Welcome And The Mission

Ron 0:18

Welcome back to the Peace Love Moto podcast. I'm your host, Ron Francis, in Loveland, Colorado. On this show, we talk a lot about peace of mind, that mental clarity and quiet so many of us find when we're out on our motorcycles. But the love part of Peace Love Moto is just so critical. It really is. Learning to care for ourselves so that we can be there for our families, and showing up with love and support for other people, too. My guest today truly embodies every bit of that mission. I'm joined today by Mike Babbitt, the president of Motorcycle Relief Project, an incredible nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring and encouraging our military veterans and first responders. Through week-long adventure motorcycle rides, the Motorcycle Relief Project provides participants with a much needed escape from daily struggles, creating a supportive, safe environment to connect with peers who share similar experiences. Beyond the ride, they equip participants with real tools for managing stress going forward, processing trauma, and finding the path toward long-term recovery and healing. It is my honor today to be joined by my new friend, a military veteran and the president of the Motorcycle Relief Project, Mike Babbitt. Stay tuned for an interview that I believe will most certainly touch your heart. Thank you for joining me today. Stay tuned. Recorded in beautiful, lovely Colorado, welcome to Beats Love Moto, the podcast for motorcyclists speaking that feats all these people as we cruise through this life together. Are you ready? Let's go. And my friend, I'm so glad to have you on. Thank you very much.

Mike Babbitt 2:52

Yes, sir. Uh, you know, obviously uh uh familiar with your content and your uh your attitude uh and yeah, hanging out and uh riding motorcycles with people like you is just part of the the great part of the community we develop and and surrounding yourself by positive people uh you know brings all of us up. So I'm super excited to uh have the opportunity to chat with you.

The 100000 Foot Ride Explained

Ron 3:15

Oh man, same. And we were just talking before we started recording that we're gonna ride together on Saturday, along with what other 160 something, yeah. Yeah, yeah. It's the 100,000 foot ride. And you're a veteran of that, so I know I'm shifting gears all over the place, but you would you would you mind describing that? Because it's gonna be my first time to ride this particular ride. Yeah, yeah.

Mike Babbitt 3:38

So it's uh the BMW Motorcycle Club of Colorado, fairly Denver uh centric, but there's folks from all over. I think it's the 20-something anniversary of this ride. So basically, John Scalise puts together a route of about 300 something something miles, and you traverse some of the higher mountain passes in Colorado paved, and there's uh a couple uh adventure options for those uh riding the adventure and dual sport bikes. So yeah, you spend 300 something miles attaining 100,000 feet of elevation gain in one day, which is you know, not many folks can uh say they've done that. So yeah, it's a great opportunity to uh ride with uh folks, not just on BMWs, but you know, throughout the spectrum of uh of bikes. And then there's a dinner at the end where you know we all hang out, kick tires, enjoy some fellowship and uh some chow. And yeah, it's just a fun experience to uh do once a year. I'm so looking forward to it.

Ron 4:37

Just an hour ago, having coffee on the back porch with my wife, she said, You sure you want to do this? Uh yeah, I need to ask that a lot.

Mike Babbitt 4:49

Well, we've been dealing with some heat, you know, here in the here in the foothills and stuff lately, like the whole country. But uh gaining some serious elevation should be nice.

Ron 4:58

It could be a warm and cool day roller coaster. Well, Mike, I guess I'd like to just begin with the most important thing, I guess. All of it's important, but you're the president of the motorcycle relief project. And that's a really, really, really big deal. It touches on the name of this podcast, like I said, the peace and the love. Would you mind describing what Motorcycle Relief Project is all about? Yes, sir.

Mike Babbitt 5:32

So we're a nonprofit that takes veterans and first responders with PTSD, anxiety, depression, and all those other invisible uh weights they carry as a result of their service on five-day rides. So uh it's basically a week-long experience at no cost to them. So all they have to do is show up in either Colorado in the summer where we do our summer rides, or we trailer all our bikes down to uh Arizona and do our fall and winter rides down in Arizona. So we traditionally do 10 or 12 rides a year. Each ride has between seven and 10-ish participants, four volunteers and staff. So it's a pretty small group. And then, yeah, they show up on Sunday. Monday morning, we knock out the standard uh paperwork and waivers and all that, and then we take off riding. We ride Monday through Friday, do a little end-of-ride celebration on Friday, and everybody goes home on Saturday. So it's a week of riding during the day, and then we've got a curriculum of workshops that we do in the evenings, not to give away the trade secrets or anything, but uh a lot of folks will tell you, you know, they just came to ride motorcycles because it seemed like a cool thing. But you know, what they took most was took away most was the the workshops and just the opportunity to, you know, maybe lighten your load a little bit and go home with some tools to to help you uh get unstuck and uh move forward in life. So yeah, it's it's a phenomenal program. We uh the first ride was actually 11 years ago this month. Tom Larson started the program. I came into the program in June of 2016 when I retired after 30 years in the Air Force. So I was looking for something to to do in my retirement and found out about the program through a friend and reached out to Tom and said, uh, hey man, love to help out, love to uh to get involved. And I got the same answer that I give folks now 10 years later that you know, to be a volunteer uh and come on the ride, you have to be an alumni of the program. So yeah, I went on ride five back in June of 2016. And next week we uh kick off our annual women's ride here in Colado, which will be our 86th ride. So we have almost 600 alumni of the program in the uh the 11 years we've been doing this.

Ron 7:53

Wow, that's wonderful. That's wonderful. Well, clearly it takes a person uh with the appropriate background like yourself, but with the appropriate personality too, I guess, and obviously a motorcycle rider. For sure. How the how does this whole how did this all come together for you to hear? So I'm I'm interested in whatever you want to tell or whatever you want to share. But your your background, maybe growing up, where you grew up, how you found the whole motorcycling thing, a little bit about your your military experience and re congratulations on the retirement too. That's great. Yes, sir. That was 11 years ago. Oh man, yeah, time five. But yes, sir. Essentially, I'd just love to I'd love to hear your story, Mike.

Mike Babbitt 8:44

Yes, sir. So I grew up in uh Bellingham, Washington, all the way up in the northwest corner of uh Washington state there. Yeah, I uh I got into riding in high school, so uh close family friend uh Jody uh rode motorcycles and and you know I always admired uh her free spirit and then just you know seeing her out riding and and you know I

What Motorcycle Relief Project Does

Mike Babbitt 9:10

I knew that was uh something cool. And so yeah, I bought as a when I was a junior, got a Honda Trail 90. And uh and it was like 10 or 12 miles to school, and yeah, I'd zip back and forth on my little uh yeller trail 90. Uh and then uh I think my senior year I got a Yamaha 400 something. So yeah, I rode, you know, pretty much every day to high school, and yeah, so that was when it all started. Unfortunately, my first two years in the Air Force, I was stationed in Germany and was a dumb kid and didn't take advantage of that opportunity to own a motorcycle and ride in Germany for two years, but knew that it was you know still a part of who I was. So I actually saved up some money. And after that assignment, my next assignment was uh Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. So I flew home to uh Washington State, bought a uh Yamaha 850 Midnight Special with a better fairing and some saddlebags and a top case. And yeah, I rode to Missouri. I don't remember how long it took, but you know, that was my first, you know, halfway across the country ride as a a 20-year-old. And yeah, I've you know been hooked ever since. You know, there's probably been maybe a year or two in the 30 years I was in after that that I didn't own a motorcycle. So yeah, I've been riding pretty much my entire life and can't imagine anything different, you know, as far as my motorcycling. I so I had uh Yamaha for several years, uh the big touring bike, and then uh had a couple bikes, the Yamaha Adventure, I don't even remember a few other optimum things, and then in 2002 I bought a an 01 Honda Goldwing. So it was the first year of the 1800, and man, that thing was a touring rocket. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, so that was when I got into endurance riding. So, you know, did a couple of the basic iron butt rides and and continued to expand my horizons there. So on that bike, I did Canada to Mexico and back in under 50 hours. So that was my longest riding day of day of 44 hours of straight riding. So and then I've done the the 49 states in 10 days, and we added some mileage to that to make it 10,000 miles in 10 days. So yeah, I uh so I've done a lot of dumb stuff uh on on uh that gold wing, but I found myself more and more wondering, you know, where's that gravel road go? And and finding myself adventure biking on my Goldwing and vibrating parts off and and all that kind of stuff. So I think this is even pre uh you know, long way uh round, you know, what is what really set afire the uh the adventure bike deal. So I think it was even prior to that. I don't know what year that was, but yeah, I uh in 2007 bought uh an 04 1150 GS Adventure and have been on GSs ever since. So almost 30 years, uh 20 years on uh GSs. And yeah, it's it's you know, if I could only wanna own one bike, it would certainly be a GS because you know it's the best all-around bike made. I can, you know, travel cross-country on it or or you know, get off on some gravel roads doing lots of speeds that I can't legally discuss. And uh, and you know, do as anything as technical as I want to do it. You know, the bike's as capable as you know, 95% of the people that ride it, you know. So yeah, I love the GS platform and the community. You know, we get a lot of so on our rides, they're basically an intro to adventure bike level stuff. So we get a lot of Harley folks who uh are scared to death riding across a little construction gravel. And so we bring a coach on every ride. We do some you know, cone drills on on riding an adventure bike on gravel and you know, uh trusting to let the fat girl dance and do what it's gonna do. And then, you know, another analogy that applies to life is you know, get comfortable being uncomfortable and just let the bike do what it's designed to do. And then, yeah, we spend a week riding. And, you know, uh I'd love to say that BMW Motor Ed owes me some commission because about 80% of the rides, somebody that didn't know adventure biking was a thing goes home and buys a GS because we've introduced them into a whole new style of riding, getting out off the pavement and out of the towns and just you know out cruising on a gravel road by yourself or with some buddies. But, you know, one of the great things about the uh the adventure bike community is is how much we are a community. You know, one thing that that you can actually see transitions in people on our rides is, you know, if you drop your bike in the Harley world, you know, everybody laughs at you and and points fingers and and makes a big deal of it, where you know, we celebrate that in our community because the bikes are made to crash. And, you know, if you ain't going down, you're not uh pushing yourself. So, you know, it's it's fairly common, you know, get up, do the Captain Morgan pose, get a picture, standing on your bike, laying on its side, and and everybody's honking their horns and hooting and hollering, and and then they all come help you pick up your bike and uh yeah, get back on the road. So the sense of community that uh the adventure bike is it's not a solo sport, you know. When you're you know, sure you can get out and ride by yourself, but you know, when you connect connect with a a bunch of folks who have the same passion, it really is does expand your network of folks that you can get out and do stuff with and allow you to push yourself, you know, on terrain or conditions that you might not uh do by yourself. So yeah, I love the the adventure bike community as a whole, just because it is such a supportive community.

Ron 14:44

Me too, brother. And and I'm I'm exactly the same way. If I had to pick only tarmac or dirt, I'd pick dirt every time. It's just it's because of, especially as you know, living here in Colorado, it'll take you to those places where there's no tourists even thinking about going at all. For sure. And and yeah, it just opens up these whole new avenues. Again, before we start recording, you were mentioning to me about what well, I might tag along with you guys following along and hit be taking some of the dirt options. And I'm really looking forward to that. It's just these uh it takes you into wilderness, right? You know, I guess by definition, somewhat into wilderness as opposed to down the highway where it's a little bit of a I-70 traffic. Right, right. I'm I'm really looking forward to that. Again, my wife said, You you sure you want

Mike’s Motorcycle Journey And GS Life

Ron 15:35

to do this? Yes, yes, I do. Well, tell us then too, Mike, about I I am not a veteran. I don't know what that experience was. My dad was, you know, my dad's brothers and so forth, but I don't know what that experience was is like that folks go through. And I know it's different for probably different for everybody, but what is it that you try to bring to into their lives based on what their experience was and and and and bring that to a positive outcome at the end of the week?

Mike Babbitt 16:13

Yes, sir. So one thing I will caveat that uh there are some people and some programs out there that focus on the source of your PTSD and trauma. So, you know, there there's some chest thumpers out there that say, you know, if you didn't get your PTSD in combat, you're faking it. And you know, my PTSD is more PTSD than yours. And and yeah, we don't don't adopt that mindset at all because trauma is trauma, you know. People's trauma is the worst day of their life. You know, it's all relative. Sure. You may have had a more quote significant experience, but you know, if somebody has the worst day of their life and and carries a weight of that, you know, who are you to judge, you know, how that affected them. So, I mean, we've had folks that, you know, grew up in cults and and you know had bad accidents on bikes or cars or yeah, I mean, trauma is trauma. And and you know, it it affects you the same regardless of the source. So, you know, that's one of the things that we feel very important about is yeah, we're not here to judge you or question, you know, why you have trauma. It's it's so yeah, that so it's it's not about strictly combat experiences, but yeah, life uh is pretty shitty to a lot of folks, and you know, they carry the weight of that. So that's uh one of the things that that we really do try and protect that space for for folks that just need to to share their trauma and and connect with folks that may have not had similar experiences but still have that trauma. So having said that, so uh when Tom started the program, you know, we were only doing veterans at that time. And yeah, one of the things that, you know, when you when I talk to folks about the program, there's a couple things I I like to demonstrate how we help folks. So one of them, you know, m a fair amount of folks just do one enlistment, you know, they do four years, six years, eight years, whatever, and either get medically retired because of uh the the impact of their service and deployments, whatnot had on them, or they just get out. Um and then, you know, most folks spend the first 10 years self-medicating, if you will, uh, you know, trying to drink their problems away or chase adrenaline or or you know, whatever they can to make them forget about the the weight they carry. And then, you know, about I think the average age of our participants is early 40s, because you know, by the time you're in your early 40s, you start thinking, you know, I can't, if I continue to live my life this way, you know, I've been divorced three times, had eight jobs, and you know, I need to change something, or yeah, I'm either gonna die or kill myself or you know, just live a miserable life. So they start looking at for programs that, you know, help out. And for those that ride motorcycles, you know, thankfully a lot of them find our programs. So, you know, in that 10 years, you know, you bottle up a lot of stuff. So it's kind of like a pressure cooker, you know, the pressure builds, the pressure builds, and now you feel like if you pop the uh the relief valve on that pressure cooker, you know, it's gonna be a significant emotional event. You're gonna, you know, break down and you know, you don't want to try and look weak in front of your wife or your loved ones or your kids or whatever. So you just continue to let that pressure build and build with no relief. And you go on this ride, and you know, we call them relief rides because you know, we want you to to use this opportunity to get some relief and get unstuck. So in a room of 12 folks who may have had different experiences but but carry that same weight, you know, we have dudes break down crying all the time and talk about stuff that they've never talked to their shrink or their their wife or anybody about because you know they feel safe and uh and know that nobody's gonna judge them or you know, lightning ain't gonna strike them. And so once you do that, you know, now you've let off all that pressure and and yeah, the gates of hell didn't open up and suck you straight down. And so you can go home and start talking to your loved ones about, you know, why you act the way you do, or why you react the way you do, or why you isolate, or why you're always mad. And once you get your loved ones on your team, you know, that's a force multiplier that that just continues to help you find a new path. And uh, you know, I had somebody call me like two weeks after the ride, and he said, His uh wife wanna know what kind of voodoo spell we put on him because we basically took 10 years off his life. And he, you know, instead of sitting in a basement in the dark, staring at a wall drinking beer, he was out in the yard playing with the kids, and he was actually talking to his wife and and smiling and laughing for the first time in in 10 years because you know, he had just you know dug himself a hole and couldn't get out of it. So, you know, when you see those kind of changes in people and and you know what a wheat can do of just you know giving folks space to to get some shit off their chest. And and one of the other things I tell folks is you know, a lot of folks get out of the military and go to communities where there isn't a large veteran presence. And so you're the only one like you, you're the only one that speaks your language, and and you know, when people tell you you're crazy long enough, you start to believe it. So, you know, when when you get judged by people who have no idea that, you know, you're just doing the best to live life through the filter of your experiences, and they have no comprehension of that. So, you know, they wonder why you're grouchy all the time or hyper-aware or or can't relax or you're always agitated and road raging and whatever, you know, you start to believe the judgments of the people who don't understand you. So you get 12 guys in a room who all start telling the same story, and you know, you see everybody start nodding their heads, and you can that's when you first start to see the weights lift off them because they realize. They're not crazy and that, you know, while we all may have different experiences, 12 dudes are speaking your language and sharing the results of that same trauma, whether it's in relationships, jobs, life in general, whatever, that you know, you have 12 people who speak your language and now you're not crazy. You're you're amongst your peers, you're normal and and just doing the best you can. And, you know, just that bit of acceptance and and realization that, yeah, you you've been through some shit and you're just doing the best you can. And and people that haven't experienced that just don't get it. So to go home knowing that you're normal amongst your peers is a huge relief because yeah, now you you have a baseline for, you know, I'm the same as the people who have had similar experiences, and and you know, I can go home holding my head high and knowing I'm doing my best. And just that little bit of uh confidence boost, you know, helps folks go home and and you know, reset their paradigms and and the way they live their life.

Ron 23:05

I think it will you you use the same word a few times, and I think it's so significant going home. I think when I when I worked in corporate America, I had some good mentors, managers and others that were my were mentors for me. And I got the best advice one time shortly after I became a manager from one of my leaders. And uh he was talking to me about your job is to support the people that you that do the work you used to do. So keeping that in mind for one thing. But one thing he he also mentioned too when he when he talked about the importance of of being a kind, trusted leader. He said, remember that uh how these people experience their work day, they're gonna take that home with them. They're gonna take that to their spouse, that attitude, whether it was good or bad, they're gonna take it to their kids too. Whether dad or mom is in

Trauma Without Judgment And Real Tools

Ron 24:05

a good mood or not, based on how things went at work, where they spend a majority of their focused time. So it it sounds to me like too, and I don't want to put words in your mouth, but your focus is yes, most most definitely on the individual who has come to you for help. But in the back of your mind, are you thinking about their kids too? About oh, absolutely.

Mike Babbitt 24:27

Yes, and that's the the ripple effect of this entire program is you know, we're not just giving the the individual the tools to go home and get unstuck, but yes, everyone that interacts with them, whether it's you know, the guy that they used to road rage at on the highway, not having them riding their butt, honking their horn, flipping them off, whatever. But, you know, again, like uh the example I gave, the, you know, the guy's out in the yard playing with his kids, which he hasn't done in years. And, you know, his spouse, you know, once you start sharing and and you know, letting them know, you know, we hear stories, you know, when people get divorced, the kids take the blame and whatever. Well, the kids and the the spouse of somebody dealing with PTSD and the the results of that, you know, of course they blame themselves and wonder what they could do better and how they could help more. And and they carry a lot of internal guilt because, you know, they wonder what they can do. So, you know, when you send somebody home with some tools to communicate, and you know, we highly encourage folks to share the content of the workshops, but also, you know, just the relationship building aspect of, you know, just saying, hey, I'm sorry I've been an asshole for 10 years, you know, here's what I'm dealing with. It's never been you, it's it's my own internal stuff. And I'm sorry that I put that on you. But now I have the the verbal tools and the tools to help me explain to you and to myself why I've acted the way I do. And and, you know, all we can do is move forward. We can't change the past. But you know, when you send somebody home with with those kind of tools that they can actually communicate and and you know, not only take responsibility and ownership of their actions, but you know, try and make changes going forward. Yes, everybody that encounters them, whether it's work, family, whatever, is now affected by that. So, yes, it absolutely uh expands well beyond the network of the 582 folks who have been through the program.

Ron 26:22

Yeah. And and as you have said too, you're sending them home as a member of a new family, too, right? And I think both people start recording that you have a Facebook group set up with the for that particular ride, whatever that's gonna be, the one coming up, and then the whole organization, and they've got their community there as well. Yeah, yeah.

Mike Babbitt 26:43

So folks, you know, use that as a tool to go home and find local folks that have been through the program and you know, develop relationship with them and get out riding and and so you know, the the network of you know, the the 582 folks who've been through the program, you know, finding folks that that you can connect with either locally or virtually and and you know, reach out if you're having a bad day or or you know, have somebody check in and just ask how you're doing and and all that. Yeah, again, it's it's you know, you've been accepted in a new family and network of folks who really care and and and it it is a team effort to to help each other out. You know, we all have good days and bad days, and and you know, having somebody there that has the same tools you have and and has some of the same language that they got through the program to help communicate. Yeah, it again, it's not about riding the motorcycles, you know, that's the hook and that's the the perk of getting involved with an organization that revolves around motorcycles. But yeah, it's it's the camaraderie and the the support network and and the tools that you know really uh pay the long-term dividends in uh helping folks go home and get unstuck. Yeah.

Ron 27:58

My hope is that there is at least one, I feel confident there'll be at least one listener who this is gonna really strike a chord with, uh, or they'll have their spouse or significant other or a friend has maybe found an option based on what they've heard today. So would you describe it too? And of course, in the show notes, I'm gonna have all the details that uh of connecting guys apart and all that, but would you kind of summarize what that looks like if someone finds themselves at a point where they're listening and say, Whoa, I think this is important for me.

Mike Babbitt 28:32

Yes, sir. So yeah, it you know, we're we're out at motorcycle rallies, BMW rallies and all that. And you know, we encounter a lot of folks there. And you talked about, you know, either you're that guy or gal or your significant other, whatever. You know, a lot of times when we're at a show, you know, you'll see the veteran like side-eye and you, you know, doesn't want to make eye contact, but he sees there's something going on with motorcycles and veterans, uh, but then you know, the spouses are who really like come make a beeline to you. And so, you know, we'll talk to them. And and the the veteran is standing in the background, you know, still trying to make eye contact. And the wife's like, yeah, he needs it. Yeah, this is the guy. And and you know, having that kind of encouragement and and realization that you know your spouse uh cares about you enough to try and find you some help. But so yeah, if if you have any questions whether this program would be good for you, we're on you know, all the socials. Uh, you know, I like to make a bunch of dumb TikTok videos and whatever, but you know, we're on YouTube and Facebook and Instagram, and there's you know hundreds of testimonials out there from participants of the program, you know, who will tell you, you know, that other getting married or uh uh having kids, this was the most significant week in their life. And and you know, some folks we've interviewed uh years after their experience will tell you that you know they wouldn't be around if it wasn't for this program. And you know, that's where the real weight of the impact we have is is yeah, I know you know more than a dozen folks who swear that they wouldn't be here if it hadn't been for what they got out of the ride. So, you know, if you're on the fence and and wondering if you know this is something that's gonna help you or not, go watch some of them testimonials because you know it's just real dudes and gals at the end of the week sharing their real-time experience at the end of the week of what they got out of it. And you know, if that doesn't call you to uh to apply, then yeah, maybe you don't need it. Just uh we talked a little bit before we started recording. So, you know, we we have folks from all different uh branches of service, military, and the first responders, we have a very broad definition of first responders. So, you know, nurses and doctors got their asses kicked during COVID and have significant trauma from you know ER docs or whatever. I mean, it's one of the key things I've learned over the years is traditionally, you know, military folks deploy, they do what they do, then they come back and they're at home and and out of that environment. But you know, first responders got to strap it back on and go right back out there every single day throughout their entire career into that environment that you know has all the triggers, the smell of uh, you know, fires or or burning tires or anti-freeze or yeah, the those are constant triggers that they're exposed to every single day of their career. And and they just got to keep you know putting that wall up and and doing their job. But you know, they're they're in that environment for the entirety of their career. So, you know, I I think it

Why Healing Reaches The Whole Family

Mike Babbitt 31:35

can be significantly more difficult for the first responders. But yeah, we've had dispatchers, we've had you know, livelin' firefighters, mental health professionals, you know, having to listen to other people's stuff and getting that, you know, caregiver fatigue and whatnot. So yeah, our definition for definition of first responders is is very broad to you know, people that serve and and give of themselves to help others. So, but so yeah, we get a lot of folks that say, oh, somebody needs it more than me, or I've uh I've done my work and kind of sort of have my stuff together. So I don't want to take a spot from someone who needs it more than me. And you know, the short answer to that is if I had you know arrived full of people who really needed it, uh it's probably not gonna be a great experience for anyone. So I need uh need some folks in all places in their journey, not only to to balance, you know, folks who are in a dark place and and think there's no way out, to have examples of folks who have done the work and are in a better place, but again, it never goes away. You're gonna carry this uh weight for the rest of your life. So seeing that you know there are folks out there who start to figure it out, and then yeah, just folks that can share their experience in their journey to get where they were at. So yeah, if you've uh if you carry the weight of your service and have mental health issues and and you know, we're open to talking about them, then yeah, you're not taking a spot from from someone else. But to caveat that, all our volunteers are all alumni of the program. So, you know, unfortunately, I have to do a lot of telling folks no because I mean, you know, who doesn't want to ride motorcycles and hang out with cool people? But you know, the the importance of having someone come on a ride themselves and not only being someone who has a significant life change from that experience, but you know, it gives me a week to vet them and see if they're the right fit to come back and volunteer because yeah, anybody can cook and drive the truck and do whatever. But you know, all our volunteers are all folks who have had significant life changes through the program and and are an example and and a way to facilitate the next uh generation of folks coming through. So yeah, unfortunately, I got to tell a lot of folks no, but you know, we only have four volunteers and staff on every ride. One of them's the coach, one of them's me, and then uh yeah, a couple of the folks. So it's uh it's a pretty small pool of volunteers. So yeah, uh the the bottom line is you have to come on a ride first, and then whatever happens from there is what will meant what is meant to be and and where you're meant to be at. So yeah, and then the website, uh www.motorelief.org, it has all the information on the rides and and the program, and then the applications there. I review every application and you know uh and then folks apply. We do have 250-ish folks on the waiting list at any time, but it's not a first come, first serve. You know, I I take every application based on its individual merits, and you know, folks that obviously demonstrate a need that, you know, they they need what we have right now, you know, they'll get on a ride sooner. And some folks, you know, it's just uh however it works out. So yeah, don't let the numbers scare you off. And as we talked about before we started recording, you know, when I talk to folks about what we need and and what message I want to pass across is, you know, the initial reaction is always, well, if you have 250 people on a waiting list, why do you keep advertising and and putting the word out for folks to apply? And, you know, that's a very easy answer is there is somebody out there who won't be around six months from now if they don't come on a ride. You know, again, we've had many folks tell you that this ride saved their life and gave them the tools to to keep going and and keep putting in the work every day. So, yes, that's always our primary goal is to get the word out to folks who who really need it. And, you know, there's somebody out there that's gonna jump to the top of that list of 250 folks and we're gonna save their life. So, and then, you know, of course, we got to pay the bills. You know, we're uh uh again, nonprofit. We rely strictly on donations. So yeah, we got to pay the bills, and you know, anybody that can help us do that is certainly a someone that's going to save lives and change lives for the better. So yeah, we certainly appreciate that. But yeah, if you think the program will work for you, you know, hit apply, fill out the application, and uh yeah, we'll see about getting you on a ride.

Ron 35:55

Uh that's what that's wonderful, Mike. I mean, just kind of wrapping up, I guess. For one thing, God bless you. I I appreciate what you do. It is such a privilege to get to meet folks like you. You and I know we're living in a world of so much confusion

Who Qualifies And How To Apply

Ron 36:10

and so much and uh AI is going crazy. The thing is going crazy, everything's going crazy, and a lot of people are just falling into that. And not uh realizing that there are really good people in this world. And that's you and it's your organization, and and it's it's uh those who say, yep, I see what you're saying. Let me show you something in addition to that. Let me show you a motorcycle ride, let me give you that feel, let me show you these Rocky Mountains where I refer, I definitely where I love to refer as to Mother Nature's mom. Well, we go to Mother Nature and we we sit there quietly and reverently and have a conversation with mom, you know, when we listen carefully enough out there. So uh I I just so appreciate people like you and your team that are willing to step out, make the sacrifices, and pour into somebody else, because like we mentioned before, you're probably pouring into their kids too. And who doesn't?

Mike Babbitt 37:17

Yes, sir. Yeah, and it's uh, you know, I certainly couldn't do this myself. We have a a great, you know, all the other folks involved in the program are all volunteers. So the guy that manages the shop, works on the bikes, you know, uh does the shopping or drives the trucks and trailers to our rides, you know, we it's just folks who believe in what we do and and are willing to uh give their time to uh give folks the the opportunity they had when they came through the program. So yeah, we have uh, you know, uh Marty Solberg, who's our chairman of the board, he was on ride too. So he's even the older head than I am. But you know, it it he takes care of the board side of things and all the backhand stuff. And and yeah, our our the entirety of our board puts in the work. The the organizations that support us, like the BMW, MOA, even the you know, the local BMW club who uh you know their their summer rally poker run benefits us. We have some great corporate sponsors, you know. Michelin gives us a set of tires uh every year for each bike. So, you know, that's a a significant opportunity to provide support when you know three pallets of tires show up at your shop every year. And but yeah, it's you know, we couldn't do it without not only the folks putting in the work, but the folks helping us pay the bills, whether it's you know, a $10 one-time donation, $20 a month, you know, whatever we've had uh you know, probably a quarter of our motorcycles are all donated motorcycles. So folks believe in what we do enough to to donate a motorcycle they're no longer using. So we've got I think 20 GSs now, all the way from 2013's up to my company car, which is a 1300. But yeah, we've got 1200s, 1250s, so yeah, and like I said, a fair amount of them are donated. So, you know, the the thanks to those who support our mission and and enable us to put boots on the ground helping folks out. Yeah, we couldn't do it out with without any element in this team and folks like you who help us spread the word and and reach out to, you know, not only folks that need the program, but you know, you never know uh who might be in a position to help us out. You know, we've had a couple uh corporate sponsored rides, um uh which we put a random number of fifteen thousand dollars on. Uh uh, you know, if you do the whole cost analysis of an individual ride, it's certainly more than that. But um, but yeah, we've had corporations sponsor a ride. You know, we try and do the you know social media interaction and and thank them publicly and have the participants thank them. So yeah, it uh you know the the support we have across the the motorcycle industry is huge. And you know, we're so blessed that uh so many folks believe in what we do.

Ron 40:03

Yeah, that's just that's just

Thanks, Sponsors, And Final Words

Ron 40:05

wonderful, Mike. And uh so my friend, thank you. Really appreciate you and uh keep doing what you're doing. I appreciate it.

Mike Babbitt 40:12

Yes, sir, and keep spreading peace, love, and moto.

Ron 40:16

I'll try. What a great guy. I just so enjoyed our conversation. We run video together, and um oh man, Mike is just the kind of guy I like to hang out with. I just come away feeling just so good about life when I talk with someone like that. Hey, as for you, whether you're looking to fill out an application to participate or explore their video testimonials or help keep these week-long experiences fully funded through a donation, you'll find everything you need right there at motorelief.org. That's motorelief.org. I'll have a link to that in the show notes as well. Again, a huge thank you to Mike for being my guest today, and a thank you to you for spending some time with us on the Peace Love Moto podcast. Once again, I want to thank my friends at Viking Bags for their product support for this podcast. And if you too would like to be a supporter in any way that you can, you can check the show notes for uh some support options there. My friends, it was great being with you. Take care of yourself, look out for others, and I'll see you out there. Peace.