BONUS: Vintage toilets, biking babies, escaped cows and hidden salamander tunnels

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Welcome to a Weird News Roundup presented by Odyssey's Something Offbeat podcast.

We take you on a tour of strange tales covered by Odyssey's newsrooms across the country.

This week, we'll explore the sometimes treacherous travel habits of baby cows in the Pittsburgh

area and of salamanders in the Detroit area. In human transportation news, we'll hear a lawmaker

in Minnesota explain why she took a bike to the hospital to have her baby. Oh, and also back home.

Then to send us out, George Papp of Outhouse Americana in Colchester, Connecticut is going to explain

why he's dedicated to preserving the history of a pretty vintage way to use the blue.

He says that outhouses reveal more about culture than we might realize.

Let's start in Minneapolis. That's where Jason Derussia of Drive Time with Derussia on Odyssey

station WCCO News Talk interviewed state rep Katie Jones about her e-bike trips to and from

the hospital to deliver her baby. Come on now, Katie. You gave birth and then got on the e-bike?

We did. I stepped in the cargo bucket of the e-bike, so I was not riding itself.

But you fit in that cargo bucket, huh? Yeah, yeah. It was a tight fit. I will admit, but yeah,

I fit in there. We fit the car seats that attaches to the bucket, and it worked out pretty well.

You and your husband don't, you don't, do you have a car? We have not had a car since

2018. We had one of those VWs that was recalled and so we gave it back up and we're like,

let's see how long we can last without a car and it's been seven years now or eight years.

Wow. Wow. Very cool. State Representative Katie Jones with us talking about

the baby's delivery and you saw how far is the hospital? What are we talking about here?

Were you comfortable? I have so many questions. Was it comfortable? Was it not comfortable in the

cargo bay after you just gave birth? So I got to say a little bit longer at the hospital

so three days and so I felt pretty comfortable. We also had a padded seat in the cargo bucket

and we put down another blanket below me so I felt, you know, in luxury in terms of cargo

bike land. Now I assume you did talk to your doctor about this, right? Because you had to have

somebody in your life that kind of could have picked you up or you could have taken an Uber or

something like that, right? Yes. So we talked to our OB a couple of months ago about it and

she was the first fact because this was not a normal thing to bring up but we talked about

what an e-cargo bike is. It's got a big bucket in the front that can hold multiple people

and it's got a seat and then we can put a car seat in it and once we explain it to her she's

like that's awesome and the nurses at the hospital were equally like a little confused and

a couple of them came downstairs to see the bike. Peter was happy to show it off to them.

But yeah, we were honestly impressed and that we didn't have any resistance from any of our medical

teams. You made it home, no big deal. It's all fine and you, I mean, were you taking like,

were you taking the greenway? How, what is your route here? So, you know, I ride my bike in the

city as well and we have some protected bike lanes, somewhere it's a little more hairy. I like the

greenway. What is what was your route? Great question. So, I live in uptown and we were obviously

were blessed with multiple options and my husband and I, we tried, we did some trial run, we tried

24th, we tried 26th and 28th and then the greenway is a little bit further away from us and so that

would have been our trip longer. It also includes some inclines, right? And with a, you know,

some e-bikes, so it does have a motor in it, but when you're, when it's loaded down, it can still be,

takes some efforts on my husband's car to get it up the hill. Right. So that's why we ultimately

decided 26th and 28th. They are protected bike lanes and I'm just honestly really grateful

that the city of Minneapolis over the last decade or more has been, you know, investing in

protected bike infrastructure because that's what ultimately made me feel safe in taking this ride.

So obviously some people love this, right? And I find it, I think it's great. Like, I, you know,

on blue sky, on Twitter, some very, very positive response, but then of course, like also,

the obvious pushback where people are saying, look, like, I understand virtue signaling,

but this is like next level virtue signaling that you're taking the bike. How do you respond

to that? You know, we are very diverse people and we need diverse transportation options to fit

our own needs. And like I said, like, we don't own a car. We had access to cars, several friends

and family were very willing to loan us their car if we needed it. But at the end of the day,

like I said, we have the infrastructure. We had access to the bike. And so why not? And it's

honestly, it was fun. It was something to look forward to, you know, going into delivery is,

you know, I know there's going to be pain. That's not going to be fun. And so it's not another

thing that we could look forward to for this whole thing. Yeah. This podcast is brought to

you by Wise, the app for international people using money around the globe. With the Wise

account, you can send, spend and receive an over 40 currencies with no markups and no hidden fees.

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for your side gig, you'll get the mid market exchange rate on every transaction. Plus, most

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get wise. Download the Wise app today. Teas and C's apply.

This is attorney Amida Zari from Zari Law. If you've been injured in an accident and feel like

no one is fighting for you, it's time to fight back. Paul Zari Law at 888-838-Hurt,

that's what one call you can put a proven legal team on your side. Zari Law has been serving the

DMV for over 15 years, proudly fighting for our local community. I was born and raised right here

in the DMV, and my team is made up of experienced, reputable local attorneys dedicated to fighting

for injury victims just like you. Follow us on all social platforms at

usari.law. That's a-z-a-r-i.law. Don't wait, don't settle. Fight back with usari law. With

offices in Maryland, DC and Virginia, my team and I are ready to stand up for you. Call 888-828-Hurt,

that's 888-828-Hurt, and let us fight back for you. While a truck from the hospital on an

e-bike with a brand new baby might seem like dangerous business, it's baby cows or calves who gave

their owners a real scare with their own jaunt about town this week. These particular cows,

now named Houdini and who done it, escaped from Eichner Farm in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's North Hills.

Ron Eichner joined the Big K Morning Show out of Odyssey Station KDKA to discuss the breakout.

Year old calves are on the run in the North Hills, and Paul Alexander talked to my friend Ron Eichner

joins us for an update. Yeah, poor Ron, trying to corral these two rogue calves, and apparently

they're kind of hard to corner. But yeah, you would find where you are in the North Hills near

North Allig any high school, near Route 19. You would think Ron they'd be easy to find, have you

had any hints yet? Yeah, oh yeah, I got a phone call this morning, but just to give

a little update Monday night about 11 o'clock to state police had 279 shut down for about 45

minutes, because they're on the interstate, but got them off the road, but they're off of art road

and down in the highest, low part of Franklin Park and high a township, and last night we had a

drone with a heat sensor, and that was working good, and I told the group, I said you got to

kind of crown and try to funnel them into an area and get them into trail or well,

that foiled police were hauling a little bit too much, but no, we got a good plan, we just need

a little help, and you guys have done a great job with, you know, getting the word out there.

So I know Larry always, go ahead. What did I do, Ron?

I found nothing yet, you know, you're always great like at Christmas time, you know, calling a

farm to say where's the beef? Well, in this case, yeah, really, where are they? So you think you can,

you can get a hold of them? Yeah, well, they're in somebody's backyard, and basically my nephew

is going to have somebody come back out with a drone. I'm trying to reach out to get some volunteers,

like I emailed you, Larry, I always say we're here to support community, all we need is community

support, and it's helping, but eyes out there, just contact a farm, and you guys,

between radio and TV's done a great job, and we can't thank you enough. Well, I want to know, Ron,

how the heck they got out in the first place, what happened? Well, what had happened, I bought

these seven Dexter calves last summer, and they were in a farm up out of Evans City, and my nephew

Sue picked them up on Sunday, and I said, how about putting them in the back pasture, and he didn't

pay attention to me, or he put them down to barn, and basically one got out, Monday morning got

it back in, and then two got out, and I said, you know, well, this is kind of stupid, and next thing

we know, there's three out, and my nephew, they got across Richard Road across the farm,

and I said to him, trying to get around, and he kind of pushed them down to Pine Creek Road,

and then from there, they just went up towards Brandt's School, and then that's from late Monday

morning, so they're on the Grand Tour of Franklin Park in a high time, but we're hoping to get

them back in. You're not going to fire stew, are you? Poor stew? No, no, no, but if Paul is speaking

by 19, tell him to stop in as far as, you know, this way he can, he can understand words to

beef. So you guys do a fantastic job. Well, thanks. This is a family farm, and when was it?

This is generational, I want people to know. You're saying? Yeah, in 1897, my great grandfather

bought this little nested piece of property in a valley, and, you know, it's just been four

generations of sacrifice and effort on the fourth generation, and we have a fifth and sixth

in a pipeline, so all I have to do is instill sacrifice and effort into them, and they got a farm.

So we're blessed as far as, it's a lot of hard work, but like I said, you know,

well you got my email, let us know when you are able to, do you name these little cattle or no?

Yeah, yeah, they have named for them, what they are, I don't know, right now they're two

little black devils with horns, but no, they're very docile, and you know, people are a little sketchy

which I understand, but you know, hopefully we've got a happy ending here ASAP, and I'll definitely

keep you guys posted, like I said, not to be redundant, but keep up the good work. I know you don't

need yourself confidence supported. Thankfully, all that hard work paid off. CBS News reported that

the calves were eventually found safe, but not before causing a traffic mess. They obviously didn't

plan their route as well as Jones and her husband back in Minneapolis. Now listeners, before we go to

the break, I've got a question for you. Why did the salamander cross the road? Stay tuned to learn

the answer. Oh, and also some stuff about outhouses.

Thank you for listening to this special presentation of Weird News from Odyssey's Something Offbeat.

Why did the salamander cross the road? Or should I ask why do hundreds of blue spotted salamanders

make the dangerous journey across the road every spring near a park in Marquette, Michigan?

Crossing the road might seem safe enough, but here's why I called the salamander's trip dangerous.

2019, there was a survey, and when the road was open to vehicle traffic, there were over

400 salamanders that were recorded dead, and once that road was closed, you know, that number went

drastically down. Still, these blue spotted salamanders, native to Michigan, have important work

to do at that park. Northern Michigan University Biology Professor Jill Leonard explained why in a

recent interview with Odyssey Station, WWJ News Radio's Beth Fisher. Leonard also discussed

efforts to help these little amphibians get there safely. So what is going on with the salamanders?

I know they have a migration each year, and when does that typically happen?

Yeah, so the salamanders they'll start moving, you know, it's really dependent on the weather,

but right when the snow kind of starts to melt and there's a little bit of colder rain at night.

So we'll see, it's anywhere between March, April, May. So we're here at a Preskyle Park in Marquette,

Michigan. Some of the blue spotted salamanders they'll move from the wooded area in the park,

and they cross a small section of road within the park over to the vernal pools in the spring.

And so the city of Marquette and the FWP and a few other community partners close that small

section of the road at the night time, but with increased media attention there's been more and more

foot traffic. So this year and the next few years we'll be working. We received a grant from the DNR

Wildlife Habitat Protection Program to install amphibian tunnels. So the salamanders and other

amphibians can use these tunnels to cross the road safely. And you know, I find it fascinating.

Where are these tunnels going to go and what makes you think the salamanders will use them?

Yeah, so there are actually a lot of examples of this being really successful, especially in the east

coast, but a lot of places throughout the U.S. and even internationally. So they're called,

they're another form of a wildlife crossing, so that this this form will be an amphibian tunnel.

And so it's kind of just, you know, we're still in the planning process for what that will look

like here and how, you know, what the best model would be. But yeah, they they have been used

historically successfully in the past. So do you envision having signs for the salamanders?

Go this way or what? It's kind of just an inherent part of their nature. And so, you know,

the blue spotted salamanders are actually known as mole salamanders. But yeah, so they'll,

you know, sometimes that's just like a slit in the road with a great on top. But it'll be damp

and dark just like they like at night to cross. And yeah, just the engineering process kind of helps

that alone. So once these tunnels are put in, do you anticipate that you'll be able to leave the road

open then during the migration period? You know, we're not we're not sure, not sure about that.

We're still, you know, we'll see how successful the the crossings are and go from there.

And when do you anticipate, you know, these tunnels going in?

Yeah, so we just received the grant funding and so we're in the planning phase and we're hoping,

you know, to continue on this summer spring fall and probably another year.

And so what's so special about the blue spotted salamander?

I think that they're they're pretty cute. But no, I think amphibians and especially the salamanders,

you know, they're an indicator species. So they're they're pretty special and they

they're population populations of them around, not just here at Preskyle Park too, but

here in Marquette we do have a liking toward them and you know, the community just wants to see

them protected. And why do they migrate? Yeah, so they they're crossing the road to go over to

the Vernal pools in the spring to to later eggs. Our final weird story this week is brought to us

by Own the Road with Kelly and Bob from Odyssey Station KRLD in Dallas. On the show, the veteran

journalists travel around the country looking for interesting destinations and they certainly found

one at Outhouse Americana in Connecticut. There they spoke with George Papp, the nation's outhouse

expert. He's preserving these historical structures to offer a glimpse into America's past

and to memorialize the days when going to the washroom required a trip outside.

Talks and lectures on how this I don't actually have known throughout North America.

I've been in publications and such. Me outhouses have been my life for a good 26 years or so

and I don't care, claim to be an expert. I don't claim to know everything about it,

but they also understand how they thought back then. I know a little bit about it. I don't

like people calling me an expert. I would imagine in the world of outhouse experts there aren't too many.

I don't think there are any people that have bonded to it as thoroughly as I have or have

thought out of every little thing because they actually build them. I think about everything I do

and I say, why the hell am I doing this? And then I think about how other outhouses were built,

you know, that I've taken apart and I think well those guys know a little bit more about

outhouses maybe than I did because you did have professional outhouse builders then and I

try to think why they did it or if they were just slapping us together.

Like it or not, lots of people seem to think of George Pap Sr as the expert on outhouses.

He built them according to the period of the time you desire, making them as authentic

and safe as possible. And why safe? Well one thing that led us to George was the fact that we heard

that the product deposited in outhouses was used to make gunpowder during the Revolutionary War.

Sure enough, George confirmed that the stuff is indeed explosive and served in that capacity

during our fight for freedom. But the thing we appreciate most about George is his great attention

to detail and his sweet personality. When it comes to number one and number two, well George

is a ten. Which do you enjoy the most? Building the outhouse or all the research and work you go

to to find out the history and culture by the way. I'm always opening open to history and research.

You know that's not the main thing. Building them and putting myself into the outhouse,

you know it's a piece of art in many ways. So he goes say it and using the craft, yeah I like that.

And I do hope that in the future when I'm done people will retain the knowledge

that I've gained and put together are something so simple, so so basic in our lives that

you don't really care about it as of at all. But still it has a history, it has a craft behind it

and and just a whole social structure about the outhouse. Now this is all number two. This is the

second one I ever built. Old number two for number two. And this particular one I started

I started framing it out on spec and then I started getting all sorts of orders after I started

this, you know, and I got that far. But it gives you some idea, you know how I how I put them

together, you know I pretty much wrap it and things you you can see how things fit like the

opposed. It's like the almost like timber framing, you know, the way that it fits together like this

and the little muckers and stuff instead of looking, looking at this knowledge. You can listen

to the full interview with PAP by finding own the road with Kelley and Bob on the Odyssey app

or wherever you find your podcasts. Thank you all so much for listening to this Weird News Roundup

presented by Odyssey's Something Offbeat podcast. This episode was written and produced by me,

Lauren Berry. Special thanks to Drive Time with Derussia out of WCCO News Talk in the Twin Cities,

the Big K Morning Show out of KDKA in Pittsburgh, WWJ News Radio out of Detroit,

and own the road with Kelley and Bob out of KRLD in Dallas. You can find all of these shows

and the Something Offbeat podcast on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.

Get more out of every mile when you share the ride to work. With carpooling, you'll have time to

relax, save money and pick up new friends. Commuter connections can help you find carpool

partners who live and work near you. Even if you're commuting just a few days a week,

it's a free service. Carpooling, every dollar saved, every friend made. Register for free

carpool partner ride matching at commuterconnections.org or call 800-745-RIDE. That's commuterconnections.org.

This is Attorney Amida Zari from Zari Law. If you've been injured in an accident and feel like no

one is fighting for you, it's time to fight back. Call Zari Law at 888-828-Hurt. That's what one

call you can put a proven legal team on your side. Zari Law has been serving the DMV

for over 15 years, proudly fighting for our local community. I was born and raised right here in

the DMV and my team is made up of experienced, reputable local attorneys dedicated to fighting

for injury victims just like you. Follow us on all social platforms at zari.law. That's a-z-a-r-i-dot-l-a-w.

Don't wait. Don't settle. Fight back with Zari Law. With offices in Maryland, DC and Virginia,

my team and I are ready to stand up for you. Call 888-828-Hurt. That's 888-828-HURT. And let us

fight back for you. The ticket, Lady Jennifer of Coons. Well, many thanks, good sir. Here is my

discover card. They accept a discover at Renaissance Fairs? Yeah, they do here. Discoverers

accepted at the places I love to shop. Get it with the times. With the times. You're playing the

loot. Yeah, and it sounds pretty good, right? Discoverers accepted at 99% of places that take

credit cards nationwide. Based on the February 2025 Nilsen report. I'm Spencer and I work at

United Health Care. Suspenser, why do you care? I care because my daughter, Adeline,

has special needs. I am motivated by Adeline who inspires me every day. I am driven to help families

like mine navigate the health care system. I'm so blessed to lead an amazing team at United

Health Care focusing on the member experience and making that better. I'm Spencer and I'm committed

to care.

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