Episode 77:  Motorcycling in your Flow State

Ever found yourself in The Zone.  Maybe playing golf or tennis, where every swing of the golf club or every ground stroke with your racket came off just right?   The ball went right where you wanted it.  For motorcycle riders, maybe our Zone is when we’ve been riding for a while, then time stands still.  You’re riding along, carving turn after turn, hitting the apex of each turn, braking, shifting gears so very smoothly and accelerating out of each corner without even being fully aware that you’re doing it.  No thought required.  Ah… nice.  It’s good to find the Zone.  Maybe that’s a glimpse of Heaven.

How does that even happen?  Yeah, sometimes we call it being in The Zone, but it’s also called the Flow State.  Oh, now that sounds like a hippie thing.  Sounds about right for a podcast called Peace Love Moto.  Ha ha, love it!  Ooo, let’s explore that cool and groovy Flow State thing where all is right with the world.  Thank you for joining me today, stay tuned!

OPENING MUSIC

So, I was at an eye doctor appointment.  Now first of all, my eye doctor is awesome.  She’s so kind, always with a big smile and very professional, but she also does a lot of charity work, like free eye care for kids in Mexico.  That’s the kind of person I like to support.

Anyway, she knew that I had some stress in my life, job stress specifically and always showed care for me, so when she asked me “how was work?” and I told her “about the same”, she mentioned getting plenty of exercise to counter that stress that I’d been dealing with.  She told me to especially get enough cardio exercise from fast walking, or jogging.  I told her that I did that on the treadmill at the gym.  Well, she said that’s great, but she suggested that I also should take time to go for walks or jogs outside.  

She said that it’s not only your heart and lungs that need expanding, but so do your senses and when your senses are heightened, your worries decrease.  Life’s challenges,,, well you may just find solutions during that walk or jog outside moving from place to place.  She talked about this for a few minutes, which was awesome given she only needed to give me an eye exam.  Huh, interesting...  So it’s the sights, sounds and the smells of the everchanging outdoors that you don’t get from the treadmill.  Ah, good point.

So what does that have to do with motorcycling?  Well, unless your riding a virtual motorcycle inside in a video game, you’re going outside with no distractions.  Fully engaged.  Things are speeding by, the sights changing every fraction of a second.  The smell of a fresh cut hay pasture or of the forest after a rain.  The sound of the bike, sure, but also the sound of the river or the wind blowing down through the canyon when you pause for a break.  The heat.  The cold. The dampness in the air during a rain.  The constant wind, sometimes smooth, sometimes turbulent, but constant for sure….  Fully engaged.

NEW MUSIC

I’m more and more convinced that we, human beings, were not really designed for some of the daily stresses we face.  Even in our modern, comfortable world, the 24 hour news cycle, or even constantly being entertained, or spending so many hours sitting around for that matter. We’re not meant to be shocked and awed every day. Without a doubt, there are terrible things happening in the world 24 hours a day and I’m sorry for those suffering through such things, but I don’t believe our minds were created for having to process that all the time and even be aware of the bad things happening all the time.  

Honestly I’m so glad that I went to high school before the Internet.  I was not a great student, having a lot of struggles with reading and easily distracted.  Maybe a mild Dyslexia I think they call it.  It took all of my concentration to pay attention in class, listening carefully to the teacher.  There’s no way I could have done that with an iphone in my pocket.  

NEW MUSIC

• It's safe to say that riding our motorcycle requires our full attention. That's what keeps us alive right? But as for me, sometimes, after I’ve been out on the road for a while, I don't feel like I'm giving my bike any attention at all. It's like together we're moving effortlessly through the wind.  I tune into the hum of the engine, the feel of the road beneath me, and the ever-shifting environment that’s moving past me.  You see, after a bit, I feel like I’m still.  Not moving at all.  It’s the world that’s moving beneath my bike and I. We are partners having the same amazing experience.  I think that this deep focus sometimes brings a sense of mindfulness, helping me stay fully present in the moment.
• In our world full of constant distractions, like I mentioned, these moments on the bike become a sanctuary for me—a way to quiet my mind and immerse myself in the here and now. It’s as much about mental clarity as it is about the ride itself.
• All of the research that I’ve read states that motorcycling often induces a flow state—a mental zone where you’re fully absorbed in what you’re doing. Completely relaxed and completely focused at the same time.  As this happens, in this total state of relaxation, we still respond to the road’s twists and turns, adjust our speed, or feel the bike lean into curves. Each action becomes fluid, almost instinctual. It flows.  Time seems to slow down or disappear entirely.  We exist purely in the now.
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• What’s going on, what’s happening that brings us into the Flow State.  Maybe it’s the rhythm of riding that clears my mental clutter. Here in Colorado, we have lots of twisty and steep canyon roads.  As we focus on navigating the road, our mind just quiets.  It’s like this meditative state. The worries and noise of daily life fade away.  Those worries are replaced by a calm, a centered awareness you might say. So essentially, this flow state that we keep talking about, this Zone, is a form of moving meditation, where the motion itself becomes part of your almost out of body experience.
• I do enjoy riding with friends, but sometimes I think that you and I need to ride alone.  A time to process all the baggage that we’ve been carrying. Sometimes I talk to myself, or I will repeat a song over and over in my head literally for hours.  Sometimes I’m resolving problems from work.  Problems I could not solve sitting for hours in front of my computer.  At other times, when I remember to do it, I simply appreciate the beauty of Nature.  The beauty of life.  The time becomes right to count my blessings.
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• Sometimes we feel that life would be so much better if we just had control over everything, control over what happens next.  In a way, when I’m riding, I feel like I do have more control over your life.  I control the throttle, the path I’ll take, and the pace of the ride. It’s freeing.   
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• Here are some practical times that I’ve run across.  Tips for finding your Flow State in your next ride.  This is easy.  Simply take a deep breath before you get started.  Be grateful that you and your machine will be one together for a little while.  No computers.  No meetings.  No deadlines.  Just a time to play.  I know that some folks live in the city and it’s hard to break free of traffic, but try to choose a route that allow you to connect with the environment—a scenic road, quiet backroads that take you out of traffic.  Leave distractions behind.  They’ll be there when you get back.  Be brave and turn off your phone, or go on Do Not Disturb for a little while.  Maybe even resist the urge to use music or headphones. Let the sounds of the ride guide your thoughts.  
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• It’s a priceless experience to find your flow state.  A state of mind where all is right with the world.  While that’s my hope for my next ride, that’s also my hope for you.  That you’ll find that ever-elusive Peace of Mind next time you’re out on your bike.  Until we visit again, I wish you peace, I wish you love.
• Music by Alan Frijns and Clavier Clavier from Pixabay