How to Ride Happy - It's all about perspective

Today we're diving deep into the heart of why we ride – finding that elusive "ride happy" feeling, which if we’re lucky, takes us to a whole other level of happiness.  The all elusive Peace of Mind.  

Ever found yourself stranded in the Nevada desert, only to discover that the journey is as exhilarating as the destination? Join us as we explore the unwavering joy and resilience that motorcycling offers, despite the challenges like breakdowns and inclement weather. Through personal tales of childhood spills and unexpected adventures, we dive into the fascinating contrast between the unwavering dedication of passionate riders and those who fold after a few miles. This episode unwraps the inexplicable happiness that motorcycling brings and highlights the profound peace of mind that comes with disconnecting from daily stressors. Whether you’re meeting new people on the open road or savoring the solitude, the call of the motorcycle is a beautiful journey worth every risk.

Imagine traversing a snowy landscape, battling the cold, yet feeling overwhelming gratitude for the sheer ability to ride. We'll reflect on this sense of thankfulness for the privilege of owning a bike and the freedom it offers, encouraging listeners to appreciate the world around them. By sharing your experiences on platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify, you help foster a positive view of motorcycle culture. As we wrap up, we extend warm wishes for safety, happiness, peace, and love to all fellow riders, reminding everyone of the unique, transformative journey that motorcycling provides.

Chapters

• 0:07 Finding Happiness Through Motorcycling
• 10:26 Gratitude and Joy in Motorcycling

Transcript

Ron: 0:07

When is the last time you came back from a motorcycle ride completely miserable? I can't think of one myself. Yeah, I fell quite a lot as a kid on a dirt bike. I came home with bloody elbows and bent parts on my little mini bike. Mom would patch the elbows and dad would patch the bike. I'd wipe away the tears and then off again I would go. As an adult I've had several bikes to break down while I was out in the middle of nowhere where I had to be towed back home. Just last year my bike broke down in the middle of the Nevada desert. Took three days to get myself and my bike back home to Colorado in a rented trailer. Then another three weeks to get myself and my bike back home to Colorado in a rented trailer. Then another three weeks to get my bike repaired. But was I miserable, unhappy about that riding experience? Absolutely not. I couldn't wait to get back on the road again.

Ron: 0:57

Today we're diving deep into the heart of why we do all this. Finding that elusive ride-happy feeling, you might say, in air quotes, which is why we're all this. Finding that elusive ride happy feeling, you might say in air quotes, which is why we're just so lucky. Because some of us just have that attitude. Some of us just have the positive experiences of the past where we just find happiness, no matter what, as long as we're out on the bike. Maybe that's the all elusive peace of mind that we're all seeking and sometimes we find let's talk about it, 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: 2:09

When people ask me why do I ride a motorcycle, I just can't express it easily, or I certainly can't express it twice the same way. Here it is Because it makes me happy. Is that oversimplifying things? Yeah, but you know it's really unexplainable. You and I know that this motorcycling thing is not for everybody. That's why you find motorcycles for sale that are five years old and have like 500 miles on them. That biker wannabe was just not into it. Whether it was the wind or the cold or the vibration, or it's just too scary something it. Whether it was the wind or the cold or the vibration, or it's just too scary something. Yeah, this is just not for me. But if you're like me, it seems that I'm having to put on new tires on my bike all the time. I'd swear I just put new tires on last week, but no, it's all the miles.

Ron: 2:59

It's because I like to ride just about every day. As long as there's no ice on the ground here in Colorado and I'm not traveling for work, I'm riding just about every day as long as there's no ice on the ground here in Colorado and I'm not traveling for work. I'm riding just about every day and I love it. You know motorcycling a lot is expensive. Not only is the maintenance but the proper gear that you should be riding with every day. Yeah, lots of costs involved, but you and I do it anyway. It's because, yeah, it makes us happy.

Ron: 3:27

Again, maybe that's oversimplifying something that's maybe a lot more complex, but let's just try. Let's try to add some further explanation onto all of this. Yeah, it's easy to get caught up in all the gear and the preparations for the next big ride, but sometimes the simplest things are truly what make us happy out on the bike. It's not something that we need to overthink. We just go with a destination in mind or no destination in mind. I remember I think it was a few episodes back, but I shared this expression that I had heard Young riders pick a destination and go. Older riders pick a direction and go. Yeah, that's very, very true. As I get older, I definitely experienced that. We just go and see what happens. We go to see who we might meet, we go to meet up with friends or we go out alone with the hopes of a conversation with a total stranger. That may be just magical, who knows. So what are some of the ingredients for a truly happy ride? Well, I don't know, but here's a try anyway.

Ron: 4:38

Oh, there are just so many things, but at the top of mind for me, speaking of mind, is mindfulness. We really started embracing that in the corporation I work within these mindfulness practices and I've really embraced it. It's really been helpful. It's about being present in the moment, not thinking about work, not thinking about business travel that's coming up next week. My smile begins when I open the garage door and press the button and my bike starts right up to let her warm up. That's when my mind says ah. Then out on the road, just the sound of that well-tuned engine, just the wind, the road, the feeling of that bike underneath me. I'm happy just right now, just thinking about that as I look out the window and there's ice on the ground. Hopefully I can get out tomorrow if it clears up.

Ron: 5:40

Disconnecting Disconnecting is huge too. Now I do carry my iPhone and my GPS and my spot GPS, just in case I find myself in real trouble in the middle of nowhere. But most of the time I keep those out of sight, usually in a pack sitting right behind me on the saddle. Now I know what some of you are saying, ron, that spot GPS with the emergency button is going to do you no good if you can't reach it after a fall. And yes, I get it, that's true. So I always try to remember that if I'm going out onto some serious back roads, I'll have that spot turned on and connected to my jacket somewhere within reach, just in case worst case scenario when you got a heavy motorcycle on top of you and there's nobody around. We'll come back at some point and talk about worst case scenarios, maybe in another episode, but for now let's not think about those. Let's just think about being happy. What does that take?

Ron: 6:56

Embracing the challenges of motorcycling can be a real happiness booster. I think that that's the primary distinction between those of us who ride a lot of miles in most any weather, and those who are a little bit less crazy and don't most any weather, and those who are a little bit less crazy and don't. I've never ridden the same roads twice, it seems like, although I know I have, but I most certainly feel like I've never had the same ride experience twice. Maybe it's because the weather here in Colorado is never exactly the same from day to day. We have these twisty roads, which makes it kind of fun to push the limits every once in a while. You certainly have to be roads, which makes it kind of fun to push the limits every once in a while. You certainly have to be careful, but whether it's finding the more perfect apex on the corner that you've ridden a million times, or simply riding further than you ever thought you could, you know there's a science involved with the balance going on and the acceleration and the braking. I think it's safe to say that all of us can become better riders with every ride, and the more of us that do it well. Yeah, you just kind of experience this. I'm better than I was yesterday and that feels great. It's really, really fun. It feels like an accomplishment really.

Ron: 8:10

And don't forget the social aspects, which is very unique to motorcycling. We talk about that a lot Riding with friends, sharing a coffee under a summer shade tree. You know, I'm thinking right now of some of my favorite coffee stops, where you go and get your coffee and you just sit outside Serenity Coffee I think I've talked about that before. Serenity Coffee I think I've talked about that before. Serenity Coffee in Riverside, wyoming. That's only open in the summer times but you get your coffee from this cool little hippie shop from the wonderful barista and you just sit underneath the shade tree and watch the deer walk by. Another place here close to home is Jamocha Joe's here in Loveland, colorado. My friend Christine runs that. And then there's Train Car Coffee, which is just to the south of us up in the mountains in Nutterland, colorado. It's right next to the Carousel of Happiness. Oh my goodness, you talk about just a great relaxing destination.

Ron: 9:06

Creating memories together, especially when you're riding with other people or just meeting up with a stranger, is a huge part of the joy of motorcycling. It's very much a happiness factor. Face it, your motorcycle friends are a little different than others. It's that shared passion that we have. It makes our community so special. Similarly, helping others find their own joy in motorcycling. That's fun too. It's a little bit rare sometimes, but whether you're having a chance to mentor a new rider or simply offering a friendly wave to another motorcyclist which is actually more common spreading that love multiplies the happiness and it is a form of love. I think my biker wave is actually a peace sign most consistently. Of course that makes sense because I host a podcast called Peace, love Moto A little bit of a hippie take on motorcycling. So yeah, I'm all about the peace sign.

Ron: 10:20

The song that you're hearing right now was written and played by my good friend Gary Schmidt.

Ron: 10:26

It's beautiful and it's called A Blanket of White. That's what I'm looking out the window and seeing right now. There's snow and ice on the ground, so I may not be able to get out today, but hopefully the sun will shine and we'll warm up for tomorrow. But let me just say this it may be obvious, but I think it's worth saying the real joy of riding can be found in just being grateful that we can do it.

Ron: 10:57

If you have a bike in the garage and you have both the physical and mental capabilities to ride it. Well, my friends, you're just really blessed. You have a lot to be thankful for. You have a lot to be happy about, and so do I While we ride. It is indeed a wonderful world. Thank you so much for listening today If you enjoyed this podcast. I really appreciate your feedback through emails and especially through reviews. On whichever platform you may be listening to A lot of people listen to Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you would be kind enough to write a review there, that would be great. It really helps get the word out about this podcast and our love for motorcycling and the positive image that we try to present here. Until we meet again, ride safe, ride happy, and I wish you peace and I wish you love. What a wonderful world, oh yeah.