Episode 6: Tuning In From Tokyo

[Music] Hello and welcome to Unlaced with Truck and Bates. I'm Madison Trock. And I'm Evan Bates and we're Olympic Ice Dancers for Team USA. If you're into sports betting, bet online is the fastest and easiest way to bet all your favorite sports. Head to the new updated desktop or mobile website to sign up today and receive your 50% welcome bonus on your first deposit. Just use our promo code Believe50 to receive your bonus. Well, greetings from Japan. We are in Tokyo for our second Grand Prix event, NHK Trophy. We arrived on Monday. We have been competing. We will be competing this weekend, Friday and Saturday. And so far we've had two days of practice altogether with Team USA. All of them. You were right when you say altogether with Team USA. Like literally every single Team USA skater. Yeah, so far the practices have been grouped by country, which is rare because usually we're grouped by discipline. So this week, the first two days we've had, we've shared the ice with all 11 US athletes here. That means three men, two women, two pairs and ice dance. Usually, so they've been two unofficial practices technically. And usually we have official practices and that's when we do practices grouped by disciplines that we would be with all the ice dancers and the other disciplines would be with their respective disciplines. It can be difficult. It can be difficult. It can be difficult. We think our practices were pretty drama free, but it can be difficult. We're doing a pattern dance while Amber Glend's fitting in a triple axel. Meanwhile, Ashley and Tim are doing triple twist and Vincent's jumping is quads. And it's just easier if the dancers stay with the dancers and the pairs with the pairs and so on. Yeah, because we all do similar elements that way. We can predict each other's patterns a bit more easily, but yeah, I think Team USA did a wonderful job of keeping it safe and drama free on the practices. Not too many close calls and it was super well organized by our team leader. And we got a good group pick at the end of the ice. Oh, yeah, that was cute. Thanks to, again, our team leader, who is wonderful. Probably embodies the most team spirit that any team leader has ever had ever. We've traveled with her for years. And yeah, her team spirit goes unmatched by any other. She is just legendary, legend. Laurie Parker, for those of you who know. If you know, you know. Laurie Parker is a. Laurie Parker is Team USA. She brings the spirit. She is the spirit animal. She's super fun. I mean, this week she brought this team mascot. It's a blue rubber pig that looks like it escaped from a luau. I'm pretty sure it's like a dog toy. Like Henry and Stella have a very similar pig. Well, she's she's calling the pig bubbles because we're in a bubble. Clever. And she announced on the bus ride this morning that this is the team mascot. It will be hidden in someone's skate bag and then you have to take a photo with it if it's in your stuff. Oh, why? And then I didn't even hear that. And someone else's skate bag, you were giving hard core in the back of the bus. Yeah, that's probably the right thing. But I kind of like gleaned a little bit of this info, but then I actually opened my skate bag and there was a stuffed pig or a rubber pig in it. For you the first one. I think I'm the first one to have it. Bubble. Oh, he's here. I was going to put him in your bag and then I feel like now that would be a cop out. That's a bubble. He's just he just wanted to chime in. He has a yellow lay and sunglasses and red board shorts and he's a blue rubber pig. Love it. So that's how Team USA mascot, but yeah, Lori Parker is just like who thinks of that stuff? Lori Parker. Yeah. Fantastic. You know, the practice rink is like an hour away on the bus. So it's just been like a Team USA hour long commute to and from the rink. Yeah, two days, four hours on the bus with everyone. It's been really fun actually. Been bonding. You had some. I've been bonding with Camden. You and Camden have been gaming hard core. We're both playing Animal Crossing and actually thankfully he had the charger for the Nintendo Switch because we forgot to bring our charger and that would have just been tragic. I would have it like to just play it on the plane and for one day, yeah, for me, it would have been tragic. To only be able to play it for one day and then have it be dead the whole week. So thank you, Camden, for the charger. It's greatly appreciated looking forward to building our islands up and visiting each other's islands. Yeah. Yeah, you've been gaming quite hard this week. But I haven't gained in a long time. Like the last time I was really gaming was during the lockdown, during the beginning of the pandemic. What has gotten into you? You know, just these long travel journey. We had a 13 hour plane ride on the way here and lots of downtime. We arrived at the competition a few days earlier than we normally would to a Grand Prix just because of the bubble and all of that. So I've just had some free time to work on my island. So yeah, we are in a bubble and we're not able to do some of the fun things that we normally would do when we come to Tokyo, which is kind of tough because I can literally see some of my favorite spots just out the window. Especially when we're up on the 44th floor eating our meals. I can see you have like a wonderful view of the city. A couple of things though that I really would recommend are coming in April or the springtime so you can see the cherry blossoms blooming. It's just as beautiful as you imagine it would be. Yeah, honestly, there are a ton of amazing things about Japan. Like we've been here in April for the cherry blossoms. We've had fun nights out singing karaoke till the wee hours of the morning. Oh, yeah. We've been to the blue note. We've been to Shinjuku crossing. I feel like we've been exposed to a good amount of Japanese culture and I really appreciate so much about Japan, especially the toilets. No, no. Is that bad? No, I totally 100% agree with you. They're like the world's voice of toilets. I know. It's amazing. And they're everywhere too. It's not just in the hotel. I think it's everywhere. I haven't used every toilet in Japan, but. Everywhere that we've been, the ring and the hotel, essentially. It's super high-tech. It's heated. It's heated. It's got mold-cool. Yeah, the one here doesn't have sounds, but the one at the ring has something. Yeah, it does. When you sit down, it makes a noise. The sky's the sound of you going to the restroom. It's like. The toilet has all the features. Yeah, I just really appreciate when I get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom. The warm seat. Yeah. It makes such a huge difference. It's not like jarring and jolting me awake, disrupting my, I don't know, my relaxed sleep mode. I just go about my business. And it's not like my favorite part about Japan. I don't want to say that that's my favorite part of Japan, but I do really appreciate it. I think it's the fact that they put so much thought into the little things. And this is one of those things that is so well thought out that you just appreciate it. It's just a simple thing, but it's wonderful. I think we need to upgrade our bathroom at home. How? Do we just buy one of these toilets? Like, are they for sale? I mean, I'm sure they're for sale. Or you can buy like just the seat part, maybe? I feel like Costco might have something. Costco has everything, so hopefully they would have a heated toilet seat. Anyways. Anyways, obviously you should come to Japan for many reasons. That may be one of them, but it shouldn't be. The only one. The main reason to come to Japan, but I'm just saying that I really appreciate that. It's a perk, for sure. Nice. Yeah. Anyways, I'm very much looking forward to competing this weekend. I heard the event is sold out, which is very exciting, because there's nothing like performing for a full house. I'm just very excited. It'll be nice to see people who are not in a bubble too. Yeah. They'll be at a distance, but you know, we've been here what, three days? I feel like I've seen five people. We've been here three days, and have yet to see the rest of our dance competitors, I feel. I've only seen honestly like two teams. Probably by design. Yeah, clever. It is a bubble, so. It's working. It's working. They're doing a really good job of keeping everyone safe and organized, but yeah. It was really sunny today, too. It was beautiful. Yeah, I caught a few rays of sunshine before we got on the bus. I just stood there. Literally. In the ray of sunshine, basking in it. There was like a beam of sunlight coming through the window, and you were like Henry finding the one strip of sun. Finding the sunny spot. Just laying in it. Oh, sunlight. Well, you know what? I want to wish you a great weekend full of our best skating. Who me? Yeah, you. Oh, thanks. I have in baits. And yeah, let's go. Territor. I have a great time performing. I wish you a great weekend as well. Thank you so much. It's amazing. Anything else to add? Yeah. To this profound episode. I love our job. I love performing. And I love you. I love you, too. We have a great job. We have a great time. We do. Very fortunate. We're in Japan. We're having a good time. I'll be at inside the hotel. Mm-hmm. I will say our room has a wonderful view. I do love just looking out the window and even hearing the crosswalk. Do you hear that? Yeah, the birds chirping. It's birds chirping. It's so pleasant. It sounds quite real, but then you realize that it's just like on repeat every time the crosswalk goes. And so it's like, oh. It's cool. I mean, it's charming. I love the sounds here. Just like they're so pleasing. The elevator dings. Again, it's the little things. They're so well thought out. I agree. What has been your favorite part of the trip so far? I think the time spent with the teammates has been really fun, actually. It's actually very rare that we get to spend so much time with all of TMI of a say. The full team. Yeah. Like we usually just see each other in passing, but don't get to hang out that much. And when we're on the same practice and warming up together, it's quite fun. I enjoy seeing all the disciplines together and seeing everyone's different skating style at the same time in one place. It's quite cool. I held the singles versus the pairs and the dance. Yeah, I mean, we don't skate too often with people who are doing like triple axles and quads. Right. It's pretty cool. Power. The force. They're jumps. Yep. What do you think they're saying about our ice dancing? Oh, wow. They're-- The fluidity. They're not jumping. Expression. The levelness. The ice. Yeah. They're so grounded, literally, because they don't leave the ice. You leave the ice. I leave the ice. I don't. But I have a grounded partner. Yeah. We work with gravity. Yes. Yeah. Not against it. Not against it. Gravity's our friend. Look at that expression. Wow. Oh my god. I'm so expressive. I'm so expressive. Why are they wearing their costumes so often? Why do they have full hair and makeup every practice? They're hard to skate with. Their patterns are so wavy. Hopefully we didn't get any complaints. Those wavy dancers. How have you been dealing with jet lag? I've been dealing with it. Honestly, that quite well knock on wood. Yeah. It's been going well. I've been-- You can sleep anywhere. Having good slumbers? Yeah, I love sleeping. You're a good sleeper. Thank you. I do enjoy it. It's probably one of the things I'm best at. I mean, hard to argue with that because you're a really good sleeping. But you're good at other stuff, too. But you are a good sleeper. That was an office quote. And you can-- It's probably the thing I'm best at. That's when Kevin brings in the chili and then he spills it all over the floor. For those of you who don't know the office. It's probably the thing I do best. Yeah. There it is. That's it. Anyways, you always fall asleep well before I do, I think. Honestly, you slept on the plane way more than I did. Every time I looked over at you, you were still sleeping. I got up, went to the bathroom, came back. You're still sleeping. I woke up, I watched a movie, looked over at you, still sleeping. I took some melatonin. Ah. It worked. It worked wonders. Clearly, it worked really well. I watched-- It's the best way to pass a flight. Yeah. That did watch movies. Just wake up in a foreign country. I was so tempted to watch so many movies because I love watching movies, especially on the plane. They're just a plethora of movies to pick from. As soon as you picked up the switch and started gaming, I was like, you're not sleeping on the flight. I know you're not going to sleep on the flight. I actually did sleep a decent amount, not as much as you. But yeah, I games a little bit. I watched Jungle Cruise. It was pretty cute. Is it animated film? No, no. It's the one with the rock and Emily Blunt. Is it new? Yeah. It's kind of like Jungle Book mixed with Pirates of the Caribbean. Huh. Yeah. Similar vibe. It was cool. What do you think, bubbles? I'm going to wrap it up. Yeah, shut up, you guys. OK, fine. We'll go to Benzue. I'm supposed to put that in somebody's skateboard, but I feel like Henry would love that. I know. We don't want to subject bubbles to teeth marks, though. He looks like he's a happy, healthy pig. Who should I give it to next? Well, we can't announce it on here, because then they might know if they listen. OK. I will think about it, though, and let you know later. But I feel like it has to be a boy, right? Because you can only go in the boy's locker room. You can sneak it in yours, but I feel like that's too easy. Right. If you see another one of the girls, you could sneak it in there like the purse or lunch bag. Right. I could do that. Now we're thinking, well, I'll distract them and you sneak it in. We'll work as a team. Because we are a team. Well, I think we've rambled a sufficient amount for this week. This has been Unlaced with Chalkin Bates, presented by Bet Online. Thank you for listening. Make sure you're subscribed for future episodes. You can follow us on social media at Chalk Bates. And we will talk to you soon. Bye. [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING]