The 2026 Motorcycle Podcasters Challenge Wrap Up 

🏍️ Motorcycle Podcasters Challenge — Final Wrap‑Up

As the dust settles and the engines cool, the Motorcycle Podcasters Challenge officially crosses the finish line for the season! The last week rolled in quietly — the heat was relentless, the competition fierce, and it seemed most riders had given every ounce they had left. Yet, what a ride it’s been.

Across the country, participants captured over 1,400 roadside attractions, with California emerging as the top hotspot for quirky Americana. From giant donuts to mysterious monuments, riders chased down the odd, the unusual, and the unforgettable — proving once again that adventure is alive and well on two wheels.

🏆 Team 1 — Loud Asphalt Pipe Chasers

No surprise here: Team 1 dominated the challenge from start to finish. With riders scattered across the map, they made good on their promise to win it all, racking up 882 points and 334 attractions. Their teamwork, persistence, and sheer mileage set the bar high for everyone else.

🏁 Solo Riders — A Battle to the End

The solo competition was just as thrilling. S‑010 and S‑001 traded blows right down to the wire, finishing with 140 points and 135 points respectively. It was a duel of determination, creativity, and endurance — proof that even without a team, passion can carry you far.

🍋💩 Poops, Lemons, and Laughs

Of course, no challenge would be complete without a few “poops” and “lemons.” Rule‑benders and questionable photo submissions earned their fair share of playful reprimands — because sometimes, the fun is in the imperfections. Those laugh‑out‑loud moments reminded everyone that this event is as much about camaraderie as competition.

 

🎉 Congratulations to All

To every rider who hit the road, snapped a photo, and shared a story — congratulations. You made this year’s challenge one for the books. Whether you rode thousands of miles or just a few, you helped celebrate the spirit of exploration that makes motorcycling great.

Next year promises to be even bigger, better, and maybe a little stranger. So keep your cameras ready, and your sense of humor intact — the adventure continues in 2027.

Your Admin,
Ted Kettler

 

The Final Week 

Motorcycle Podcasters Challenge — Final Week Momentum Check

With just days left in the Motorcycle Podcasters Challenge, the energy on the leaderboard is nothing short of electric. Riders across all teams have been racking up attractions at a pace that proves one thing clearly: nobody’s letting off the throttle.

So far, participants have gathered a remarkable number of roadside oddities, from giant fiberglass mascots to obscure historical markers and everything in between. The attraction count continues to climb daily, and several riders have made it clear they’re in this to the very end—posting new finds almost every time they roll out of the driveway. The standings show a tight race in several categories, and the determination is obvious: these folks are riding with purpose.

Bonus Challenges Bringing Extra Fun

All three of this year’s bonus challenges—the Ice Cream & Pretzel Challenge, the Welcome To <State> Sign Challenge, and the new additions rolled out mid‑event—brought a fresh layer of fun to the competition, even if they sparked a bit of confusion at first. The Ice Cream & Pretzel Challenge quickly became a favorite, sending riders off-route for a store‑bought cone or a big soft pretzel in the name of points. And while the Welcome To <State> Sign Challenge also caused its share of head‑scratching early on, it ultimately added to the excitement as riders hunted down state borders and snapped their photos with pride. Despite the initial mix‑ups, each challenge boosted engagement, encouraged creativity, and made the event even more enjoyable for everyone involved.

A Reminder of What This Event Is Really About

As we enter the final week, it’s worth pausing to remember what the Motorcycle Podcasters Challenge is truly about. Yes, the competition is fun. Yes, the points matter. And yes, the standings page is exciting to watch as riders leapfrog each other. While it is great to win and have those bragging rights, that is not all you should be striving for. We are motorcyclists, we are explorers, we seek out new sights and new roads and that is what this challenge gives you. The chance to explore and find the next great thing. So what if you don't win, you saw a giant shoe house, you saw a giant muffler man holding a drink and a hot dog. 

But at its core, this event is about getting on your motorcycle and discovering America—the strange, the beautiful, the historic, the downright bizarre. It’s about riding to places you’ve never been, seeing things you never knew existed, and experiencing the quirky roadside attractions that make this country unforgettable.

To all riders: keep going. Keep exploring. Keep finding the odd, the wonderful, and the unexpected. Whether you’re chasing points or just chasing the horizon, you’re part of something special.

A final note is that the final stats of the challenge will not be made available until after the event has concluded. I will have a livestream to announce the final results, the winners and the special awards to teams and solo riders. 

Ride safe, ride far, and finish strong.

About the Motorcycle Podcasters Challenge

All in the name of fun

The Motorcycle Podcasters Challenge began the way many great motorcycling traditions do—three podcasts, a little friendly rivalry, and a whole lot of miles to ride. The Loud Pipes Podcast, The Throttled Podcast, and the Motorcycle Men Podcast kicked things off with a simple question: who could stack up the most miles in a month? No frills, no complications, just pure riding and bragging rights. It was straightforward, it was fun, and it lit a spark.

By the second year, that spark had turned into something bigger. Mileage alone wasn’t enough anymore, so riders began collecting town names along their routes. Suddenly, maps were being studied, routes were being optimized, and the challenge took on a scavenger‑hunt flavor that made every ride feel like a small adventure. Participation grew, the competition tightened, and the event started to develop a personality of its own.

Then came year three, when the challenge took a wonderfully chaotic turn. Riders were now hunting for street names, scoring them with a Scrabble‑style system that rewarded creativity as much as mileage. Non‑podcasters joined the fun, the leaderboard became a lively battleground, and the event officially outgrew its original “just for us podcasters” vibe. It was bigger, louder, and more entertaining than ever.

Years four and five pushed things even further. Participation surged, town names returned to the mix, and the three‑week event became a whirlwind of strategy, spreadsheets, and spirited debate. The rules expanded, twisted, and multiplied until they resembled something between a game show and a graduate‑level math problem. Eventually, the combination of legal concerns and the sheer complexity of running the event forced the organizers to hit pause. What was meant to be a short break stretched into what looked like a permanent hiatus, and the MPC quietly slipped into the background of motorcycling lore.

But good ideas don’t stay parked forever. The Motorcycle Podcasters Challenge has now been revived with a fresh approach, a clean rulebook, and a renewed focus on the joy of exploration. The new format is a point‑based photography scavenger hunt built around the oddities, curiosities, and delightful weirdness of the American roadside. No more complicated scoring systems or legal headaches—just riders, cameras, and the open road.

The event has also grown in scope, now allowing up to ten teams and a total of one hundred riders. It’s designed to encourage discovery, camaraderie, and the simple pleasure of finding something unexpected around the next bend. Riders will chase new sights, explore new roads, and maybe even make a few new friends along the way. At its core, the revived MPC celebrates the same spirit that started it all: community, adventure, and the shared joy of riding.