June 20, 2025 • 18 mins
In this episode of Peace Love Moto, I share one of the most powerful moments I've experienced as a tour guide in Rocky Mountain National Park—when a guest from Chicago stood beside me and said, “Ron, I feel the presence of God here.”
That moment reminded me why I ride and why I guide—to help others connect with something greater. I will share about the deep contrast between my corporate day job and the stillness I find on a motorcycle in the wilderness.
Adventure riding isn’t just about dirt roads and distant views—it’s about mindfulness, healing, and peace. We reflect on how the open road helps peel back the layers of everyday stress and reveals something deeper.
Whether it's a Jeep Tour in Rocky Mountain National Park or a solo ride into the mountains, I believe these experiences change us. Riding is therapy. It's spiritual. It's real. In this episode, I invite you to ride with me—not just through the mountains of Colorado, but into a deeper part of yourself.
Let’s talk about resilience, reflection, and rediscovering purpose on two wheels. Join me as we chase peace, love, and that presence we can feel—but not always explain.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Ron (00:11):
The gentleman from Chicago said to me Ron, I feel the
presence of God here.
And I replied yes, sir, I dotoo, but I'm jumping ahead.
In addition to workingfull-time in corporate America,
(00:38):
as I do today, I work part-timeas a tour guide in Rocky
Mountain National Park.
I work for Green Jeep Tours inEstes Park, colorado, which is
just west of our home here inLoveland.
We who are guides get to takegroups of 10 to 12 people into
the national park for three-hourtours in these highly modified
(00:58):
jeeps, each having seating inthe back that's fully exposed.
You can look in all directions.
Having seating in the backthat's fully exposed, you can
look in all directions.
We use headsets and speakers todescribe everything that we're
seeing.
We guides love it, and most ofthe guides will tell you that
(01:18):
the most fun thing that we getto do is to introduce some of
our guests to the wilderness forthe very first time.
The biggest thrill I have iswhen guests are from large
cities like New York or Miami orLA, those who have never
experienced wilderness before.
And, as I've mentioned, theseare three-hour tours and I've
(01:38):
led a little over 300 tours lostcount actually, I think over
300, and I can guarantee you, notwo have ever been alike.
One such tour a family fromChicago who joined me for that
three-hour journey.
We reached a high meadow andtook a slow, quiet walk together
(02:02):
, surrounded by snow-cappedpeaks and other than the sound
of the wind and the trees andthe cold mountain stream just
below us.
It was completely silent, andit was there that the dad of the
family stood next to me as weboth gazed up at those peaks,
and I'll never forget what hesaid.
(02:24):
He said, ron, I feel thepresence of God here.
I remember replying yes, sir, Ido too.
And I went on to say maybe allof this was created just for you
(02:52):
and me to experience howpowerful and how beautiful God
is.
He didn't reply, but I did seehim wipe away a tear and then he
gave me a hug.
That, my friends, is why I lovebeing a tour guide, because I
think he understood, I think hegot it, and once again I was
(03:18):
reminding myself yeah, I get ittoo.
From Jeep tours to adventuremotorcycling that's our topic
today.
There's something very specialabout riding a motorcycle into
open spaces, free of buildings,free of cars, free of people
sometimes.
Sometimes that's a way to getaway from things Out on a
(03:44):
country road.
A lot of times it's out on adirt road, and I think that
that's what draws so many peopleto adventure riding.
It's becoming more and morepopular all the time.
Sometimes we just need toescape, both physically and
mentally, to get out of town and, if we're lucky, we may even
(04:08):
find a space where we too canfeel the presence of God.
And that's our topic todayAdventure riding for the soul.
Recorded in beautiful Loveland,colorado.
Welcome to Peace, love Moto,the podcast for motorcyclists
seeking that peaceful, easyfeeling as we cruise through
(04:32):
this life together.
Are you ready?
Let's go.
(04:55):
What a day I had yesterday.
What a day of contrast.
I most certainly had someexplaining to do when I rode
home on my motorcycle in thedark.
Well, after 10 last night therewas no cell phone coverage.
That's true, there wasn't.
She knows that Karen waswaiting for me patiently, after
(05:18):
almost 40 years together.
She's very forgiving when Ifind myself needing a long ride,
and yesterday was one of thosedays.
So yesterday I attended earlymorning video conferences here
at home.
Like I said, I work in corporateAmerica full time and that's
what we do we attend meetings.
A lot of people that I workwith are on the east coast of
(05:40):
the United States or even on theother side of the planet, like
in India.
So my day starts early.
After taking some meetings fromhome yesterday, then I caught
the bus from here in Loveland,colorado, to downtown Denver,
where one of our corporateoffices is.
It takes about an hour to getthere by bus from Loveland to
(06:01):
Union Station downtown.
Then I either walk the mile tomy office Yep, it's one mile or
sometimes even lately I've beenhaving fun with this I grab one
of those rentable electricscooters to traverse through the
tall buildings to my office.
It's cool that downtown Denverhas dedicated paths for scooters
(06:21):
and a direction that you aresupposed to be going down those
paths.
So it's relatively safe andit's very cool.
So honestly I should be walkingthe whole way, but those little
scooters are just so much fun.
So yesterday when I finished mywork in downtown Denver, I took
the bus back to Loveland and, asquickly as I could, I got on my
(06:43):
motorcycle and left town thedirection Northwest Way out of
town, up in the mountains, wherethe paved roads turn to dirt
roads, where you see far moredeer and elk and foxes than you
do, people, herds of cows thatwalk around on the roads too.
(07:05):
In some of these free-rangepastures I came across a
rattlesnake laying comfortablyin the dirt out on one of those
roads and taking in the heat ofthe day.
Just left him alone, of course,but it's very neat to see
Another one of nature'screatures just enjoying the day
(07:26):
just like I was.
I share this because in justone day I experienced the
busyness of urban life in alarge American city the traffic,
the very tall buildings, theconstant noise and crowds, then,
within hours, the solitude andthe quiet and, for me, the pure
(07:52):
joy of riding into a space.
I personally believe that Godcreated, maybe a space just for
me to see from a motorcycle,right then and there, just like
that green G tour I spoke ofwith the man from Chicago.
(08:24):
When you hear the term adventurewriting, what comes to mind for
you?
Is it dusty roads, remotelandscapes, maybe a few river
crossings or even an epicjourney across continents.
While all of this is certainlypart of it, I would suggest that
the true adventure often liesnot so much in where you go but
(08:50):
in who you may become along theway you may become along the way
.
For many of us, motorcycling isa release.
It's a form of therapy, andadventure riding, specifically,
(09:11):
I think, has a unique way ofpeeling back the layers of
everyday cares and stresses.
Adventure riding, I think,challenges us and ultimately it
reveals a deeper part of us aswell, a deeper part of ourselves
.
I think adventure riding maybe,unlike the daily commute or
just a ride around town, it'smore about, yeah, embracing the
(09:35):
unknown and maybe confrontingour limitations.
But I'll say, more importantly,for me and my experience, it's
about finding that sense ofpeace of mind that we talk about
on this podcast all the time.
Just think about it when you'reout on an adventure ride, out
(09:58):
in the forest, out in themountains, especially off the
beaten path anyway, your sensesare really heightened.
Just like that ride I had lastnight, late yesterday and into
the evening up in the mountains,I could smell the forest, the
dust coming off the road, theshifts in the terrain underneath
(10:18):
my tires.
I was just fully immersed.
Maybe that's how the timeslipped away.
Mindfulness, yeah, I'd saythat's what it is.
For me it's mindfulness.
I can feel it taking over.
Sometimes out there I felt ityesterday.
(10:39):
My brain wasn't worrying aboutthe email that I forgot to send
or the emails and meetings thatI was going to have to jump
right on the next morning.
No, it was focused on the hereand now, focused on that present
moment where I think true peaceresides, and, as for me, when
(11:08):
I'm at the right place at theright time, a lot of times out
on my motorcycle.
Yeah, that's where I me talkingabout my feelings, or
(11:42):
spirituality for that matter,but it's about facts as well.
Studies show that riding amotorcycle can significantly
reduce stress hormones likecortisol I believe that's the
way it's pronounced while itboosts endorphins, those natural
feel-good chemicals.
Nothing artificial going onthere.
And when you add the element ofnature communing with Mother
(12:07):
Nature that I like to talk aboutand the challenges of riding
out on the road and theself-reliance that's required
with adventure riding, well, Iwould assume that those benefits
just go off the charts oncecombined.
(12:35):
So how does this journey beyondthe destination unfold?
Well, first you have to acceptthe fact that adventure riding
will present obstacles.
It may be a flat tire in themiddle of nowhere, a sudden
downpour or even getting lost.
I have gotten lost before, upin British Columbia at one time.
It's in those moments where youcan't rely on cell phone
coverage or being able tocontact roadside support for
(12:58):
that matter, no cell phoneservice out in the mountains of
Colorado for the most part, forexample.
You have to problem solve, youhave to adapt, you have to in a
sense trust your instincts andknow what your capabilities and
limitations are.
And when you overcome these,overcome these challenges,
(13:20):
there's this incredible surge ofself-confidence and a deep
understanding of your ownresilience.
Maybe that's the right word.
You realize, if I can handlethis, what else am I capable of?
I guess that's what I think tomyself sometimes when I get
myself out of a bind.
(13:40):
Adventure writing too.
I think it helps to deepenconnections with yourself and
nature, because when you're outthere, away from the constant
noise and distractions of modernlife, you have to just take
into account that I don't reallyhave to do anything right now.
(14:02):
I have space to think, toreflect and I can hear myself,
if that makes sense.
You notice these subtle changesin landscape.
Where I rode yesterday, forexample, from the high mountains
into the deep valleys next to abeautiful lake below
(14:23):
snow-capped mountains.
What a contrast.
And it's when you stop the biketo observe and listen and hear
the sound of the wind movingthrough the trees and the sounds
of the streams.
This direct engagement withnature isn't just beautiful, I'd
say again.
(14:44):
For me it's also grounding.
It reminds me of my place inthe world, that there is
something much, much larger thanme out there.
I'm amongst it and rather thanfear, I get a sense of peace.
And rather than fear, I get asense of peace.
(15:06):
Maybe it's a sense of belongingwith my mom and your mom,
mother Nature.
So, unlike a quick commutethrough town, adventure riding,
I think, forces you to slow down, both in speed and in your
(15:27):
thoughts.
The pace isn't about speed atall, it's about navigating the
terrain, reading the road andbeing fully present in every
turn Careful braking, carefulgear shifting Every moment.
You've got to be careful outthere and I think we gain
patience.
That extends again for me,beyond the ride, it helps me to
(15:53):
navigate the complexities oflife, of my day job in corporate
America, maybe with a bit morecalm and a little bit less sense
of urgency.
(16:20):
So if you're feeling the need toescape, the need for adventure,
well, whether it's a weekendtrip to a nearby national forest
or just an open road, or across-country epic journey,
remember to look beyond the map.
Pack your gear, check your bike, prepare for the journey, of
(16:40):
course, but also prepare yourmind, prepare your spirit, be
open, allow yourself to be fullypresent in every mile, every
sight and every sound.
My friends, that's mindfulness,because I think when you do all
(17:01):
that, you'll discover thatadventure riding isn't just
about reaching a point on themap, it's about connecting with
your deeper self, finding peacein the wild, maybe and coming
home a little bit more resilient, a little bit more aware, more
(17:22):
resilient, a little bit moreaware and a whole lot more
connected to the journey we calllife.
And, my friends, if you'rereally lucky, like that
gentleman from Chicago, you toomay feel the presence of God.
(17:48):
So, until we visit again, ridemindfully, ride with purpose and
ride for your soul.
As always, on that journey, Iwish you peace.
I wish you peace, I wish youlove.
The gentleman from Chicago said to me Ron, I feel the
presence of God here.
And I replied yes, sir, I dotoo, but I'm jumping ahead.
In addition to workingfull-time in corporate America,
(00:38):
as I do today, I work part-timeas a tour guide in Rocky
Mountain National Park.
I work for Green Jeep Tours inEstes Park, colorado, which is
just west of our home here inLoveland.
We who are guides get to takegroups of 10 to 12 people into
the national park for three-hourtours in these highly modified
(00:58):
jeeps, each having seating inthe back that's fully exposed.
You can look in all directions.
Having seating in the backthat's fully exposed, you can
look in all directions.
We use headsets and speakers todescribe everything that we're
seeing.
We guides love it, and most ofthe guides will tell you that
(01:18):
the most fun thing that we getto do is to introduce some of
our guests to the wilderness forthe very first time.
The biggest thrill I have iswhen guests are from large
cities like New York or Miami orLA, those who have never
experienced wilderness before.
And, as I've mentioned, theseare three-hour tours and I've
(01:38):
led a little over 300 tours lostcount actually, I think over
300, and I can guarantee you, notwo have ever been alike.
One such tour a family fromChicago who joined me for that
three-hour journey.
We reached a high meadow andtook a slow, quiet walk together
(02:02):
, surrounded by snow-cappedpeaks and other than the sound
of the wind and the trees andthe cold mountain stream just
below us.
It was completely silent, andit was there that the dad of the
family stood next to me as weboth gazed up at those peaks,
and I'll never forget what hesaid.
(02:24):
He said, ron, I feel thepresence of God here.
I remember replying yes, sir, Ido too.
And I went on to say maybe allof this was created just for you
(02:52):
and me to experience howpowerful and how beautiful God
is.
He didn't reply, but I did seehim wipe away a tear and then he
gave me a hug.
That, my friends, is why I lovebeing a tour guide, because I
think he understood, I think hegot it, and once again I was
(03:18):
reminding myself yeah, I get ittoo.
From Jeep tours to adventuremotorcycling that's our topic
today.
There's something very specialabout riding a motorcycle into
open spaces, free of buildings,free of cars, free of people
sometimes.
Sometimes that's a way to getaway from things Out on a
(03:44):
country road.
A lot of times it's out on adirt road, and I think that
that's what draws so many peopleto adventure riding.
It's becoming more and morepopular all the time.
Sometimes we just need toescape, both physically and
mentally, to get out of town and, if we're lucky, we may even
(04:08):
find a space where we too canfeel the presence of God.
And that's our topic todayAdventure riding for the soul.
Recorded in beautiful Loveland,colorado.
Welcome to Peace, love Moto,the podcast for motorcyclists
seeking that peaceful, easyfeeling as we cruise through
(04:32):
this life together.
Are you ready?
Let's go.
(04:55):
What a day I had yesterday.
What a day of contrast.
I most certainly had someexplaining to do when I rode
home on my motorcycle in thedark.
Well, after 10 last night therewas no cell phone coverage.
That's true, there wasn't.
She knows that Karen waswaiting for me patiently, after
(05:18):
almost 40 years together.
She's very forgiving when Ifind myself needing a long ride,
and yesterday was one of thosedays.
So yesterday I attended earlymorning video conferences here
at home.
Like I said, I work in corporateAmerica full time and that's
what we do we attend meetings.
A lot of people that I workwith are on the east coast of
(05:40):
the United States or even on theother side of the planet, like
in India.
So my day starts early.
After taking some meetings fromhome yesterday, then I caught
the bus from here in Loveland,colorado, to downtown Denver,
where one of our corporateoffices is.
It takes about an hour to getthere by bus from Loveland to
(06:01):
Union Station downtown.
Then I either walk the mile tomy office Yep, it's one mile or
sometimes even lately I've beenhaving fun with this I grab one
of those rentable electricscooters to traverse through the
tall buildings to my office.
It's cool that downtown Denverhas dedicated paths for scooters
(06:21):
and a direction that you aresupposed to be going down those
paths.
So it's relatively safe andit's very cool.
So honestly I should be walkingthe whole way, but those little
scooters are just so much fun.
So yesterday when I finished mywork in downtown Denver, I took
the bus back to Loveland and, asquickly as I could, I got on my
(06:43):
motorcycle and left town thedirection Northwest Way out of
town, up in the mountains, wherethe paved roads turn to dirt
roads, where you see far moredeer and elk and foxes than you
do, people, herds of cows thatwalk around on the roads too.
(07:05):
In some of these free-rangepastures I came across a
rattlesnake laying comfortablyin the dirt out on one of those
roads and taking in the heat ofthe day.
Just left him alone, of course,but it's very neat to see
Another one of nature'screatures just enjoying the day
(07:26):
just like I was.
I share this because in justone day I experienced the
busyness of urban life in alarge American city the traffic,
the very tall buildings, theconstant noise and crowds, then,
within hours, the solitude andthe quiet and, for me, the pure
(07:52):
joy of riding into a space.
I personally believe that Godcreated, maybe a space just for
me to see from a motorcycle,right then and there, just like
that green G tour I spoke ofwith the man from Chicago.
(08:24):
When you hear the term adventurewriting, what comes to mind for
you?
Is it dusty roads, remotelandscapes, maybe a few river
crossings or even an epicjourney across continents.
While all of this is certainlypart of it, I would suggest that
the true adventure often liesnot so much in where you go but
(08:50):
in who you may become along theway you may become along the way
.
For many of us, motorcycling isa release.
It's a form of therapy, andadventure riding, specifically,
(09:11):
I think, has a unique way ofpeeling back the layers of
everyday cares and stresses.
Adventure riding, I think,challenges us and ultimately it
reveals a deeper part of us aswell, a deeper part of ourselves
.
I think adventure riding maybe,unlike the daily commute or
just a ride around town, it'smore about, yeah, embracing the
(09:35):
unknown and maybe confrontingour limitations.
But I'll say, more importantly,for me and my experience, it's
about finding that sense ofpeace of mind that we talk about
on this podcast all the time.
Just think about it when you'reout on an adventure ride, out
(09:58):
in the forest, out in themountains, especially off the
beaten path anyway, your sensesare really heightened.
Just like that ride I had lastnight, late yesterday and into
the evening up in the mountains,I could smell the forest, the
dust coming off the road, theshifts in the terrain underneath
(10:18):
my tires.
I was just fully immersed.
Maybe that's how the timeslipped away.
Mindfulness, yeah, I'd saythat's what it is.
For me it's mindfulness.
I can feel it taking over.
Sometimes out there I felt ityesterday.
(10:39):
My brain wasn't worrying aboutthe email that I forgot to send
or the emails and meetings thatI was going to have to jump
right on the next morning.
No, it was focused on the hereand now, focused on that present
moment where I think true peaceresides, and, as for me, when
(11:08):
I'm at the right place at theright time, a lot of times out
on my motorcycle.
Yeah, that's where I me talkingabout my feelings, or
(11:42):
spirituality for that matter,but it's about facts as well.
Studies show that riding amotorcycle can significantly
reduce stress hormones likecortisol I believe that's the
way it's pronounced while itboosts endorphins, those natural
feel-good chemicals.
Nothing artificial going onthere.
And when you add the element ofnature communing with Mother
(12:07):
Nature that I like to talk aboutand the challenges of riding
out on the road and theself-reliance that's required
with adventure riding, well, Iwould assume that those benefits
just go off the charts oncecombined.
(12:35):
So how does this journey beyondthe destination unfold?
Well, first you have to acceptthe fact that adventure riding
will present obstacles.
It may be a flat tire in themiddle of nowhere, a sudden
downpour or even getting lost.
I have gotten lost before, upin British Columbia at one time.
It's in those moments where youcan't rely on cell phone
coverage or being able tocontact roadside support for
(12:58):
that matter, no cell phoneservice out in the mountains of
Colorado for the most part, forexample.
You have to problem solve, youhave to adapt, you have to in a
sense trust your instincts andknow what your capabilities and
limitations are.
And when you overcome these,overcome these challenges,
(13:20):
there's this incredible surge ofself-confidence and a deep
understanding of your ownresilience.
Maybe that's the right word.
You realize, if I can handlethis, what else am I capable of?
I guess that's what I think tomyself sometimes when I get
myself out of a bind.
(13:40):
Adventure writing too.
I think it helps to deepenconnections with yourself and
nature, because when you're outthere, away from the constant
noise and distractions of modernlife, you have to just take
into account that I don't reallyhave to do anything right now.
(14:02):
I have space to think, toreflect and I can hear myself,
if that makes sense.
You notice these subtle changesin landscape.
Where I rode yesterday, forexample, from the high mountains
into the deep valleys next to abeautiful lake below
(14:23):
snow-capped mountains.
What a contrast.
And it's when you stop the biketo observe and listen and hear
the sound of the wind movingthrough the trees and the sounds
of the streams.
This direct engagement withnature isn't just beautiful, I'd
say again.
(14:44):
For me it's also grounding.
It reminds me of my place inthe world, that there is
something much, much larger thanme out there.
I'm amongst it and rather thanfear, I get a sense of peace.
And rather than fear, I get asense of peace.
(15:06):
Maybe it's a sense of belongingwith my mom and your mom,
mother Nature.
So, unlike a quick commutethrough town, adventure riding,
I think, forces you to slow down, both in speed and in your
(15:27):
thoughts.
The pace isn't about speed atall, it's about navigating the
terrain, reading the road andbeing fully present in every
turn Careful braking, carefulgear shifting Every moment.
You've got to be careful outthere and I think we gain
patience.
That extends again for me,beyond the ride, it helps me to
(15:53):
navigate the complexities oflife, of my day job in corporate
America, maybe with a bit morecalm and a little bit less sense
of urgency.
(16:20):
So if you're feeling the need toescape, the need for adventure,
well, whether it's a weekendtrip to a nearby national forest
or just an open road, or across-country epic journey,
remember to look beyond the map.
Pack your gear, check your bike, prepare for the journey, of
(16:40):
course, but also prepare yourmind, prepare your spirit, be
open, allow yourself to be fullypresent in every mile, every
sight and every sound.
My friends, that's mindfulness,because I think when you do all
(17:01):
that, you'll discover thatadventure riding isn't just
about reaching a point on themap, it's about connecting with
your deeper self, finding peacein the wild, maybe and coming
home a little bit more resilient, a little bit more aware, more
(17:22):
resilient, a little bit moreaware and a whole lot more
connected to the journey we calllife.
And, my friends, if you'rereally lucky, like that
gentleman from Chicago, you toomay feel the presence of God.
(17:48):
So, until we visit again, ridemindfully, ride with purpose and
ride for your soul.
As always, on that journey, Iwish you peace.
I wish you peace, I wish youlove.
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