Sometimes you just need a snack, and sometimes you need to stop the ride and get off. How do you know which is the right decision for you?

Marley recently rode her longest ride EVER (!): 230 miles of the Oregon Outback route (https://bikepacking.com/routes/oregon-outback/ Marley modified this to be shorter mileage per day). BUT... she had intended to ride the entire 364-mile route. Today she walks us through what she took into account to know it was time to stop.

You can join Marley for another epic ride this year at UNBOUND. She'll be riding the 25 mile course with Meg Fisher, as well as leading the All Bodies on Bikes shakeout ride. More details here: https://www.unboundgravel.com/

Have you had to make this decision? What helped you decide between pushing through or packing it in? Tell us in the comments!

Come see us LIVE across the Midwest!

Marley & Kailey are coming back to Central Time! Join us for a week packed with rides, custard, podcasts, films, and fundraising.

Kansas City - https://luma.com/l32s304i

• May 31 Custard Cruise bike ride
• June 1 Film Screening + LIVE Podcast Recording with Marley, Ellen, & Kailey

Des Moines - https://luma.com/flcajig5

• June 2 - Gravel Ride with Iowa Gravel Project
• June 3 - Movie Night

Minneapolis - https://luma.com/gbstzsum

• June 4 - We'll screen We Are Cyclists and Bone Saw Is Ready, with a live podcast recording after. https://bonesawcycling.bike/bone-saw-is-ready-film
• This event is supported by The Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota (BikeMN), Cyclehoop, and NorthHouse

Chicago - https://luma.com/f0a6teck

• June 7 - Film Screening & Community Ride

Do you know what's really interesting is the number of messages

2

I've gotten from people congratulating me

for just listening to my body, we don't

3

see people talking about the realities of

our bodies not doing what we ask them to.

4

Welcome to All Bodies on Bikes,

the podcast where all bodies are

5

good bodies, all bikes are good

bikes, and all rides are celebrated.

6

Ellen: All Bodies on Bikes is a

movement to create and foster a

7

radically inclusive bike community.

8

So join your hosts.

9

I'm Ellen.

10

And I'm Marley.

11

As we explore the complexities

of the biking world.

12

Help us break down barriers and

create the world that we want to see.

13

Marley: And don't forget that all bodies

really means all bodies, not just larger

14

bodies, but bodies of all sizes, ages,

races, Abilities, genders, sexualities.

15

And beyond.

16

Come along for the ride.

17

Hi

18

Ellen: immediately tell you,

19

that I'm proud of you?

20

Marley: Oh, thanks.

21

I need to hear that.

22

I'm feeling a little, a little down

23

Ellen: I can understand

all the sides of this

24

Marley: Yeah.

25

Well, I'm trying to make content too,

and I like realize I don't have any like

26

victory photos at the end or like anything

that's like, "Whoa, I did it," 'cause I…

27

Well, we're getting way

ahead of ourselves here.

28

So ahead.

29

Ellen: Okay.

30

I mean,

31

but then it's like I

could say, "How are you?"

32

And immediately we're talking about,

"Well, I just got off of a 230 mile,"

33

quote unquote, "ended quickly" ride

34

Marley: A giant bikepacking ride.

35

Ellen: Which was like already

36

Marley: Yeah.

37

It was supposed to be…

38

Well, okay, so let's back up.

39

S- so I'm actually, I'm, I'm, I'm working

on my content right now for the brand

40

that I did the, that I rode the bike on,

so I've got this all, like, in my head.

41

But so the Oregon Outback is this route

that goes from essentially the California

42

border on the south to the Washington

border through the middle of the state.

43

There is nothing there.

44

It is stunningly

beautiful, but it is so…

45

I mean, I understand why

they call it the Outback.

46

Like, there were days where

we didn't see another human.

47

It was wild.

48

Ellen: Not a car on the

49

Marley: yeah, so no, no, 'cause

we, well, for the most part, we

50

were on like back gravel roads.

51

Um, so there is like, yeah, there is

like agriculture and stuff out there,

52

and there's like tiny towns, so we, we

were able to restock a couple times.

53

Um, but again, I'm

getting ahead of myself.

54

So it's a 366-mile route.

55

It's been on my bucket list for 10 years.

56

Like, I've literally

wanted to do it forever.

57

But I like, just because of a number of

factors, um, mainly not having a bike that

58

would work for it, um, I've never done it.

59

And then this year, because I was turning

40, and I turned 40 yesterday, uh, thank

60

you, I set this, like, wildly ambitious

goal to do a huge bikepacking trip.

61

And initially, I was gonna ride the Great

Divide, which goes from Canada to Mexico.

62

Um, and I think if I lived in Arkansas

still, I might have done it, but now that

63

I pay a lot in rent, I was like, "There's

no way I'm taking three months off to pay

64

rent for an apartment I'm not gonna be in.

65

Like, that is not happening.

66

So, um, I set my sights on something

more achievable, which was, or I thought

67

more achievable, the Oregon Outback, um,

which most folks do it in seven days.

68

And when I looked at the route, um,

'cause this has been like an established

69

route for like 10-plus years, um,

all the distances were like 70 to 90

70

miles a day with like two to 4,000

feet of climbing on a loaded bike.

71

And so I was like, I, I

physically can't do that.

72

Like, I might be able to do one of the

days, but not back to back to back.

73

And so my first challenge was breaking

up the route into achievable days for me.

74

Like, I really could only

do like 40 to 60-mile days.

75

Um, but we were able to do it.

76

Um, so we broke the route

up, and it became a nine-day

77

ride, of which I did five.

78

Um, but I'm pretty proud of those five.

79

Ellen: think you should be.

80

It's still 230 miles

81

Marley: Yeah, which is

farther than I've ever gone.

82

Two more days than I've ever done.

83

Um, I've never camped in the snow before.

84

I've never had to carry

eight liters of water.

85

Do you know how heavy

eight liters of water is?

86

Ellen: not.

87

My frame of references

would be a gallon of water

88

Marley: Yeah, which is eight pounds.

89

It was around, like, between

20 and 25 pounds of water.

90

Ellen: which is already a

91

Marley: Yeah.

92

Pretty much exactly what I thought

was gonna happen, happened.

93

I took care of my body as

best as I could out there.

94

Um, but around day four or five,

it just started breaking down.

95

You know, my, my butt started

hurting really, really bad.

96

Um, and I don't know if I should say

this, but I started taking pictures of my

97

Ellen: Oh, no.

98

So that you can see.

99

So that you can assess

100

Marley: Yeah.

101

Yeah.

102

And at first I was like, "Oh,

it's a little red and unhappy."

103

And then the next day I was like, "Oh.

104

Oh, this is-- looks like somebody

took a meat tenderizer to, uh…"

105

So, um, that was honestly the reason why

I ended up stopping was because I just,

106

I couldn't sit on my saddle any longer,

107

Ellen: which is a great

reason to not ride a bike

108

Marley: Oh, 100%, 100%.

109

Um, but then other bodily

functions, like my immune system

110

went into like wild overdrive.

111

And, um, I don't know if I've talked

about this before, but I get cold sores.

112

Ellen: I know that you've had them

in, at moments you didn't want them,

113

so I don't know if I knew that it was

114

Marley: Yeah.

115

Yeah.

116

Yeah, so typically they, well, typically

they happen at Unbound, which is like my

117

biggest endurance day of the year when I'm

on the bike for, you know, 10 plus hours.

118

And so my goal for this trip was

like, do not get a cold sore.

119

Do not get a cold sore.

120

And I'm getting a cold sore.

121

Um, but I didn't, I, I

like didn't get sunburnt.

122

Um, and the cold sore really only

like flared up this morning, and

123

so I already called my doctor.

124

I already got the prescription, so

hopefully we're gonna nip it in the bud.

125

And so overall, I'm really proud of

myself, like my body did what it was

126

supposed to do, but I think I'm just

coming to the realization that like, I

127

can't do these epic long endurance days

that some people can do, and that's okay

128

Ellen: You can still have a

wonderful, joyful time on your bike.

129

Marley: Yeah

130

Yeah.

131

And that was the other reason

I ended up stopping is 'cause

132

it just wasn't joyful anymore

133

Ellen: I can think that could be

reason number one most of the time.

134

Marley: Yeah.

135

Yeah.

136

But at the same time, like,

you know you're taking on this

137

challenge and it's not gonna be like

sunshine and roses the whole time.

138

Like, you expect to suffer

a little bit, right?

139

Ellen: It's not like I'm sitting here

saying you'll never be cold and you'll

140

never be uncomfortable or tired,

but truly sitting there saying, "I

141

don't know how I'm going to do this

tomorrow," and then waking up saying, "I

142

still feel that way."

143

'Cause sometimes all you need is

a good night's sleep in a hotel,

144

but

145

Marley: Yeah.

146

Or, or snack or whatever it might be.

147

Ellen: You made this decision after

a night in a hotel with a good

148

breakfast in you, and also like

well-hydrated and as clear-minded as you

149

Marley: Oh yeah.

150

Ellen: versus

151

feeling like you're going to reflect

on this and be like, "I should

152

have had a Snickers," and then

153

Marley: Yes, exactly.

154

Ellen: You won't

155

regret it

156

Marley: Yeah, It's funny, I like, I,

I had my GoPro with me the whole time,

157

which I'm like trying to figure out how to

edit this footage 'cause I think it would

158

actually make a really good short film.

159

Um, but I, I basically, I kind of did

like real world style confessionals

160

where I was like, "Okay, day

one, this is how I'm feeling."

161

And then like day two…

162

And like there's sections throughout

where I'm riding and I'm just like,

163

"I don't think I can do this."

164

And then, you know, an hour later

I'll be like, "Oh no, I can do this.

165

This is totally worth it."

166

Um, but some of those doubts did

start to creep in pretty early.

167

I mean, part of it was my bike was

over 100 pounds with everything on it.

168

Like that's just wild

169

Ellen: it is.

170

You are strong

171

and it's

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Marley: So yes.

173

And it's funny, uh, my two friends that I

was riding with They called me yesterday

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for my birthday from the trail, and I

was really sad not to be there with them.

175

We like had made a little trail family.

176

Um, but they were like, "Marley,

you're carrying too much water."

177

And I was like, "I don't think I am."

178

Um, and they ended up

drinking some of my water, so

179

Ellen: Glad that I had it

180

Marley: Exactly.

181

Exactly.

182

So

183

Ellen: Let's maybe talk a little

bit about what were the things that

184

you looked to to understand that

you were making the right decision?

185

Marley: Ooh, um I think looming

large in my mind was I don't

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get any rest after this.

187

If I would have continued on, and this

is nobody's fault but my own, um, because

188

of the way that the timing worked out,

essentially I planned my schedule so it

189

was gonna be like nine days of Oregon

Outback, one day home where I have to

190

work at the bike shop, and then straight

to Kansas for Unbound, and then onto

191

our Midwest book film podcast tour.

192

Um, and when I was planning it out, I

was kinda like, "Ooh, this is gonna be

193

a stretch, but maybe, you know, if I

take really good care of myself when

194

I'm out bikepacking, I'll be fine."

195

Um, and for the first couple days I

actually felt pretty confident about

196

it because, you know, I wear a Whoop.

197

Um, I don't know if you're

familiar with Whoop.

198

It's like a health tracker.

199

Um, it essentially, you know, it's one of

those health trackers that measures your

200

like respiration rate and heart rate and

sleep and all those things, and every day

201

it gives you a couple different scores.

202

It gives you a strain score, a

sleep score, and a recovery score.

203

And interestingly, the strain s-

score goes up to 21, and for the first

204

five days, for all five days I was

riding, my strain score was over 20.

205

Like I was at like 20.5,

206

Ellen: Oh wow, maxed

207

Marley: really, y- yes,

big days on the bicycle.

208

But then my recovery scores

were really good too.

209

They were up at like

up, up in the 90s, 100s.

210

Like every day I woke up and it, my

thing would say, "You're ready to go.

211

You're green."

212

And I would.

213

I'd wake up feeling refreshed.

214

I would sleep well.

215

I would-- I was eating well.

216

Um, but I think just cumulatively

all those big days in a row really

217

added up and then my body was

like, "Oh, crash, and you're done."

218

Um, and so as the fatigue started to wear

on, um, and I started to kind of plan out

219

my schedule, I was like, "There's no way

I'm gonna be able to do Unbound and then

220

drive across the Midwest for a film tour."

221

Um, and so, um, when I made it to

Prineville, which was like our midway

222

stop, it's the only big city on the

trip, we had a hotel room there, um,

223

I, I made the decision to pull out.

224

Also 'cause the logistics were easy.

225

Like from there I could get

home easy and all of that,

226

Ellen: You did like a talk to camera

stories on Instagram at one point,

227

and I gasped out loud when you said,

"I'm going on this giant trip," and

228

then almost immediately Unbound,

and then, and then, and then.

229

I was like, "That's too much."

230

'Cause it's like,

231

that would've been a lot.

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Marley: is.

233

And

234

Ellen: anyone making it through

two weeks of intensive travel is

235

going to be sick at the end of it

236

Marley: Oh, yeah.

237

But I mean, I do this to

myself seemingly every summer.

238

Like two summers ago I did

an eight-week road trip.

239

Last year I did a six-week road trip.

240

I should know better, and

yet I continue to do this.

241

Ellen: It says 40, Marley.

242

Sorry.

243

Marley: When do I learn?

244

Ellen: I guess it's 41

245

Never.

246

Marley: No, I'm learning now.

247

Ellen: This is also the

248

only

249

Marley: I'm learning now

250

Ellen: that I can tease you for being

older than me, so I'm gonna, I'm gonna

251

take it.

252

Marley: Cause you're a Gemini too.

253

Your birthday's soon.

254

Ellen: at the end of next week.

255

Marley: Oh, happy birthday.

256

Ellen: Gemini, it's

257

like Gemini season.

258

We're gonna move and groove and

change the world and take no

259

prisoners and all that stuff

260

Marley: And then change

your mind next week.

261

Ellen: Next month.

262

But yes,

263

Marley: Next month.

264

Okay.

265

Ellen: we'll see all

266

Marley: Yeah.

267

Ellen: We are all-knowing

268

Marley: Yeah.

269

Yeah.

270

What-- Do you know what's

really interesting?

271

I've been kind of thinking about

this for the last couple days, is

272

the number of messages I've gotten

from people, um, congratulating me

273

for just listening to my body, and I

think that's something we don't see

274

professional athletes doing very often.

275

Um, and we don't see people talking

about the realities of our bodies

276

not doing what we ask them to.

277

Ellen: I would agree.

278

I can only think of Simone Biles.

279

Maybe there was a tennis player who

was-- they were like, "You know what?

280

Nope, I'm taking time

off, and I will come back,

281

but I'm-- I can't, and I want my--

my body won't, my mind won't."

282

And otherwise, I agree.

283

I don't know that I can

point to many others.

284

Um, our patron saint, Ilona Maher,

does sometimes talk about when--

285

like, the differences that she sees

in her body when she is training

286

versus when she is not training.

287

That's-- So those are the only three

high-profile examples I could point

288

to about it's okay to take a break.

289

It's really okay to listen to

yourself and know your body because

290

you are-- you have a long way.

291

Like, if you'd have kept

going, what would've happened?

292

Marley: I-- well, I would've

slowed my friends down quite a bit.

293

Um, you know, I was already the slowest

one of the group, and we were already

294

getting to camp late at night, which

was, um, a little stressful, you know,

295

to, to have to cook and then set up

camp and do all that, and it didn't give

296

us any time to relax and to hang out.

297

So I would've, I would've

held the group back.

298

I would've been a danger to myself,

and then I wouldn't have been my

299

best self coming up for Unbound.

300

Um, which is exciting, you know?

301

Unbound is like the Super Bowl of gravel.

302

I'm gonna see a lot of people.

303

Um, it's gonna be a lot of fun.

304

I've got some activations happening.

305

And then we're going on book tour.

306

Or I'm calling it book tour.

307

It's also film.

308

It's also podcast tour.

309

But I wouldn't have been able to be

engaged and to ride bikes and, like,

310

that's really what my community is

about, is those community rides.

311

And it's not about proving that I can

ride 365 miles across the Oregon desert.

312

Like, okay, cool, Marley, you can

do it, but, like, nobody cares

313

Ellen: And I think that is another

way to, like, prop the door open a

314

little wider for accessible cycling.

315

To say

316

you can start anywhere, it doesn't

have to be a 320-mile ride.

317

You should try if you wanna try, it feels

like an ambition that is true to you.

318

Yeah, try it.

319

And the success can be in

the fact that you tried

320

Marley: Exactly.

321

Yeah.

322

And honestly, like, what, you know,

when I first quit, or made the…

323

I'm not- I shouldn't call it quit.

324

When I made the decision to stop riding,

I was pretty disappointed in myself.

325

Um, and then, like, the longer

I sat with it, the more I was

326

like, "No, you did 230 miles.

327

Like, you've never done that before.

328

You did a five-day bike packing trip.

329

Like, you, you did something

that you've never done before.

330

Like, be proud of that."

331

So I'm trying to, like, reframe it

in my head and, um, still make this

332

content and, like, I don't know.

333

It's, uh…

334

I'm sitting with kind of both sides

of it, being a little disappointed,

335

um, but also just being okay

336

Ellen: can be two things

337

Marley: It can.

338

Yeah.

339

And the best part about getting off

the trail was, uh, I got to have

340

chocolate cake for my birthday 'cause

I was at home and be in my own bed

341

Ellen: Oh, two excellent things

in life is chocolate cake

342

and your own bed after a hard travel.

343

Like,

344

Marley: Exactly

345

Ellen: slept like a baby that night

346

Marley: I did.

347

I, I really did.

348

But you know what's

funny is, um, my lungs…

349

Well, I don't know if it's funny or

not, but, um, I have developed, like,

350

sports-induced asthma over the years,

and I oh my God, I lost a lot of things

351

on the trail, um, including my Albuterol

inhaler, uh, which was kind of crucial.

352

Uh, speaking of, do you hear that?

353

Oh my God.

354

I know.

355

Um, anyway, I lost my inhaler, I lost

my headphones, I lost a pair of pants.

356

Um, what else did I lose?

357

Well, how did I lose my pants?

358

That's a good story

359

Ellen: That sounded more in- more of an

invasive question than I meant for it to

360

be, but, the AirPods I can understand.

361

Tiny, losable in your own

362

house.

363

The Albuterol,

364

also small, I'm assuming, like losable.

365

Marley: Yeah!

366

So I got my period while I was out there.

367

Um, so in, in addition to all the other

challenges, uh, my body is now bleeding.

368

The first day of my period, it showed

up like in the middle of the afternoon

369

and I didn't realize it until like my

chamois was fully soaked with blood.

370

Um, so at that point I was

like, well, there's no point

371

in doing anything different.

372

I'm just gonna keep free

bleeding into my pants.

373

Um, but then it got cold and so I

had to put a couple of layers on.

374

So I put on, I had a wool base layer

and then I had a pair of like camp

375

pants that I put on top of that and

I bled through both of those as well

376

because I am woman, hear me roar.

377

Um,

378

Ellen: Gee, I wonder why you were

379

tired

380

Marley: right.

381

And so the next day, um, essentially I

took both of those pairs of pants off and

382

kind of strapped them to my bicycle to

try and get the, like the UV rays to like

383

Ellen: Yeah

384

Marley: do their work and kind

of bleach it out a little bit and

385

like take care of it and it worked.

386

It worked really well.

387

Um, at least on the, the one

pair of pants that made it.

388

Uh, yeah, my wool base layer

bounced off somewhere along the way.

389

Um, I know.

390

Ellen: a bummer.

391

The wool base layer

392

Marley: Yeah, yeah.

393

Such a bummer.

394

Um, but my headphones came back to me.

395

Well, not quite yet.

396

They came back to my friends.

397

Um, there were some other folks on

the trail who caught up to them,

398

and they were like, "Hey, did

you guys lose these headphones?"

399

Um, and so my headphones will be

coming back to me when my friends

400

get back to town, and there's a

potential they'll have my pants

401

Ellen: Just because you have hopes and

dreams that they're gonna find your pants?

402

Marley: Yeah,

403

Ellen: Okay.

404

Optimism for the

405

Marley: yeah.

406

Yeah, exactly.

407

Um, I also got my headlamp back.

408

Um, I didn't even know that it had fallen

out, and this car came up next to us as

409

we were, like, descending, and they rolled

down their windows, and they're like,

410

"Hey, didn't one of you guys drop this?"

411

And I was like, "Oh, that's mine."

412

I had no idea I had dropped it.

413

So I have faith that it's

414

Ellen: I guess so.

415

You have a, a really good

boomerang energy to your stuff

416

Marley: I mean, when I lost my

wallet on my road trip going to

417

Sea Otter, it came back to me

418

Ellen: that this is chao- this is

like neutral chaos at its finest.

419

It's like, I don't know, if

you lose it, it comes back.

420

Like, not always, Marley

421

Marley: I mean, if it's meant-- Not

always, and if it's meant to be, it will.

422

But I did have a doctor's appointment

this morning and, uh, got a refill on

423

my albuterol inhaler, which I'm gonna

put a string on it for Unbound, um,

424

because I'm gonna put it in the same

place, like in my little feed bag.

425

Um, but that means it'll, it'll

probably bounce out again.

426

But if I have it attached,

it can't bounce out.

427

Or it can, but I'll have it

428

Ellen: it cannot fall all

the way to the ground.

429

Marley: That's a, that's

kind of a recap on my trip.

430

Obviously, like, so much happened over

those five days, but truly it was just,

431

like, a lot of riding my bike, a lot of…

432

I was hoping to, like, get some,

like, deep thinking done, and I never

433

found myself in that head space.

434

It--

435

Ellen: Is that a normal thing

for you on a long ride like that

436

to find some deep head space?

437

Marley: That's why I do it.

438

Like, when I'm out doing Unbound or Mid

South, like that's usually when my brain

439

wanders and I come up with good ideas.

440

That's where the idea for All

Bodies on Bikes came up was

441

when I was on a long ride.

442

And I think potentially because my body

was just like fighting for every pedal

443

stroke, it had no extra bandwidth to

like be creative or dream and scheme.

444

So I'm hoping Unbound, um, maybe

I'll get some, some deep thoughts in.

445

Ellen: I hope that for you.

446

Tell me more about Unbound

447

Marley: So I'm signed up for the 100.

448

Uh,

449

I, I'm not gonna say that I'm not

doing it, but if I had to ride it

450

today, I would not be doing the 100.

451

Um, but I have over a

452

Ellen: I was just gonna ask,

453

Marley: will say

454

Ellen: how long does your undercarriage

455

have to, uh, correct

456

Marley: it has a week, it has a week to,

to, to my, my undercarriage and my lungs.

457

At the same time though, like

I'm feeling stronger than ever.

458

Like, it was kinda cool over the

course of my bike packing trip, 'cause

459

I'm a data nerd, you can like track

your stats and I could see my like

460

resting heart rate going down every

day and like I wasn't working as hard

461

to like do the same amount of effort.

462

So I think I'm actually going

into Unbound in pretty good shape.

463

Um, it's just a question of do I have the

energy and the endurance to do 100 miles?

464

'Cause I've done 100 at Unbound

before, and if it's a dry year,

465

I'm looking at 13 to 14 hours.

466

If it's a wet year, that's like 16 to 17

hours, and that's so long on the bicycle.

467

Ellen: time.

468

Marley: Yeah.

469

But-

470

Ellen: if it…

471

I don't know, I was just wondering

if it's like your undercarriage

472

has just recovered and is maybe

a little bit daintier than normal

473

Marley: Yes.

474

Yeah, exactly.

475

Um, well, not, I don't know if

dainty is the right word, but,

476

Ellen: the right word would be though.

477

Like,

478

Marley: sensitive

479

Ellen: like more prone to

480

redeveloping

481

Marley: Oh yeah, I'm sure it will be.

482

Yeah, 'cause, I don't know, it's like,

well, it's, it's like saddle sores.

483

Yeah, but I don't even know if you

would call them saddle sores, 'cause

484

like, to me when I think of saddle

sores, I think of like zits or pimples

485

or like abscesses, and this is just

like the skin has just been rubbed raw.

486

Ellen: okay

487

Marley: So yeah.

488

Anyway, um, I also have the option,

Salsa is going to be there, um,

489

and Salsa is giving me an e-bike

to ride, and so I could do the

490

25 mile, I could do the 50 mile.

491

I might just go out and do the

50 mile and like have snacks for

492

everybody out there and just be

like, "Here, take this, take that."

493

Um, so we'll see.

494

Ellen: Yes.

495

I, I don't

496

know if this would be doable for

you, but on my family bike rides,

497

I have figured out how to put a

bubble machine on my, my back rack.

498

And I tell you what,

it's a goddamn delight.

499

Like,

500

Marley: Tell

501

Ellen: so I just…

502

I found a way to, like, bungee cord this

battery-operated bubble machine onto

503

my back rack, and I just point it out.

504

And I can share a photo, but it just looks

like bubbles are coming out of my butt

505

because of the way it's placed behind me.

506

Um, but yeah, you just turn

it on and the bubbles blow and

507

they go bloop, and it's magical.

508

And

509

Marley: That's so fun.

510

Okay

511

Ellen: Like if, so if you had a bubble

machine and some snacks, you would be

512

the highlight for sure of someone's day.

513

Probably many people's

514

Marley: Oh,

515

' Ellen: Cause even like,

516

Marley: I love this idea

517

Ellen: riding on the si- Like, even riding

here, people on the sidewalks are then

518

like, they're like, "What's going on?"

519

And then you see them,

their faces light up.

520

Marley: Yeah, their faces

light up in delight.

521

Ellen: them on the bike bus and

I had one of the students ask,

522

it's like, "Why do you have that?"

523

And I just looked them dead in the

eye and I was like, "For whimsy."

524

And they were

525

like, "What?"

526

I was like, "Yeah, there's no reason."

527

Marley: I love it when kids ask

why and you're just like dead

528

straight of like, "For fun."

529

And they're like,

530

Ellen: You can just

531

have

532

Marley: do that?"

533

Exactly.

534

Like, "Yes.

535

Ellen: That's the

reason, 'cause I like it.

536

So, okay

537

Marley: Yes.

538

Well, should we talk about our upcoming

film podcast book tour that's happening?

539

Ellen: always.

540

Let's do it.

541

Marley: Always.

542

Um, so heads up Midwest,

we are coming for you.

543

So talk about coming to Unbound.

544

Unbound happens in Kansas.

545

Um, right after Unbound on Monday,

June 1st, we will be in Kansas City,

546

Missouri at the Screenland Armor.

547

We're gonna show both of the All Bodies

on Bikes films and then do a live

548

podcast recording with me and Ellen and

Kailey, who you'll know from the films.

549

Um, and then we're gonna

have a party at Velo Garage.

550

So that's Kansas City.

551

Ellen: gonna be a good time

552

Marley: do you know when the…

553

Do you know anything about the bike

ride that's happening on Sunday

554

Ellen: I know that AC just texted

me about it, and the plan will

555

be an evening ride on the trolley

trail, and we're gonna get ice cream

556

Marley: Great.

557

Um, more information

at allbodiesonbikes.com

558

about that.

559

So that's Kansas City.

560

The next day we head to Des Moines,

where Kailey and I will be riding in

561

the Iowa Gravel Project on Tuesday.

562

We're gonna be leading a 10-mile

route on that, so come join us.

563

And then Wednesday, we'll be showing our

films at a sports bar called Heroics.

564

It's a women-centric sports bar in

Des Moines, which is really fun.

565

Um, after Des Moines, we head to

Minneapolis, where we are working

566

with, um, the Bicycle Alliance of

Minnesota, also known as Bike MN,

567

um, and Bonesaw Cycling Collective.

568

So we'll show the All Bodies on

Bikes film, and then we're gonna

569

show the Bonesaw Cycling Collective

film, which is really cool.

570

They're an inclusive cycling

group in Minneapolis.

571

Um, and that one's fun because all

the proceeds are going to some local

572

mutual aid groups in Minneapolis,

which will be really cool.

573

I mean, you all know all the nonsense

that's been going on in Minneapolis.

574

It's still going on, even though it

is out of the, uh, out of the news.

575

So we're gonna go and support that.

576

And then after Minneapolis, we go to

Chicago, where on Sunday we will be

577

actually in Evanston, which I believe

is like a small suburb, and we'll

578

be doing screenings and, uh, a ride.

579

Um, but all throughout, obviously

podcast, film, and then I will have my

580

book with me, The Ragtag Best Friends

Bicycle Club, which is for sale now.

581

Um, we'll put a link in the show notes.

582

Um, but I'd be happy to autograph

it for you and, um, yeah, we'll

583

have All Bodies on Bikes merch and

would love to take pictures and hear

584

your stories and come, come see us.

585

Tickets are for sale now.

586

Ellen: Send us questions ahead of

time for any of the podcasts too.

587

What do you wanna know?

588

What's interesting about the films?

589

They're already out on YouTube, but

you'll get to see them on the big

590

screen, which I think is gonna be cool.

591

Marley: Yep.

592

Ellen: So yeah

593

Marley: It is gonna be cool.

594

And like from what I've noticed

after watching both films hundreds

595

of times now, is that when it's on

the big screen, there's details you

596

don't see when you just watch it

on your phone or on your computer.

597

Ellen: And there are

people from Kansas City

598

who are in the film too.

599

So I think it'll be fun for

600

them to be there and see their

face on, on the big screen.

601

I don't, you know, when else do you get to

602

be on, in a movie theater in a movie?

603

Marley: Oh,

604

Ellen: Recap, Kansas City, Monday,

June 1st, Des Moines, Wednesday,

605

June 3rd, Minneapolis, Thursday,

June 4th, and Chicago, Sunday,

606

June 7th for the screenings.

607

Um, and then Des Moines

has their ride on the 2nd

608

Marley: Yes.

609

Um, all the events are family-friendly.

610

Kids are welcome and encouraged to come.

611

We'll keep the language clean.

612

Tickets are pay what you can.

613

So they should all be set up where

we've got a suggested donation.

614

Um, but if that is not in your

budget feel free to just come and

615

we would love to see you there.

616

We'll have stickers and swag and

all sorts of fun stuff to give

617

Ellen: Yes.

618

Very excited to see

everybody in Kansas City

619

Marley: Yes.

620

I'm excited to see you in

Kansas City and give you a

621

Ellen: Same.

622

We haven't seen each other now

that you're outside of my time zone

623

Marley: I know.

624

I need to come…

625

Well, I am

626

Ellen: I know.

627

It's gonna be great.

628

I'll take it up to Portland

629

Marley: Today's gonna

630

Ellen: some point.

631

I have not been back to Portland

in 10 years, so I wanna see it.

632

Marley: Oh my God, you need to

633

Ellen: It's-- I'm afraid that I'm

gonna just never go back though

634

Marley: Well, that's okay

635

Ellen: point, there are you and AC

and at least one or two other people

636

that have just gone and said, "No, no.

637

See you later."

638

Marley: Yeah.

639

'Cause you get out here and you realize

how delightful it is to live authentically

640

and unapologetically, and it's

641

Ellen: I do those things here.

642

I just have to shout about it

643

Marley: Yeah.

644

Ellen: So,

645

this is wonderful.

646

Good

647

Marley: yeah.

648

Um, well, look for more content from

me soon about the Oregon Outback.

649

Um, I'll also be posting the route because

I think as I mentioned, all the versions

650

of the route that are out there are

exceptionally long days, and they don't

651

really highlight camp spots that are less

than, you know, 70 to 90 miles apart.

652

So I'll be posting the version of the

route that we did to hopefully make

653

it more accessible to more folks.

654

Um, so look for that soon.

655

Ellen: Where are you gonna post it?

656

Marley: Yeah.

657

Oh, that's a good question.

658

Probably my own blog.

659

Um, I have a blog, marleyblonsky.com.

660

It gets updated every once in a while.

661

Um, yeah.

662

And, um, I'll probably try and

post it on, like, bikepacking.com

663

as well.

664

Ellen: Sounds like a plan.

665

Good job,

666

Marley: Sounds like a plan.

667

Cool.

668

Thank you.

669

Thank you.

670

Happy birthday soon to you, and

we will see you live in about a

671

Ellen: and in person.

672

Bye.

673

Marley: Bye