Latest / WIXN AM 1460 - Shaw Local Radio / Talk Line 09-01-2026: Beers & Gears with Rock Falls Tourism

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Talk Line 09-01-2026: Beers & Gears with Rock Falls Tourism · WIXN AM 1460 - Shaw Local Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Hey there, Sauk Valley. Welcome back to the Waking Crew
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: here on FM 95.1 and AM 1460 WIXN. It's 8.15
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: on your Tuesday morning, and that means it's time for
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: Talk Line. The first of a double dose has promised
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: for you today. Our friends from Rock Falls Tourism, Melinda
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: Jones and Kayla Hemminger, stopping in the studio all to
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: let us know about the upcoming Beers and Gears event.
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: And I'm excited for this one. This is the first
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: time I had ever heard of this. So this is
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: really cool. But ladies, I'm going to let you take
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: this away. Tell everybody, what is Beers and Gears?
• 0:32
  Speaker 2: I'll let you start.
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  Speaker 3: You start it now. Beers and Gears is a bicycle
• 0:37
  Speaker 3: pub crawl. It's between Sterling and Rock Falls. We go
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  Speaker 3: around to local bars on our pedal bikes and just
• 0:47
  Speaker 3: stop in, have a drink, and move on to the
• 0:49
  Speaker 3: next one.
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  Speaker 2: My first time was last year, so I was like,
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: this is actually really fun.
• 0:56
  Speaker 3: We'd caught in on the middle of.
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: It, I think, my husband and I, and so we
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: were like, this is like a lot of fun. So
• 1:02
  Speaker 2: then we were talking and decided to throw tours in
• 1:06
  Speaker 2: to help advertise it, and I think we've done a
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: good job.
• 1:09
  Speaker 3: We have. We've been at it for nine years. A
• 1:13
  Speaker 3: couple of us young girls back in the day decided
• 1:18
  Speaker 3: we were going to just try this. We put it
• 1:20
  Speaker 3: together and now we're on our ninth year and shooting
• 1:23
  Speaker 3: for 10. So we've kind of had different numbers throughout
• 1:27
  Speaker 3: the years. This year, right now we're at 78 people
• 1:33
  Speaker 3: who've signed up for shirts that you don't have to
• 1:36
  Speaker 3: have a shirt to participate. And if you don't want
• 1:40
  Speaker 3: to ride a bike, then drive it in your car.
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  Speaker 3: We'd like to have whoever to come and support us.
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: No, that's very cool. And so nine nine years i
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: love that this has been going on that long and
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: of course like so many folks things fly under your
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: radar so love getting this out now i like how
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: you said this this just kind of came up but
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: i mean this just kind of came up were you
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: already in the middle of another pub crawl and you're
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: like you know it would make this better give me
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  Speaker 1: my bike a.
• 2:08
  Speaker 3: Class reunion we decided to do.
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: This so a class reunion you decided to do.
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  Speaker 3: This okay that's how it all started.
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  Speaker 1: Awesome i had to had when this came up was did,
• 2:18
  Speaker 1: had somebody like maybe done this somewhere else or seen it,
• 2:21
  Speaker 1: or is this just one of those ingenious ideas that
• 2:24
  Speaker 1: just pop out of nowhere? Like the easy bake oven
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  Speaker 1: going ding. And there it is.
• 2:27
  Speaker 3: Well, we'd like to think we thought of this, but
• 2:30
  Speaker 3: there were, there was another one. I think they did it. The, Oh,
• 2:38
  Speaker 3: the JC's maybe did one. Um, but I don't think
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  Speaker 3: they were as free. They, didn't do it frequently i
• 2:45
  Speaker 3: think it was kind of sporadic so we're like oh
• 2:47
  Speaker 3: well we should try that and so we did in
• 2:50
  Speaker 3: the first year it was phenomenal and we just like
• 2:52
  Speaker 3: okay we're gonna try this again people started asking about
• 2:55
  Speaker 3: it are you doing it again are you gonna do
• 2:57
  Speaker 3: it yes we are so here we are nine years.
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  Speaker 1: So are there uh are there certain establishments that are
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  Speaker 1: part of this do you have like an actual route
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  Speaker 1: where it starts where it ends kind of.
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  Speaker 3: Thing We do have a route. This year, we have
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  Speaker 3: a new starting spot and end, and it's going to
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  Speaker 3: be at Crafted Roots in downtown Sterling. They're located at
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  Speaker 3: 117 East 3rd Street. From there, we go to the factory.
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  Speaker 3: From the factory, we go to North End. And from
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  Speaker 3: North End is the longest part of the gears. And
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  Speaker 3: it's from there over to Nick's in Rock Falls. And
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  Speaker 3: then we leave Nick's, go to the cooler. Cochran's or
• 3:39
  Speaker 3: to Sammy's in downtown Rock Falls, the corner tap. We
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  Speaker 3: go back over the bridge then to Champ Sunlight. We'll
• 3:48
  Speaker 3: go to the precinct and then we'll end back up
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  Speaker 3: at Crafted Roots.
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  Speaker 1: I love it. Somebody out there needs to grab themselves
• 3:55
  Speaker 1: a six pack and start training now.
• 3:59
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 4:01
  Speaker 1: Oh, that's awesome. So how do folks sign up for this?
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  Speaker 1: I mean, do they like officially sign up or do
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  Speaker 1: they just need to come join you?
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  Speaker 3: You don't have to sign up if you need information.
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  Speaker 3: I've put my name out there. You can go to
• 4:14
  Speaker 3: the event page and just contact me. I'll give you
• 4:18
  Speaker 3: all the information, but you just can show up. A
• 4:21
  Speaker 3: lot of people will wear previous shirts that they've purchased,
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  Speaker 3: so we really don't know how many people. It doesn't matter.
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  Speaker 3: The more people, the better information. get it out there
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  Speaker 3: so that's what we're hoping.
• 4:32
  Speaker 1: For absolutely and you said t-shirts i love a good
• 4:35
  Speaker 1: adventure uh folks can still get these beforehand.
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  Speaker 3: Unfortunately we had to cut off just um sunday because
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  Speaker 3: we need to allow a couple weeks for them to
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  Speaker 3: be printed um so then there's always next year you
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  Speaker 3: want to be on top of it if you want
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  Speaker 3: to get in and get the shirts that's right um
• 4:53
  Speaker 3: yes we've offered we do shirts every year we just
• 4:56
  Speaker 3: um do it for $ 20, and you get a shirt
• 5:00
  Speaker 3: and a koozie. And, again, it's not a fundraiser. It's
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  Speaker 3: just for fun. And so there's really no requirements to participate.
• 5:09
  Speaker 1: Sure. No, I mean, have fun and just be awesome.
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  Speaker 3: Right? Be safe.
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  Speaker 1: We always say be safe.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, be safe. That's how the shirts came about. We
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  Speaker 3: travel as a group, so we try and keep it
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  Speaker 3: so people will know, here we come. the shirts are
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  Speaker 3: kind of recognizable then. Um, but just be safe, have fun.
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  Speaker 3: And that's, that's what we do.
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  Speaker 1: Any tips for first timers?
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  Speaker 3: No, I don't. If you, if you, um, can ride
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  Speaker 3: a bike, I think you'll be fine. It's not really
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  Speaker 3: that the longest stretch is really like, it's more about
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  Speaker 3: the beers than the gears here. Um, it, the longest
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  Speaker 3: stretch is from North end to Nick's and Then once
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  Speaker 3: you do that, it's not bad at all.
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  Speaker 2: Not bad at all.
• 5:59
  Speaker 1: No, but that's just a fun, fantastic time. I love
• 6:03
  Speaker 1: this idea. Love a good origin story. And that's very cool.
• 6:09
  Speaker 1: I knew that.
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  Speaker 3: But she's like, oh, yeah.
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  Speaker 1: And we just came up like, where is it? Class reunion. OK,
• 6:14
  Speaker 1: somebody was brewing up something. I absolutely love that. Anything
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  Speaker 1: else anybody needs to know about this?
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  Speaker 2: There's food. Oh. In the morning, you can get breakfast
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  Speaker 2: burritos from Airplay.
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  Speaker 3: Yep, Airplay.
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  Speaker 2: And then when we go back to Crafted Roots, we
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  Speaker 2: will have T & D barbecue down there.
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  Speaker 3: Awesome.
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  Speaker 2: Everybody's invited to come.
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  Speaker 3: First time for the food truck. So thank you to
• 6:35
  Speaker 3: the Rock Falls Tourism for helping out with organizing that.
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  Speaker 3: So that'll be good. Yeah.
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  Speaker 2: But it's Saturday, September 12th. And it's from 10 to 6.
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  Speaker 2: Meet at Crafted Roots at 10 o'clock. And it should
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  Speaker 2: end right around what?
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  Speaker 3: 5.15, 5.30-ish. Should be back to Crafted Roads. Yep.
• 6:54
  Speaker 1: Okay. Yeah, I love that. Good food, good drinks, good people,
• 6:58
  Speaker 1: good times. I love this. Is there any way you
• 7:01
  Speaker 1: see in the future that you'd like to, I don't know,
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: expand upon this or make a longer route? Have you
• 7:07
  Speaker 1: found the sweet spot after nine years and you kind
• 7:10
  Speaker 1: of like where it's at?
• 7:12
  Speaker 3: Well, of course we'd like to have more people. You know,
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  Speaker 3: let the... But I don't know, like, for the route
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  Speaker 3: part of it, to expand on that so much. Because
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  Speaker 3: they're not bikers, I guess. You know, like, where that's
• 7:27
  Speaker 3: what they do. We're more just social. Sure, sure. Yeah,
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  Speaker 3: having fun. Yeah.
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  Speaker 1: I don't know, maybe we'll have to have one of
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  Speaker 1: those like, you'll have to do one where there's a
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  Speaker 1: pedal assist so that, you know, you can make it
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  Speaker 1: a little easier, stretch it out a little. Once you
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  Speaker 1: get tired, you just hit it on and it's not
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  Speaker 1: so hard. So, no, I love that. Gunning out there,
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  Speaker 1: I mean, again, you don't have to sign up, you
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  Speaker 1: just have to show up, be safe and have a
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  Speaker 1: good time. So, join the ladies and gents and everybody
• 7:58
  Speaker 1: who's going to be a part of this. Sounds like
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: it just keeps getting bigger and better and That's really cool.
• 8:03
  Speaker 1: And you have one spot left in another very, very
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  Speaker 1: cool event going on in Rock Falls, your taco throwdown.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, so there's only one spot left for the taco
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  Speaker 2: eating contest. So we take 10 contestants. So we want
• 8:18
  Speaker 2: to get that filled here pretty quickly. And it'll be
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  Speaker 2: on September 25th at the taco throwdown down at the
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  Speaker 2: RBMW Park. And it's always a good time.
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  Speaker 3: This is the third year for it. So it'll be fun.
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  Speaker 2: The winner last two years was the same winner, and
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  Speaker 2: to let everybody know, he has not signed up.
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  Speaker 3: So you actually really do have a chance.
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  Speaker 1: There you go. Get in there. Take the past champ.
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  Speaker 1: Butt him out. That's strategy right there.
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  Speaker 2: And he ate 16 tacos in 10 minutes. So the
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  Speaker 2: winner is the one who eats the most tacos in
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  Speaker 2: 10 minutes. And you won $ 100 and a little trophy
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  Speaker 2: that says you were the winner.
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  Speaker 1: That's awesome. You get all those tacos and some bragging rights.
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  Speaker 1: As I was telling you off the air, I could
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  Speaker 1: never be the champ. I wouldn't even be a runner-up. Oh,
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  Speaker 1: I love me some tacos. It's probably one of the
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  Speaker 1: one food that, you know, it's like, if you had
• 9:13
  Speaker 1: to get left with kind of one genre of food,
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  Speaker 1: where would you go? And I'm like, I think I
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: could always go Mexi. I could always find something there.
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  Speaker 1: Give me a taco any day of the week. 16,
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  Speaker 1: my hat's off to the previous champ and a big
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  Speaker 1: nod to whoever's going to win the crown this year.
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  Speaker 2: Just call Rock Falls Tourism or go to our website
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  Speaker 2: and get the waiver to sign and everything. Get signed
• 9:34
  Speaker 2: up and then pay. It's $ 20 to enter, and that's
• 9:36
  Speaker 2: because Burritos is making all the tacos. So somehow we've
• 9:40
  Speaker 2: got to pay them back for all those tacos.
• 9:42
  Speaker 1: Absolutely, yeah. And they're fantastic tacos. Love Burritos, so love
• 9:46
  Speaker 1: their food. And then again, as you said, give you
• 9:49
  Speaker 1: guys a call. Go to the website, whether you have
• 9:52
  Speaker 1: any questions or if you just want to get a
• 9:54
  Speaker 1: heads up on all the events that are going down.
• 9:56
  Speaker 1: Because we're just covering this. You guys are going to
• 9:57
  Speaker 1: be back. Um, there's always something going on over in
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: rock falls and uh these are the ladies who are
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: going to guide you through it so melinda kayla thank
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: you so much for for coming on the show sharing
• 10:09
  Speaker 1: this information is there anything i'm forgetting we're leaving out
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: I don't think so.
• 10:13
  Speaker 3: We appreciate it. Thank you for having us.
• 10:17
  Speaker 1: I appreciate you making sure there's something fun to do.
• 10:19
  Speaker 1: That's a fun job. I like that. Thanks, ladies.
• 10:23
  Speaker 3: Thank you.