The tiny Georgia town barely showed up on the map, the kind of place you’d drive through without slowing down if you were in a car. But Adam Baranski and Michael Sharp, aka the Cycling Men of Leisure, weren’t in a car—they were on bicycles, late in a long BRAG day, legs already in negotiations with their brains about whether they could handle one more mile.
As they rolled into this town, something remarkable unfolded. The entire community had turned out. Lawn chairs lined both sides of the street, families settling in like they were waiting for a parade. Children darted between the chairs, their excitement building with each approaching cyclist. Neighbors chatted across the road, sharing coolers and conversation. The whole town had showed up to welcome these sweaty strangers passing through on two wheels.
Adam and Michael coasted through this unexpected celebration, taking in the scene—the waves, the cheers, the simple generosity of a community that had reorganized its afternoon around a bicycle ride. Then, in the middle of it all, an older woman stepped deliberately off the curb. She raised her hand, and the moment shifted.
In a voice that carried quiet authority, she offered a blessing—asking for safe roads, strong legs, and that every rider would make it home. It wasn’t loud or dramatic. She didn’t make a show of it. But in that hot, sticky Georgia air, with fatigue settling into their bones, her words stopped Adam cold.
“In the middle of the heat, fatigue, and miles, there was this unexpected pause of gratitude from a total stranger,” Adam recalls. “That was the moment it clicked: BRAG isn’t just a bike ride—it’s a shared human experience.”
“That was the moment it clicked: BRAG isn’t just a bike ride—it’s a shared human experience.”
ADAM BARANSKI
That moment of grace—the town turning out, the children waving, the woman offering blessings to people she’d never met—became the foundation of something special. Combined with countless conversations over bourbon, miles of Georgia back roads, and a TY Beanie Baby named Confetti, it shaped how Adam Baranski and Michael Sharp understand BRAG and their place in it.
Today, they’re the voices behind the Road Adventures of Cycling Men of Leisure podcast, and they’ve transformed their love of cycling, storytelling, and community into a growing movement that welcomes riders with custom jerseys, shared laughter, and the belief that the journey matters more than the pace.
From a Red Tent in Iowa to Georgia Roads
The BRAG story for Adam and Michael didn’t begin in Georgia at all—it started in the middle of Iowa during RAGBRAI. While exploring vendor areas and talking with other riders about multi-day cycling events around the country, a large red tent caught their attention. It belonged to BRAG. That first conversation planted a seed that eventually led these two Midwesterners south to discover what Georgia cycling was all about.
Since 2022, they haven’t looked back. Adam and Michael have completed four BRAGs—2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025—with each year adding new stories, friendships, and depth to their understanding of what makes this event special. But it was that first ride, the 2022 Peaches to Beaches route from Columbus to Brunswick, that changed everything.
“That ride wasn’t just about covering miles,” Adam reflects. “It marked the start of a shared identity, new friendships, and a storytelling mindset that eventually became the foundation of our podcast and community.” As they traveled from inland Georgia to the coast, experiencing the changing landscapes and the welcoming spirit of small towns, they discovered their true calling—not just to ride, but to capture and share the stories that make BRAG unforgettable.
The Birth of a Movement in Hazlehurst
If you want to pinpoint where Cycling Men of Leisure truly began, the answer is Hazlehurst, Georgia. What started as a golf course conversation among friends evolved into a shared passion for cycling, camaraderie, and storytelling. That casual discussion became the Road Adventures of Cycling Men of Leisure podcast, which in turn became a community with custom jerseys and a growing team of riders who share the Men of Leisure philosophy.
“Hazlehurst remains part of the spirit behind the ride,” Adam notes. It’s fitting that the movement was born not in a conference room or recording studio, but on a golf course in a small Georgia town—exactly the kind of unhurried, conversation-rich setting that defines their approach to cycling and life.
The Dynamic Duo: Adam and Michael
Adam Baranski hails from Brighton, Michigan, where he works in public transportation leadership when he’s not cycling, podcasting, traveling, golfing, or “chasing good stories—usually involving back roads, coffee stops, or bourbon conversations.” His approach to BRAG is intentional and prepared: steady miles, built consistency, and making sure his legs remember what long days feel like.
Michael Sharp brings what Adam describes as “a sharp wit, a grounded perspective, and a love for thoughtful conversation that balances the adventure perfectly.” When he’s not riding, Michael focuses on family, work, and “finding humor in everyday moments—often serving as the voice of reason when my ideas drift a little too far down the scenic route.”
Their training philosophies perfectly illustrate their complementary dynamic. While Adam puts in steady, consistent miles, Michael’s approach is, in Adam’s words, “more adventurous. He’s usually pulling the bike out of the box somewhere in Georgia, giving it a quick once-over, and trusting that BRAG itself will sort out the rest.”
Somehow, both approaches work—and that’s part of the magic they bring to the BRAG community.
Gear That Tells a Story
When it comes to essential BRAG gear, Adam and Michael reveal their personalities in their choices. For Adam, it’s his DA BRIM—practical sun protection, sweat control, and all-day comfort. For Michael, it’s Confetti, the TY Beanie Baby that belongs to his daughter, brought along “to collect memories and remind him why these miles matter.”
“Different gear, same result: personality and heart go a long way on BRAG,” Adam observes. It’s this combination—Adam’s practical preparation and Michael’s sentimental grounding—that makes their partnership work so well and their podcast resonate with so many riders.
A Typical BRAG Day, Men of Leisure Style
Ask Adam to describe a typical BRAG day, and his answer captures their entire philosophy in one perfect sentence: “Wake up early, grab bad coffee made great by good company, roll out steady, stop often, talk to everyone, ride my own pace—and end the day tired, fed, already laughing about tomorrow, and enjoying a well-earned bourbon. 🥃”
That’s the essence of Cycling Men of Leisure distilled to its core: coffee made better by conversation, riding at your own pace without apology, stopping often enough to actually experience the journey, connecting with everyone you meet, and celebrating the day’s accomplishment with friends and bourbon. It’s not about the fastest time or the longest distance—it’s about the stories collected along the way.
Their advice to newcomers follows the same philosophy: “Go slower than you think you should, talk to everyone, and remember that finishing the day smiling matters more than finishing early.”
The Evolution from Performance to Experience
Both Adam and Michael have experienced a profound shift in their relationship with cycling since joining BRAG. “Cycling has shifted from performance-driven to experience-driven,” Adam explains. “I care far less about speed and far more about stories, scenery, and who I’m riding with.”
This evolution mirrors what many BRAG veterans discover: the real value isn’t in the numbers on your bike computer but in the moments that can’t be quantified. It’s the older woman offering blessings from the curb. It’s early morning mist on quiet back roads. It’s towns frozen in time until a hundred cyclists roll through smiling. It’s bad coffee made great by good company.
Discovering Georgia’s Quiet Surprises
Through their four BRAGs, Adam and Michael have developed a deep appreciation for Georgia’s understated beauty. “Cycling through Georgia quietly surprises you,” Adam reflects. “One moment you’re rolling past farmland and sleepy towns; the next you’re deep in pine forests with nothing but birds, wind, and open road. Some of the most beautiful moments aren’t landmarks at all—they’re early-morning mist, shaded roads, and towns frozen in time until a hundred cyclists roll through smiling.”
Their BRAG bucket list reflects this appreciation for the journey over the destination: “quiet back roads, long rolling days, towns fully leaning into the ride, and routes that reveal parts of Georgia you’d never see from a car.” It’s not about checking off specific locations but about experiences that reveal something unexpected and beautiful.
Building Community, One Story at a Time
When asked about BRAG friendships, Adam’s answer reveals the breadth of connections they’ve made: “This question is impossible to answer for Cycling Men of Leisure. We’ve met so many friends across Georgia that choosing just one person or moment feels wrong. That’s exactly what BRAG is all about—shared miles, unexpected friendships, and a community that keeps growing every year.”
That growing community now includes the Cycling Men & Women of Leisure team, complete with custom jerseys that signal membership in a group defined not by speed or competitive achievement but by a shared approach to cycling and life. It’s a team that welcomes anyone who believes the journey matters more than the pace and that the best stories happen when you slow down enough to notice them.
Their families, while not fully understanding “why anyone would voluntarily ride a bike across a state in the summer,” remain supportive because they recognize “it feeds our curiosity and creativity.” That curiosity and creativity flows into the podcast, where Adam and Michael share road adventures and cycling stories that resonate far beyond Georgia.
The Lessons That Last
BRAG has taught Adam and Michael lessons that extend well beyond cycling. “BRAG has taught us to slow down, stay open to conversation, and say yes to experiences that turn into great stories,” Adam says. “That mindset shapes how we travel, work, and create.”
They’ve also learned practical wisdom the hard way: “Don’t overpack, and don’t overthink. You need far less gear—and far more patience—than you think.” It’s advice that applies to cycling and to life, delivered with the voice of experience.
Wagon Wheel and Measuring in Stories
If BRAG had a theme song, Adam and Michael’s choice would be “Wagon Wheel”—”community, movement, and stories in motion.” It perfectly captures the rolling, communal nature of BRAG, where everyone’s moving together at their own pace toward shared destinations.
Their definition of a real BRAGger goes beyond miles or years of participation: “You stop measuring the week in miles and start measuring it in stories, friendships, and the next time you get to roll back into Georgia.” It’s the perspective shift that happens when you embrace the Cycling Men of Leisure philosophy—when you realize that the point isn’t the metrics but the meaning.
Gratitude and Return
Adam closes his reflection on BRAG with simple but profound gratitude: “For the riders, volunteers, towns, and countless moments that make BRAG unforgettable. This ride is bigger than any one person or group. We’re thankful to be part of it, to tell the stories, and to keep coming back to Georgia to do it all over again.”
That gratitude fuels everything Adam and Michael do—the podcast, the team, the custom jerseys, the bourbon conversations, and the determination to return year after year. They’ve found in BRAG what so many seek but few find: a community where you can be yourself, where titles disappear and everyone is equal in the heat and the hills, where strangers offer blessings and bad coffee is made great by good company.
Building a Community
In a cycling culture that often emphasizes performance metrics, training plans, and competitive achievement, Cycling Men of Leisure offers something different: permission to enjoy the ride. Adam and Michael—one with his DA BRIM and intentional training, the other with Confetti the Beanie Baby and faith that BRAG will sort things out—prove that there’s more than one right way to approach multi-day cycling.
Their growing community of Cycling Men & Women of Leisure represents riders who value stories over speed, connection over competition, and the belief that finishing the day smiling matters more than finishing early. Through their podcast, they’re spreading the gospel of experience-driven cycling to audiences far beyond Georgia, inspiring others to slow down, talk to everyone, and measure their rides in memories rather than miles.
From that first conversation at a red tent in Iowa to the golf course discussion in Hazlehurst to blessings offered on Georgia back roads, Adam Baranski and Michael Sharp have woven themselves into the fabric of the BRAG community. They’ve taken their love of cycling, storytelling, and bourbon conversations and created something that enriches everyone around them.
And somewhere in Georgia right now, they’re probably already planning next year’s ride, making bad coffee great with good company, and getting ready to collect more stories—with Confetti along for the journey, reminding them why these miles matter.
