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.

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. 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 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, 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.