Chasing a Train in Your 60s

Ron 0:04

Imagine this You're in your 60s . You've ridden countless miles on your motorcycle ever since you were a kid , but , yeah , you're starting to feel your age a little bit . So how do you show your family that you've still got some spark ? How do you show your family that you've still got some spark ? Oh yeah , here's an idea . I buy tickets to put my family on the Amtrak cross-country westbound train out of Denver and then , as the train reaches the back roads deep in the mountains , I will chase that train on my motorcycle along those country roads that parallel the tracks , all the while , my family watching and filming out the window of the train and my friends . That's exactly what I did and , yes , I demonstrated in my 60s I do have some spark left and I believe I have never had more fun on a motorcycle in my life . So the big question was did I impress my family as they watched and videoed as I rode along the side of the train and , most importantly to me , my friends ? Did I impress my eight-year-old grandson , sam ? You bet I did . Oh , my goodness , I hope he will have some stories , but that just did it for me . I'm so excited to share with you today a talk about chasing trains , riding through the Rocky Mountains and , more importantly , how we can keep that spark .

The Peace of Country Roads

Ron 1:55

Stay tuned . Recorded in beautiful Loveland , colorado . Welcome to Peace , love Moto , the podcast for motorcyclists seeking that peaceful , easy feeling as we cruise through this life together . Are you ready ? Let's go . There's something really unique about peeling off the main roads and going out into the country , venturing onto those lesser traveled back roads , whether they're paved or unpaved . It's a different kind of challenge , though , out on the dirt , isn't it ? It's a different kind of freedom . Maybe it's a different kind of soul therapy to really be off the beaten path a bit . Call it adventure riding , or calling it just getting out on the dirt . There's , at least for me , an immediate sense of peace that settles as soon as my tires hit the loose gravel and the packed earth . I don't know , maybe it's like a more direct contact with the earth , direct contact with Mother Nature .

Ron 3:21

As I slow down on the dirt , by necessity the world slows down too . Out there , there's no stripes on the road . Few shoulders to pull off , because there's few cars coming by to be pulling off on those shoulders . Few guardrails , for that matter , too , out here in the country and in the mountains , but out here also , the scenery opens up and so does my mind . I'm just not moving through a landscape . I feel like I'm becoming part of it .

Ron 3:58

The smell of the pine needles , especially after a rain , the damp earth after that rain and freshly cut hayfield Sound of the engine seems to even change . I know it probably doesn't , but it feels like it does . It's a little more muffled , a little more connected with the terrain maybe and it's not just the technical aspects that make riding on country roads a little bit more different . Sure , you're looking out for the ruts and the loose rocks and maybe the surprised deer or two . When I was riding through Rocky Mountain National Park just recently , riding very slow on a dirt road up there called Fall River Road , there was a moose right in the middle of the road , like a thousand pounder right in front of me . So I guess I'm just trying to say that there's a meditative quality to it when you're out there , when you're away from the busyness of the world , away from social media , away from business deadlines and sometimes high-stress meetings .

Almost Heaven: Nature's Calling

Ron 5:07

Out here , at least for a little while , that's not happening right now . That's for some other time . Right now it's just about taking a deep breath , looking around and just saying , wow , isn't life just great .

Ron 5:47

That trip following the train that was about three and a half to four hours my portion of it , yeah , not a lot of time to stop and take a break . But I was cruising along there on those dirt roads again , just having a ball , just having a ball . But I was also thinking about this episode , the feeling of winding through country roads that take you somewhere , the feeling of winding through country roads that take you somewhere . And there was a song that popped into my head , a song about country roads . Some of you may know what I'm talking about John Denver's iconic anthem called Take Me Home , country Roads . It was released way back in 1971 .

Ron 6:32

It's a song about I don't know generations , about heartfelt yearnings for a place , a feeling of belonging , a desire maybe to return to simplicity and natural beauty and for us as riders , those country roads . That's just not a metaphor , really . Those are real . Those are those dusty paths we seek out on a Saturday morning , the trails that lead us away from the stresses of our busy lives . Maybe , maybe it's a calling to go , to go and just experience joy , bring a smile to our faces and a sense of calm to our spirit , maybe peace of mind , if you think about it , think about the words of that song Almost Heaven , west Virginia . For us , almost Heaven could be that winding road through the Rocky Mountains , or that dusty back road along the Great Plains , or the tree-lined paths in the Pacific Northwest .

Ron 7:53

Every region , I think , has its own version of the idyllic country road , a country road that may be just calling you so . When you're out there , out of the city , into the country , and not just riding , I think you're discovering hidden views that just can't be seen from the highway at highway speeds . You're seeing forgotten barns and the sheer majesty of nature . Maybe that's been untouched by concrete , untouched by the busyness of modern life . As for me , I love to stop at old log cabins that are up in the mountains , and sometimes you run across an old gold mine operation . I love to imagine what life was like with no jet planes flying over , no cars passing by , no daily news , just the chores for that day and a hope for a bright tomorrow .

Ron 9:11

So if you haven't

Creating Memories for Generations

Ron 9:13

yet experienced the magic of country roads , whether it's paved or dirt , I urge you to give it a try . Yes , I know that jumping off into the dirt requires a motorcycle capable of doing that . But hey , that's what long-term financing is for right . That's what long-term financing is for right . I'm sure that your local motorcycle dealer will find the payments that are right for you . But seriously , as for me , this past week chasing that Amtrak train with my family on board , I do hope that something that my grandson felt or saw or heard will be something that he tells his kids about someday . Maybe he'll say that Papa was a little bit crazy , but I hope he'll also say that Papa really loved life . Until we visit again , and maybe I'll see you out on one of those country roads

Closing: Country Roads Take Me Home

Ron 10:20

, I do wish you peace and I wish you love Country roads country roads .

Speaker 2 10:29

Take me home to the place I belong West Virginia mountain . Mama , take me home country roads . Take me home , country roads . Take me home , country roads .