Full Show PT 3: Friday, June 26 [Vault]

Summary

The Bert Show — Full Show PT 3: Friday, June 26 [Vault]

Air Date: June 26, 2026
Host(s): Bert, Kristin, Abby, Cassie, Tommy, and the Bert Show cast
Episode Overview:
This episode shows off The Bert Show’s signature blend of humor and authenticity, focusing on post-vacation catch-ups, adventurous travel stories, athlete interviews, and relatable work/life dramas. The crew shares lessons from their various trips, welcomes Olympic bobsled medalist Alana Myers for an inspiring interview, and revisits a listener’s workplace woes.

1. Vacation Recaps and Travel Mishaps

Timestamps: 01:02–12:18

Bert’s “Cursed” Costa Rica Fishing Trip

• Solo Trip Gone Awry (01:02): Bert annually takes a solo trip, this year to Costa Rica, hoping for a week of surfing and adventure. However, a previous knee injury ruins his surfing plans.
• The Marlin Quest (02:26-07:28):
  • Since age 17, inspired by "The Old Man and the Sea," Bert has dreamed of catching a marlin.
  • He goes deep sea fishing with a local legend in a basic fishing boat. Avoids all supposed "banana-related bad luck" superstitions—even leaving banana-scented lip balm behind.
  • Quote (07:03, Bert): “For the first four hours, I was kind of chuckling about it… But the last two hours, I started to get a little pissy about it.”
  • Endures six hours at sea with zero bites, to the point the pro captain admits, through a translator, it’s the first time in 60 years he’s seen anything like it.
  • Quote (09:05, Bert): "I could either spend one more day on the water trying to catch this fish, or I can fly back on Thursday and hang out with my family... So I flew back."
  • Ultimately, Bert limps around, misses his family, and heads home early, tipping the devastated fishing guide generously.
  • Memorable Moment (09:50, Bert): "I broke him. I broke him."

Active Adventures in El Salvador (12:18-20:09)

• Jen’s Non-stop Adventure Vacation (12:54):
  • Travels to El Salvador with a friend for hiking, horseback riding, biking, and surfing. Praises their guide Roy.
  • Injures herself mountain biking and quickly learns the physical toll of adventure travel.
  • Quote (15:57, Jen): “…the biggest lesson I learned is that you can continue to challenge yourself physically no matter what age you are.”
  • Surf lessons prove humbling with tough Pacific waves and physical challenges but end up inspiring.
  • Memorable Moment (17:16, Jen): “Surfing is paddling and paddling and paddling and getting pummeled by humongous six-foot waves and feeling like you are in nature’s washing machine.”
  • Jen is now hooked on beach activities and shares that beaches will never be the same.

---

2. Listener Call-Ins: Surfing Dangers and Observations

Timestamps: 20:10–21:00

• Listeners react to Jen’s surfing tales, expressing concern about surfing in shark-heavy South African waters and supporting the idea of starting small before tackling the world’s biggest waves.

---

3. Special Guest Interview: Olympic Medalist Alana Myers

Timestamps: 21:03–29:05

From Softball Star to Olympic Bobsledder

• Unexpected Path (21:42):
  • Alana Myers grew up playing multiple sports, mainly softball. When softball was eliminated from the Olympics, she pivoted to bobsledding after emailing their program.
  • Quote (23:08, Alana): "I emailed other sports. They didn’t email me back. So bobsled was the only one who actually emailed."
• Explaining Bobsled Roles (24:07):
  • Describes the role of brakeman (her job: push and brake) vs. driver (controls the sled).
• Bobsled Culture and the Olympic Podium (25:42):
  • Emotion runs high recalling the medal ceremony: "I was crying. I said I wasn't gonna cry... I got on the podium and I couldn't help myself." (25:50, Alana)
  • Discusses life in the Olympic Village, the unique design of the Vancouver medals, and how she’s bringing her medal everywhere—even letting kids (and sometimes adults) try it on.
• Team Camaraderie & Media Attention (29:05):
  • Shares how teams are insulated from outside drama during the games; immediate focus shifts to training for the next Olympics as she works to become a driver.

---

4. Listener Support for Alana Myers

Timestamps: 30:01–30:19

• Multiple callers from her high school and community reach out to congratulate Alana, highlighting local pride in her achievements.

---

5. Listener Story: The Boss-Too-Nice Firing Pattern

Timestamps: 30:34–35:16

• Mindy’s Workplace Instinct (30:34):
  • Mindy previously called in, suspicious she was about to be let go after her boss became inexplicably kind (a pattern seen with her predecessor).
  • Her hunch proves right: she was let go during company downsizing, which affected several offices.
  • Quote (32:18, Mindy): "...there's something to be said for instincts, because I was laid off."
  • Conversation turns to the warning signs around workplace firings: formal attire, unexpected meetings, HR visits, and the dreaded Friday morning meeting.
  • Hosts empathize with Mindy, noting the cold patterns in corporate culture and sharing similar stories.

---

Notable Quotes and Moments

• "For the first four hours, I was kind of chuckling about it… But the last two hours, I started to get a little pissy about it."
  – Bert on his fishing curse (07:03)

• “Surfing is paddling and paddling and paddling and getting pummeled by humongous six-foot waves and feeling like you are in nature’s washing machine.”
  – Jen on the reality of surfing (17:16)

• "I emailed other sports. They didn’t email me back. So bobsled was the only one who actually emailed."
  – Alana Myers on finding her Olympic sport (23:08)

• "I got on the podium and I couldn't help myself. It was overwhelming."
  – Alana Myers on her Olympic experience (25:50)

• “...there's something to be said for instincts, because I was laid off.”
  – Mindy on knowing she was about to be fired (32:18)

---

Summary Takeaways

• Adventurous vacation stories highlight both the thrills and the frustrations of travel, with Bert confronting a decades-long fishing curse and Jen discovering the humbling reality of beginner surfing.
• Olympic inspiration: Alana Myers’s path to the Olympic podium is full of determination, adaptability, and humility, offering listeners a look at the journey behind a medal.
• Relatable work stories: Mindy's saga about "the boss who gets nice just before firing people" resonates with anyone who's ever worried about office politics.
• Tone & Style: The Bert Show keeps it upbeat, honest, self-deprecating, and supportive—always finding the humor and heart, even in adversity.

---

For More

• Photos and more vacation/guest info at q100atlanta.com
• Listener call-ins and interactions throughout the episode add an extra layer of community and entertainment.

---

This episode is a quintessential slice of The Bert Show: the hosts’ world is funny, flawed, and all too real—and listeners are right there with them.

Transcript

[Host 1]

Before Legally Blonde, before law school, Elle woods was in high school. Set in 1995, this Gemini vegetarian knows exactly who she is until her family moves from Bel Air to Seattle and turns her world upside down. Watch Elle navigate a new city, a new school, frenemies and crushes, all while staying true to herself. Packed with iconic fashion, 90s nostalgia and a throwback soundtrack, Elle proves one law school was hard, high school was harder. From the world of Legally Blonde, watch Elle, a new original series only on Prime Video July 1st. How did you get your website to look like that? Mine's so basic. Thanks. I just used wix Harmony. What's that? It's wix's AI website builder. You just tell it what you want and it builds you a whole site. But you can also switch back and forth between chatting with AI and editing things yourself. Ah, so you're not stuck with whatever the AI gives you. Nope. I mean, the results are pretty nice, but you can jump in and mess with whatever. Oh, that's neat. Try it for [e-mail] Harmony hey, the bird show.

[Host 2]

We're all back from vacation here. Later on we'll check in with Jeff on his trip to Panama. And earlier this morning we talked to Jen about El Salvador.

[Host 3]

And it was random. We didn't all end up in. The three of us at least end up in Central America on purpose.

[Host 2]

Yeah, definitely. Because we usually, mileage wise, we usually try to separate ourselves from very far, as far as we can go from each other. One's out in Australia, the other one's in New York City, the other one's in Buenos Aires. But the way it worked out, this time, three of us were in Central America and I took my trip. This is the trip I take every year by myself. No friends, no family, just to get away. Totally defrag, Right? So I was supposed to be down there for seven days, but dudes, I couldn't do it.

[Host 3]

I knew it. I knew it. I knew it. I knew. I bet on it.

[Host 2]

I couldn't do it that long.

[Host 3]

Came back early.

[Host 2]

I came back early. Yeah, for a couple of reasons. A, I jacked my knee up months ago playing soccer.

[Host 3]

Yes.

[Host 2]

And I had already booked this trip, so I was going to surf for seven days. Which is the reason why I went to the town that I went to was just to surf. Right? And. But I figured, you know what? I won't be able to surf, but I'll still be in Costa Rica, man. I'll just chill on the beach and I'll drive around and I'LL make it happen because it's Costa Rica. So I'll figure out something. So I went down there and was bored to tears on the third day. And I'll tell you why. Because the second day I went deep sea fishing. First day there, plane lands, I go straight to the beach, chill out. Second day I decide, you know what, I'm going to catch this marlin because this has been my life.

[Host 3]

This is marlin street marlin.

[Host 2]

And the history here, if you don't listen to the bird show is I have been trying to catch a marlin since I was like 17 years old. After I read Old man in the Sea. Just been a dream of mine and I am cursed when it comes to fishing.

[Host 4]

And now your life is like Old man in the sea. You just cannot catch this.

[Host 2]

I have actually turned into that guy. I'm as old as the dude in the book.

[Host 4]

You'll be 80 years old and you will still between Kansas.

[Host 2]

So you know, and I've gone deep sea fishing so many times. I spent so much time in the water and now we're talking about thousands of dollars trying to catch a marlin. Because it's just so, I don't know, it's kind of romantic, but rugged and I just want to get it done. And now it's, it's just a goal. So I've been to Cabo San Lucas, didn't work out there. I surfed in Costa before and Key West. I've gone to the sports fishing capitals of the world and I never get a nibble. Everybody was telling me Costa Rica again is the place you gotta go and give it a try. So second day I'm there, I decide, let's do it. This is gonna be it. So through the hotel I told them what my dilemma was. I'm like, dudes, I have the worst luck, the worst luck when it comes to sport fishing. So just set me up with the most experienced guy you have. Cause I want to come home with a story. I really want this.

[Host 3]

Did you remember the banana thing?

[Host 2]

I did. In fact, I had the legend.

[Host 5]

I forgot about that.

[Host 2]

Did you remember the legend is. And we. Because the last time I was complaining that I went deep sea fishing, didn't catch anything. It's like bananas in the fishing world are bad luck. Is the legend that you're not supposed to eat bananas. They're not supposed to be on the boat. Somebody joked and said you're not even supposed to have like banana boat. Like the sunscreen. The sunscreen anywhere. So I actually had some Lip balm. That was banana boat that I left in the hotel and I didn't bring it on. I was not risking anything, right, Good. So I say, give me the most experienced dude you have. So they make a call. She says to me, I know exactly who you're going out with. So I pull up to this guy's boat and he's got this little itty bitty fishing boat. And it really was just like the one in the old man in the sea. Now I've gone deep sea fishing before and they're usually like double decker boats and they've got like GPS and fish finders and everything. Not this dude. This was the real deal.

[Host 4]

See, this is like Rocky. This is the whole thing about the Russian cabin. See, you know, when Rocky, you know, got popular and he had all his fancy gym and stuff, he didn't win, but. No, but when he went to the rushing, when he got raw, rugged, grew his beard, then he won.

[Host 2]

Kick some ass, right? See, so I'm looking at this guy, really dark skin, I mean, leathery skin. He doesn't hardly have any teeth. He's wearing like a long sleeve T shirt that fishermen wear. Really leathery, sun drenched. This is my boy right here.

[Host 3]

Did he speak any English?

[Host 2]

Hardly at all. I probably spelled perfect.

[Mindy]

Even better.

[Host 2]

Perfect, perfect.

[Host 5]

What if he walked up to the dock eating a banana? What would you have done?

[Host 2]

Here's what he understood, because I had two different ways I could have gone with this. I could have gone right offshore and caught like tuna and smaller fish or gone deep sea fishing for the big stuff. Sailfish, marlin. So as soon as I got off, you know, out of the car and onto the boat, I said to him, look, man, I. Sailfish, marlin. Sailfish, marlin. Today. Oh, wait, today. So he understood it and he started changing the baits and he changed the hooks and everything. And all of a sudden these big ass hooks come out and dude was serious. He's like, nice. Just gave me this. Didn't even say, see, just thumbs up. So we're in his little itty bitty boat and it's probably, I'm guessing 12ft long maybe.

[Host 3]

That's little.

[Alana Myers]

It's little.

[Host 2]

It's a little itty bitty boat. But he's got all the rods out, we're all good to go. It took us about between 60 and 90 minutes to get out in deep swell. Oh yeah, and I forgot this part. As I was going into the boat, this changed everything about my trip. As I was going into the boat, you know I got the bad right leg, right?

[Host 4]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

I'm going into the boat, and I pivot wrong on it, and my knee clicks three times and goes out on me. And I fall back into the water with my backpack on. So my camera, my phone, everything. Which should have been the sign, right? So I'm in pain. And we're out there 90 minutes in deep swells, and my knee is hurting, but I'm like this. Someone is trying to put as many obstacles up as they can because today is going to be the day that I catch this marlin.

[Host 3]

Wow.

[Host 2]

So everything's all set up, you know, I mean, I'm looking at him. It's a beautiful day. There's nobody else out in the water at this point. It's 7:30, 8 in the morning. I mean, I got up at 6, ready to go. Six hours. Not one nibble.

[Host 1]

Nothing.

[Host 3]

Nothing.

[Host 2]

One nibble.

[Host 3]

Not kidding.

[Host 2]

And listen to me, when y' all are emailing me telling me I don't know how to fish and I'm doing things wrong, there was never a fish on the hook. Not one nibble. When we got back to shore, through a translator, he said he's never, ever, ever gone out that far. In his 60 years of fishing, he said these words, no way. My friend just said, in his 60 years of fishing, he has never gone out that far and never caught a fish.

[Host 4]

But it's you. What is going on?

[Host 3]

Here's your curse.

[Host 2]

Like, for the first four hours. The first four hours, I was kind of chuckling about it, like, okay, you know what? It's kind of funny. I mean, this is my record. This is what I'm gonna have. But the last two hours, I started to get a little pissy about it.

[Host 3]

I would have been, too. Oh, man, how frustrating. So you literally just sat there with this. It's just you and him for six hours.

[Host 2]

And he was as stubborn as I was, also because I think the trip was supposed to be, like, four hours.

[Host 3]

He was like, oh, no, no, we're catching something.

[Host 2]

So we stayed out there in, like, the rough seas, and he did. I mean, he was busting his ass. I've gone on enough of these things where I know when the crew is being lazy and when they're not. It was just me and him. He is doing everything he can. Not one nibble, y'.

[Mindy]

All.

[Host 2]

Not one nibble.

[Host 4]

So now it's a challenge to fishermen and try to get you out there to catch it. You know, I'm saying, like, because it's like this bad luck.

[Host 5]

Thing, or they just refuse to take you?

[Host 2]

Well, when I tell the fishermen, they. They think it's funny because they know that in their waters that that can never possibly happen. So they're almost like, I'm going to be the guy that breaks your record, get in my boat, and let's do this thing. And it's really, really weird now. It's like, now I'm starting to think it's like a little weird curse going on.

[Host 3]

Yeah, that is really frustrating.

[Host 2]

Totally frustrating. So I had an opportunity two days later to go out and do it, but I literally was limping around Costa Rica for two days. I couldn't get around. So I was sitting in my beach chair for two days, and I was bored. And the more I was thinking, the more I was missing my family. And I'm like, I could either spend one more day on the water trying to catch this fish, or I can fly back on Thursday and hang out with my family the last half. And I'm like, screw the fishing. So I flew back.

[Host 3]

So you came back. Well, did you get. Did you sit around and watch other people surf? Because I thought that in my mind, I was like, he's going to miss his family. And second of all, I was like, he's going to be sitting around watching other people be able to do what he wants to do, and he can't with the knee. And that's why you would go home.

[Host 2]

Yeah. Right outside my hotel is one of the best breaks in that area. So surfers were in the water all morning, all day, and all night, so I couldn't do a thing about it.

[Host 3]

That's frustrating.

[Host 2]

So there was some humor in it, but I'm like, I just got to get out of here because it was just driving me nuts.

[Host 3]

I can't believe.

[Host 2]

Six more hours, y'.

[Host 4]

All.

[Host 2]

Six hours and another $400. I felt so bad for him. I tipped him, like, 50, 60 bucks, which down there is huge.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

And he didn't want to take my money.

[Host 3]

He was like, no, no, no. We didn't catch anything.

[Host 2]

We caught nothing. Don't give me any money.

[Host 4]

He got, like, the expert of the world, and he still couldn't get a buy.

[Host 2]

I broke him. I broke him. He was so sad. This is what he said to me as I got off the butt. I remember this. He said, I'm sad for you. Oh, no. Did he say it in Spanish in his broken English? I'm sad for you. Oh, my God. Because I think I'm the only one that's ever gone out that hasn't caught a fish.

[Host 4]

You will get so frustrated.

[Host 3]

Really sad.

[Host 4]

He's gonna get frustrated. And as an old man, it'll be just you in the boat with the marlin.

[Alana Myers]

And that'll.

[Host 2]

That'll be my fate right there. Oh, my God.

[Caller]

Hey, Dan.

[Host 2]

Good morning. You're on Q100.

[Caller]

Good morning. How's it going, man?

[Host 2]

Okay, dude.

[Host 3]

How are you doing?

[Caller]

All right. Sorry about the trip. Sounds like you had a rough time out there.

[Host 2]

You know what, dude? At the end of the day, it's still Costa Rica. I got away for five days, so I'm not bitching.

[Caller]

Yeah, there you go. Hey, I'm a. I'm a guide for stripers in the Atlanta area. And actually right now we're fishing the Romes up the rivers up in Rome, Georgia. And I figure you deserve a free trip after all that.

[Host 2]

Don't. Don't do this to yourself and your fishing club. Please don't do this. Don't ask me to come. I will not come and mess things up for you.

[Host 5]

I got. I mean, I know you're a guide or anything, and I don't want to overstep boundaries, but there's no marlin in the rivers in North Georgia.

[Host 2]

Well, there's no marlin in the Pacific Ocean. Today. The bird show.

[Host 4]

Ugh.

[Host 1]

I barely got any sleep last night.

[Host 3]

What?

[Host 1]

Why? I spent hours fighting with AI all because I was trying to make a website. It started out okay, but then I got stuck just trying to change one button. Okay, okay, relax. Just try WIX Harmony. What's that? It's wix's new website builder. Lets you switch back and forth between AI tools and hands on editing anytime. So I'm not just prompting and praying? Nope. Just try it for [e-mail] Harmony from Lashes for days with the viral Liquid Lash extensions mascara to awakening your eyes with lift and color from the brilliant eye brightener, Thrive Cosmetics is the go to when you want to amplify your everyday look. Plus, every product is 100% vegan, cruelty free, and made with clean skin loving ingredients that work with your skin. And for every product purchased, Thrive Cosmetics donates to help communities thrive. So every time you use your favorite Thrive Cosmetics product, you're helping communities you care about too. Amplify your everyday. Go to thrivecosmetics.com shine2.6 for an exclusive offer of 20% off your first order. That's Thrive Cosmetics. C-A U S E M E T-I C S.com shine26 avoiding your unfinished home

[Host 2]

Projects because you're not sure where to start. Thumbtack knows homes, so you don't have to. Don't know the difference between matte, paint, finish and satin or what that clunking sound from your dryer is. With thumbtack, you don't have to be a home pro. You just have to hire one. You can hire top rated pros, see price estimates and read reviews all on the app. Download today. Get it the Birch show so for vacation, Wendy went down to San Antonio. Melissa stayed here in Atlanta. I went to Costa Rica. Jeff went to Panama. Jen hobby totally roughed it, went to El Salvador. El Salvador, man, it's like nobody. El Salvador.

[Host 3]

Who comes to El Salvador?

[Host 2]

El Salvador.

[Caller]

What?

[Host 2]

In El Salvador?

[Host 3]

Tons and tons of surfing and really, really great, amazing waves and breaks. And so, yeah, I went down there with my best friend and we did this really, really active vacation. I have never worked out so much in my entire life as I did in the last week. So we had a really great time and relaxed a little bit, slept a lot because we were so exhausted by the end of our days. But like, it wasn't really like a party vacation at all because we were so spent. But we had an amazing time. We were in three different areas of El Salvador and we were with a guide the entire time. I'll put all the information up online because we just fell in love with our guide. I mean, he was just. His name is Roy and he was just like so amazing and took such great care of us.

[Caller]

Roy.

[Host 2]

I hope he has like some kind of cool South American last name.

[Host 3]

No, his last name is Beers.

[Host 2]

Yeah, very American.

[Host 3]

But he's disappointing. He's from El Salvador. He grew up there and loves his country and just loved showing us his country and just took really great care of us and took us everywhere with him for 10 days. And it was just. It was an incredible, incredible trip. We went first in the mountains in this area called Los Naranos, which is. That means orange, right? The oranges.

[Host 2]

Narano.

[Host 3]

Yeah, I think so. Thank you. I've been working on my Spanish, but it's terrible.

[Host 2]

I bought Rosetta Stone as soon as I got home.

[Host 3]

Yeah, I know. It's embarrassing that we only speak one language and most other countries they speak three or four. But. But anyway, so I was working on my Spanish a lot. So we went to this beautiful area in the mountains, tried mountain biking, which I suck at, like, horribly, and kind of got injured the first day. And I was like, okay, no more mountain biking. Like, this is not cool. And Then what else did we do? Horseback riding through these, like, coffee plantations on three different volcanoes. Had lunch at the top of a volcano one day after we got there on horseback. I mean, just beautiful views and vistas. And I'll put all the pictures up as we get it together.

[Host 2]

Is it dry?

[Host 3]

It's dry right now. The rainy season is September and October, so usually, like, November, December, January, it's really green and lush. But at this point of the year, it's getting really, really hot. I mean, you know, 90, 90 to 93 degrees every day. And so we did the mountain thing. Oh, hiking. Did this, like, really, really difficult hike. I can't even believe we signed up to do it. That kind of thing. And then we were at the beach for six days learning to surf. I can't actually say that I know how to surf, but I was learning to surf and learning so much about the sport and the ocean and how tied to nature it all is. And it was. It was a fantastic trip. But I have more strawberries and cuts and bruises and bumps all over my body than I did when I was a little kid, like, playing in the neighborhood and like, falling off bikes and playing softball and all that stuff growing up. I have more of them now at 33 years old.

[Host 4]

Yeah.

[Host 3]

From time to time than I did as a kid.

[Host 2]

From time to time, I'll look through one of those, like, men's journals. And in the very back, they have all these, like, adventure vacations to me, where people do what you're doing the entire time they're down there. And I'm like, that's too much work for me on vacation.

[Host 3]

It shocked my body. I think the first four days, like, I was so sore, my calves were screaming just the moment I got out of bed. You know, it's certainly probably geared for somebody Wendy's age, but I wasn't gonna let that hold, you know, we weren't gonna let that hold us back. So it was incredible. It was like, I think maybe like, the biggest lesson I learned is that you can continue to challenge yourself physically no matter what age you are.

[Host 2]

Yeah, I've got a knee surgery on Thursday to prove.

[Host 3]

Well, I think that you have to warm up a little bit more. I think you have to stretch a little bit more and not like, you know, maybe jump in with the 20 year olds playing soccer. Bert. But I think that, you know, I think that was the biggest lesson for me was like, you can still, like, continue to learn really brand new things. Like, and I had no idea how hard surfing was. Yeah, you watch it. And surfers do it with such grace and precision and elegance. And they're just like in line with the waves and the water and the way they move. They make it look effortless, but, oh, is it anything but effortless.

[Host 2]

It's so much work. Like what you don't see when you're watching surf movies or whatever, what you don't see is like the struggle to get out. You just see these guys on the wave kicking ass.

[Host 5]

Right.

[Host 3]

That's what I thought surfing was. Was. Oh yeah, you just get on a wave. No, surfing is paddling.

[Host 2]

Yeah, it's a lot of fun and

[Host 3]

paddling and paddling and getting pummeled by humongous six foot waves and getting feeling like you are in the middle of nature's washing machine.

[Host 2]

And it hurts.

[Host 3]

And it hurts. And you have surprises. Salt water up your nose and you've like. I feel like I brought home most of the Pacific Ocean either up my nose, in my sinuses or I swallowed it.

[Host 2]

Yeah, it's a lot tougher than it looks.

[Host 3]

It is so hard.

[Host 2]

Did you get up at all?

[Host 3]

Oh, yeah.

[Host 2]

You did okay.

[Host 3]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We started on well, Bert, and anybody who surfs knows the lingo, whatever. But we started learning on a beach break. And so we were getting up in the white water and then we moved to like an unbroken wave and we're trying those, but the swell was so big on the days we were trying those that I got really scared. I got really, really scared. I mean, they were like, they were like six foot, almost seven foot waves.

[Host 2]

It's way too much for a beginner

[Host 3]

and that's way too big for a beginner surfer. Like I should have been practicing on like two to three foot waves and this well, just got big at the place we were and it didn't really go down.

[Host 2]

So the guide was loving it. But you scared the hell out of you probably.

[Host 3]

Oh my gosh. Completely scared me. And this was my very first time learning surfing. My best friend Elena, who came with me, she had tried to surf. She had gone on different surf trips. She'd been in Costa Rica, South Africa and in Hawaii. I think this was maybe her fourth time surfing or fifth, something like that. So she had a lot more confidence, like knew how to like pop up on the board and that kind of thing. So she rocked it. She got on those waves. Yesterday morning we were up at sunrise, like, I mean, and she was like in the water, like totally catching waves

[Host 2]

on six foot less.

[Host 3]

It was, it was a little bit lower Yesterday. But. But the days that we first got there and I got out there and I just got. I got so freaked out. I got tossed around out there. I mean, Mother Nature reminds you that you are not in charge. Like, she puts you in your place. Like, hey, you think you know what you're doing? I'm gonna thrash you around a little bit and prove that I'm way bigger than you.

[Host 5]

Well, did you ever think that maybe the ocean was meant for just floating in? Maybe on a raft with a drink in your hand and not for standing on a board trying to navigate the wave? No, because Mother Nature never checks with me when I'm doing that.

[Host 3]

And beaches are changed for me forever. I can't go. I won't be able to go and not want to do something on it because it's so fun. Like, when you actually feel the motion of the way your body's supposed to go and get up on a surfboard, you're like, oh, my gosh, this is so awesome.

[Host 2]

And if you're on the beach. If you're on the beach and you're watching other people in the water surf, I mean, you're bored of tears.

[Host 3]

Oh, yeah. Yeah. I can't wait to talk to you about all the, like, technical parts of it that would probably bore everybody else to pieces, but I just. I loved it. I had so much fun and being out there and being in the water and trying to learn it, but I am still absolutely a beginner. And we did two lessons a day for six days.

[Host 2]

It's hard. It's hard. Pictures up online today?

[Host 3]

Yes, I will get them up online. We just got back last night at like, 8pm we got out of the airport. So I still am trying to get it together, but. But yeah, we'll definitely put them up online today.

[Host 1]

That's great.

[Host 2]

Q100, Atlanta.com. good morning, Nadine, you're on Q100.

[Caller]

Hey, bud. How you guys doing this morning?

[Host 3]

Okay.

[Host 2]

How are you?

[Caller]

I just wanted to say, who the hell goes surfing off the coast of South Africa? Is your friend crazy?

[Host 3]

She must be, because I know that's where she went surfing last time. There's a ton of sharks there, right?

[Caller]

Those. Those are great white infested waters.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Caller]

And the waves, from what I'm hearing from relatives that live in London, they go there for vacation. Those lanes are no joke.

[Host 2]

Yeah. If I'm a beginner, I'm not starting in South Africa. I'm starting, like.

[Caller]

I mean, that's like going surfing off the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

[Host 2]

Start with, like, a little surf pool here at Six Flags and work your way up to South Africa. You're on the vert show. Listen, it's the vert show. For those of you in the boarding

[Host 3]

area, we're going to be having a lot of wires going off.

[Host 2]

2010 boxes from last no show.

[Host 3]

Mom Gale right in the middle, waving

[Host 2]

the flag as Aaron and Alana Myers

[Host 3]

have flinched the metal.

[Alana Myers]

Oh, he's just trying to stay relaxed and have a little fun. Aaron's a great pilot, and we just needed to stay calm and do what we had to do, and we did it.

[Host 2]

That Olympic song still gives me.

[Host 3]

I know I have goosebumps.

[Host 2]

Georgia's own Alana Myers joins us in studio. Good morning.

[Alana Myers]

Good morning. Thanks for having me.

[Host 2]

How are you?

[Alana Myers]

I'm pretty good. Pretty good.

[Host 2]

You still on a high from this whole thing?

[Alana Myers]

Definitely still on a high. You know, been able to make some appearances and carry my medal around everywhere I go. So it's been pretty awesome so far.

[Host 2]

This is really a pretty amazing story. For those of you that haven't followed this the last couple of weeks. When talking to Alana, it's not like she's trained her whole life for a medal in bobsledding. She was a softball player and a damn good one. Right?

[Alana Myers]

Yeah. Played softball growing up. Played different sports all growing up, and was trying to make the games in softball. When softball got taken out of the games. Had to find another sport.

[Host 2]

Oh. So that's how it all went down.

[Host 3]

Gotcha.

[Host 2]

At one point, softball was an Olympic event, but it was like a trial year or something.

[Mindy]

They.

[Alana Myers]

It got added to the games in 96, I want to say, in Atlanta, actually, and then got taken out in 2005 because it kind of got lumped with baseball, and people don't really understand the difference. Kind of got lumped with baseball. It wasn't international enough, so it was taken out. And then they tried to get back in and still trying to get it back in. Not sure if it'll ever get back in, but definitely trying to.

[Host 3]

Did you play softball at the collegiate level?

[Alana Myers]

Yes. Played at George Washington University.

[Host 3]

George Washington.

[Host 2]

And she was great. Like, Weren't you like a.415 hitter or something like that? Yeah, she was crazy.

[Alana Myers]

Yeah, 414, something like that.

[Host 2]

I gave you the extra point.

[Alana Myers]

I appreciate it. That's one lesson they said.

[Host 3]

What position did you play?

[Alana Myers]

Georgetop pitcher in third.

[Host 3]

Okay.

[Host 2]

So she.

[Host 3]

I mean, utility.

[Host 4]

She was the team athletically.

[Host 3]

Exactly. And nobody else played those positions. She could actually do all three simultaneously.

[Alana Myers]

Right.

[Host 2]

I mean, that takes a lot of confidence in your athletic abilities to say, okay, I'm not gonna make the Olympics in softball, so I'll try bobsledding.

[Host 4]

Yes.

[Alana Myers]

Well, I emailed other sports. They didn't email me back. So bobsledd was the only one who actually emailed. And, you know, seeing it on Olympics, I knew they drew from track and field background, and they draw a lot of fast and powerful athletes. And those were my assets in softball. So I decided to give it a try.

[Host 2]

So when you. Who do you email? You email, like the Olympic Committee or something like that, and you just wait for an email back saying, yeah, we'll give you a try.

[Alana Myers]

I emailed Bill Tavares, and he's gonna hate me for calling him out, but if you want to get into bobsled, email Bill Tavares. But he is now assistant coach of the women's bobsled team.

[Host 2]

Okay, and so now what is. I'm sure we've got a lot of ground to cover, but what's next? I mean, you win yourself a bronze medal, so you don't immediately start training for the next Olympics. So what goes on?

[Alana Myers]

Actually, you kind of do start immediately training for the next Olympics. So I was in this Olympics as a brakeman. The goal is to go to the next one as a driver. So I'll be leaving today, actually, to start that career.

[Host 3]

So explain to somebody who's never understood bobsledding what each position means.

[Alana Myers]

Okay, so in women's bobsled, we have two men. Only two men. In men's, they have two men and four man. So it's a brakeman and a driver. A brakeman is basically the only accelerator in a sport of bobsled. You push the sled at the start, you ride all the way down, and then at the very end of the trip, you pull the brakes. The driver is the one actually controlling the sled in the front for the whole trip down. So I was a brakeman.

[Host 3]

And you go head first or head back, feet first.

[Alana Myers]

We're in a sled. So we go. I guess. I guess my feet are in front of my head. So I guess it's feet first, feet first. We're in a sled, so, yeah, but

[Host 2]

the driver gets all the credit. Man, like, when I was listening, I was watching on NBC, they were, you know, just always announcing the driver's name like it was her bobsled. I'm like, our girl's in the back there, man.

[Host 4]

She's pushing her.

[Host 3]

How do you think she got down

[Host 2]

me here is Coach Bowers. Good morning. You're on Q100.

[Caller]

Good morning. How are you?

[Host 2]

Okay. How are you?

[Caller]

I'm doing fantastic. I just wanted to congratulate Elana. It's been a while. I coached her at Lithia Springs in basketball and soccer, and just amazing to see her go this far.

[Alana Myers]

Hi, Coach Bowers. Thanks for the call. It's been quite a while. How are you?

[Caller]

I am doing great. You have always been such a versatile athlete. You were just amazing in every position you played, every sport you played. You would just take on anything. So it doesn't surprise me, but I just wanted to congratulate you.

[Alana Myers]

Well, thank you. Thank you very much.

[Host 4]

She made you run till you puked, right? I can't believe you called me on the radio.

[Alana Myers]

Definitely too many suicides.

[Host 2]

Tell us what it was like to be on that podium. I mean, it wasn't the national anthem that was played, but you're still up there and you're the third best in the damn world.

[Alana Myers]

It was breathtaking. I was crying. I said I wasn't gonna cry. I didn't cry the whole time. My driver was in tears right after the run, everything like that. And I got on the podium and I couldn't help myself. It was overwhelming.

[Host 3]

That is so cool. That is just absolutely amazing. And what was Vancouver like? I mean, just the energy of the whole place.

[Alana Myers]

Oh, that place is awesome. Really. If I didn't love the state so much, I'd definitely try and move up there. But Vancouver was great. People there were so nice and Whistler itself is beautiful. So in the mountains and even the drive up there, you're driving along the coastline. It's gorgeous.

[Host 2]

She brought in the bronze medal today. And like Melissa was telling us earlier this morning, it is so different than you see on tv. Like, I think we all just assume that it's a. It's a flat, round metal, but it's not. It's kind of a potato shaped wedgie type thing.

[Host 4]

Yeah.

[Host 3]

When it's big.

[Host 4]

When you were, you know, if you watch the medal ceremony, you. The whole ceremony, you saw the person with the tray of the medals walk to the podium. So the thing I told Katie when we were watching the medal ceremony was the fact that it looked like a potato. It looks like potato chips on this tray because they're so waffly. And this is the first time they've done that. And my understanding is they did this because the light catches on the metal better when it's on the athlete.

[Host 3]

So it's easier to Photograph, you said

[Host 4]

because every Olympics has a different medal, so each host city has their own different style. But yeah, it is beautiful.

[Host 2]

I've tweeted the medal up on Twitter right now, but we'll have all the Pictures up on q100atlanta.com it's heavy.

[Host 3]

It looks dazed. Pancake, right? I didn't think it was gonna be that big.

[Host 5]

Have you figured out how you're gonna polish the scratches out?

[Alana Myers]

I have no idea.

[Host 2]

How'd you get them just wearing it around?

[Host 5]

Has anyone dropped it yet?

[Alana Myers]

No, not yet. So hopefully that won't happen, but I'll probably be the first one to drop it.

[Host 5]

So will you take it with you to Park City, or is it gonna stay home safe?

[Alana Myers]

Of course I'll take it with me.

[Host 4]

Do you take it everywhere?

[Host 3]

Like the gas station, the grocery store? Cause I'd wear that everywhere.

[Host 2]

I'd brag about it too. I'd show it off. Like, I'd go through security on purpose with it around my neck so they would tell me to go through and take off.

[Host 3]

Take off your bronze medal.

[Alana Myers]

The metal is a. Is a time hoarder. It's hard to go anywhere if you're wearing the metal around your neck. So I have it on me. Can't wear it everywhere like going to the gas station. It's. It's pretty hard to just get gas if you're in a rush if the metal's around your neck. So you have to keep it tucked away sometimes. But I have it.

[Host 3]

That's awesome.

[Host 2]

Like, I think is protocol that you're not allowed. Like, you wouldn't allow anybody else to wear it. Like, I was holding it, and that felt respectful. But you can't wear it around your neck unless. Right.

[Alana Myers]

Oh, no. It's not. It's not protocol. I let kids wear it all the time because I can catch little kids if they try to run.

[Host 5]

You can let Burr wear it. You can catch him if he tries to run.

[Alana Myers]

I guarantee it.

[Host 2]

But, like, if an adult wants to see it, you can't put that on your neck as an adult because you didn't earn that.

[Host 4]

No, no.

[Alana Myers]

Oh, but I've let adults. I've let people put it on.

[Host 4]

Have they really asked if they could wear it?

[Alana Myers]

Really?

[Host 2]

Oh, no.

[Host 4]

I would never think to do that.

[Host 2]

So you have more TV stuff to do or now is it just sort of right back into training?

[Alana Myers]

I'll have more media stuff to do, actually go up to D.C. for a couple days for some media things. But the media stuff, Tons of stuff to Do. But definitely gonna go give my hand at driving and see how that goes.

[Host 2]

How was all the politics that we seemed at least to watch sort of unfold? Maybe it was just NBC unfolding the drama. Did you feel any of that stuff with, like, the skiers and all that? Like, did. Was there a weird chemistry on the team because of some of the stuff that was going on?

[Alana Myers]

We're kind of kept isolated, so we see everything in the villages and we see all the shows and all the races, but we don't even have commentary. It's live feeds without any commentary. So we don't actually know any of the action that's going on outside the politics or anything like that. So we're kind of kept in a cocoon, so to speak, just to kind of focus on our events.

[Host 2]

So you don't know how much crap people are talking about. Oh, my God, it was terrible. Thank you again for coming in.

[Alana Myers]

Thanks for having me.

[Host 4]

Congratulations.

[Host 2]

Really enjoyed this the last couple of weeks following you.

[Host 3]

You're a stud.

[Host 2]

You are. All the pictures and all connections to Alana Meyers will be up online q100atlanta.com Good morning, Burt. Show.

[Caller]

Yes, sir.

[Host 2]

Yeah, go ahead.

[Host 5]

Yes, sir.

[Caller]

This is Bo Shipp from Lithia Springs High School. I was wanting to congratulate Alana Myers. We're all so proud of her.

[Alana Myers]

Thank you. Thanks, Bo.

[Host 2]

Do you know this guy?

[Alana Myers]

Yeah, of course.

[Host 2]

I bet all your old friends came out now, man.

[Caller]

He's got Lithia Springs all together word all rallying behind her.

[Host 3]

That's so cool.

[Host 4]

Never talked to her when she was

[Host 2]

there, but now she's my best friend. This is the bird show. This is the bird show. Before we left for vacation, this was Mindy's story.

[Mindy]

I'm a little bit afraid that I'm gonna be fired in a few days

[Host 4]

because your boss is being nice.

[Mindy]

Yeah, well, see, the thing is, he's one of those guys who just really takes advantage of his power. And lately he's been, like, completely over the top. Really considerate, really cool to me. The reason I'm concerned is because this happened before to somebody else in our office. Like, you know, two or three weeks after this all started happening, she was fired.

[Host 2]

So Jen and I had split by the time Mindy came on. So did she have any indication at all? Did she screw up at work or anything that's made her think that this was it?

[Host 1]

She didn't have any reason. But apparently the girl in her position, before she had that position, the same

[Host 3]

thing happened to her.

[Host 1]

He bought coffee he was really uber sweet. And then two or three weeks out, she was gone. So that's why she was concerned, because it wasn't just any employee in the office. It was her position.

[Host 2]

So she saw that go down.

[Host 4]

The pattern's the same.

[Host 2]

Right? So she was convinced last weekend she was getting the ax. Hey, Mindy. Good morning.

[Mindy]

Hi, guys. How are you?

[Host 2]

Good. Hold on one sec.

[Caller]

I know. Don't.

[Host 2]

I don't think that voice. This guy just turned on. He was over here.

[Alana Myers]

Doesn't appear to be over here.

[Host 4]

Hold, please.

[Host 5]

Try it now.

[Host 2]

Just count down from five for me.

[Mindy]

Count down from five.

[Host 2]

Yeah, that's better. Never mind. You don't even have to do that. That was gonna be hard.

[Host 5]

So

[Host 4]

Monday morning,

[Host 2]

you were convinced you were getting the axe. Boss being too nice. So did you have a meeting plan with this guy, like, on Friday?

[Mindy]

Yeah, I did.

[Host 3]

You did.

[Host 2]

Okay.

[Mindy]

And do you want to hear the news?

[Host 2]

I think now's a good time.

[Host 4]

Yeah, sure.

[Mindy]

Well, I guess there's something to be said for instincts, because I was laid off.

[Host 3]

No way. I'm sorry.

[Mindy]

He explained to me that the company was downsizing, and. And I lost my position. There were six different offices in the Southeast that had somebody from each office who was let go. And unfortunately, I just was the one they chose from my office.

[Host 2]

Oh, that sucks, man.

[Host 4]

I'm so sorry.

[Host 2]

So, like, when you walked into the office, could you tell by his attitude that this was going down the way it did?

[Mindy]

I definitely could. Yeah.

[Host 3]

And when he. When he find. When he finally, like, sort of had the conversation with you and let you go, did you say anything about how he had been nice?

[Mindy]

Yeah. No, I didn't actually even say anything. He admitted that he. You know, I think. I think he knew that I knew that he was being really weird, and so I didn't even really need to bring it up. He just said, you know, I know. I know that I have been really nice to you lately. And he said that he just had. He just felt bad. And I. You know, I understood. Once he started explaining to me, I understood that that was.

[Host 2]

All the signs were there, though.

[Host 1]

That's a bummer.

[Caller]

Yeah.

[Mindy]

The biggest bummer was that, you know, here he had been such a jerk to me, and I never knew he had this side to his personality, and it was just. It was too late for him to be showing that. You know, I just. I just wish that he could have been nicer all along.

[Host 2]

Right. Yeah. That does say something about your character. I think the only time that you're Nice is when you're firing people. Maybe it's not a guy you wanted to work for anyway.

[Host 5]

We used to work with a guy who would only wear a suit on the days that people were getting fired.

[Host 2]

Oh, no.

[Host 5]

And our studio overlooked the lobby, so we would see him come in, in a suit, and we'd be like, oh, he's getting it.

[Host 2]

Somebody's going down. That's awful, man.

[Host 3]

That's jacked up.

[Host 5]

He'd wear, like, casual wear, you know, it was like it's radio station. So, like, nice jeans and a shirt, or like khakis and a shirt. But if he came in with a jacket and tie on, we're like, everybody's panicked. Here comes the hangman.

[Host 3]

In my old office, it was if the HR director knocked on your door. Because any other time, Grim Reaper, you go to her office, you know, like any other time, you're going to go to her to ask her something or turn in paperwork or turn in forms or whatever. But if for some reason she got out of her desk and walked down to your office, you knew it was time to pack up and get out.

[Host 2]

If the boss, late on Thursday tells you that he wants to see you first thing on Friday morning. Friday is always bad Axe day, man.

[Host 3]

That's it. Yeah.

[Host 5]

Or if you walk in the office and there's more than one person in there, like somebody who you normally wouldn't

[Host 2]

be in there sitting in there just to make sure.

[Host 3]

And nobody can make eye contact with you.

[Host 5]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

That sucks. Sorry, Mindy.

[Host 4]

I'm sorry.

[Host 2]

Thanks for sharing with us, though.

[Host 5]

He's like, hey, those are funny stories you guys are sharing. I'm still here.

[Host 2]

I'll see you, Mindy. Thank you.

[Mindy]

All right, thanks, guys.

[Host 1]

Bye.

[Caller]

Bye.

[Mindy]

Bye. Bye.

[Host 2]

It's the Virt Show.