Two Wheels and a Toolbox Lightening the Load for Adventure

As Adam and I pedaled through the ups and downs of life, we found that the real stories often happen off the beaten path. This episode is packed with laughter, personal challenges, and the nitty-gritty of gearing up for cycling adventures. We kick things off with heartfelt tales—from family issues to Adam's inspiring weight loss journey—and how these personal challenges are met with humor and support within our tight-knit cycling community. Remember that time I chose a salad over spirits in DeSoto? Well, turns out, it was more than just a meal choice; it was a nod to the lifestyle changes many of us are embracing.

The journey doesn't stop there—we saddle up and share insights from the 15th annual Ride for Recovery at Dawn Farm, where a downpour couldn't quench the fiery spirit of participants devoted to supporting addiction recovery. Our local bike shop, Wheels in Motion, shines as a beacon of support, proving that community strength extends far beyond fair weather. And just when you think you've got us figured out, we throw in a curveball with tantalizing clues about a mysterious town linked to cowboys and shipwrecked TV crew—a little brain teaser to keep those wheels turning.

Now, let's talk logistics; you won't believe the lengths (and weights) we go to when prepping for a cycling expedition. We unpack our travel tales, from the glory of self-inflating mattresses to the tactical genius of Milwaukee Packout toolboxes. We don't stop at the how-to—we share the hilarious mishaps that can happen when CO2 cartridges and TSA agents mix, and we delve into the essentials every cyclist's toolkit should have. Whether it's trimming down your wallet for the essentials or tossing in leisure items to elevate the experience, we've got the tips to make your next cycling journey a smooth ride. Grab your helmet and join us for an episode that's more than just pedal talk—it's about the heart and soul of the cycling community.

# Milwaukeepackout

We will be back

Transcript

Speaker 1: 1:10

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: 1:25

Welcome to Road Adventures of Cycling Men of Leisure. As always, I am Adam and lucky for me. Across the airwaves, across digitally, going through fiber and everything. My good friend Michael Sharp, thank you, lucky for me, adam's here. Yes, yes, I am, and all of you will be sick of me in the next 45 minutes, or how long. But yeah, that's all right. I just work here and the pay is well. Listen, it's fun, it's a hobby. It's not about the pay, how you been.

Speaker 4: 2:03

I've been okay, man. A lot of stuff going on with, the family had some issues and things, so that's been a little testing for everybody, but we're we're getting through it. How about you?

Speaker 2: 2:20

Well, on a serious note, I send my best and and obviously you don't want to air your business all over the world, but I I will just say that I'm. My thoughts are with you and your family, sir, so I appreciate that. We appreciate that. Thank you, doing okay, doing okay. I shared on this show that the doctor had her way with me about three months ago and just got back from a much better result. So those who saw me in September in Kentucky may see a different Adam pretty soon, in a few weeks.

Speaker 4: 2:58

So so what you're saying is, we're gonna see adam 2.0 more streamlined, more streamlined. Okay, that's awesome. I know I know, all jokes aside, I know you've been working really hard on this and I just want to say awesome job, you know. I know you're putting in the time, the energy and effort and I'm glad it's working out for you, man.

Speaker 2: 3:18

I appreciate that. Yeah, for those who don't know, and you're listening, like what happened to Adam Went for my annual physical and if anyone has ever been in the same room with me, it's no surprise that I was a pretty big boy. It's no surprise that I was a pretty big boy and but in years past I was a larger man and had phenomenal blood work and everything else and no, no, really cause for concern. Of course you always want to be healthier. I mean, it's not healthier to be that size. I mean I'm not living in a dreamland here, land here.

Speaker 2: 3:53

But um, this time, as a matter of fact, when they tested my blood sugar for anyone who knows about blood sugar mine was about 170. Normal range is 70 to 99 and, uh, I got the uh riot act from the doctor and I'm glad I did. Matter of fact, um, she scared me and I'm glad she did. Matter of fact, she scared me and I'm glad she did. And then she was very impressed when I just saw her Awesome Down about 50 pounds and, yes, the 2.0. But now I need to keep it.

Speaker 4: 4:32

So those who see me in Georgia and in Michigan soon keep me accountable. I myself have already told you I'm going to keep you accountable, but I'm not only going to keep you accountable. I'm also going to help eat healthy and I'm going to eat right alongside you as supporting, because it doesn't do me any good to be like Adam should you be eating that you know, while I'm digging into a double, you know, cheeseburger or whatever. So I'm right there with you, man.

Speaker 2: 4:53

I appreciate that. So you know, I think this is an appropriate moment to uh, as we normally do bring the show down. Let's bring it back up. Uh, let's tell the salad story. Is that? Can we share the salad story?

Speaker 4: 5:06

The salad story. Yeah, let's, let's tell the salad story, I have no problem with the salad story.

Speaker 2: 5:20

So we were in DeSoto, wisconsin. We are getting ready to do brag 50th anniversary. We all meet up, we're gonna have a great day and we're gonna go out to a distillery, um, and we're gonna have, uh, some whiskey and we're gonna be with our friends and and then we're gonna come back and uh, um, have a nightcap or whatever, maybe a cigar if you will, before getting on the bus, be with our friends and, and then we're going to come back and uh, um, have a nightcap or whatever, maybe a cigar, if you will, before getting on the bus. The next day, uh, the trek our way across Iowa.

Speaker 4: 5:48

And I'm sure I ordered something like a double cheeseburger.

Speaker 2: 5:49

It was a double cheeseburger, yep, and some fries. And, um, our buddy Joe, I usually you some fries and um, our buddy joe, usually, you know he likes exotic meat, you know like caribou and stuff like that. So I'm not sure what he got, but probably something along those lines. And and then michael decided he, he was going to get a salad, because I was trying to eat better, well and and Well, and listen to this, we gave him nine kinds, nine kinds, nine kinds of hell for seven days straight for ordering a salad at a distillery. We were like you don't order a salad at a distillery. Well, fast forward. And I told my doctor that story and she said, without skipping a beat, this is the year that you need to order the salad, adam.

Speaker 4: 6:36

I said okay, well, thank you, you guys gave me so much garbage from from the moment it came out of my mouth until the moment we parted ways. I think almost every meal there was some comment about oh, you're gonna have salad. Oh, you know, we'll find you a distillery if you want a salad. You guys gave me so much crap about it.

Speaker 2: 7:01

It wasn't just that. Not only did we do that, then every waitress or waiter that we had across Iowa we were like, can I ask you something? If you were at a distillery, would you order a salad? And some would say, well, yeah, yeah, if I wanted a salad, I'd order a salad. And some would be like, no, you don't order a salad. And so it became very humorous. Uh, but yes, this, we beat that to death. But what else are you going to do?

Speaker 4: 7:26

you're out riding a bike and 500 miles and you know, it's one of those things that it was all in good humor and it was fine. I didn't mind that it was at my expense and and, uh, I, I cause. Now I've been vindicated and uh you know, now your doctor thinks I'm a wonderful, you know, healthy individual. We'll not, we'll not tell her any different.

Speaker 2: 7:46

but Well, listen, uh, I I look forward to uh seeing some of my friends, and they'll see a different me. That's exciting, and if you watch us on YouTube, you might get a sneak peek. There you go.

Speaker 4: 8:04

And I do have to apologize. I had lighting issues this afternoon, so that's why my background is like super light.

Speaker 2: 8:15

I don't know. You got the Siphon of Leisure officially engraved bottle lit up with a beautiful light. I love it. Right there, right there, absolutely. You can't go wrong with that. I have one of those too, do you?

Speaker 4: 8:31

There you go Just my leisure to grab. Cycling Men of Leisure. 2022, I believe 2023. 2022. You're right, was it 2020? Okay, yeah, that's right.

Speaker 4: 8:41

Cause I got those in. When we rode uh the bourbon bourbon burn, country burn we went to uh Woodford reserve and there they do a great job where you can buy a bottle and they will put whatever you want on that bottle, and they do it very quickly. So we bought the bottle, left it with them, walked across the street to their bar area, had a old fashioned walk back and it was done.

Speaker 2: 9:06

So our, our, uh, our idea was is that we were going to start the podcast and our first show, you know, was coming out and we thought, okay, well, we had the plan and everything was moving forward. We thought, well, if everything works out, then we will, uh, we'll, we'll keep the bottle sealed, and if it doesn't work out, oh well, just crack the bottle either way, it is a win-win situation this is, this is correct.

Speaker 4: 9:33

So one way or the other we're drinking the contents of that bottle at some point in time that's right.

Speaker 2: 9:41

Um, oh, oh, I have a small update. So, okay, I know we're gonna do our listener spotlight. Yes, we are. Before we do that, okay, um, I was supposed to ride the dawn farm right, and three years in a row now, man, the weather was just not good. I mean, it was like a monsoon, and so considering getting injured before doing Big Brag, no thanks. But I felt obligated, you know, since we mentioned them on the show and Ypsilanti is only about 30-something minutes, and so I thought good excuse to go get a coffee. And I wore the Cycling man of Le leisure jersey Very nice, okay, cool. And so I represented us there and I met Anna and did a little interview with her. Real quick, it's only a couple minutes long. Let me play that now if you don't mind. Yeah let's hear it.

Speaker 2: 10:37

Hey guys, I'm out here. I was supposed to ride the Dawn Farm Ride for Recovery. I'm here with Anna. Unfortunately, the weather was not conducive today for riding, but I really love the email that you guys put out last night that offers us to do the ride another day in honor, and so that's my plan. I'm going to do the 58 Mile Serenity Ride. I'm going to pick another day to do it. But, anna, is there anything else you can tell us about Dawn Farm and how the funds go, or anything you can say?

Speaker 3: 11:01

Yeah, absolutely so. Dawn Farm is a nonprofit in Washtenaw County that provides treatment and recovery support for people with addiction and other substance use disorders, and the proceeds from the Ride for Recovery go to support scholarships so people who can't afford to come into services with us are able to still access services that can be so life-saving. And so this event, the Ride for Recovery, was started 15 years ago by an alum of the farm who came to the farm many, many decades ago. We've been here around for 50 years, and 15 years ago she wanted to start an event like this because she's an avid cyclist, and so we didn't really know how to put on an event like this, because she's an avid cyclist, and so we didn't really know how to put on an event like this. This isn't our forte exactly, um, but we started it and it's been great. We've been going every year for 15 years and it's a. It's an awesome experience, even when the weather isn't ideal, and it's just a.

Speaker 2: 11:52

it's a great way to celebrate recovery and to come together and you I'm even know the rain uh, boomed on you this morning. You still have a large turnout here.

Speaker 3: 11:59

Yeah, we have a great turnout.

Speaker 2: 12:00

This is awesome. Well, for anyone who doesn't know, part of your registration is you get breakfast and lunch and usually a T-shirt, and many years I've been stuck in the back and had to get pulled out, so it's a wonderful time. So, anna, I really appreciate you giving us a little bit of your time today.

Speaker 2: 12:16

It's perfect, and thank you so much us a little bit of your time today and thank you so much, thank you so much for being here. Thank you, so that was cool. I mean, you know, even though that it rained, I was able to um, um, I was able to see a lot of people, a lot of a lot of people I know and have have ridden with in years past. And, uh, the bike shop that I I like to support was there wheels in motion. They are a sponsor of the Dawn Farm ride. I asked the guy from the bike store, travis, and he said it was like the last six or seven years that they've sponsored the Dawn Farm ride.

Speaker 2: 12:48

So this was the 15th year of the event, but Wheels in Motion, where I take my bike, was there. So that was cool and I got to see our friend Jacob was there as well that we did O-Ram with. But, yes, unfortunately I didn't do the ride. The idea was that you could do another ride and then use hashtags and tag the Dawn Farm Ride for recovery. So that's my plan. I will still do my 58 miles somewhere somehow, but Kudos to you.

Speaker 2: 13:22

I appreciate that.

Speaker 4: 13:22

That you know you didn't write it, but still for the, for the show, you went out and got us a, got us a snippet, so I appreciate that.

Speaker 2: 13:31

Well, listen, you got to get that media. I mean, I told the people from wheels in motion, my friends over there, I said listen, the show was fun, I'm enjoying it. And when I stopped enjoying it that's it, I'm done so, so we crack that bottle back there. That's that's how that works. I don't see that happening. We've reached out to a lot of people. I mean even, uh, even on our mailbag that we opened up, we actually heard from gary, uh, and that was just inspiring.

Speaker 4: 13:59

So, gary, once again you're being mentioned, so, but thank you for your message we have, yeah, to that point, we have been getting tons of notes, be it instant messages or you know, emails or whatever, and just people supporting what we're doing, uh, very accepting, telling us to, you know, keep doing it, and stuff like that, and that that has really been very uplifting and very inspiring for us to continue what we're doing. So I just want to say thank you for all those people that have provided us all the fantastic feedback and haven't just, you know, want to boo us off the stage, and you know say move on, get your tomatoes ready and start to throw in.

Speaker 2: 14:41

So, um, by the way that you see, um, I'm I'm not afraid to tell you our platform we use. We use a company called Buzzsprout. Um, did you see Buzzsprout's new update of of like, almost like you, aol?

Speaker 4: 14:56

you should be really happy about this that they got to think like you've got mail Um mail, and so when someone uh checks out the show, they can actually send you fan mail right from yeah, if they listen to it right from the platform. Yeah, oh, that's cool.

Speaker 2: 15:13

Yeah, so then they can click, and so then you know our app, that we have, it goes right to our app, and and so, um, I sent a test message and one day, I was like what is this.

Speaker 2: 15:26

You know, I thought technology, something new, which we did. Um, uh, how to code people, right, so that's kind of cool. So, um, all right, but that's cool, but that's it. So, um, why don't we jump right into our, our normal thing that we've been doing, which people are really enjoying? So, without further ado, give us some clues for our listener spotlight.

Speaker 4: 15:50

Okay, on our last episode, here are the clues that I provided to you. It is a definite stop for professional cowboys. It is the birthplace of a piece of worldwide fashion apparel that we're all very familiar with. It was named for a Civil War general. What else do we have? I think I told you, oh, oh yeah, it's on the um. A major us trail uh passes by this town, and when I said trail, we did verify that I was talking a westward expansion trail, and the tv show gilligan's island uh can contribute some of its success to this town. Any guesses can contribute some of its success to this town. Any guesses?

Speaker 2: 16:49

No, no, not even going to, not even going to insult you with St Louis.

Speaker 4: 16:53

You're not Okay. Well, that's, that's good, because it's not St Louis, our listener spotlight city this episode is Reno Nevada.

Speaker 2: 17:09

This is where I almost wish we could like play licensed music. Why is that? Like a rhinestone cowboy.

Speaker 4: 17:19

Now let me tell you how you could have came up with Reno. It's a stop for professional cowboys. The Reno Rodeo is one of the country's largest rodeos. It's a birthplace of a piece of worldwide fashion apparel, believe it or not Levi's blue Jeans. Really, a guy, a cowboy, came into town and was like for the story goes basically needed something better than what was being sold out there in the market, and it was the rivets. And so he got with Levi Strauss and he patented it and started putting the rivets. Ah, and so he got with Levi Strauss and they he patented and started putting the rivets on it.

Speaker 2: 18:06

And that all came out of Reno. What's that? They don't just come from Costco.

Speaker 4: 18:12

Not back in those days. So it was named for a civil war, general, jesse L Reno, who was killed at the battle of south mountain, or aka the battle of boonesborough gap, which is in maryland. It was uh, during the civil war and that resulted in a union victory in 1862. Um, a major us trail passes through this city, or passed through the city. It was the california trail, which was active between 1841 and 1869. And here's the last one. The tv show gilligan's island can contribute some of its success to this town. And how I got that is is that reno nevada is the hometown of don wells.

Speaker 2: 19:03

Ah, marianne is from reno nevada I always like those things that says that marianne had like 85 pairs of shoes for for a same pair of shorts yeah and, and she could bake anything coconut cream without anything else other than coconuts.

Speaker 4: 19:19

That's right. But you know, I mean I was always a Marianne fan, so that's cool.

Speaker 2: 19:29

Well, as usual, I'm going to say thank you, listeners from Reno Nevada, thank you all listeners, but in this episode, thank you. Reno Nevada listeners, Keep on listening yes, don't stop, and you could watch as well on youtube. So, um, all right, well, uh, that has been our our listener spotlight from our last episode. Now, as usual, will you be prepared to throw us a? Throw us a new listener spotlight clues?

Speaker 4: 20:02

I have one keyed up and ready to go. Oh, I love it.

Speaker 2: 20:06

Yes, sir, I love it. We must have no life. I'm just kidding.

Speaker 4: 20:13

Well, we produce one of these every two weeks and yeah, we got time to you know, so we'll let the listeners, be the judge.

Speaker 2: 20:24

You know, you usually say to me what do we got today? And I think it's my turn what do we got today, michael?

Speaker 4: 20:33

Well, you know, we are in season, what I call in season Cycling season is underway for us. I mean, you know, we're spring, summer, fall type cyclists and we've gotten a lot of questions and over the years we've asked a lot of questions about packing. Um, you know, people are always wondering how we pack it. I mean, when we talk with people sometimes we're asking you know, hey, we see you've got this packed. How does that work? That kind of thing. Because I would say every single year that we've done this. Uh, even before we went on you know the podcast, um, we've always added and changed things to our packing. Um, you know, we've we've changed how we pack, we've changed items that we packed. Sometimes we've completely got rid of them, sometimes we've, you know, kind of streamlined what we're taking as far as maybe we found some better piece of gear that works better than this other one, it's lighter, it's smaller, that kind of stuff. So packing is one of those things that I think is ever evolving. So I thought we'd take a little bit of time and talk about packing. Sure, because we I mean, let me start off by saying we pack two separate ways. We pack one way if we fly and we pack another way if we are driving someplace or it's local.

Speaker 4: 22:00

But I thought the conversation really needs to start off with what type of bag do you take? I mean, we've seen everything from. Remember the guy with the green 1980s Samsonite suitcase? Yeah, we've seen, you know people with the military duffel bags. We've seen people with just, you know the, the Walmart off the shelf. You know large duffel. We've seen people with very high end. You know mountain hardware, north face, that kind of stuff, kind of the whole gambit of stuff that we've seen. And so I wanted to kind of start off there. The bag that you choose. Everybody's got their own personal ideas of how they want to set out and organize their bags, what I suggest and I've got a new bag for this year because I've went around and around with bags You've been through that right with- me.

Speaker 2: 23:03

What's funny is when you said the Walmart roller bag, I'm like did you make that home? Did you make it home with that last year?

Speaker 4: 23:11

Well, last year we were flying, so I took a roller bag, which is not normally what I take, and the airport kind of crushed the wheel, uh, and it made it very clunky and it was horrible. And so, I don't know, tuesday or Wednesday I'm like let's go find us somewhere. I think it was Wednesday, cause we had a vehicle. I said let's go find you to go find somewhere, and we zipped around I, I, we went to REI in a several places. I couldn't find anything that was a nice large wheel duffel, so I wound up getting something at Walmart. It did make it home, it solved the problem, which was good. So it's one of those things I'm using this year. I'm using an extra large North Face duffel bag that also has the backpack straps oh nice, um, it is made out of a recyclable um, I don't know.

Speaker 4: 24:07

It's like a pvc or a tpu type, polyurethane type stuff. Uh, so it's not waterproof and that's the difference. It's water resistant because, you know, there's been times when our bags have sit out there and we've gotten a little damp. That's why I don't like the cotton or the like the sea bags, things like that, because they tend to soak up water. But it's water resistant.

Speaker 4: 24:33

I could go and get something that's waterproof, but I don't really. You know, for the cost of going waterproof, I don't. To me that's not really a big advantage. So so, when you're looking at that, you got to look, consider the weight. You've got to consider how much waterproof. Do you want? None, water resistant, waterproof, that type of thing. Weight's a big deal. Do you want something heavy canvas it's going to weigh a lot or do you want something that's super lightweight? Do you want something with wheels or do you not? Um, do you want something with backpack straps? I'm going with backpack straps, um, because I had the wheels before. Sometimes we go over gravel and that type of thing and and uh, it's not conducive sometimes getting our luggage from the truck to wherever we are sleeping, so yeah. So what, what? What's your feeling on it? I mean, you've kind of had the same setup for a couple of years now as far as your bag so let's talk about, um, as you mentioned, the flying versus not flying.

Speaker 2: 25:35

And and then this in my mind right now, because big brag is coming up in georgia. For those who don't know, big brag is sorry, but um, in my mind I'm thinking about, like, my packing for flying. So let's talk about flying first. Um, I am a visual kind of person and I start to think to myself okay, so, um, traditionally, michael, I know you know, but to the guest, I usually take the early flight out that I can get out, and in my family we live about 45 to 55 minutes from the airport, depending on traffic flows. But I always have to be considerate that my parents are, you know, they're very agile, but they're getting older, and then my wife works, and so I usually get a hotel the night before I fly out, so I'm already at the airport.

Speaker 2: 26:25

Um, and I have to think about that when I wake up in the morning to take the flight out, it's going to be me and me only, and we fly with our bikes and so, uh, we've mentioned before that we even did a show about it we use a Thule rolling box. This is a if you've seen other ones, our friend Chris has that nice Thule bag where you can put the whole bike almost in it, but ours. You pretty much take the tires off, put them in the bottom of the box, the frame pretty much sits down inside. You turn the handlebars, you loosen the whole stem up and then basically that goes down into a box and it does have wheels, but it's still a pretty cumbersome rectangle that you're now pulling through the airport. And so when I compile that with my bag of what I'm going to do, I say okay, well, what am I taking? Well, okay, well, you and I choose the indoor camping and if no one's ever done Big Brad before, there's multiple sleeping options that you can do. This year he's even doing. I say he, but Executive Director Franklin is doing dorms at some of the colleges that we're going to. He's doing indoor camping. You can do primitive camping, hotels where they have a shuttle that you can pay for to shuttle your bags back and forth. So there's multiple options.

Speaker 2: 27:47

But you and I usually say, ok, we're flying, let's think about what would be the best idea for us. And so we do the indoor camping that way. We set up and this year I copied off of you, to be honest indoor camping. That way we set up and this year I copied off of you, to be honest. But you know, before I was bringing what they call a truck mat and and and so one bag would have the truck mat and my pillow and and sheets and stuff and you know it worked for a few years. But every morning when I'm putting that away I'm thinking, man, I'm wasting a whole bag on just my sleeping items. And then last year you did one of those self-inflating mattresses and I thought it was genius, except for the night that you were under the water fountain. But hey, that worked out.

Speaker 4: 28:35

That worked out in our favor.

Speaker 2: 28:37

That's right. But so I mean going back to the point I always have to think about okay, when I get to that airport and Detroit Airport is, you know, beautiful airport If you've ever been to Detroit Airport, it's wonderful and I have to think about okay, well, I'm going to get dropped off by the shuttle from the hotel, and when I get dropped off there, I'm going to put my bike on the ground, I'm going to put my baggage on the ground, and how am I going to get all of that up to the gate? Now, I'm pretty lucky If anyone flies with Delta. I'm currently a platinum member, and so all those things are going to go under the plane. I only have my backpack walking to the airport, but I still got to get them up to the gate and I think about that. So, when you talk about wheels before, that's where my mindset is and that's what you're talking about.

Speaker 2: 29:27

What I've used before, which is I have a North Face bag. I don't really care about the brand, I just bought it because it had wheels and it also has backpack straps If I could have the best of both worlds is why I purchased that bag. Like you, I'll use the word water resistant. It sure isn't waterproof. It does have almost like a plasticky nylon finish. Yeah, it's got like a.

Speaker 4: 29:53

PVC or a TPU like a thermoplastic polyurethane coating on it that makes it water resistant.

Speaker 2: 30:01

Yeah, so I mean, if the bag sat outside and if no one's done one of these kinds of long rides, what happens is normally they rent a U-Haul or Penske truck or whatever and then all the bags go in the bag truck and then when they get to the destination of the day, then you know the the staff will then lay your bags out, and that's why it's a good idea to put all your bags together on the truck so you're not searching, you know big bag lines forever. But, um, and so what happens is, as rain or shine, they usually put the bags out. Now, many charters that we've been through will put tarps over the bags and and last year at Bragg, the day that it that it rained there, they were at that school with that awning must be for like kids waiting for buses, and all the bags were earning those awnings. So, um, I mean, it was perfect and and they are, they are very considerate when you're on one of those rides, but sometimes you just never know nothing you can do. Yeah, yeah, you just don't know they could have everything out and then a rain shower could come through. So, thinking about, you don't want all your stuff wet, and a lot of times you have electronics and items to charge your computer and etc. Etc. Etc. Um, and so that's one of the bags that that I take.

Speaker 2: 31:12

Um, I had an osprey bag, which was almost like a honestly, I think it was a cover for like a backpackers um, more, more, more designed to to put around, uh like, uh like. I think about when we were in scouts, and you know you do backpacking and and I think that's what the Osprey bag was for. But I, of course, said, oh, I know what I can do, I'll put everything in here. And has a zip tie, you know, I think uh pulls, pull, snatch and pull, snatch, whatever. And so this year I copied off of you, and that's that leads to your point, which is we're always, ever changing. What can I do better? What can I do better? What can I do better?

Speaker 2: 31:54

And, because of the podcast and because that the show is on YouTube, I actually do have a second bag this year. It is very similar to my REI bag, but once again, I put it on wheels and so I didn't put it on wheels, it came with wheels and, to give you an idea, it's the one that you and I saw at REI last year and I waited for it to go on sale and then I had member perks and so I was able to pick it up, actually fairly cheap, which was pretty good. It's still not cheap. I mean, jumping into this is not. I mean there's still a couple in our box. But so I picked that up.

Speaker 2: 32:34

And then the idea is going to the airport, I use what many call mom hooks. They're big carabiners. Going to the airport, I use what many call mom hooks. They're big carabiners, some people call it. You know they hang them off of rollers or whatever and have grocery bags. So, on Amazon, you can pick up. Uh, amazon's a little company. I mean I'm not sure you know it's probably a Michigan thing.

Speaker 2: 32:55

They have a space company, they launch people in space too, but um, so I found a package of those there and so I know you know this. But, um, I find that those are great because then when I'm walking to the truck in the morning, instead of pulling multiple bags, I can clip those two bags together and then you're only pulling one bag, um, with all your stuff, because really, once we get into what you're going to have in the bag, it's not that much stuff. I mean, with the podcast, there's a couple other items there that you and I need, and so you and I have a system that we always talk through and work through how we're going to make it all work out. But yeah, I mean, that's my flying outfit.

Speaker 4: 33:37

Now I'll say one thing before you go on. Yeah, go ahead. I try to only take, especially flying only one bag. Yeah, because I found with when you're pulling that big you know box across the airport yeah, it's got wheels, but I found that trying to pull that and trying to pull a wheeled bag at the same time, they keep wanting to like crash into each other and stuff.

Speaker 4: 34:01

And so that's why I went with just a straight backpack this year. So we'll, we'll see if that does any any different. But go ahead and talk about our, our non-flying setup, because it I'll, I'll let you start it, go ahead so yeah, in 2016, when you and I did Ragbri.

Speaker 2: 34:28

I can still remember I have pictures of the bags that I took and it just really didn't work out. And then it was really funny Because in 2018, 19, no 2020, or or 21 on the road again in 2021. Cause you and I did 21, 22 and 23, and 21 was like, oh my gosh, we're getting out of our house again. This pandemic's over. We're going to go on a bike ride. And it was so humorous because we met in the hotel and I'm sorry but I've got to tell the real story. I had booked a hotel room. In the meantime, I had changed credit cards. It was still an American Express. I just went from the American Express to the next up on Delta.

Speaker 2: 35:19

This lady called me. She said Mr So-and-so, mr Baranski, she's like, unless you've got a credit card to hold this room, I'm like. I booked in, I checked in last night on the app and she said, well, I need a credit card. So I pulled over into a rest area. I was kind of frustrated and so I'm like you know what is the point of? It's like the old Seinfeld you know how to take the reservation, you just don't know how to hold the reservation. And so I said well, I booked in online. And then she said well, I just need a credit card to hold the room. So I gave her my credit card. No harm, no foul, don't sweat the small stuff, I know, but it was just really frustrating me.

Speaker 2: 36:01

And so when I got there, she's like do you have a credit card? I'm like you remember me about five hours ago when I was in Michigan, and she said oh, I'm so sorry. And I said I just don't understand why. I checked in online and everything was good. And then and she's like you know what? I'm going to take care of you. I'm so sorry. We've got a special room. We'll put you in now. To give you an idea, it was Michael and I, and, if you don't know, michael is married to a woman and I am married to a woman. And so when I opened the door of this room, I must tell you that it was one bed and a hot tub.

Speaker 2: 36:39

And so I slowly backed out of the room and thought to myself. I went down. I said, listen, I really appreciate it. I said I know you're trying to be. So I went down. I said, listen, I really appreciate it. I said I know you're trying to be so nice to me. I said, but can I have the other room back? And she said. She said, well, what's going on? I said, well, I'm coming here with another guy. And she said, yeah, it's okay. I said we're both married to women. Oh, she said I'm so sorry.

Speaker 4: 37:01

We don't need the, uh, the romantic package, you know no, no roses no champagne, so.

Speaker 2: 37:08

but we did take some pictures and we share with our friends and family, and so everybody got a good laugh. But going back to the point when we both ended up in the same hotel room, you're like hey, look what.

Speaker 2: 37:19

I got and and you had, you had showed me and you had some Milwaukee Packout. And if you don't know out there what Milwaukee Packout is, go to your local Home Depot and be careful, because I want you to keep your credit card in the car. Yes, don't take your credit card in. Don't take your credit card, because this is like adult Legos.

Speaker 4: 37:38

For anybody who doesn't know, just a quick rundown it's a modular tool box system and you got different sized boxes and they click on to each other and you could do it you could make it any custom however you want.

Speaker 2: 37:51

Yeah, we, we both the. The bottom box, the bigger chest, if you will, has wheels on it. So that made more logical sense. And then my, my outfit was just a little bit different than mich's, but we both were in the same hotel room, without telling each other, and there we had Milwaukee packouts.

Speaker 2: 38:10

We both had these big toolboxes and we were kind of worried at first because the charter we had reached out to the charter and we were like you know, is this okay? And they were like yeah, no problem, we don't have a limit, that's part of having a charter. We're like, you know, is this okay? And they were like, yeah, no problem, we don't have a limit, that's part of having a charter. We're like, okay, and you know, day one, two, three, four, five and six, the guy smiled every time and we helped him. Day seven, he's like I'm not going to be sad to see you guys go home tomorrow. But you know what, honestly, they were waterproof and they, you know what, honestly, they were waterproof and they rolled everywhere real easy and organization was wonderful. So anyways, going back to the point, it was just very humorous when you and I ended up in the same hotel room with these milwaukee pack outs and uh, and and and so uh, I have to say yeah I went.

Speaker 4: 39:17

I was so excited to get there because I had used a a tool chest like a craftsman was not built very well in 2016 and again in 2018 and I found these and I thought it was awesome. I was going to be like, yeah, this is such a cool idea and I had it all hooked up. And I'm walking over to the door and it's like, yeah, look what I got. And you're like, oh, you mean like those over there and I was like no.

Speaker 4: 39:45

So I was pretty excited. But I think that's interesting because it shows that we were both thinking along the exact same lines, because we didn't tell each other, we didn't mention it to each other, that that's what we were doing as a matter of fact, when I was unloading my car, so and uh, at that hotel room, we, um I think it was a holiday and and and when I was unloading, rolling through the?

Speaker 2: 40:08

um to the lobby, I thought these guys are going to think I'm like maintenance or something. And then, and then, when you showed up, I was like, well, he's going to think I'm nuts by having toolboxes. And then, when you had them, I'm like, oh boy, and so, um, if anyone has ever been to home Depot and you're kind of looking at toolboxes, they are just wonderful plastic organizers that are very hard resin and durable and waterproof and have O-rings.

Speaker 4: 40:41

Yeah, they're waterproof, dustproof I mean they're made for the construction site, yeah, so when these guys load up the thing with them, you know you can throw them and it's not going to hurt anything. And the other good thing is the bottom one has wheels so you can just like stack them up and roll them. And I know a lot of groups that we've been with is like no, we don't want to have the plastic tubs and plastic. We've never had any trouble because I think mostly what they're looking at and we've seen it is people take like just the plastic bins you get at walmart for like eight bucks and they'll duct tape them shut and they don't want those because you put a little weight they start crushing. But these are heavy duty. Check them out we. What we'll have to do is we'll have to find a picture of our first setup, because we're out in the parking lot. You had yours and I had mine sitting right there together on that first ride and we've used them, you know, a dozen times or whatever.

Speaker 2: 41:33

since then, on different rides I used them as a drying rack after we washed our jerseys at that school and we needed something to dry. So the handle came up and that worked out.

Speaker 2: 41:43

You make a great footstool too, yeah, yeah, because we are sitting back with your camp chair and everything. So, um, but you know, and to give you an idea, they click, lock together. So think of like eight, eight feet on the top of it, eight, eight little pucks that slip into like a female slot, and they click together with a spring and then they won't release, so it becomes one unit, and so that's what we use if we're not flying, and we can actually have our vehicles and, um, that way, you know, have all of our gear and and, as you can imagine, we take some electronic equipment with us. So, um, the other thing is is.

Speaker 4: 42:24

They have one that's got a foam insert in there, and if you're, you know, crafty enough you can, you can cut that foam insert to fit anything, and we do, in fact have a couple that are cut out for particular leisure items. Absolutely.

Speaker 2: 42:41

Absolutely, absolutely. So that's the physical packing, whether it's either flying or or, or you know, non flying, I think, for us. And then, you know, each of us has different ways that you and I do things when we get places. An example would be before I leave the house, I like to use Ziploc bags and in the Ziploc bag I say, okay, well, um, if it's a week long ride and there's, you know, hypoth, whatever, you need to ride for seven days, hypothetically, if you weren't able to do laundry.

Speaker 2: 43:37

Now, sometimes we do get the break in between, which is nice, that Bragg does. We've been able to go to laundromats, um, and so that's. You know, I take everything I need in the ziploc bag and then usually, um, after the ride guide comes out, we have an idea of what we're going to do, and then you and I have our plans so we can promote the show and promote the podcast, and so, um, and then, of course, with big brag, with the team that we're going to have, you know, there's a day that we need to consider that you know, teamseys, which may also be in the ride guide, and so all of those things come into play when you talk about cycling kits. And then afterwards, what are you going to put on afterwards?

Speaker 2: 44:20

Mistake that I made, as you mentioned, as we streamlined through the years, is I will fully admit to you that the first time we went to Bradbury, I laid out seven pairs of shorts, I laid out seven t-shirts, I laid out seven pairs of boxers and seven pairs of socks, and you know what? I never touched the socks because by the time I got back, I took my, my uh, crocs or or um, what are the ones that you wear?

Speaker 2: 44:48

hey dudes, hey dude like a slip-on type shoe yeah, that reminds me of uh the movie yesterday if you ever saw that where he says uh all hey, yeah changes the lyrics. He's like hey, dude, really. He's like yeah, that was a ned sharon thing, you know. So, um, anyway.

Speaker 4: 45:07

So if you haven't seen the movie yesterday, I highly recommend it but that's, that's a good point about shoes, because, yeah, you're right, a lot of times you bring socks, but my whole thing is is, a lot of times I'll see people take sandals and they'll take tennis shoes. I will just take a pair of shower shoes. I will take my cycling shoes maybe. I hope so. Oh, you know who needs them anyway. Um, we've proven that and I will take one pair of shoes to wear when I'm not riding and generally I'll, like you said, I I can't get into the rubber, you know crocs, but I'll do like the slip on. Hey, dude, type shoes, you don't need socks with those. Uh, the other thing is they, they, they dry out quickly if they get wet.

Speaker 4: 45:52

So I think that's you got to really look at your footwear and say, do I need? Because I know some people will take a pair of sandals and they'll take a pair of tennis shoes and it's just like that's just adding weight and adding bulk.

Speaker 2: 46:02

So something to keep in mind yeah, and honestly, the first year of RAGBRAI, I think I maybe touched three pairs of shorts, because by the time they were sitting on top and really I only wore them for a few hours before going to bed anyway. And so you know, those are the things that you learn throughout the years, and and so now I uh, I probably fly down in a pair of shorts and then probably have, you know, normally you and I uh have an outfit for flying home so we don't look like degenerates flying home.

Speaker 2: 46:35

so um tsa, I, I thought there was going to be a a bigger to do because they they were not being the most polite to us. That's the nicest way I could say that yeah, they were. It was five in the morning, our driver was already was a no-show. We didn't make the flight and then they started tearing our bikes apart and it wasn't like normal tsa where your bike goes bye-bye. This was a room where we could see everything and watch our bikes being taken.

Speaker 4: 47:15

They're like taking the lids off and all the foam out and I'm just like they're never gonna get that back and I could just see them crushing forks oh yeah, it's like oh gosh, but memories yeah, but we got, we got through. Yeah, one thing I will say you use ziploc bags. One thing that I found works really well for me.

Speaker 4: 47:34

I use the smaller, uh, vacuum pack bags yeah, it's a good idea uh, and you just roll them tight and you take, you get rid of all of that, that uh, that air that's in them so you can roll them tight. And you take, you get rid of all of that, that uh, that air that's in them so you can get them really small, Like you I do the. Here's my Monday. You know, kid, here's my Tuesday, which really it makes it easy and, honestly, some days you're hot, sweaty, you want to just go take a shower or you know, you know what I think a lot of people forget is something as simple as a baseball hat, baseball cap.

Speaker 2: 48:08

Even if you're a person who doesn't wear a baseball hat at home, like if you're just like I'm not wearing a baseball hat, you know, you don't know where you're going to be. You might have to walk to town, you might have to sit at camp, it might be outside, you might be in line for food, you might be somewhere, uh, just to get that additional sun off of your face. Uh, I usually am known to throw. You know, I am a guy who likes baseball hats, but, um, I'm I've been known to throw a couple.

Speaker 2: 48:35

I have that one I got a couple of years back, the Under Armour one. I only use it for cycling. It's like a runner's hat. It can get wet and it just beats moisture right off of it, and if it does get wet, it dries very fast. Um, and so then I usually have, of course, with my, with my georgia friends that I'm about to see, I for sure, as they called me michigan many years and I had to eat crow pie as, uh, michigan did not be successful and the dogs were more successful. I'm coming back with a michigan hat. I'm just telling you right.

Speaker 4: 49:08

You just never learn, do you I? I got every right to wear it well, but see new year, new coach, everything but but I'm still riding the high of the national championship.

Speaker 2: 49:19

Okay, so well, um you do.

Speaker 4: 49:22

you do what you need to do. Uh, good luck with that, I appreciate that. Anyway, um, getting back to the packing, you're right, that's are important. Um, the other thing I look at is clothes that is going to dry quickly. I look for, like some type of poly, uh, blended stuff, nylon, um, polyester blended type stuff. I try to stay away from the cottons and everything from like. The shirt I'm wearing right now is actually, you know, a blended shirt, a crack shirt.

Speaker 2: 49:52

Yeah.

Speaker 4: 49:52

Yeah, um, anything that I can, any of the clothes that I take, even like the shorts. I try to get stuff that's going to dry quickly, because you never know and the last thing you want to do is put it in your thing wet yeah even in bags um, which leads me to towels yeah everybody.

Speaker 4: 50:09

You know you always a lot of people grab towels. I have a big, uh, quick, dry microfiber towel not my favorite, but you know what? It'll absorb water and within two hours of being back at camp, even if it's just warm and not heavy sunshine, that can be dry. Because, let me tell you, I hate when you have to put that damp towel in your bag and then the next day, when it's 90 degrees out, you unzip that and you just you know, I mean you could grow mushrooms in there.

Speaker 4: 50:38

It's just hot and humid and your towel is gross, so that's another big thing that I always remember to look for stuff that's going to dry out quickly, cause you never know when you're going to be out and about and it start raining on you and you got to pack up the next morning and leave.

Speaker 2: 50:53

Some things that that I think that people I've heard throughout the years and and is each of us have probably socks or underwear that you know it's time to go. We just haven't let them go. This is a perfect opportunity to do that, where you could. You know you might be able to make your bag a little bit lighter throughout the week by having you know like, oh, I'll wear those on Monday, and then they're not coming home with me. You know, find a garbage can somewhere or whatever. So Lauren and I have done that. We've gone on cruises, we've done excursions with older jeans that they say we recommend you have jeans on. Why don't we find an old pair of jeans that either needed to go a long time ago, or we've even gone to the Salvation Army and bought a $2 pair of jeans and then they just don't come home with us.

Speaker 4: 51:49

That's what I did when, uh, last time I went to europe actually I went to england, I went to the the salvation army thrift store, whatever bought all my clothes there, uh, and then, with the concept that I wasn't bringing any of them back, yeah, and then. And then what I did is you know not my underwear and stuff, I just tossed that.

Speaker 4: 52:09

But I'd like take the shirts and the jeans and stuff and I just gave them, you know, if I was staying at bed and breakfast or something after a couple days and it's like, okay, I'm done with those. I just like put them in a bag and say here's some clothes, can you donate them, throw them away, do whatever you want to. Yeah, you know I didn't need them and I had that much less things, so that's a good idea.

Speaker 2: 52:33

I've never thought about doing it on a bike ride, though you know I always like, no matter if I'm flying or we're not flying, if we're getting a drive. You know, I grew up in a family called a diddy bag or a toiletry bag, and and this bag doesn't have just toiletry items I put all of, like my leave, um, and anything that you can think of those small items I usually save, like either I used to say and you would, you'll appreciate this old film, canisters little, yes, yeah, um, although they probably had chemicals in there. So probably not, probably not good for you.

Speaker 4: 53:10

But that's not important.

Speaker 2: 53:11

No, no, don't worry about that oral medicine bottles or something like that, and then I'll, you know, put all those little items that you might need um, and something that people never think of is is, like um, fingernail clippers, because, um, you know a small thing. So there a I have a collection of items, and it's kind of funny because people say, oh, I wish I had this and I'm like hold on one second, let me help you, that's because, you're an old scout, be prepared, that's right.

Speaker 2: 53:37

That's right. As long as I'm not too prepared, then no, mr Baranski, your baggage is overweight.

Speaker 4: 53:43

Mr Baranski, your baggage is overweight, we don't want that you brought up first aid medicines and stuff like that. That's the other thing. Don't forget to pack any prescription medication you have, especially if you're flying. Make sure it's in a bottle that's got your name on it. If you do wind up there in the back room of the tsa and they're going, you know they pulled you off the line and they're going completely through your stuff.

Speaker 2: 54:10

they're not like. You can't say bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb bomb what's this?

Speaker 4: 54:15

uh bag of pills here uh you know that just keeps you from having to answer and deal with a lot of questions and prove a lot of things.

Speaker 2: 54:22

So good, when we talk about cycling gear, if we're flying, I know something that you and I do is like you know, you can't just bring the bike, you have to put all the tools to put it back together. It's not like you can just go down to AutoZone and pick up like a 10 mil, you know socket to put your bike back together. So you need the bike tools. And when you start talking about weight, you know, you know you, you and I both fly delta airlines and so, uh, delta, depending on the kind of flyer, you can get 50 pound bags or 70 pound bags, and so what I try to do is is, inside of that bike box I put everything I need, because if the bike's not there, I don't really need the tools. It's a good point I got, I got bigger fish to fry, so, um, and then you know bike shoes and then, but normally when you talk about electronics, that's what I have my backpack.

Speaker 2: 55:20

So I've had, like my bike computer um, you know, you and I like to use the radar, which I'm just going to say it right here. I usually don't push products, but I don't care if you go with a new Trek, I don't care if you go with Garmin, I don't care if you go with the generic. I can stand behind the Garmin, highly recommend a bike radar. It's one of the best safety inventions for cycling that I can stand behind. If you've never used one. It's a device that's about 200 meters behind. If a car is behind you and it's approaching at a normal speed, you get just a regular alert. If it's approaching fast speed, you get a faster speed. Anyways, this isn't a show on electronics, but I just wanted to say all those electronic items usually ride with me in my backpack and then you know they won't let you fly with some of that stuff in your backpack, like multi-tools, because I got too many blades and stuff and tools. So, um, all those usually go in my bike box and then I usually take bubble wrap, um, and then, um, tape, tape the bubble wrap around the tools and so then, uh, then either use a bungee strap and attach it to the frame. So you know, usually it's kind of a whole process, but then, once we get where we're going, we have all the tools that we need. So, um, you know we've been, we've been successful, um.

Speaker 2: 56:39

But something we found out very interesting I think, that I'd like to just mention is CO2 cartridges. Oh yeah, oh yeah. So you know, we've kind of I mean, in full transparency, we've kind of seen it both ways. If you go on, uh, if anyone doesn't know, tsa has a wonderful app, I mean it's, it's really well done and it's. You know, if you're questioning, hey, can I fly with a hairdryer, you go on to the TSA app and you type in the word hairdryer and it'll either say you can have it in your carry-on, you can have it checked in, or you can't have it at all, and so it kind of gives you that flow.

Speaker 2: 57:19

And CO2 cartridges is one of those things where not only are you not supposed to have it in your carry on, you're not supposed to have it in your check bags either. Now I'm going to be 100% transparent. By a full accident, because we gave away like 10 CO2 cartridges, but then we had those rock bros bags we bought off of Amazon and in there I had my tubes and two CO2s, and then my tire tools and my multi-tool, and so that's what I keep in mind. So if you ever look at me and you see this black bag on my frame, that's what I do. That's my normal two tubes, two CO2s. Hopefully it gets me through the day.

Speaker 4: 57:59

And he'll fix your tire if you're alongside the road, so yeah, that was Michael that was Michael.

Speaker 2: 58:07

Yeah, I did side of the road. So, yeah, that was michael, that was michael, uh, so, anyway. So, um, uh, yes, so anyways, I had. You know, that's how I normally roll, and then if I need to refill something, great um, and usually some couple bucks here and there in case someone doesn't take credit card, um, but um, point of that is is I flew home and opened the bag. Actually, I didn't even realize it.

Speaker 2: 58:29

I put the bag back together and I had an event a week after I landed from our last trip and I looked down, I kind of looked up, I looked down and I thought, oh, I opened up that bag and, sure enough, those two CO2. So I guess my point is you're not supposed to fly with them and our normal thing is is, since we normally have a hotel room before we board the bus, we usually ship the CO2 cartridges to the hotel room, and Amazon, you know, lets you drop, ship anywhere, anywhere. So that's what we normally do. And then afterwards, if we don't need them, whoever gives us a ride to the airport gets a gift, that's right.

Speaker 2: 59:08

CO2 cartridges.

Speaker 4: 59:11

Well, that's interesting because I think I've had one or two slip through on accident, but the last one I had actually grabbed my one of have two rock bros, other things, and I grabbed one of them and I just shoved one in the back in my carry on bag and she busted. I didn't even realize it was in there, but there was a cartridge in there and she's like I found this in here and it's. I was like OK, and she was like you can't take it.

Speaker 4: 59:41

And I was like fully understand Go ahead and do whatever you do with it. I just forgot it, but she kind of got you know she kind of got kind of stern with me, like she thought I was going to argue with her about it and I was like, no, I slipped in there. I didn't realize it was in there, no problem.

Speaker 2: 1:00:04

So no problem. So, yeah, the last time I, you know they, I mean, they're not that expensive, don't get me wrong, but still they're getting a little more expensive. And so the last time we, we did something kind of cool when we were in brunswick. We put a bag together and I put it behind the hotel room under a bush and we put a post on the facebook page and later on the guy said thanks a lot, got your cartridges. So I mean, and then of course, that's the cycling and anything you can think of extra spare tubes and depending on what kind of rims you have like. For me I have 60 millimeter carbon wheels. I have to think about that. I have to think about having the longer stem. You know, press the tubes that go in there. And so you know, I have some extra stuff, and years past, you're absolutely right, I've taken way too much. I mean, that license plate behind you really fits my bag style, cause I, I used to have so much stuff, sure.

Speaker 2: 1:00:59

And so I think it was you that had mentioned before that when you get back, you know unpack your bags and then say did I touch this? Did I touch this? Did I touch this? And the answer was you know, if you didn't touch it, then you just need to really think about on your next trip. I really need to take it. Some things you still have to. I mean, you got to be realistic. If it's a special, like our derailleur hangers that we fly with, I mean, yeah, it's a little bit extra weight I mean not that much, but it's just extra stuff to be able to have that you just cannot pick up. I mean you're not going to be able to just go to the local store and go into Walmart and say, hey, you guys got this. No, you know what's it for. Does that open a fishing hook? You know so, sure does.

Speaker 2: 1:01:46

One of the things I don't think we mentioned, but I think is very important, is a sunscreen. People don't realize when they do these kinds of things, and neither did this guy talking right now and the voice that you're hearing. I got the I'll just be nice, 'll just. I got burnt really bad in 2016 because, while I had all kinds of sun protection on, you sweat off sunscreen so fast. Um, but the reflection of the sun beaten off the cement is really I. I I hadn't counted on that and didn't think about that. Didn't think. Think about that. I was going to get fried and that's why, if you see me today, I rock a DeBrim. So, and if you don't know what that is, debrimcom. I'm not sponsored, because I've tried to get sponsored by DeBrim but they won't have me.

Speaker 4: 1:02:41

Come on, this is the spokesman, because the guy wears it all the time I know two other things I want to bring up. Yes, please to not belabor the the packing, the packing thing, but uh, we felt it was important to you know, we get a lot of questions about it. Kind of give our perspective on it. One thing uh, always use a packing list.

Speaker 4: 1:02:59

I always use one, and I know, a couple weeks before I, I pull it out and I'll write some things down. It's like, maybe for the particular ride I'll need this. Or, you know, for the Georgia ride last year I took some special bourbon and things of that nature. But I always have a packing list that I use and that is what I use when I get home to kind of go through Did I use this, you know? Do I need all this? One thing I would suggest doing is we used to do some Boy Scouts Pack all your stuff up, all the gear that you're going to take clothes, camping gear, everything in one, two bags, whatever you're going to do and then I would say take those bags whether they're wheel or you carry them or you're putting them on your shoulder or whatever those bags, whether they're wheel or you carry them, or you're putting them on your shoulder or whatever go out in your backyard and walk around your backyard three or four times just carrying them.

Speaker 2: 1:03:49

Think about that story. I said about the airport, not only do I think that you are 100% spot on.

Speaker 2: 1:03:56

Your neighbors are going to think you're completely nuts. They might even call the local Department of Human Services on you. I've already done it, it's okay. Right, you're already on the red list, so it's okay Walk, go up the street. If you live in a subdivision, go up the street with your bike box. Don't put the bike in there, but just even the bike box by itself. If you're going to fly, then your bag that you think you're going to go Walk 100 yards with that thing because, let's be honest, you're going to fly, and then your bag that you think you're going to go walk, walk 100 yards with that thing because, let's be honest, you can do it in an airport. See if you can do that, and do it with the bags empty first, and then I don't know take a bag of dog food and throw it in your bag real quick. Or you know if you're a charcoal guy?

Speaker 4: 1:04:35

Well, I'm saying put everything in there that you would take because, here's the difference.

Speaker 2: 1:04:43

You could do that, but if you have everything in there that you're going to do, and you go around, you walk in, you go.

Speaker 4: 1:04:48

Man, this thing is just way too heavy. You know I can't carry this very far. This is going to be cumbersome. That gives you the opportunity to go. Do I really need everything in this bag? Right, so that I mean you could do it with the dog food, charcoal, uh, or, you know, sand or whatever you wanted to do, but um, when you go to want to reduce your weight, you don't really know how much weight is in there.

Speaker 4: 1:05:08

Now, if you want to just know how cumbersome it's going to be dragging that bike box, I think that would be a perfect thing. You know, just throw some weight in there, it doesn't matter, because they roll, but they don't quite roll as easy as you might think, because they're kind of. Because they roll, but they don't quite roll as easy as you might think because they're kind of oblong.

Speaker 2: 1:05:25

The wheels are about.

Speaker 4: 1:05:27

Yeah, that big and even though you're on a smooth I mean my airport's brand new. I mean the surface is super smooth, but you're navigating around people and kids and other people with things and you got to be able to maneuver it and it's so. I would suggest doing that as well.

Speaker 2: 1:05:45

Yeah, and and I know it's a podcast and we we said the word that big and I felt bad because we know it's YouTube, we can see each other, but take your finger and your thumb and make like a C. That's about how big the wheel is on that box.

Speaker 4: 1:05:55

So, um, it's it's not made to go over gravel, it's not made to go over rough asphalt, it's made to go over like concrete, marble, tile, that kind of stuff.

Speaker 2: 1:06:08

Epoxy airport floors. Yes, yes, new epoxy airport floor, exactly, but again, your airport doesn't have a Starbucks, so I don't know, I've got really no problem with that other than hurts the stock price, maybe a little bit.

Speaker 2: 1:06:26

Yeah, all right, we're going to move on. So the last item I think is really important is if you've ever watched Survivor on CBS, if you've ever watched Big Brother or any of these things where you get your luxury items. We call these items leisure items, leisure items. I wonder why we call that. I don't know.

Speaker 2: 1:06:52

We've normally been known to bring some libations of some sort. Yes, we have. We've not been shy that, after a long day of writing and getting all the camp work done and whatever, we like, to sit out and enjoy a cigar. So, and then, but anything you can think of would be a leisure item. Maybe for you it could be like a ukulele, maybe it could be and I'm not trying to be funny, I'm being serious Like something that is, you know, maybe a journal. Maybe you're a guy who likes to Crossword puzzles oh yeah, sudoku, or something you know, yeah. So you got to think about what is it? Leisure items? And then, and also, I recommend some sort of snack, whatever the snack you like, something that is not biodegradable. I mean not by I mean perishable, non-perishable and biodegradable, sorry.

Speaker 4: 1:07:50

I really don't want the snack that's not biodegradable but If it glows when you open it, don't touch it.

Speaker 2: 1:08:04

I should have said non-perishable, but you just don't know, like you know, if you could come into camp, um, and maybe the food truck isn't fired up yet, or or maybe there's not something where you can grab something. I mean, don't get me wrong, on many rides that we do, the sag stops are beautiful, uh, but you might just need something. So I recommend, like, maybe a box of granola bars or something just to have in your bag, just just as a as an emergency backup.

Speaker 4: 1:08:22

So, um, one more thing I'm gonna gonna suggest yeah um, your wallet for guys.

Speaker 4: 1:08:32

I know a lot of people who just grab their wallet. In fact, I've had family members who just grab their wallet. That they use every day and they take it with them on the ride. Yeah yeah, nothing wrong with that. But generally, you know you got some old receipts in there, you know you've got your sales credit card for your wife's anniversary, you got your Sam's Club card. I mean, you got all this stuff. My point is I have a special wallet that I just use on rides and I take, you know, two credit cards out. I take my ID, I take my insurance card and my little insurance credit card thing and then I put some cash in there and I do that. No, you don't.

Speaker 2: 1:09:14

No, you don't.

Speaker 4: 1:09:15

Yes, I do you say you do no, no, no, I put it in the wallet. The problem with it is is that most of the time I don't bring my wallet on the ride because I've got you.

Speaker 2: 1:09:26

So this is true. Now, there was one time, one time where you said, hey, can you spot me today? And I reached in my back pocket and thought I was going to spot off for you today.

Speaker 4: 1:09:42

And then I was like like, yeah, I got some money, so uh, but but my point is I take every I you know I only take the bare essentials, yeah, in a single wallet. Because, number one, I don't need my zales credit card or the sam's club card or any of this other stuff, and so if something was to happen it would lost. I'm only replacing two credit cards in my ID and I'm out. Whatever money's in there which wouldn't be my money, it'd be yours, so it doesn't matter.

Speaker 4: 1:10:12

So I mean that's something to think about as well. Leave some of that stuff and then I take one credit card and I bury it in like one of my luggage bags luggage bags somewhere, and I put the other one with me. So if I was to lose my wallet out there, I have backup.

Speaker 2: 1:10:27

Yeah, that's, I mean that's. I think that's a great idea. Um, and in years past, what I've done is is um, as you know, we do transportation and there's lots of $1 bills that go through, and so I usually go to my staff and say, hey, here's 50 bucks, can I have $51 bills? And I've been known to put packages of $1 bills together.

Speaker 4: 1:10:54

Is this what you tell your wife? Come on, nobody's believing this.

Speaker 2: 1:10:59

I really do.

Speaker 4: 1:11:01

I didn't know if people were going to take credit cards or not, and so you just have all these one dollar bills you have to go get from your staff for the purpose of a ride. Okay, we'll go with that. Hey, listen, lauren, I'll give you a call later we're gonna talk because oh yeah, psycho mental leisure needs a table to hand.

Speaker 2: 1:11:28

No, seriously I do. I put packs of money together so then I can just grab one in the morning and then usually the manila envelope that they're in is usually sweaty and so that deteriorates throughout the day. But yeah, it's kind of what I've. I've done in some, some areas, but and traditionally now, most people taking credit cards I mean our italian ice, uh beautiful lady even even said can't wait to see you guys soon, and I'm like I like her because she takes credit cards.

Speaker 4: 1:11:56

oh yes, and we will be stopping by on many, many occasions yes, to have some italian, I might have to go with a smaller size than I normally used to go with. Oh, yes, and we will be stopping by on many, many occasions.

Speaker 2: 1:12:02

Yes, To have some Italian, I might have to go with a smaller size than I normally used to go with, and that's fine.

Speaker 4: 1:12:07

That's fine, we can. It's about moderation. But yeah, she has some great Italian ice.

Speaker 2: 1:12:14

So that I mean, that is what I usually pack for for. And then I know that you and I, both on these rides, a few times have had some sort of work event that we had no choice, that we had to attend. So, depending, I try not to bring a laptop. I have been known um to bring a computer before um and most times rides that you do, the event will have something where you can say, hey, hey, if you have a computer, bring it through. I know Bragg does that Our charter for Bragg, where I offered that. So and many times we've been in these places we've seen guys on laptops doing things.

Speaker 2: 1:12:57

So I don't, I try one of the things about going on the ride. I try not to do it, but sometimes you have no choice. So but that's that's for me. That is usually packing, and I'm, you know, we're three weeks away from from taking a big trip. So starting to gather things together and that's how I do it, just to just to be truthful with anyone is I started to pick a location in my home and I start to just start congregating items there. I don't don't necessarily pack it all away just yet, but I start bringing everything together.

Speaker 2: 1:13:29

And then that way, as you see it or think about, it, you take it and add it and then, um, sometimes I walk out of the room oh, yeah, I need, oh, wait, I already did that which, oh, yeah, I need. Oh, I already did that, which is fine, because then you're not going to forget it. Um, but, uh, you know, especially the items, especially, like you know, I know we tease you about your shoes. We told that story 500 times, but, uh, shoes are definitely something you would definitely need for cycling, if you, uh, if you do use a certain kind of pedal, so, um, but yeah, anyways, that's that's for me, that is, uh, my packing. Let me check my, let me check my notes.

Speaker 4: 1:14:06

Yeah, um, but that's just kind of how we do it I know, everybody does it a little different, everybody uses different things, but that's how we've used it. That's what works for us. Um, so you know, maybe some people would listen to what we have to say and go, no, that's completely wrong, but it works for us. What'd you? What'd you?

Speaker 2: 1:14:23

forget. No, I was just gonna say for. Uh, we wanted to make sure we have the notes for you know, you don't need seven pairs of shorts, you could maybe get away with three or four, or whatever I only take like enough.

Speaker 4: 1:14:38

I I make sure I can wash on wednesdays, just my thing. I I've done it for years. I wash clothes halfway through and I've never had a problem getting that done.

Speaker 2: 1:14:47

We didn't talk about, and if we did, I don't remember rolling your clothes, or maybe use those packing cubes.

Speaker 4: 1:14:52

Yeah, you can use packing cubes. You and I both use kind of the vacuum pack or the Ziploc. You do roll it. I mean you know a lot of the military guys know about that. You roll it to kind of forces some of the air out. It takes up less space, I know, in like my, my vacuum bags. I mean it just sucks it completely down so there's no air in it whatsoever. But rolling is the best way to go.

Speaker 2: 1:15:18

And a part of this is going to be a joke and a part of it's going to be serious. Dryer sheets.

Speaker 4: 1:15:28

Oh yeah.

Speaker 2: 1:15:31

Well, everyone's got their thing, yeah, we're going to leave this. All I'm going to say is that dryer sheets can be helpful for a few things. On a serious note Anti-static For the dryer.

Speaker 2: 1:15:47

Well, they could be used for the dryer as well as a conditioner or whatever, but it helps with packing. Don't get me wrong. If you've got stinky jerseys and you can throw some dryer sheets in there until you get home, it could help do that. All right, stinky jerseys and, and you can throw some dryer sheets in there until you get home, it could help do that. Um, all right, the joke is we were, we were with some people before and they said I don't wash things, I, I just put my, my jersey in a dryer sheet in a bag and put it on the next morning and we're like, okay then, but uh, but I I do think that dryer sheets can be somewhat helpful to make sure that TSA doesn't think that you are the grossest person in the world when you're flying.

Speaker 4: 1:16:30

That'll teach them to get into my luggage, won't?

Speaker 2: 1:16:32

it. I ever tell you that Jamaica story. I went to Montego Bay, jamaica, and I flew in, and Sangster Airport is where we were, and I flew in and Sangster Airport is where we were, and so I landed and a long week in Jamaica Go back to Adam 1.0. And I was sweating all week long, all my clothes were in the bag, and the lady going on the plane says I want to go through your stuff, and this poor woman had like one glove the other one had like holes in the other glove, and she's going through my stuff. And I thought, oh my gosh, this woman is not getting paid enough. And so I I. That's why I was like, yeah, sorry about that, I've been sweating in Jamaica for a week. So, anyways, um, that's about it for me for packing. Did you have anything else? Or?

Speaker 4: 1:17:20

No, I think that's. I think we've kind of hit the highlights. You know, do everything you can to reduce your toiletries down. You know, use small travel size, that type of thing. Quite honestly, you don't need the full thing of shaving cream. You know, you don't need the full bottle of conditioner or that kind of. Just think about those kinds of things that you that you're really not going to need. Think of the clothes. Are you going to need? Think of the clothes. Are you going to need them? Do you need? You know, just question everything you put in that bag. Question it Is this something I'm going to need, is it? You know?

Speaker 2: 1:17:52

That's a good point. I mean you need a full tube of crest? I don't think so you can go get the travel size and even if you're afraid, you can get two travel size.

Speaker 4: 1:18:02

The thing about it is anything that you forget. We are by I don't know how many different Walmarts. Every little town we go through has a Dollar General. We're by a CVS, we're by Walgreens. I mean we're constantly by these places that if there is really something that you forgot that you need, it's easy to stop in at a. I mean we've done it, we've hit a dollar general to pick up whatever. Just before we've gotten into our campsite Cause like, oh, I forgot that, let me just stop in here and grab it. So realistically, anything that's like an absolute necessity short of like prescription medication or something like that you could stop in and pick up a small amount of at a store like that.

Speaker 2: 1:18:51

I was in Michigan once and picked up a bottle of Woodford on a bicycle.

Speaker 4: 1:18:56

I have pictures of that True story and you put it in your biking overalls and you rode the last, I don't know seven, eight miles with a bottle of Woodford's. And I tell you I appreciate your sacrifice, sir.

Speaker 2: 1:19:14

Yes, sir, happy to help. Well, I had something else, but we're going to have to save it for the next show. We're going a little bit long here, but I always like to do this. I love that we're doing this, and so, without further ado, can we please have the hints for the next listener, spotlight.

Speaker 4: 1:19:32

We absolutely can. All right. This episode's listener spotlight hints are as follows St Louis.

Speaker 2: 1:19:43

I couldn't help myself. Okay, go ahead.

Speaker 4: 1:19:47

The first white settlers in the area got there around 1797.

Speaker 2: 1:19:53

Okay.

Speaker 4: 1:19:55

And it was founded by a frontiersman back in 1797. It was originally named for the color of the land beside the river that this town sets on, so it sets on a river. They originally named it for the color of the land that was right there by the river. Okay, um, the current name was established in 1817 and it was named for a? Uh, I'll just tell you this. It was named for a colonel. I'm not going to tell you what war, but it was named for a colonel.

Speaker 4: 1:20:36

It has had a long history, started out as agriculture, but it's had a long history of manufacturing. That history includes steameries, which, if you don't know, it's for tobacco. It's kind of where they take the tobacco leaves, the building where they take them and they strip them off and they prep them to turn them into tobacco products. It was the home of one of the largest wagon companies in the world, meaning they created wagons and you will like this one. It's been home to a couple of distilleries I'm listening. So they've had a wide range of different types of manufacturing. Okay, there, um, if you're into bluegrass music, you might. I'm gonna say you want to go visit that place, this place, this town, this community, bluegrass music.

Speaker 2: 1:21:41

I don't know how big you are into bluegrass, but you know, I went to my first bluegrass concert ever was in a town called Paducah, kentucky, paducah. Oh yeah, oh, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 4: 1:21:56

The final. The final hint I will give you is this town, in some way, shape or form, is responsible for how we view pirates today.

Speaker 2: 1:22:10

Wow, well, I like that. I like the hint.

Speaker 4: 1:22:15

I don't know what, what it is, but I don't care, I like 1797, founded by a frontiersman, originally named for the color of the land next to the river that it sets on. So it's a river town. Uh, it's had a lot of different types of manufacturing tobacco distilleries, wagon making, bluegrass is important and, um, it's named after a colonel and it's responsible in some way for how we view pirates today?

Speaker 2: 1:22:52

Don't answer. It's not St Louis, louisville, kentucky. But don't answer. That's just my speculative off the cuff answer Wow, something other than St Louis. Yeah, I mean, come on, I know the whole world doesn't revolve around St Louis Missouri.

Speaker 4: 1:23:11

Yeah. Well you know, you are getting Kentucky and you are getting distilleries, so things are looking up for you.

Speaker 2: 1:23:23

That's my. That's my guess. Now I've got a few weeks to, to, to finite and polish that guess up, but we'll do that. So well, great, that's been another episode of our listener spotlight. I need to take this opportunity to make sure that people realize that we do have a mailbag. We're going to skip it this time, but don't worry that we've got some people that we can mention next time. If there's something that you would like to know, something that you're curious about, something you would like us to talk about, or something that you feel that we said incorrectly, I'm sure that that's possible. We've had to eat crow pie before, which is fine. It's part of learning and part of.

Speaker 4: 1:24:08

We're not experts. No no no, no, no, we have had years experience in cycling and other areas, but we are not experts.

Speaker 2: 1:24:18

Funny story. I was working with my HR today and an employee asked me through a text message of something that whether they should or shouldn't do medical advice, and so I reached out to HR. I'm like I'm not giving the medical advice and she's like no, please don't. I'm like the last time I gave some medical advice, my wife ended up in the hospital for 11 days. She said your track record is not that good and I said no, it's horrible.

Speaker 4: 1:24:44

But then again you're not a doctor or any other kind of medical professional, so I don't even play one on tv.

Speaker 2: 1:24:47

They get what they pay for, honestly. That's right. So, uh, anyways, I I uh appreciate our time together. I'm looking forward to seeing you, uh in 3d format soon. Um, um, so, uh, you know, uh, without further ado, I will say that, um, with my new 2.0, the other day was a great day for a bike ride. I was actually able to, uh, absolutely get some, uh, get some rpms and get some hill climbing uh, much, much better and back to feeling much better. So we're going to keep it up.

Speaker 2: 1:25:26

So with that I'll say Don't stop, don't stop, no, no, pretty soon it'll be seven great days to have a great day for a bike ride.

Speaker 4: 1:25:35

So I hear you man Been great. I appreciate it.

Speaker 2: 1:25:39

Absolutely.

Speaker 1: 1:25:42

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.