Preparing for a Long Motorcycle Journey: Mental and Physical Readiness

Ron: 0:13

Today we're diving into something that stirs the soul of every motorcycle rider. I think it's safe to say Planning for a long motorcycle trip, and not just preparing your bike and your gear and your map and all the bare necessities, but also preparing yourself, having the mindset, developing the rhythm for the road, the intention behind this epic journey that it very well may be. This is one of my favorite topics as I plan my own long rides for this summer. Just love it. Can't wait to talk with you about it. So thank you so much for joining me today. Stay tuned. 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.

Ron: 1:30

As we speak, I'm planning a multi-day motorcycle ride. I'm going west, I think A bit north at first and even a bit south mid-trip, but mostly west. I know that sounds a little bit imprecise, yeah, I know, but that's how I like to travel. When I'm traveling alone, I don't know. Too much planning feels too binding, for lack of a better word. But that's just me, I know. Not enough planning is certainly a bad idea, but I don't know. Too much planning too just bothers me, takes the fun out of it, I think. So here's some advice Before you start marking up your map and tuning the bike and getting ready for this journey, take a moment to ask yourself why this trip?

Ron: 2:18

And why now? Are you chasing some kind of horizon that's out there that you've not seen before? Because I don't know, because you want to clear your head. Are you searching for something, maybe even escaping from something? Or maybe you're just honoring a lifelong dream to ride the Pacific Coast or the Blue Ridge Parkway or the open plains of the Dakotas? Yeah, I get it, I've been there. So here's a suggestion Let your why shape your ride. If it's solitude you're after, maybe avoid the big motorcycle rallies and lean toward those quiet, scenic routes and the little bitty towns in the middle of nowhere. But here's a suggestion Let your why shape your ride. Consider this, if you will. There's no wrong reason to take a long motorcycle ride. Just make sure the trip reflects your intentions. That's how the ride becomes more than just a ride. That's how a motorcycle ride turns into a journey, something that may even shape you. Yeah, I think there's a large difference between a long ride and a journey. Your motorcycle is more than a machine. It's your partner in this adventure. It's a partner you will really depend on when you begin planning a ride that's going to be far from home.

Ron: 4:22

So before you begin your planning for a long trip, don't just check the basics. You know oil and tires and all that good stuff. That's a no-brainer. If you're completely comfortable with your own maintenance, then check your bike end-to-end and if you're not that comfortable, go to a professional. Have your bike looked at really closely, whether it's a local shop or a dealership. But here's a tip Do work with your bike well in advance of your departure, maybe even weeks before you leave. And my suggestion is, after you do that maintenance and have those changes made or whatever, ride a few hundred miles on that bike before you head out on your real long trip. Make sure everything is good to go. Take it from a guy who has learned the hard way a time or two to yeah, do the work on the bike, ride it a lot, then head out on your trip making sure everything is good to go at that point.

Ron: 5:23

Here's another tip Pack light, but pack smart. Here's another tip Pack light but pack smart. Bring wearable gear that layers well, tools for basic repairs and the two items I take on every ride zip ties and gorilla tape. You may find yourself in the middle of nowhere with the need to secure something and you don't have the right size bolt, for example. Maybe if that happens, then zip ties and gorilla tape can be your best friend. I have experienced that myself.

Ron: 5:56

And now comes the fun part the route. Will you be camping or moteling? Have you decided? If you're going to go camping, well, that's a whole other stack of gear. Right, we won't go there this time, but yeah, that takes some extra planning. If you're planning to moto camp, Are you planning to take the back roads or just hit the highways? You're going out and back, or maybe doing a large loop? You know, I've heard it said that you should plan your ride like a jazz musician have a structure but leave room for improvisation. Build in rest days, days where you're still on the bike, maybe, but just a little bit less mileage, just taking it slow, lots of breaks and leave space for the unexpected.

Ron: 6:51

The best stories usually come from the roads we didn't plan to take or some amazing people or places we didn't expect to encounter. That's been the case for me over and over again. That's part of the reason for this podcast too. I've met so many wonderful people along the way and seen so many wonderful things that mother nature has put right in front of me right there on the road things that Mother Nature has put right in front of me right there on the road.

Ron: 7:18

So, that being said, when you're out I keep calling it in the middle of nowhere, which we have that out here in the West where there's not always cell phone service. So don't depend on your phone necessarily to guide you along on your journey. Like I said, like here in the Western United States, there are lots of locations out there that there is no cellular service. So a paper map, maybe your friend, and most definitely a GPS something maybe your phone does this too if you have a later model phone, but a GPS device can be super duper helpful. I ran into a situation where I was looking for a bed and breakfast type of thing in British Columbia way up, when there was no cell phone service and I had no GPS with me and I was trying to find an address where I could not find this address forever. So finally did. I'll share that story another time. It turned out to be a wonderful time at the home of some wonderful people. But, yeah, I kind of got lost in British Columbia for just a little bit.

Ron: 8:26

So a good map will serve you well, and otherwise just ask for help. I know us guys don't typically do that, but just pull into the local gas station and just say I'm lost, can you help me out? In most cases, they can Keep in mind too. There's some wonderful apps out there, and maps certainly, but an app that I use every once in a while is Reverb. I think that that's been quite good, and then Butler Maps are certainly wonderful to help build your put together a wonderful route.

Ron: 9:00

And remember, though, that this is your ride. Don't let technology or even maps dictate what kind of experience that you may have. It may be just fantastic, even getting lost occasionally. That can be pretty great. A long ride can be exhilarating, most certainly, but it can also be a little bit lonely. Know that before you start on a long ride, so that you can have the right mindset. And here's a tip Practice mindfulness. If you don't already know what mindfulness is, I've heard the expression breathe, and know that you're breathing. Yeah, that's a whole subject of its own, but it's weaved through this podcast quite a lot actually. But here's a tip Spend time off the bike too.

Ron: 10:13

We love to ride, but spend some time off the bike to take a walk and even meditate. Just be quiet, listen to your mom, listen to Mother Nature out there. She speaks quietly sometimes. Right, we talk about that a lot too. It's especially important too.

Ron: 10:30

As a motorcycle rider and you probably know this as you've been riding for a while you've got to stretch. That's where all the aches and pains come from, is we're sitting in the same spot for hours at a time, oftentimes with our hands and our feet in the same position sometimes, and we just need to stretch. So if you're traveling solo, get comfortable with being by yourself, and if you're riding with others, set the expectations for the group early on. This always pays off what the riding pace is going to be. If you don't know your fellow riders, where the fuel stops need to be Some bikes can go a lot further on a tank of gas than others and even communication signals those are really, really helpful. So the road is not a place for confusion or disagreements. Get everything settled early on. Either, like I said, if you're riding by yourself or riding with others, have the right mindset and just be ready for an epic journey with twists and turns that you may not expect at all. And most importantly, I guess along that line is just stay flexible.

Ron: 11:40

Not every day is going to go as it was planned. There's going to be detours, weather issues, road issues, maybe sore muscles most likely. But just breathe, take a breath, adjust yourself, adjust your mind and be grateful to the stars above for the opportunity to ride. I'll kind of begin to close with this. When you finally do hit the road, just be present. Don't chase the miles just to say you did. I'm so guilty of that.

Ron: 12:23

Savor the ride, savor the time. Smell the pine trees. Wave at that kid in the car next to you who's staring. It'll just thrill them. That'll make their day if you wave at them. That'll make their day if you wave at them. Take the long way when you can Stop for a pie and a great cup of coffee at a local cafe somewhere. And remember your planned trip is not just about going somewhere, it's about being somewhere. Every ride is a chance to reconnect with yourself and the world around you, and that's the beauty of motorcycling. It is a beautiful thing, it is a beautiful gift that we get to do. So, wherever your journey takes you, from high mountain passes to open prairies, may your heart stay open and your spirit stay curious and, most importantly, stay free. Thank you so much for joining me today. If you're planning your own long ride, I'd love to hear about it. Drop me an email and share your route, or just say hello. That's ron at peacelovemotocom. So until next time, ride safe, ride far if you can and ride with your heart.