From Business Travel to Sunset Ride

Ron 0:08

This past week I was traveling for business . Corporate America requires that sometimes Flights , uber rides , big cities traffic yeah , you know the drill . It's usually a bumpy flight in and out of Colorado . They say that the bumps are caused by the mountains , where the westerly winds coming from the flat deserts of Arizona and Nevada bump into the high peaks of the Rocky Mountains , causing all that turbulence . Well , I'm not sure what the cause is , but one thing's for sure Dramamine is my friend . Oh , my goodness , you know that motion sickness miracle . You know the flight is bumpy when you hear everyone on the plane collectively say whoa at the same time . Anyway , last evening , once again , we landed safely at Denver International Airport .

Ron 1:05

I drove home and as soon as I could get settled I peeled out of my business travel clothes , put on my favorite t-shirt the one that says Go Fast , don't Die put on my riding gear , got on my motorcycle and I went for an evening ride just right around sunset . I call it my Masonville loop . There's a small community about two foot hills to the west from my home . Little to no traffic out there . It's just a valley between the mountains . The loop , as I call it , it's about 25 miles . I've made that loop hundreds of times . It never gets old not to me anyway . Rather than the whoa of the passengers on the bumpy flight , I said , ah , as I thank the stars above for the opportunity , truly the gift , to just relax on my bike and take it easy . You know , there's a certain rhythm to motorcycling that encourages us to , yeah , take it easy . At least that's my experience . Take it easy , at least that's my experience . No more getting to the office , getting to the airport . No waiting in line , no bumpy flights , just you , your bike , and , for a little while , all the time in the world , just to take it easy . Hmm , sounds like a song , doesn't it ? You probably know the one . It was a big hit for a little band called the Eagles . So , yeah , it was going out . To just take it easy is what I needed so badly , and it worked , like it does . Every time I came home a happy man .

Ron 3:28

Motorcycling

Finding Mindfulness on the Road

Ron 3:29

, for me , is about finding that flow . It's about finding that sweet spot , you might say , where the world just slows down . It's where mindfulness can kick in . You know the whole breathe and know that you're breathing thing , because mindfulness , I think , is supposed to be easy . Yeah , it's what we could do as kids , without even thinking about that . I think that it's the weight of the world , the bumpy flights in life that keep mindfulness at bay . But maybe if we can just learn to take it easy , life would be so much more wonderful . Let's talk about it . Thank you for joining me today . 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 ? I'm easy like Sunday

Easy Like Sunday Morning

Ron 5:01

morning . That's why I'm easy . I'm easy like Sunday morning .

Ron 5:17

I mentioned the song by the Eagles a little earlier , but another favorite of mine is a similar song sung by Lionel Richie of the Commodores . It's called Easy Like Sunday Morning . Yeah , that's a good one . It was written by Lionel Richie and it's a song that expresses a man's feelings as he decides to change his outlook on life , in this case after after a painful , failed relationship . Instead of being depressed and digging himself into a hole of sadness , he feels a sense of ease and liberation , describing himself as easy like Sunday morning .

Ron 6:02

The phrase easy like Sunday morning evokes a feeling of I don't know peace and tranquility , similar to the calm of a quiet Sunday morning in a small town . You see , when I was growing up in a small town in Texas , Sunday morning was a quiet time . Town in Texas , sunday morning was a quiet time . Most stores were closed on Sundays . Most folks didn't even mow their lawns . For many of us , sunday morning too was about going to church to gather with our friends , to be together , to sing together and to thank God above for the good things in our lives and pray for those things that we needed help with . I remember Sunday mornings growing up very , very fondly .

Ron 6:51

So that song Easy , like Sunday Morning . It's about a move toward personal happiness . Maybe the singer states that he paid his dues and no longer needed to try to be what others wanted him to be , and that's an important message in the song too , I think . So , on that note , let's go for a ride . Let's go for a ride .

The Moving Meditation of Motorcycling

Ron 7:35

Imagine a Sunday morning , 70 degrees , a sunny day , a winding country road with no schedule , just the hum of your engine and the sound of the wind . That's the feeling of effortless joy , of shedding the week's worries and simply being present in the moment . As they say , breathe and know that you're breathing . Think about motorcycling . Especially when you're not pushing yourself as some of us do . Sometimes , motorcycling can be the ultimate remedy , the ultimate escape from the daily grind , from the worries and the weights of the world , from digital distractions , the 24-hour news cycle and reconnect with the world . That's all around me and it's always been around me . I just haven't paid enough attention , but now I do . The smells , the sounds , the changing landscape as we're rolling along . We know that very well , but it feels like we're standing still and the world is just passing by us . Just the two of us your bike and you . Maybe it's like a moving meditation , a chance to let your mind . Take it easy . Yeah , that was the Eagles , their first big hit .

Ron 10:01

I think it could have easily also been a slow , reflective song . Take it easy . It's not just a suggestion too , it's a way of life for many of us , many motorcycle riders . This song , with its imaginary open roads and the freedom that we know that motorcycling offers . It's not about getting bogged down in the little things , about having the confidence to I don't know , maybe the confidence to just roll with the punches , trusting that the journey itself is the destination

The Journey Is the Destination

Ron 10:41

. Think about that , if you would . The journey itself is the destination . Just like riding my loop through Masonville . I didn't need to get to Masonville , I just needed to ride through it .

Ron 10:58

I think that over time you learn that sometimes the best plan is no plan at all , just a willingness to go and take it easy and see where the road leads you . We've all been there , right , pushing ourselves too hard , getting caught up in the rat race the whole career thing . I've been there . But motorcycling offers a powerful reminder that there's another way . It's about embracing the journey , not just the arrival , taking a few minutes to stop and look around , look where you've been . And , unlike in corporate America , it's not all about results . It's not about being productive , necessarily . It's not about hurrying to make your flight or making sure that the Dramamine has kicked in before you take off . No , it's about going for a while on your ride , on your schedule , going where you want to go . It's about finding those moments of peace , finding your zen , your mindful moment and , if you're lucky , finding peace of mind . So , my friends , the message today yeah , take it easy , easy , like Sunday morning . And with that , I wish you peace and I wish you love . Thank you .