Why I Ask Strangers About Bikes

Ron 0:12

In so many social situations, I will ask a total stranger if they ride a motorcycle. And that drives my wife crazy. But even though oftentimes they'll say no, every once in a while someone says, Yes, I do. And then I go on to explain, well, the reason I ask is I host a podcast about motorcycling, and it means a lot to me, and it means a lot to other people. And there's this whole Zen mindfulness thing that we incorporate into it, and you know, that turns into a whole new level of a conversation. I just love that. But anyway, I think I've come to realize that I'm attracted to other motorcycle riders not just because we share this machine that we love, but because some of us share a willingness to endure. So, for example, on a sunny Saturday when I'm out for a ride and I pass another bike, the bikerwave is just something we do, right? Most everyone does that. But it's on a gray, cloudy, cold, windy Tuesday, the bicrowave just takes on a whole new thing. It turns into like a salute. It says, I see you, and I see that you're as crazy as I am. And it's and it's on those days when my microwave takes on a whole different characteristic. It's not just these two casual fingers down, it's this strong peace sign with two

Welcome To Peace Love Moto

Ron 1:38

fingers way up. And not everybody gets that when I try to describe it, but I think many of you do. And today we're breaking down the difference between a ride that's just pleasant and casual on a pretty day and other rides that just really make you feel alive and proud to be a motorcycle rider. Thank you for joining me today. Let's talk about it. Recorded in beautiful, loveliness, 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!

Pleasant Versus Fulfilling Rides

Ron 2:50

I was looking at the weather forecast the other morning here in Loveland. As avid motorcycle riders, we're constantly obsessed with the weather, aren't we? We look at the temperature, the wind gusts, for where we are, for where we're going, the chance of rain, and around here, this time of year, the chance of snow. Like amateur meteorologists, we're just trying to look ahead. And I think that you and I probably think alike too. If you listen to this podcast, you get it. Motorcycling is something that we love to do, yeah, but it's sometimes something that we need to do. And a lot of folks and friends and family may not get that, but I think, yeah, I think you and I do. So this weather condition thing, it got me thinking about the difference between a ride that's pleasant and a ride that's fulfilling. Yeah, I think there may be a difference. And here's a brief explanation, if I can state this correctly. We all know that a pleasant ride, let's say around 75 degrees, and the sun's shining and the light breeze, the bike feels weightless underneath you. That's easy. And it requires like zero thought when you say yes to a ride like that. But we all know the difference on these other days, the days when the wind just will not stop whipping out of the west like we have here. Winds around here typically come from the west, the northwest anyway, in the this time of year. And they're coming over from Utah and Arizona, then they smash into the high mountains of the continental divide where they pick up speed again here on the western slope. Sometimes it's those days when the temperatures just fight to stay above 40. Those days when the conditions are telling you go back inside, go back in the house, stay home, make coffee, watch some Moto GP races on TV, or watch Buster Keaton on YouTube or something. Just be lazy and more importantly, be comfortable. But again, for some of us, we have to go for a ride right away because there's there's something that we know, something in the back of our minds that tells us, even though the conditions may not be perfect

Mindfulness Forced By Bad Weather

Ron 5:17

outside, and it may not be a comfortable ride, just getting out will be worth it. And that's the distinction, I think, between pleasant and fulfilling. So when I'm out riding my motorcycle on a perfect day, my mind wanders. I can think about everything. What's for dinner, you know, um, what was in the newspaper this morning, any projects around the house, whatever. And it's yeah, it's all relaxing. But then when I'm out riding in a 30 mile an hour crosswind and it's cold, and I cannot be anywhere else in my mind except in survival mode, I can't be thinking about the past and I can't thinking about the future either. I have to be right there, right now, leaning into the wind to stay on the road to survive. Yeah, to survive. So here's my point. It may be a bit out there, but I think it's true. This discomfort that we face choosing to ride on a less pleasant day, I think it forces mindfulness. It demands our presence. And that is why, even though those rides that are less pleasant, they're often more fulfilling. We get off the bike shivering, yeah, maybe, and our neck's a little bit sore from fighting a crosswind for hours, but we feel more alive than we did when we started. And I know I'm not alone in this. That's the way many of us, dedicated riders, feel too. That's the reason we get out there when other people are saying, Are you a little bit nuts? Then you respond, Today I am. But between motorcycle riders, those of us who all do that, I think there's a bond there. A community among us bad weather riders. It not that we're seeking out the bad riding conditions. That's not it at all. We love those pleasant days just like everybody else. But within reason, we don't let a bad day get us down. You know, there's the

The Bond Of The Bad-Weather Wave

Ron 7:37

wave, right? We were already talking about that. It's a sunny Saturday, and we wave and it's this casual greeting about, hey brother, how are you out there? It's an unspoken thing. But yeah, it's those nasty days when you see another rider out there riding and they're all bundled up just like you, and they look like they know what they're doing, but they must be a little bit crazy just like you are. That's a whole different wave, right? And if you can happen to meet them up, meet them at a gas station or at a coffee shop, that conversation is just gonna be pretty good. Because it's in that conversation that I think the concept of endurance will come up. And just sharing with each other why we love to ride, what it means to us. I love that.

Pushing Back On Aging And Excuses

Ron 8:47

As I've shared, I've recently retired from a corporate career that lasted quite a long time, and with retirement comes freedom, but with that also comes temptation. There's a comforting inner voice that comes as you get older. For me, it says, Ron, you don't need to prove anything. Want to get outside, just take the car, or better yet, just stay inside where it's warm in this winter day. Stay in your favorite chair, put your feet up, pick up a good book, and Lily the cat will surely curl it right beside you. And that is all true. I could easily use my aging mind and body as an excuse to become a fair weather rider. I could shrink my riding season down to just June, July, or August. A lot of folks around here do that. As we age, the world tries to shrink our boundaries. It starts with, I'd rather not be caught out on my bike after dark, so I better stay close to home. And then it turns into, well, it could rain this afternoon, I won't ride in the rain anymore. Or I don't like to ride when it's 50 degrees or below out there, it may be extra windy today. And before you know it, you're putting your motorcycle battery on a charger nine months out of the year, and you become that guy. You know what I mean? Let's not become that guy. I believe riding in challenging conditions is a way of pushing those walls of aging out. So, this is what I know after a lot of years of motorcycling. Riding a heavy adventure motorcycle in the wind or out on challenging terrain isn't just physical exercise, it's a mental workout, and my brain and my spirit need that. It's a source of joy for me. It's keeping me fully engaged, it keeps me sharp. Yeah, there's some survival reflexes built in there too, but along with that, it's thrilling and it's fun. I can come up with lots of very valid-sounding excuses for me to become a fair weather writer, but I'm just not ready to let that happen yet. So when I head out into the cold Colorado West Wind, I'm reminding my body and my mind that we together are still capable. We can still do hard things. So, my friends, here's my challenge for you this week.

A Challenge To Seek Fulfillment

Ron 11:49

Obviously, we have to be safe, right? We aren't riding on ice and we aren't taking any unnecessary risks out there. But the next time you look at the weather and think, eh, it's a little chilly. It's a little breezy out there, isn't it? My friends, go anyway. Just go anyway. Go for 20 minutes, layer up, get your old bones into the wind. Don't chase a pleasant ride, chase a fulfilling ride. Something that gives you a thrill no matter what. And my friends, if you see me out there on the road fighting that same crosswind as you are, give me a wave. I promise I'll give you one back. Until we visit again. Peace, love, and moto.