In October of this year, I attended my 35th High School Reunion. I graduated from Waxahachie High School in May of 1983. Time flies when you are having fun. I love seeing my classmates at the reunion. There are always some surprises. This year one of the surprises was John Mansell. I saw him at the football game Friday night for the first time in over twenty years. After the football game, the Class of 1983 went to Buffalo Wild Wings and caught up. It is always great to see my classmates. With my newfound podcasting venture, I decided to commit John to do the podcast on Saturday the following morning. I wanted to record his life since high school. After meeting John at the Smoothie Factory for a breakfast smoothie (I think this was all his stomach could handle at the time), we came back to my house and strapped him into the chair for an interview. At the Saturday night party, I was able to talk another classmate to come in on Sunday, Kyle Fuller. Recording these two classmates got me to thinking. I decided to do a series called, "WHS Class of 1983, Where Are They Now?" I want to interview everyone in my high school class, or at least as many that I can talk into doing it. The series would be a snapshot of a whole classes' life after 35 years. Welcome to the first podcast of the series, WHS Class of 1983, Where Are They Now?

I first met John in elementary school. His family moved in down the street from the house I grew up in. We went through school together. We both played all of the sports as a kid. We both played football in high school. For nine to ten years of my adolescent life, John was always around. I remember going to Dallas Cowboy games with his family and always competing against him in sports. I remember he had a pinball machine in his house. I thought that was the coolest thing. After high school, we drifted apart and never stayed in touch. I had to stick him in the chair and pick his brain about life after high school. What I found out is that John was successful in business and athletic ventures after high school. A family business John and his father started to track stolen vehicles was very lucrative. John has owned and or started many other businesses, including a high-end ski production company. Athletically, John got into bodybuilding, mountain climbing, and competitive bike riding. John competes to this day in many different types of bicycle races. He has held records and hopes to set some more. John is competing with the best in the world at this age group, and sometimes in any age group. John also coaches and trains other cyclists. It was a podcast of many surprises and memory spurring. I hope you enjoy the podcast as much as I did. I enjoyed it so much, I decided to try and interview my whole class.

I give you, WHS Class of 1983, Where Are They Now? - Series Episode 1 - John Mansell - Tour De Boulder. Class of 1983 you are on notice, your day in the chair is coming.