Smiles In The Storm

Ron 0:05

Now, I must admit, it makes me smile when I see those, I don't know, less than prepared motorcycle riders huddled underneath a bridge trying to stay dry. Motorcycles parked as far off the road as possible without getting into a place where you fall over. I see them waiting, looking to the skies, hoping the rain will stop. Yeah, I smile, but they can't see me smiling. Out of friendliness, or must I admit, out of shamelessness, I give them a wave as I ride by, waterproof from head to toe at 65 miles per hour. I shouldn't laugh. That's terrible, I know. But today we're gonna talk about a topic that's often on our minds. It makes motorcycle riders, so many of us, scramble for cover. But really, it shouldn't. You're out there on a motorcycle, and weather happens. That's part of the deal we make with Mother Nature, right? She allows us to come out and explore as long as we're ready. And that's life too, isn't it? Like Forrest Gump said, life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get. Yep, we don't know. Whether it's out on the bike or in everyday life, we don't know what we're gonna get. But we can prepare as best we can for whatever may come and keep on riding. Stay tuned.

Preparation Over Panic

Ron 1:45

Recorded in beautiful Loveling, 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. You know that feeling of, I don't know, let's call it dread, when those first fat drops hit your helmet visor? Well, the instinct is to pull over and wait it out. And sure, that's an option, especially for me if there's a coffee shop nearby. I will opt to wait it out and have a hot caramel latte. But today, I want to challenge that instinct, both on the bike and in life. The core message here today is of preparation and perspective. Think about the value of being prepared for all kinds of weather when you set out for a ride. We have our checklist. We also know how quickly the mountain weather or coastal weather can change. We pack those layers because we know that cold weather is just as much of a risk as the sudden downpour, maybe. So I've shared this experience with you on an earlier episode, but I'd like to relive it now with your permission.

Monument Valley Hail Wall

Ron 3:16

It was a summer day, midsummer solo ride through Monument Valley, one of the most iconic of American spaces, especially on a motorcycle. I was riding south starting the day in Moab, Utah. There's a road that is featured in the movie Forrest Gump, as I quoted from earlier. The scene is where he decides to stop running and just go home. Where they filmed that scene is marked on the side of the road. Anyway, I was riding south just past that area, and almost out of nowhere came a wall. This blackish, greenish wall. It completely obscured the road ahead. I was gonna ride right through it, because there's no bridges out there, nothing to hide under, no gas stations, not even trees for that matter. Oh yes, and you know the greenish hue, you may know that. That's typically hail. And my friends, that's what it was. Everything around me changed from bright and sunny to dark, like nighttime. I felt the first huge drop, then a lot of them, and then marble sized hail. I slowed, but I didn't stop. I just ducked under my windscreen, became as small as possible, watching the road as ahead as best I could, and I kept going. Then it ended just as quickly as it began. The rain and the hail stopped. The sun came out as if nothing had happened. So, what I failed to mention here was that I put on my rain gear as soon as I saw that wall, top to bottom, waterproof. With my full face helmet and protective riding gear, even the hail was manageable. A little painful here and there here and there, especially on my arms, but yeah, it was manageable.

Why Riding Wet Is Beautiful

Ron 5:23

You see, I like riding in the rain. I do. Just this past weekend, I went on a long ride about 800 miles, actually, a little more than 800 miles over a couple of days. Yes, it rained for about a hundred miles of that ride, and it was cold too. But you know what? I was prepared, and I loved it. Have you ever ridden a motorcycle through a forest after the rain? Ah, the scent of the damp earth and the pine needles is suddenly just amplified and rich and deep. Unlike in a car, on a motorcycle, yeah, we can smell it. Or maybe you're passing by a farm field that was just freshly cut for hay. That sweet, grassy, almost earthy fragrance, it blooms in the moisture, I think. I think too that Mother Nature, she's offering us some free aroma therapy. Maybe we all need that. It's like she's saying, why don't you slow down and notice this moment right now and enjoy what I have to offer you. You see, maybe sometimes the rain isn't a barrier, maybe it's an enhancer for our lives.

From Rain To Resilience

Ron 6:53

Just as we know a sunny day on the road can turn to a downpour, we know too that life will sometimes have its own unexpected challenges. A sudden loss, a career reversal, a health scare. Yeah, the rain will fall, and we can't stop it. But just like as we prepare our gear for the motorcycle ride, maybe we can prepare our hearts and our minds for storms of life too. And this preparation, it isn't about building up a wall, trying to predict every outcome. We certainly don't know. There's no way to know. What will come will come. No, instead, it's about building up this, I don't know, inner resilience. And I think mindfulness really, really helps. You see, it's it's like having this full-faced helmet perspective, knowing that tough times are temporary and they don't have to define our journey. And it's about having this waterproof gear or self-care and even community support. Other bikers are out there too with us, right? I mean, some may be huddle huddling underneath the bridge, but others are out there cruising along just like you. So, you know, this practice and the people around us, they keep us warm and dry and safe when our world sometimes feels very cold and wet. When the rain of life hits, the person who has prepared doesn't panic or rush for the immediate shelter of distraction or despair. Instead, they slow down, they focus on the road right ahead of them, and they remember this fundamental truth, that the changing times, these rainy days, can also intensify the beauty

The Rainbow In The Mirror

Ron 9:05

of all around us. We may not be able to recognize that now, but oftentimes it does. See, these rainy days make us appreciate the moments of sunshine even more. They reveal the true deep-rooted strength of our character, just as the rain reveals the deep scent of the forest. I've heard it said that it's in times of desperation. At the bottom of the well, when you finally look up and you'll finally recognize how beautiful the stars are. So, in closing, here's something I didn't mention a few minutes ago when I was riding through Moab down through Monument Valley. Of all the things I saw, I'll never forget this. After my bike and I came through that storm, I happened to look in my rear view mirror, and there in those dark clouds I had just ridden through was the brightest rainbow I've ever seen. It was like Mother Nature was telling me, aren't you glad you kept going? And aren't you glad you looked back? I sure am. So until the next time we visit, look up at the sky, look at those heavy clouds rolling by. When you swing your leg over the bike or you're simply just facing a tough week ahead, just remember the peace that you'll find in preparation and embrace the experience. You know that we have everything you need. We've got the gear, the mindset, the resilience, and the community to ride out that storm. Until we visit again, thank you so much for listening. I wish you peace and I wish you love it.