Ron: 0:09

Hi friends. Hey, take a deep breath. Relax, and I have a question for you. What does it mean to have a mindful experience on a motorcycle? How do you make that happen? Well, that's the thing. You can't. You can't make it happen. Rather, as we'll hear today from my very special guest, that mindful state, that inner peace, that joy, it happens on its own, in its own perfect timing. And that, my friends, is something worth talking about. And I'm incredibly excited today to welcome back my very special guest and my kindred spirit, I feel like, Ben Rubin, also known as the Mindful Motorcycle. Ben has been through quite a journey since we spoke about a year ago, from navigating the ups and downs of life in Maryland to celebrating a massive personal milestone. We'll be digging deep into how he found a sense of peace on the road and why he believes that the quickest way through the storms in life and on a motorcycle is to ride right through them. It's awesome. I love that. So let's gear up. Let's settle in and get ready for what I think is one of the most inspiring interviews I've ever had. Thank you for joining me today. Recorded in beautiful, lovely 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. Ben Rubin, the mindful motorcycle, is on with us once again. Ben, I'm so glad to have you on the podcast.

SPEAKER_01: 2:20

It's super cool to be back. I listened to your year in recap. Oh yeah. Like all the all the people. And man, you have had so many cool people.

Ron: 2:32

It's a few though. That that make this fun for me. Make this really, really fun for me.

SPEAKER_01: 2:38

Well, it's flattering. Like I I you know, I did that, I did this with you, and then I kind of like life happened, and um and then here we are again. And I listened to the year interview, and it was like, you released it on like the second of January. It's like very cool. And um, I felt like I was I was included with like these giants.

Ron: 3:00

Well, you got your Mark Hawass, for example, the distinguished gentleman's ride. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 3:05

I know, I know, I know. And it was so cool, like to be to be listed amongst the people, those people, like the um, what's the um the speed oh oh yeah, go fast, don't die, Brady McLean. Man, I'm on that one. Um, I listened, I listened to the Alicia Skye uh episode because like I'm gonna have to reach out to her. That's kind of like sounds like my kindred spirit off of a motorcycle. Um and I was like, man, this is you're so nice to me. You're so nice to me. I was like, oh my god, this guy's the nicest person out there.

Ron: 3:42

Well, thank you, thank you for that. You know, I just I I if I'm doing anything right, I'm just recognizing how blessed I have been in my life. I've had relatively good health, was raised by parents who loved me, sister who loves me, uh spouse who loves me, and all of which allowed me to get a motorcycle when I was a kid. And I've been on it ever since at 63 now, and I've been on it ever since I was 11 years old. And so I just feel like I've been given, given, given so much in the same way that Mark said the same thing that you got to give back. We're in such a hurting world, yeah, with guys like us making terrible decisions, you know. And um, we've just got to, I think we just have to put a message out there that there is something to be happy about. And one of the things that you and I found is motorcycling and mindfulness and things like that. So, anyway, I should I should pause there. I do want to show you one thing though, for those listening, we are on video together, by the way. My wife found this in the basement the other day. This is a caricature of me, and I know I was 11 years old because it has 1973 on the back of it from Six Flags Over Texas, a caricature of me on a mini bike, and it was at 11 years old in 1973 when I got my first mini bike. So I've been riding that long, it was just a reminder, and it is well, you have the same smile, yeah. I guess so, and it says easy rider on there. So, yeah, let me segue into this. So, I need to I need to stop talking so much because this is about you. So, you mentioned it before on the previous interview, how you got started with this whole motorcycle connection and and life prior to that, and there's other stories I want to get to too, but would you mind describing to our listeners where did this all come from for you? This motorcycle connection, the mindfulness, and all of that that you've been doing.

SPEAKER_01: 5:44

Yeah, so I think that um, like you, I've always like from a little from a little kid time, I was obsessed with motorcycles. I I loved actually I loved anything with wheels. Uh, so I had a bicycle and I biked all over the place. And um, but I was always a little bit too rambunctious for anyone to like give trust me with motors, with like a motorized vehicle. Um, and I didn't have like the the luxury of like a lot of dirt where I live, right? I'm in Maryland, and um to give people an idea, it will take me about an hour to get to like the closest off-roadable road, and it's like a very short mile loop, and it's where everybody goes, and that's my option. Um, and that's without my parents driving me, you know, if I was a little kid, right? So um there'sn't a whole lot there, and I was rambunctious. So I lived on two wheels, but they were pedal wheels. Um, then I got a car, the car was really fun, but I was never really settled enough to like take the plunge on, like you said, this like kind of privileged item, a motorcycle, right? Um and I so like I we didn't really talk about this last time, but you did mention men's mental health, and that is a big part of my life. And so like um I got married, I had a uh a pretty uh, you know, I've learned you can have simultaneously really good and really kind of tough things that happen. Um, it's okay that they coexist, right? And so like I had this beautiful marriage, right? Um, and in that marriage, I got sober, right? So I don't think we didn't really talk about this last time, but like I'm uh I'm sober. Uh I've been sober. Well, I haven't drank in almost a in over a decade. Um, and I just passed five years working 12-step program. Um it's it changed my life. Um, it's amazing how stop sticking poison in your body can change your life. Um and uh I think as a result of that, like both myself and the people around me saw that like that I was trustworthy, you know, that like I wasn't gonna just get on something and go out and be reckless. And a motorcycle appeared in my life, you know. Uh and my my ex-wife gifted me a Harley Davidson uh gift certificate and said, go get your license. Um, and I did that. I did it, and then six weeks later I had a motorcycle. Three weeks after that, I crashed it, but I got back up, you know. Oh no. Um I was so excited. Uh, I forgot that like ice isn't good.

Ron: 8:29

Oh, well, I I was hesitant to ask, was it bad? What happened?

SPEAKER_01: 8:33

No, it wasn't that bad. It was it was ice. I was coming around a bend, there was ice on the ground, it was just this little patch. I hit it, I slid, it was fine. Um, and and yeah, I was super lucky, right? Um, but I just picked the bike up, kept going. It was an old bike, so I didn't really care that much. And it it got me through another year of of motorcycling, and I got to take it apart and put it back together and do all the fun things with with it. Um, but it was like uh it was a V Star custom, Yamaha V Star Custom. So uh a big bike for a starter outer, but um the power to weight ratio was really nice and it was affordable and reliable, kind of electric old bike. Eh. Um, but that's actually where I found kind of this piece. Like this is kind of where the the foundation of the idea comes along, where um I hadn't put a windscreen on it yet. I didn't put a windshield on it, and I hadn't gotten on the highway because I was a little bit timid. Um, but I got on the highway one day, and I just I, you know, I I revved it up and I pushed it and I got out on the highway and I'm going like 80 miles an hour and I'm looking down. I know we're not supposed to look down, but I'm new. Um, like seeing the lines go by me and I'm like hearing the wind and I'm hearing my exhaust note, and like I'm holding on for dear life as the wind is just smacking me in the chest. And all of a sudden I just like felt this same sensation internally as I feel when I'm sitting and meditating.

Ron: 10:10

Did you expect that?

SPEAKER_01: 10:12

No, no, no way. It was but that that's that's the that's the elusiveness of peace, right? Right? Like you if you go, if you I just posted about this, but if you go, if you go looking for it, it it's it eludes you, but you know, uh if you open yourself to it, it might find you. Yeah, you know, you you may be open enough to receive it in a way, and um, and how better to do that than like ripping down a road and paying attention to not dying, you know, and and and all the other things, and then all of a sudden it's like there it is.

Ron: 10:57

Yeah, yeah. I love I love that, yeah. Experience the same thing. I I just know it's good for me when I feel either myself lost or I just want to go and take a nap and just be lazy or whatever, which is a big part of my life, by the way, these days since I retired, which is becoming a problem. Naps are becoming a problem too often, but if I just remember, okay, I know it's gonna be cold outside, but if I layer up, go for a ride just like yesterday, just like the day before, just like this afternoon. I know I'm gonna have a great time, and I'm gonna be thinking of things that I hadn't thought about before while I'm out on the road. I'm probably gonna have a conversation with a stranger, which will probably be great. And whatever happens will happen without me trying to direct it.

SPEAKER_01: 11:45

Yep. Yeah, that's that's I mean, you know, in a way, once you once you get on the bike, there's this there's like a mutual agreement. You're like, I'm gonna do what's right by I'm gonna do as best I can by you, bike, and and hopefully we'll get somewhere unscathed. Yeah, love it. You know, and everyone will maintain, we'll continue working. You know, you'll keep working and I'll keep being alive and and all my parts will work, and we'll get somewhere, you know. Um, hopefully back to wherever it is that we started from, if that's our our goal, right? Um well eventually you do end up back where you started from, which is usually your garage.

Ron: 12:28

All that we do is ride in circles, right? All the time, right? We go, we go out and we come back.

SPEAKER_01: 12:33

Yeah. Yeah. And and so, I mean, even if you go out for a really, really long time, it's like you do end up back home. Um, it's hard to move on a motorcycle.

unknown: 12:44

That's true.

Ron: 12:46

You already mentioned the word hope. Yeah. So where does where does hope fit into all of this?

SPEAKER_01: 12:55

Okay, so uh we're riding a motorcycle, and we'll just do like a little visualization here. Like we're riding a motorcycle, and um, it's like really nice weather, and the weather app that we've been tracking it with says it's gonna be really good, and we go over a hill, and all of a sudden up ahead we see like really inclement weather, right? And you're you're a tour guide in like some of the craziest weather on the in the country, right? You you know this first hand. You see you see the storm up ahead, and you're like, okay, and you do like this mental check, right? And so I'm riding down the road, I've got my hands on the grips, and I'm like, okay, am I waterproof? Like, is my gear waterproof? Is it if it isn't, like, can it take whatever's coming? Most likely. You're in motorcycle gear, hopefully, it can take whatever is gonna come at it. And worst case, it will dry. Right. You know, if it's leather, it'll fit better, whatever it is, right? But like you you can probably make it with what you have on. Tires. Are my tires good enough to make it through there? Right? Do I need to find an under an overpass or an underpass? Do I need to seek shelter? Like, you start running through these things, and at some point, you can either, well, there's a couple of options, you can find the underpass, you can wait out the storm, you could go to a uh uh rest stop, you could turn around, but the storm's coming at you. Right? So, like you must just you're probably just gonna go through it. Hope exists there already. The through it is hope. Like, I will make it through it because it passes, it's weather. It might not be today, it might come in for a season, but but we will we withstand it. I mean, motorcycle riders, we're resilient. Like we seek discomfort. I mean, we don't sit in an air-conditioned car, we sit in leather on a hot day getting beaten down by the sun.

Ron: 15:08

That that's I I mention it any number of times on the podcast, but it's absolutely true. If I find out that someone is a motorcycle rider, or if I'm pulling up beside someone on a motorcycle at a cafe, I know I'm gonna have a good conversation. Yeah, just because we have all of this in common without saying a word. Yep.

SPEAKER_01: 15:26

Yeah, and and what I think so this is cool. So, so there's a lot of uh there's some some fun topics here to unpack, right? Um but like one of the so that's so hope is that I'm gonna make it through the storm, right? And um, and you you probably know this, but like, you know, buffalo like the buffalo turn and they go into the storm. Because the quickest way through it is through it. And like the buffalo's like, I got all this protection on, I'm just gonna do it. I can I can handle it, right? And and I think that's what's really important when life throws those curveballs at us, is to know you can handle it, but if you feel like you can't, someone else is going through that right now. They've been through it. Call them, talk to them, seek a community that could you're not unique. Sorry. You're not unique. This has happened before, it's gonna happen again, and other people are going through it. So, like, call us. Call the people that have felt these things before. There's another quick story. There's a uh a story where this woman goes to the Buddha because she, and I'm not I'm not Buddhist, I just like read a lot of Buddhist and Eastern literature. Um, but like, and it's okay if you are, whatever, all that stuff. Um the this woman hears that the Buddha can can uh restore her child who's passed away to life. You can bring him back to life. And so she's really excited, and she goes to the Buddha and she says, Hey, I heard that you can do this. And he says, Um, sure, I can do it, but what I need from you is I need you to go to town and I need you to bring back a cup of sugar from the house that hasn't experienced death. Oh, interesting. And so she starts doing that. She goes to each house and she asks for a cup of sugar. Everybody says, Yeah, sure, here's a cup of sugar. She says, Oh, by the way, before I leave, have you experienced death? Everyone's experienced death. Which shows her she she didn't, it's it's funny, and and here's a Jewish concept, like she didn't lose a she lost a son in a way, but she gained a community.

Ron: 17:52

It took me so long, and now the light bulb has gone off. I get it. I get it. That's beautiful.

SPEAKER_01: 17:59

So you have, yes, you have loss of something, but you gain a community of other people who have also lost it, who are resilient and uh and who have pushed through. And so that's kind of, I guess, the message. That's why we that's why a lot of people ride, you know? That's why people that's why the the distinguished gentleman's ride is there. Like, you're not alone, you join a group, right? And I I caveat here, like what's really fascinating about the various practices that I I do and that I expect I'm excited to always talk about are like um I ride alone most of the time. Most people do. But when I ride with others, my practice is enhanced. But if I were to ride with them all the time, I it would be too much. So there's this like I need my own time and space to do my own things, but it's the same with meditation. If I meditate with a group, there's this collective, uh, someone that I know calls a collective effervescence. It's a great concept. You feel it at a concert. You like feel it, you know, and you get together, there's like energy around everybody, and but like it's a lot, so I need to step away from that every so often and and do my own thing, do my own practice. Yeah. Um and and the thing is by doing it with others, I connect in and I I see that ever like it's it's possible. Whatever the thing that it is, it's it's possible. Uh resilience, um, you said picking yourself up, bootstrap, whatever you want to call it. It's possible. And then I have to go out and do it. I think it's really funny when you read these articles about like the Hell's Angels who like show up for a little kid.

Ron: 19:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 19:55

You know, for like a lemonade stand. And it's like heartfelt, and it's like But you know, the th we put on literally and figuratively, we have to put on a hard shell. Because what we're doing is we're going out there and we're vulnerable to everything to cars, to weather, to road conditions, to, you know, all sorts of things. But inside, and this is when we get off the bikes and we take off our jackets and we take off our armor, we can connect at a human level that is very, I don't, it's not, I don't want to say it's unique, it's very special. It's a very special connection. And it isn't, and this is the thing, it's not limited to motorcyclists. It's lit, it's not limited to anyone. It's open to everyone that the peace and the love and the the community. You don't have to ride to talk to a motorcyclist. Yeah. You know, you don't have to ride to experience what vulnerability feels like, what what overcoming things feels like, what peace feels like. You know. Um someone I so this year I had to go through some coaching because I have ADHD and I needed to like help some help with that. Um she uh is uh aerial acrobatist. She does like that is her mindfulness practice. That's what she does. It's it's incredibly dangerous. Yeah, it's incredibly dangerous, but like she we can connect at like this visceral level because we both do something that connects our us to like the greater whatever that is, and as a result puts the human humanity together. And like with so much disconnect, it's like all these forces are driving disconnection in a in an isolationist type type way. Like we don't need to do that, you know. The the thing with with like inside of 12-step programs and recovery programs is like you don't it doesn't ever have to be that way again, and you never have to do it by yourself.

Ron: 22:19

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 22:22

And and that's the collective joy.

Ron: 22:28

The fact is the fact alone that we happen to ride motorcycles, we met virtually because I saw you on Instagram, and that's what I want to be sure and circle back to because I think that's really important. I found you on Instagram based on the keywords that I was associated with, and um we're very much as related as cousins or brothers because we have or even closer than that, because we we we have the same feelings, same attitude, same vulnerability that we're willing to put ourselves through, and we just happen to be willing to talk about it. Yep, and I think that that's that's just huge. Uh, as you know, there from from I'm talking tech a little bit here, but but the combination of AI, which I love, I think it's very, very interesting. Uh, but what I saw in my corporate, long corporate career, especially those last year, between AI and automation and associated uh low-cost countries moving of jobs out, there's a lot of desperation out there. And from what I'm hearing, too, what's happening with this desperation is that people are pouring themselves more and more into their AI chatbot and going home after work, and they are on their chat bot, and this whole relationship with another real human, like you and I are talking about right now, is fading away. So, my hope is that that's an underlying message with the podcast that this peace of mind that we seek, the peace part, and the love for yourself, also is very, very important to translate a love for other people and to realize that we all do have this potential wonderful relationship out there, but it starts with a hello of a real person talking with another person, whether it's over Zoom, like we're doing today, or ideally in person and ideally riding to a coffee shop and just saying cheers to your latte, you know.

SPEAKER_01: 24:34

It takes vulnerability, it takes courage, and courage is defined by having fear but doing it anyways. You know, you can be afraid and do it. Remember, like we should remember that, right? We get on on rocket ships that are explosive and we stick them between our legs, right? We we s and it's and vulnerability and courage are uncomfortable. And going home and hanging out with your chatbot feels comfortable, but it doesn't give you connection.

Ron: 25:08

Yeah. AI, automation, um globalization of jobs, essentially offshoring, that's affecting a lot of people right now. I saw it firsthand. I was on the front row seat of that in corporate America. I know exactly what's going on, and it's going to grow and grow and grow. So, all of that being said, I don't mean to paint a dark picture, but I think it's opening up an opportunity to fulfill a huge need, and that is to help other folks get through this time, find some happiness, experience happiness, whatever that looks like, a motorcycle ride somewhere or whatever, but ultimately leave with a joy in their heart that uh is not gonna go away anytime soon.

SPEAKER_01: 25:53

That's my Yeah, I think like we said earlier, when if you're feeling down, like if I'm feeling down or if someone's feeling down, like you said, money doesn't buy happiness, which means money buys misery. It doesn't. But like if if people are, if you are, if you find that you are of the means to have money and you are unhappy, uh, I you know, don't give it a all away. But like, what can you do with your position to help someone else? And helping someone else will give you joy.

Ron: 26:28

Most definitely.

SPEAKER_01: 26:30

You know, maybe that's the myth. Like, money can't buy you happiness, but it can give you the opportunity to give. You know, I don't I don't know what that what that should be, but like that's if if you find yourself in a state of woe is me, you know, consider what have you done for someone else lately.

Ron: 26:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 26:52

You know, and and selflessly, if you do it selflessly, see how you feel. Yeah. And and man, it's just such a like you said, like you're we're gifted, we're fortunate, you know. Um the fact that we get to ride, that we're up on two wheels, that we're up on two feet, whatever it is. We have the help to do that. Help help us to do that. Yeah, yeah. And and so what do we do with it? You know? Um, and and I feel like, you know, coming all the way full circle, you doing this just for the pure giving of yourself and this message is is amazing. I mean, that's exactly what we're talking about, right? How do we facilitate helping others with something that we have, we've been gifted or we feel inside. And that's what we got. That's what we're here for. Peace, love, and motto.

Ron: 27:54

That's it. And Ben, I um, as we begin to wrap up, it's guys like you, conversations like this, like our previous one and this one, that so inspire me to want to be a better person, to uh realize that there are wonderful, be reminded of there are wonderful, wonderful, good people out there who as or who uh who recognize that there is work to be done. There are people to be helped for no other reason than we will walk away. Um, maybe they'll say thank you, maybe they won't. That doesn't matter at all, but we'll walk away knowing that you know what, one of these days, and I use this expression a lot, maybe I shouldn't, but I do. One of these days, there's gonna be an event where all your friends are gonna gather around and they're gonna talk about what kind of person that you were. It's called your memorial service, and there that will be a day. And my hope, just for myself, is the conversation is not gonna be around well, he worked for IBM for a long time and I'm not sure what he did, but he did pretty well. Yeah, my hope is gonna be he took people into Rocky Mountain National Park to realize how big and beautiful and wonderful Mother Nature is, and he enjoyed motorcycling. And then who knows if this whole dream of mine comes along, he took people on motorcycle rides and he gave collectively to a charity and it made a big difference. That's my hope. So it's a it's a morbid thought to think about this whole memorial service thing, but it's a reality too. I've been to a couple memorial services where it was a stretch to come up with, let's see, what did he do? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 29:41

Well, I think um I think so. A uh you said that you want to continue to try to be a better person. I think that you're already a pretty great person. Um it would be really cool if you just continue to be the best person that you are. Because you're a great person already. And I hope the friends were listening because they did he just he just told you, he just told you what he wants you all to say, okay, at his memorial.

unknown: 30:18

Yeah.

Ron: 30:19

Maybe I should put that, I should put that in the uh in the notes section. But please say, please say the following.

SPEAKER_01: 30:26

Yeah, yeah. And you know, the um, and you also mentioned like making a big difference for the chair for the charity. Um you you and I, I think both could can agree that any contribution definitively is a contribution, right? So if it's time that you can give, if it's resources that you can give, if it's just a smile or uh acknowledgement that this charity exists, you know, yeah. And just like these, like little we never know what impact we're gonna make on another person. Um, and you know, something so little as a smile and a nod, an acknowledgement, can can change someone's whole trajectory.

Ron: 31:14

What I think that brings so many motorcyclists together is we are going through the same thing. We accept to go through the same thing of good weather, bad weather, wind, everything else, heat, cold. We accept that because what we're doing somehow still brings us joy. And that sure does make for an easy conversation and turns into a friendship. So yeah. Uh, even though you and I have not shaken hands yet, uh, nor ridden together or gone for a cup of coffee, I appreciate your friendship. I really, really do. Uh, as I mentioned, it's people like you that keep me, uh keep me encouraged and uh bring me happiness and joy. So thank you so much for all that you do, Ben. A plug for your uh Instagram. I don't want to forget this too. I love your Instagram, man, and especially the last couple of videos that you've had on there, but all of the things that you have stated in there and uh anything else that you'd like to share about your Instagram or other things social media-wise that you have going on.

SPEAKER_01: 32:16

Uh I I may be launching a channel on YouTube. Um, I may be starting a podcast this year. Good. Um, I'm following in your footsteps, um, potentially. And and if I can, ultimately I'd like to get out on the road and do some rides with other people that I've met virtually or or not. And I don't know how I'll facilitate those things, but um if you're out there and you're listening and you want to connect and ride motorcycles or just talk about the things you do for the sake of doing them, I'm totally open to that.

Ron: 32:51

Cool, cool. I may be riding from here to Vermont this summer to attend the BMW rally up there. That is a long way from here, but it takes me up in your direction. Kind of, yeah. Kind of, kind of. So uh if if something could work out with my round trip as I ride, uh where we oh yeah, you could come down. Yeah, well, if we could uh connect somehow, I'd love to make that happen. Let's see. BMW Moto Rally. Uh um dates, what was the date of that? I'll have to look it up again, but I want to say early June, maybe.

SPEAKER_01: 33:29

I try, oh, that's tough. I try not to leave this wonderful city in June. June's a great month to be in Baltimore. Just it'll be my motivation to come out there. Cool, yeah. It's a great month to be. The summertime here is amazing. Um, but let's that's a cool thing. Um, we could try to figure something out. Vermont's also pretty far from here. But um Man, you're gonna ride all the way there?

Ron: 33:52

Yeah, wow. Make a big loop out of it. Go to the north of the Great Lakes. I mean, I'm just kind of picture it in my mind. Then come back through and see family and friends and uh more south, working my way back. But hey, I'm retired, I've got plenty of time. Ben, I'll let you go. But thank you, brother.

SPEAKER_01: 34:10

Yeah, you take care, okay.

Ron: 34:15

My friends, be honest with you, it it's conversations like this with really, really good people that keep me going, they keep me encouraged, and I can't thank Ben enough. I hope that Ben's stories stay with you the next time you see a storm on the horizon. And remember that the quickest way through a challenge is often straight ahead. And you don't have to ride alone either. We're part of a motorcycling community. We may not know each other sometimes personally, but we are a family. I'm convinced of that. So if you want to keep up with Ben's journey, be sure to follow him on Instagram. He is the Mindful Motorcycle. And as always, you can find more episodes and updates from us here at Peace Love Moto on my Instagram account as well. Thank you so much for joining me and Ben today. And until we visit again, I do wish you peace, and I wish you love.