to mention that on Sunday I will be doing the Don farm Ride for Recover. We talked about that before and so I can give that a play-by-play. I do have a little mention here. I want to personally thank on the show, since I know he is now one of our biggest fans now and we appreciate that. Scott Garwick made a little financial token our way and I just wanted to make sure that I give that a public. Thank you very much, scott, for that.

Speaker 3: 1:09:51

A little. Bartles and James. Thank you for your support. Oh man, you remember those great commercials. Oh yeah, Two old guys sitting on the thing. I'd like to thank you for your support.

Speaker 2: 1:10:01

I hope everybody understands that joke. Otherwise, I'd like to thank you for your support. I hope everybody understands that joke.

Speaker 3: 1:10:05

Otherwise, youtube, look it up on YouTube if you don't remember that or are familiar with it. It's a wine cooler. Commercial from the 80s I believe, according to my notes, we. There's one more thing we wanted to mention. We got a note, an invitation to go ride, which we were not able to do, but I think we need to mention that ride.

Speaker 2: 1:10:27

Yes, thank you so much. I was checking my notes, linda McGrain, from Lewisburg. Different Lewisburg, but you know lewisburg spring bike weekend is may 17th through the 19th, um and linda, we wanted to make a mention here. So lewisburg spring bike weekend, may 17th to the 19th, lewisburg, pennsylvania, check it out. Uh, linda, I do apologize that we're not going to personally be able to attend, but we wanted to mention it on the show. So, michael, thank you for reminding me.

Speaker 3: 1:11:06

Maybe someone uh from the uh cycling men of leisure nation can go, uh go represent cycling men and women of leisure.

Speaker 2: 1:11:16

So, and if you, do please wear a t-shirt or jersey. Yeah.

Speaker 3: 1:11:20

And take a picture and send it to us, Let us know you were there. But this is like a two day ride and she does it right Cause you stay. I believe, if I remember correctly, you stay at the holiday inn, so I mean you're not sleeping on the ground.

Speaker 2: 1:11:33

No, and they got the automatic pancake machine and holiday inns. You just push a button and I know it just spits out a pancake. I'm sure later on I'm going to find out. That's horrible for you, but it's pretty cool when you see it.

Speaker 3: 1:11:50

Doesn't matter. Why are you?

Speaker 2: 1:11:51

even questioning it. It makes you an instant pancake. Don't ruin it. One other thing that I have and of course that is our listener spotlight Please tell me you have something new, for some new clues.

Speaker 3: 1:12:02

I always have some new clues, always. Do you want to guess now? No, go ahead and throw out that it's going to be St Louis. No, I'm going to hold that for the next time, because it actually is St. No, I'm just kidding. Oh, dang it. All. Right, listener. Spotlight for this episode. We'll reveal the answer next episode, but here's your, here's your hints. Are you ready? I'm ready. Okay, this town is a definite stop for professional Cowboys, and by professional Cowboys I don't mean people working out on the ranch, I mean professional Cowboys bull riding, bronc riding, calf roping, those kind of professional cowboys. Okay, it is the birthplace of a piece of worldwide fashion apparel.

Speaker 2: 1:12:59

Wow Okay, mm-hmm.

Speaker 3: 1:13:03

It is named for a Civil War general, although he never set foot in the town in his entire life. But he got it named after him, so that's pretty good. It set along a major US trail. So a major US trail passed by this town and by major US trail we're you know, number one. I'm telling you it's in the United States, number two US trail. We're talking things like, you know, santa Fe, oregon, california, those type of trails.

Speaker 2: 1:13:41

Is it Trail of Tears? Yeah, that's a US trail.

Speaker 3: 1:13:45

No, no, that was a trail that we forced indigenous people to take. It was not a good thing. That doesn't no. We're not going to go there and the TV show Gilligan's Island. You remember that one.

Speaker 2: 1:14:00

Oh, of course.

Speaker 3: 1:14:01

Three-hour tour. You know we went riding on, of course, three hour tour. We went riding on a three hour tour once. It took us about as long as it took them to get off the island, the.

Speaker 2: 1:14:16

TV show Gilligan's Island can contribute some of its success to this town. You know the funny thing about Gilligan's Island, just as a side note, each episode, if you watched it, I mean mean they had like 18 pairs of high heels. I mean I mean they had all kinds of so many outfits for the, for the episodes, and like three hour tour and they had like two months worth of clothes did you bring all that stuff with you, although?

Speaker 3: 1:14:38

the girls ginger and marianne the Howells had all these clothes, but the Professor Skipper and Gilligan always wore the same outfit, so they didn't have extra clothes. But, everyone else brought extra clothes.

Speaker 2: 1:14:52

It's like those diagrams. If you see a men shopping, they're going to go to Home Depot and buy a weed whipper string. The diagram arrow shows the man walking in, grabbing the weed whipper string and going to the cashier and going out, and then it shows the ladies at Target. It looks like a Zinn diagram.

Speaker 3: 1:15:10

Big spider web. Go over here and over there, yeah.

Speaker 2: 1:15:13

My wife says I'm the exception, and I would agree with her. When I go, I'm like, oh, we got to go to every aisle, we got to go to the grocery store and I'll start from the back and make my way through. So she's like she always says I'm the exception. I think she's right, but okay Well so there we go.

Speaker 3: 1:15:33

So we have some good hints there. So right off the bat you can say it's in the US, and the trail thing should at least give you some indication, even though you don't know what trail, some indication of at least a region of the country that it's in.

Speaker 2: 1:15:47

So we just learned about the 9-11 trail. That is now an official trail.

Speaker 3: 1:15:55

Okay, let me. Let me put it this way I appreciate you going down the road of, you know, trail of Tears and 9-11 and all that kind of stuff. Um, when I say a us trail, I am meeting a trail. Um, how about we put it this way a westward expansion trail? Oh, okay, how?

Speaker 2: 1:16:16

about that. Well, that helped you. I had a feeling when you talked about uh bull riders and uh and uh cowboys professional bull riders and cowboys Professional cowboys Professional cowboys.

Speaker 3: 1:16:29

So that should give you some indication of the part of country it's in.

Speaker 2: 1:16:34

Well, this is what I'm going to say to you. I appreciate another wonderful show. I'm excited, but once again we've gone long. We said we weren't going to do this, but we're going to have to. So, audience, if you like long shows, you're welcome. If you hate long shows, I'm sorry. We'll try to do better next time. But there's a lot of good information, a lot of good stuff. So you know what Sunday was right.

Speaker 3: 1:17:03

It was a great day.

Speaker 2: 1:17:06

For a 48-mile bike ride there you go. Thank you, my friend. Okay, thank you, appreciate it.

Speaker 1: 1:17:15

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