In this episode, Marley and Ellen share a spicy take coming out of Unbound (complaining about mud = peak privilege), celebrate three Argentinians who biked 10,000 miles to Kansas City for the world soccer championship, recap the All Bodies on Bikes Midwest tour, and share their summer plans before signing off until fall.

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Maybe this is spicy I just get so frustrated when people are

2

so angry about the mud, like, A,

learn how to ride in the mud, and B,

3

remember that you signed up to do this.

4

Ellen: a humongous speaker out the

back playing Argentinian party music,

5

Marley: Oh my God

6

Ellen: like 30 other riders who

welcomed them into Kansas City.

7

Marley: by the time we got to

Chicago and watching the films, I

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was just like, "I can recite every

line of this film beat by beat."

9

Welcome to All Bodies on Bikes,

the podcast where all bodies are

10

good bodies, all bikes are good

bikes, and all rides are celebrated.

11

Ellen: All Bodies on Bikes is a

movement to create and foster a

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radically inclusive bike community.

13

So join your hosts: I'm Ellen,

and I'm Marley, as we explore the

14

complexities of the biking world.

15

Help us break down barriers and

create the world that we want to see.

16

Marley: Come along for the ride.

17

Ellen: Hello.

18

Marley: Hi, how's it going?

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Ellen: Good.

20

How are you?

21

Marley: I am good.

22

I'm happy to be home

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Ellen: I believe it.

24

You've been gone for a long time

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Marley: What are we talking about today?

26

Ellen: I have no idea.

27

What do you wanna talk about?

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Is my audio okay, by the way?

29

Marley: Yeah, sounds good

30

Ellen: I couldn't find my microphone.

31

I took it to the Kansas City podcast

recording, and then I had to pack

32

immediately and I used the same

bag, and I've set it somewhere

33

in my house, somewhere very safe.

34

Marley: That feels like

the story of my life.

35

I always put things somewhere

safe thinking, "Oh my God,

36

this is so brilliant," and

then I never find it again.

37

And then I find, I'm like, "Oh yeah,

that was a really smart place to

38

put it," but I didn't remember it.

39

Ellen: Yes.

40

And I also was trying to make sure I hid

it from my kid because he likes to steal

41

the microphone and then just walk off with

it, which I don't mind him having a future

42

in podcasting as long as it's liberal, but

43

Marley: Oh my

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Ellen: like

45

Marley: God.

46

Ellen: otherwise, I would really

like you to return my stuff.

47

Um, and almost six, almost

six-year-olds are not good at that,

48

Marley: That's hilarious.

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Oh my God.

50

What do you think, if Remy had a

podcast, what would Remy talk about?

51

Ellen: Oh my gosh.

52

Right now he would talk about bugs.

53

He would talk about how I am

not the boss of the house, and

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probably macaroni and cheese

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Marley: Okay.

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I'd listen to that.

57

Ellen: Okay.

58

I'll let him

59

know.

60

What all do you wanna talk

about for All Bodies on Bikes?

61

And then I have a story I

can tell if we just wanna do

62

like a shoot the shit podcast

63

Marley: yeah, I think we should

just do a Shoot the Shit podcast.

64

I, I'm like feeling salty

about things lately.

65

Um, mainly just coming off of Unbound and

like all the bullshit around the pros.

66

I really wanna have like, uh, a spicy

episode, but it probably doesn't fit well

67

Ellen: I don't know what happened.

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It did not cross my radar

69

Marley: Um, I mean, nothing happened.

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It was just people, like,

bitching about the mud at Unbound.

71

Um, and, like, it happens every

time there's mud, and it's like

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you're signing up for a gravel

race in the middle of Kansas.

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Like, we're riding on farm

roads that are made out of dirt.

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Like, yes, when it rains,

it is going to turn to mud.

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And, like, people in the Facebook

group are just like, "The organizers

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should have rerouted it 'cause they

know that these roads turn to mud."

77

And it's like, I kinda see both sides.

78

You know, if you're paying out all this

money, 'cause these races are expensive.

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Like, most participants are paying,

like, $300 just to enter, and then

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lodging and transportation and all that.

81

But it's like, I don't know.

82

They, they want the organizers to

change the route because people are

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destroying their bicycles, and it's

like, that's what you're signing up for.

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I mean, you're not signing up to

destroy your bicycle, but, like,

85

Ellen: It's a…

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known quantity at the beginning

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Marley: Yeah, it's a known quantity.

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It's a known risk.

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Like, if you…

90

I just get so frustrated when people

are, like, so angry about the mud,

91

and it's just like, get over yourself.

92

Like, A, learn how to ride in

the mud, um, and B, remember

93

that you signed up to do this.

94

I think, um, have you been

following Lael Wilcox's journey?

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Ellen: It just came across

my radar that she started

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Marley: Yeah.

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So she started a couple days in Chicago,

but she had this, like, pre-interview

98

that I thought was so poignant.

99

Like, somebody was-- She's

basically said, you know, like,

100

people say that ultra-endurance

cyclists, and I would expand this

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to gravel cyclists, love to suffer.

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And she's like: "I'm not suffering.

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I'm choosing to do this.

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You know, if I was a migrant crossing

the Darién Gap, that is suffering."

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And it's like, that's what I just

wanna, like, scream from the rooftops,

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and I've been saying this for

years, of like, I chose to do this.

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Like, I am willfully , putting

myself in this situation.

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And these people that just get

so upset about it, it's like

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Just, just check yourself.

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Like, think about the privilege

that you have to spend a

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Saturday in the mud in Kansas.

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Like, and all the time and

prep work it took to get there.

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Like, there are billions of people

in this world who don't have that

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opportunity to suffer by choice, you know?

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Like, I don't know.

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I just get so clearly upset by it

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Ellen: You are.

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The thing that I'm taking away from

this is you know what you signed up for.

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You know that this is an o- an

option that will be presented

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to you when the day comes.

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There is

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no way that an organizer of

anything can control the weather.

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So why are you not approaching this

event with that mindset instead

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of, "I can't believe they didn't

reroute everything because of

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something that is part of the sport"?

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Marley: Yeah.

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And like, I don't think people

realize what rerouting entails.

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Um, you know, we had a conversation a

couple years ago with Matt Hartman, who

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is an event director, and it's like they

submit these permits months in advance.

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The, you know, emergency responders,

all the support crews, like doing

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a reroute is not a small feat.

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Um, so yeah, I just, I think

the more popular gravel cycling

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gets, the more it is attracting a

demographic that is very privileged.

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Um, I think gravel is becoming

the new golf, and I don't love it

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Ellen: I thought you were just gonna

say gravel is the new road cycling.

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You skipped a few levels

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Marley: Yeah, it's-- I mean, I-- and

maybe this is spicy and maybe it's

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not in the spirit of inclusivity.

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But it's like, it's a lot of people who

have lived very privileged lives, who have

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a lot of money, who are coming into the

sport and kind of buying their way into

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this high level, and I don't love it.

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There's just a lot of people

complaining and a lot of people, um…

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Yeah, I, I hate saying, like, the spirit

of gravel, but it's changing for sure.

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Ellen: Yeah.

145

I think the parallels that you're

drawing between those things is

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that golf is not actually a very

accessible sport to get into.

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There's so much upfront costs, and there

is so much culture that you do or don't

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understand, and if you don't follow,

then you are labeled as an outsider.

149

And so

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Marley: Yeah, you have

to look a certain way.

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You have to act a certain way.

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You have to…

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Yeah.

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That's what gravel is becoming,

and it didn't used to be that way.

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It was kind of like a renegade, like,

"Oh, we're just gonna go ride on these

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q- dirt roads because we don't wanna be

on the road road," like the paved roads.

157

And now it's, I mean, yes, there's

still like a renegade side to

158

gravel cycling, but there's…

159

It's growing, and with

that comes more people

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Ellen: Managing expectations, setting

the tone, and maybe that is where

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now that it is more popular, that

needs to be more at the forefront

162

Marley: Yeah, or just like, I

just need to be more selective

163

about where I spend my time.

164

Like, there's nobody

policing these gravel roads.

165

Like, I can just go ride.

166

You can just go ride.

167

Anybody can just go ride, and I think

that's what I wanna get back to.

168

You know, these organized events are

really fun, but they're a lot of money.

169

It's like a big, huge dog and

pony show with sponsors and photo

170

shoots and wearing the right stuff

and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

171

I just wanna ride my bike

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Ellen: I think that's fair.

173

There is someone on Threads who's,

I'll have to go look up the name of the

174

ride, but he's basically going around

saying like, "Hey, are you annoyed

175

by paying for all these big ones?

176

This one's little and the entry

fee's never gonna be more than this."

177

So

178

Marley: think that's my friend Marty

who does the Haywood ride in Minnesota.

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Ellen: That's it.

180

Yeah.

181

that's it

182

Marley: Yeah.

183

Um, so I actually met Marty and his

crew a couple years ago at Mid South,

184

and they were riding single speeds, and

they were like, "We're gonna party pace.

185

You should party pace with us, Marley."

186

And I was like, "Okay, great."

187

These guys were so fast, even

on their single speed bikes.

188

But it was funny because they, like, had a

charcuterie plate and beers, and they were

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just, like, literally out to party pace.

190

But because they were so much faster

than me, we, like, kept leapfrogging

191

'cause they would stop and have a

picnic, and I'd still be chugging along.

192

And it was-- I love those guys, and I

really wanna go to the Haywood ride.

193

Um, I just haven't made it out yet.

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Ellen: Okay.

195

Marley: But yeah, you're exactly right.

196

Ellen: Yeah

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Marley: There are a lot of small

grassroots events that are super fun.

198

Um, and I'm just, I don't, I don't know

why I'm feeling so salty right now.

199

I'm just

200

Ellen: Um, I think it makes sense that you

do feel salty, and I will put a label on

201

it and say that it doesn't feel inclusive,

and that is really important to you.

202

And what you're s- I think what you've

kind of put your finger on with wanting

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to do the Haywood, wanting to do these

smaller rides is that is what feels

204

accessible to a lot of not MAMIL, like,

like not middle-aged men in Lycra riders.

205

That is what will help you feel like you

are, that you belong, that you have a

206

place here, that you can have a good time,

that you're not there to hear about a

207

bunch of privileged people complain about

how they signed up and now it's muddy.

208

So I think that's probably…

209

I am putting words in your mouth,

but I think that's what I'm hearing.

210

Marley: Uh, I, I'd say that's accurate.

211

I think I'm gonna say something that I

might regret saying, but I think there's

212

also a little bit of jealousy, um,

around the media circus with the pros.

213

Um, you know, the-- If you, if you

look at the start line of the pro

214

race, there are, I don't know, 50

to 100 cam- camera people out there.

215

Um, you know, it's like each athlete

or each sponsor has their media

216

crew out there, um, which, which

is cool, like, for those athletes.

217

But for the rest of us in the back

of the pack or even the mid pack, um,

218

there's so many stories there that are

so much more interesting than the pros.

219

I mean, I, I love, um, my friend Izzy.

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Um, I don't know if you

saw, um, on Total…

221

Izzy King, Isabelle King.

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Um, she rode the 200 this year after

giving birth about nine months ago,

223

and she-- One of the big stories

that's come out is she bre- she

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ended up pumping at the very end.

225

Um, and, like, that's a

amazing story to tell.

226

I love that.

227

Like, highlight that,

and yes, she's a pro.

228

But it's like there's stories

like that all through the

229

back of the pack, you know?

230

I met a person who had a double mastectomy

in October, and she was doing the 100,

231

and it's like I wanna hear those stories.

232

Um, you know, I did the 25, and I

invited the community to ride with me.

233

This is at Unbound.

234

And I rode with a 10-year-old

girl all day, and it was awesome.

235

Um, but I'm just like, I'm,

I'm jealous because it's like I

236

want those stories to be told.

237

Like, I don't…

238

200 miles, yes, you're suffering.

239

Yes, it's a long way.

240

Yes, it's a big athletic feat.

241

But also, there's more to the story

242

Ellen: Yeah, I think it's valid.

243

Let's start telling them.

244

Go contact all these people.

245

If you have a cool-- If you're

a normal person and you rode

246

Unbound and you wanna share why,

247

hit us

248

Marley: You should reach out to us.

249

We'll, we'll tell your story.

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Ellen: Yeah

251

Marley: Oh my God, should we

bring Mercy on the podcast?

252

Ellen: Hell yeah.

253

I mean, is there, do we have to get

like a minor's consent or something?

254

But

255

Marley: I mean, her mom, um, I like…

256

So her dad rode along, her dad

rode alongside us, and she kept

257

telling her dad, like, "Go away.

258

I wanna ride with Marley.

259

Like, I wanna do my own thing."

260

And I asked her dad, like, throughout,

like a couple times throughout the

261

day, like, "Hey, is it cool if I

post pictures of our adventure?"

262

And she was-- he was like,

"Oh, yeah, absolutely."

263

And then afterwards, her mom

collaborated with me on a post.

264

So, um, I felt a little weird

putting a kid on social media, but

265

the family seems to be pretty open

about it in telling those stories.

266

So yeah, we can reach out to, to

Mercy and her family and see if

267

they wanna come on the podcast.

268

Ellen: 'Cause I do think there

are a lot of questions there.

269

Like, what is it about

Mercy that she loves riding?

270

What is it about this race

that she wanted to do?

271

Is this something that they do together?

272

Who's driving it this year?

273

It's like, is it, did she tag

along with dad or is she excited

274

and dad tagged along with her?

275

Like, I've, I've got questions.

276

Let's

277

do it.

278

Marley: Yeah.

279

Okay.

280

Yeah, I'll

281

Ellen: and dad on with her.

282

Yay.

283

Um, I have a fun story that was

happening last, this time last week.

284

Marley: Okay, tell me

285

Ellen: Three guys from Argentina rode up

South America through Central America,

286

through Mexico, through Texas and Oklahoma

to get to Kansas City for the World Cup.

287

Marley: That is wild.

288

How long did it take them?

289

Ellen: Nine and a half months and they

rode through, like, 17 countries and

290

10,000 miles to get to Kansas City

because they wanna support Argentina.

291

And like, I saw an article, the only rule

that they have is that h- the one guy who

292

is married, his wife is like, "You have

one year, and then you need to come home."

293

That was the only rule.

294

So they're just these three

guys, like, having a great time.

295

Marley: I love that so much.

296

Do you know, like were they

able to connect with like…

297

'Cause I know like all the

teams are getting into town.

298

Were they able to connect with

the, the Argentine soccer team?

299

Like do they have tickets to the games?

300

Like has anything come of

301

Ellen: this?

302

was like, this is like they are now Kansas

City's darlings for sure, and a little bit

303

of like the World Cup and South American

darlings because they did show up.

304

I was able to get in contact with them

as they, like, arrived into Kansas City

305

and helped them plan this iconic route

that, like, let them have-- We had a

306

caravan of, like, a big pickup truck

with a humongous speaker out the back

307

playing Argentinian, like, party music,

308

Marley: Oh my God

309

Ellen: like 30 other riders who

welcomed them into Kansas City.

310

We met up at our art museum, and then

we rode down to the riverfront where

311

the Argentinian team is staying,

and, like, Telemundo was there.

312

Local news was there.

313

So they got this huge Midwest reception to

just be celebrated for what they did for

314

cycling and for the sport and, like, this

huge feat that finally came to an end.

315

So I was so excited.

316

Marley: That is incredible.

317

Oh my God

318

Ellen: Yeah.

319

So I'm just, like, texting back and forth

with them now, like a, like a chill human.

320

But I wanted to bring it up.

321

Marley: Like,

322

Ellen: they're staying locally.

323

Yeah, they're staying here

for another week, I think,

324

and then they'll follow Argentina

around to watch their games.

325

Actually, they did not have tickets

to the Argentinian opening game,

326

which is here in Kansas City, but

then Kansas City has caught wind

327

of their story and has stepped up.

328

So, like, someone got them tickets.

329

They've been able to tour

Sporting KC's stadium.

330

They are doing-- They're

still doing interviews.

331

So I'm literally, like, the day

that they-- The day before they

332

arrive into Kansas City, they

posted on a Facebook group.

333

It's like, "Hey, we would love

to celebrate with local riders.

334

We're gonna come up this highway."

335

But they think that it's just a route

because-- They are from Argentina.

336

They do not understand the Kansas

City metro system of highways.

337

And thank God someone in the comments

was like, "Do not go up that.

338

That's actually an interstate.

339

Don't do that."

340

Marley: Oh my

341

Ellen: And they said, "Okay,

what do we do instead?"

342

And nobody got back to them.

343

And so I was like, you know what?

344

This is a mashup of all of my interests

345

I speak Spanish.

346

I love riding a bike.

347

I was sitting next to two of my

colleagues at Bike Walk, one who

348

understood how to plan a route from

South KC and the other who spoke even

349

better Spanish than me, so thank God.

350

Like, and then, like, just

sent them a WhatsApp message.

351

It's like, "Here's a

route that you could use."

352

And then they were starting to,

like, rely on us to get into town

353

and to understand and to spread the

word, and it's like, oh my God, just

354

like s- I basically saved the day.

355

I mean, I'm tooting my own horn here.

356

Marley: As you should.

357

That's incredible.

358

You became like their little

PR route-saving magician

359

Ellen: They call me la madrina,

the godmother of their, the

360

like final s- the final stretch.

361

Marley: Oh my God.

362

That, ugh.

363

Bikes and soccer.

364

I feel like lots of things bring

community together in special ways, but

365

I think it's really cool to have, like,

bikes and the World Cup coming together

366

Ellen: And this is where I have many,

many issues with the World Cup this year,

367

but this is what I do love about these

world events, is when someone shows up

368

from another country to watch the sport

that they love and the community surrounds

369

them, and we can all come together

and understand what we have in common.

370

So it felt very poignant and

very much like this, this

371

is the world I wanna build.

372

I am able to, like, these

three things intersect.

373

These are my skills.

374

Let's go.

375

Marley: That is incredible.

376

Is Kansas City just going

absolutely wild for the World Cup?

377

Ellen: We have a lot going on

because we're hosting six games.

378

So there's a fan fest.

379

They just created new bike

lanes out to the stadiums, and,

380

uh, good luck riding on them.

381

I hope that that is successful for you.

382

I think they also are going to add some

bike parking somewhere, so if you are in

383

KC and you wanna ride to the stadiums,

check out KC MO's social media because I'm

384

hopeful that they're going to post that

plan soon, but I don't know what it is.

385

Um, there's gonna be some

learning, some lessons learned, I

386

think, when we come out of this.

387

Um, but for the most part,

it's, it is exciting to see it.

388

And this, again, it's like

this is a citywide thing.

389

So there is a fan fest set up at Liberty

Memorial, which is like another one of

390

our iconic, just like giant, um, big

lawn, big monument right next to our

391

Union Station, so that's all set up.

392

Um, and there's just a lot of

events that other organizations

393

are putting on, lots of good media.

394

Marley: That's so cool.

395

And Kansas City's already, like,

a sports city, like with the, the

396

fanfare over the football team and,

um, oh, I'm a little jealous, but

397

that's r- 'cause Portland has nothing.

398

Um, I think, I think there's World Cup

games in Seattle, um, but I'm not, I

399

have no plans to go up there for that

400

Ellen: No.

401

And I don't know that I-- I might

go to Fan Fest, but I just-- It's so

402

unexpected, I don't know what to do yet.

403

So,

404

um, so we'll see.

405

It's gonna be-- Like I said, I think

there's gonna be a lot of learnings.

406

Um, there's, like, the kinda the rumors

on the internet are such that, like,

407

Europeans are coming over to think,

"Yeah, you just, you can walk everywhere.

408

You can take public transit everywhere."

409

And that is not true in most of

these cities, most of those cities.

410

It's not set up for this kind

of, this level of interest

411

and this level of tourism.

412

So we-we'll see.

413

I'm ready to be happily surprised.

414

Um, and then, and then get

through it and advocate for even

415

better biking infrastructure.

416

Marley: Yeah, I love your optimism, um,

because yeah, I've been seeing these

417

things all over threads about like people

are planning to walk to New Jersey.

418

Um, and people are like, "You can't

walk to the game in New Jersey,"

419

and so they're figuring it out.

420

But, uh, I hope this is like

a wake-up call to America.

421

I mean, Lord, it won't be because

look at everything else going on.

422

But it's like there is

a different way to live.

423

Like you can take trains everywhere.

424

You can ride your bike.

425

The rest of the world does

this on a regular basis, and

426

they're not all gonna rent cars,

427

Ellen: Yeah.

428

Yeah.

429

So we'll see.

430

I'm excited.

431

It all kicks off very soon.

432

No pun intended.

433

So yeah,

434

that's what's, uh, that was what was

new in my world last week with biking

435

Marley: that's a lot more positive

than my salty take on gravel events

436

Ellen: That's okay.

437

I liked your salty take.

438

I think it needs to be said.

439

Tell me more about how was

the overall podcast tour?

440

Marley: Overall podcast,

film, BookTuber was,

441

Ellen: tour?

442

I'm talking

443

over you.

444

Let's just talk at the same

time and see how it goes

445

Marley: It was incredible.

446

Um, you know, we made four

stops, so we did Kansas City, Des

447

Moines, Minneapolis, and Chicago.

448

And some folks asked, like,

"How'd you pick those places?

449

They're kind of random."

450

And it's where we have chapters.

451

And so we were able to really highlight

the work of our local chapters in

452

those cities, um, hopefully bring some

attention to them, and they've all got

453

rides coming up and fun things happening.

454

Um, but then also, like, explore

each of those cities by bike.

455

So in each place we did a group

ride and a screening, and then

456

in Kansas City and Minneapolis

we did live podcast recordings.

457

Um, and it was so cool.

458

You know, um, Chicago is fresh on my

mind 'cause we just got back from there.

459

But we did it in Evanston, at a bike shop.

460

Um, and we had, like, 20 people

come, and it was incredible.

461

We had a, a bike ride afterwards, and

it was a couple people's first group

462

ride ever, which makes me so happy

that people trust us enough to go on

463

their first group ride, 'cause group

rides are scary and intimidating.

464

Um, Minneapolis we had, like,

over 100 people show up.

465

It was amazing.

466

Um, you know, Kansas City, it

was delightful and beautiful.

467

And then Des Moines was

a little bit smaller.

468

We did it at this sports bar

called Heroics, which is, like,

469

a women-specific sports bar.

470

They only show women's sports.

471

Um, so that was really fun.

472

So it was just cool to, like, I don't

know, meet the communities we work in,

473

meet the folks who, um, you know, have,

I don't wanna say benefited from our

474

work, but become part of our, our work.

475

And it was, it was just, like, a

fun re-grounding, re like, this

476

is why we do the work that we do.

477

Ellen: Yeah.

478

That's exciting, and I like

that you were able to see that

479

in, like, different areas too.

480

I think sometimes it's easy to see one

city can do it really well and others

481

don't, but it's nice to be able to be

there on the ground, meet the people

482

who are participating and whose lives

are being changed by this, again, the

483

accessibility like we were talking about.

484

So just the openness and welcoming

nature of all of these rides.

485

Marley: Yeah.

486

You know, and it's funny, we were

talking to our Des Moines chapter

487

leaders who were, you know, like, "Oh

man, I wish we had a bigger audience."

488

And like, yes, that can be true, but

also, like for group rides, I'd rather

489

have five people show up than 500 if

tho- you know, i- 'cause with those five

490

you could make a really intentional, um,

connection and help them be seen, answer

491

their questions, and hopefully they leave

having a really good, um, experience.

492

Versus like the 500, like it's gonna

be fun, it's gonna be exciting, but

493

when your crowds get big, it's easy

for people to fall through the cracks

494

and feel like they're not part of the,

the club or like they are too slow.

495

Um, and that's like my worst feeling

or my worst fear is that somebody

496

comes to one of our events and doesn't

feel like it's a safe space for them.

497

Um, and so just kind of reframing

that of like small can be really good.

498

Ellen: Sure.

499

Get some

500

practice in and really lean into

those social policies that we have

501

in place at, at All Bodies on Bikes.

502

The way that it's, you know,

the social norms, making sure

503

that everybody gets a hello.

504

Like, at a certain scale, you either

need a lot of leaders to do that

505

or they'll fall through the cracks

506

Marley: Yeah, exactly.

507

Exactly.

508

So yeah, it was just, it was really fun.

509

We had great weather all the way through.

510

I mean, the only bad weather was

at Unbound, um, where we did do

511

a screening there, which was fun.

512

Um, but then the rest of

the time it was delightful.

513

Like, little bit of a storm in

Minneapolis, um, but nothing too wild,

514

which is pretty remarkable for being

the middle of June in the Midwest

515

Ellen: Yes, exactly.

516

I feel like you found one

good pocket of weather.

517

I've been, all of my rides it

feels like this, this summer

518

it's like it's been raining on a

Saturday for three weeks in a row.

519

So

520

sorry about you.

521

Marley: Yeah.

522

But

523

Ellen: I guess full circle,

you just can't control nature.

524

If you're gonna ride bikes, have a plan

525

Marley: Yeah.

526

Yeah.

527

Um, and I, I would be remiss if I didn't

thank, um, Shimano and Cleverhood and all

528

the folks that helped support this tour.

529

Um, it really wouldn't have been possible.

530

Um, and so it was thank you to all

of our chapter leaders who housed

531

us and took care of us, and, and we

would love to do this in more places.

532

Um, and so that's a good reminder

actually, both of the films that we

533

screened are available on YouTube.

534

Um, if you wanna set up a

screening in your community, you

535

don't need permission from us.

536

Um, and we, we would love to send you

some stickers, some swag, whatever.

537

So reach out, um,

[email protected],

538

um, and we can send you that info.

539

But the films are on YouTube, so

you should go watch them and then

540

share them with your communities

541

Ellen: Yeah.

542

I loved watching them again.

543

I feel like I could have talked to you

about those films over and over again.

544

So we wanna know what questions

you have after you watch them too

545

Marley: Yeah, yeah.

546

Um, it, by the time we got to

Chicago and watching the films, I

547

was just like, "I can recite every

line of this film beat by beat."

548

Ellen: I believe that.

549

Marley: kind of a blessing, but also

just, like, such a strange thing.

550

Like, it is, it's so weird.

551

Ellen: Yeah, super

552

weird.

553

The podcast episodes that we

recorded in Kansas City and

554

Minneapolis will be out boom, boom.

555

Um, so we'll be pushing

those out very soon.

556

I enjoyed our conversation in Kansas City.

557

We talked a lot about just how

All Bodies came to be and what

558

that impact has become and what is

next for All Bodies on Bikes too.

559

What did you talk about in Minneapolis?

560

I was not there.

561

Marley: Y- yeah, so Minneapolis,

we kinda dove into city specific

562

politics and cycling and community.

563

And so I had three guests.

564

Um, I had Rayna Lopez, who is

the, uh, president of Bike- the

565

Bicycle Alliance of Minneapolis.

566

Um, I had John Potts, who's a member of

Bonesaw Cycling and our chapter leader.

567

And then I had, Pallav Kumar, who

is also a member of Bonesaw Cycling.

568

And so we talked about, um, you know,

what happened this past winter with,

569

with ice and the violence there, and

how the cycling community came together.

570

Um, you know, we heard some really

moving stories from Rayna, who is

571

an immigrant, um, she's from Mexico,

and how that impacted her life.

572

You know, we heard from

Pallav in the winter.

573

Um, they're a Brown person,

Brown-skinned person, and how they

574

were afraid to commute to work.

575

Um, and so they would have a phone

tree with their friends to just be

576

on the phone together while they

rode to work to make sure that if

577

anything happened, people would know.

578

Um, and so it was just like a really

visceral reminder of how close these

579

things impacted the cycling community.

580

Um, but we also talked about hope

and joy and, um, all the good

581

things that are happening in the

Minneapolis cycling community.

582

So I'm excited for you

all to hear that episode.

583

Ellen: All right.

584

I'm excited to listen to it.

585

Thank you.

586

That sounds really exciting

587

Marley: Yeah.

588

Um, what's, what's next for you?

589

What does the rest of your summer entail?

590

Ellen: So good question.

591

We've got Bike Walk KC events coming up.

592

So we have, it's called Grounds to

Grounds, so we ride from a coffee

593

shop to a playground for a whole mile.

594

But that gives kids an opportunity to ride

on the streets and actually practice what

595

they've been learning if Bike Walk has

come to their school or if they've been

596

out riding on trails, but they're kind

of ready to start doing something more.

597

Um, that is happening every Saturday

through the end of June, and the

598

very last one is my favorite.

599

It's called Grounds to Goats because

there is, uh, small herd of goats

600

who live in one of our parks, and

they're there to, like, eat the

601

underbrush and keep things clean.

602

I know a guy who knows a guy who

can get the electric fence turned

603

off, very important first step.

604

Um, and then also give us, like, goat

treats so the kids can actually, like, get

605

up to the, get up and pet them and feed

them and learn about why they're there.

606

Um, and then we ride

back to the coffee shop.

607

So that's every weekend in June.

608

Marley: Oh my God, that sounds so fun.

609

Ellen: fun event last year.

610

I'm just afraid it's gonna…

611

It's already humid, as you

experienced on your tour.

612

It's already very humid in the Midwest,

so we have to-- I'm watching for rain

613

all the time, and I'm watching for

humidity and heat indexes already.

614

So I'm,

615

I am very aware of how climate change

is affecting all of these things,

616

Marley: It's wild.

617

Ellen: it's…

618

It's wild.

619

Marley: This is a summer of

weddings for me, even though I'm 40.

620

Um, I feel like all my friends are kind

of late bloomers, and so I have three

621

weddings this summer, which is really fun.

622

I know.

623

Um, and including a couple

bachelorette parties.

624

Um, the best thing about it is

they're all cyclists, so they'll

625

all be, like, bike-y weddings.

626

Ellen: I was gonna say, are they gonna

like bike around for their bachelorettes

627

or on their wedding day or anything?

628

Marley: Yeah, one of the bachelorette

parties we're going mountain biking

629

and river tubing, so that'll be fun.

630

And then, um, actually that same wedding

is being held on Orcas Island, which is

631

one of the San Juan Islands, and they're

organizing, like, a bike train on the

632

ferry to get to camp because, uh, taking

your car on the ferry is very expensive.

633

So, um, I'm, I'm just so excited, like,

celebrating love and bikes and, um, I'm

634

actually gonna be here in Portland most

of the summer, um, which I'm so excited

635

about because bike summer is here, baby

636

Ellen: Yeah.

637

It's happening.

638

It's

639

gonna be a good time.

640

Sounds like so much fun.

641

Um, are we taking a little break

after we put these episodes

642

out, or do you think we're

643

Marley: I think we should.

644

Yeah, I think we should

take a break till the fall.

645

What do you think?

646

Ellen: Yeah, I think so too.

647

Marley: Okay.

648

Ellen: I mean, we might come back and pop

in here and there, little ad hoc, little

649

what is Marley fired up about episodes

650

but otherwise, we will be here

and you should tell us what we

651

should talk about in the fall.

652

Marley: Yeah.

653

Shout us out.

654

Leave us, leave us a comment, share us,

give us five stars, like, subscribe,

655

all the things you're supposed to do.

656

Um, and

657

Ellen: That's

658

it.

659

Marley: see you soon.

660

Ellen: Bye

661

Marley: Be good