Riding with Mother Nature - Appreciating Her Power

The powerful connection motorcyclists share with Mother Nature defines our riding experience in profound ways most travelers never understand. When we throw a leg over our bikes, we enter into a relationship with forces larger than ourselves—sometimes gentle, sometimes fierce, but always present.

Unlike our caged counterparts, motorcyclists directly feel every temperature shift, weather change, and atmospheric mood. This heightened awareness creates a unique mindset where we simultaneously prepare for nature's challenges while surrendering to her ultimate control. There's something strangely liberating in acknowledging we cannot tame the crosswind or halt the approaching storm—we can only adapt, adjust, and continue forward.

The contrast between urban riding environments and those lonely country roads reveals where Mother Nature speaks most clearly. While city streets offer danger and discomfort, those routes alongside lakes, through forests, or near mountains become spaces for genuine connection. Remember that crisp morning air as the sun rises? Perhaps that's her way of saying good morning. The cooling breeze on your skin during a summer ride? Maybe she's wishing you a pleasant journey.

Even in challenging moments—like my ride through Monument Valley's sudden hailstorm—Mother Nature often has something beautiful to show us if we maintain the right perspective. Emerging from that storm to discover a double rainbow in my rearview mirror became a powerful metaphor for perseverance. Like riders such as "Itchy Boots" who maintain positivity through difficult worldwide journeys, we can choose to embrace weather challenges as essential parts of the motorcycling experience rather than inconveniences.

Next time you ride, take a moment to acknowledge Mother Nature's presence. Appreciate her gentle days, respect her power, and most importantly, embrace the incredible freedom we enjoy experiencing the world on two wheels. What a gift indeed! Have you had a memorable encounter with Mother Nature during a ride? I'd love to hear your story.

Support the show

Episode Transcript

Ron (00:09):
Sometimes she's very calm and quiet when we're out for a
ride, those days with perfecttemperatures and a steady light
breeze, and other times, yeah,she is fiercely letting us know
about her presence through anapproaching storm or a strong
cold wind.

(00:29):
I think our relationship withMother Nature in every ride is
what distinguishes those whoproudly call themselves
motorcyclists from most everyoneelse out there on the road.
Maybe it's our acceptance ofthe fact that Mother Nature is
in control of both the good andthe challenging days when we're
out on the road.
Maybe it's our acceptance ofthe fact that Mother Nature is
in control of both the good andthe challenging days when we're
out on the bike.
Yeah, maybe it's the acceptanceof our limited control, and

(00:54):
that's almost comforting.
We're talking about someonevery special, aren't we?
Someone who we all know, maybewho we need to better appreciate
Our mom, mother Nature.
When was the last time youspent some real quality time out

(01:15):
there with Mother Nature, outthere on your bike?
Just the two of you.
Because here's the thing MotherNature is always with us,
whether you acknowledge her ornot, and as motorcyclists, our
connection with her is somethingvery unique and maybe accepting

(01:40):
what Mother Nature has in storefor us on any given ride.
Well, no matter what she has instore, no matter what she has
to teach us, well, that may bejust what we need to hear, what
we need to feel in that momentout on the bike.

(02:01):
Let's talk about it, stay tuned.
Recorded in beautiful Loveland,colorado.
Welcome to Peace, love Moto thepodcast for motorcyclists
seeking that peaceful, easyfeeling as we cruise through
this life together.
Are you ready?
Let's go.
I know what you're saying andyou're right, very true.

(02:37):
If you live in a large citywhere it's hard to find those
lonely roads and, yeah, I'lljust talk about connecting with
Mother Nature hard to find thoselonely roads, and yeah, I'll
just talk about connecting withMother Nature that's a challenge
, and I think most everyonewould agree that riding in
traffic is not something most ofus enjoy, because it feels like
every driver is out there tokill you, and that's what we

(02:57):
teach all the beginner riders,right?
Remember, everyone's out tokill you, to try to be extra
careful.
Well, sometimes we may certainly, too, find that the city is
just not where we should bewriting.
You know, it's just, it's just.
Yeah, it's just quite dangerousat times.
On top of that, it's just somuch hotter in the city as

(03:18):
opposed to the country.
A lot of the times, I think wecreate too much concrete in a
confined space and we just don'tleave enough grass and trees
alone out there.
Well, enough about the city.
I don't know if there'sanything you or I can do about
that, but I think you'll agreethat, given the opportunity to

(03:39):
ride away from the city, out onwhatever is your lonely road,
maybe by a lake, maybe through aforest, by a river, near a
mountain, that's where we'd liketo be and that's where mom
seems to reside and speak mostclearly.
It's those days when I'mtraveling for business or

(04:02):
there's ice on the ground and Ican't get my motorcycle out.
Oh, those are the days I reallymiss her.
Those are the days I so want tobe back in Mother Nature,

(04:23):
getting on your bike, that crispmorning air as the sun rises.
Have you felt that?
Maybe that's Mother Nature justsaying good morning?
That breeze cooling your skinon a summer early morning ride.
Maybe that's her saying I hopeyou enjoy this day.

(04:44):
Then there are the other moods,because she's got those too
right the way she fiercelyannounces herself with a sudden
storm when it just rolls in, andhow she throws those strong
crosswinds at us just to remindus who's really in control.
Then there's the heat, the cold, the rain and the ever-changing

(05:05):
sky.
She speaks to us in a languageonly riders and maybe only
sailors can truly understand andappreciate.
And maybe, just maybe, that'swhat sets us apart from most
people out on the road.
That's the acceptance of andthe preparation of changes

(05:27):
Changes in the weather, changesin Mother Nature's mood, like
using gear that providesprotection both against the rain
and the sun.
Most importantly, it's anunderstanding that she's in
control and not us.
We all know the weather canchange at any moment, especially
here in Colorado.
She harnesses the power to rocklarge ships in the ocean and

(05:51):
shake the most advanced jetliner, and it's in that realization,
maybe in that surrender, thatshe's larger than what we can
even comprehend.
Or maybe there's just somethingoddly comforting about that.
How many times have you beenout on a ride just feeling the

(06:18):
warmth of the sun on your backand thinking this is perfect?
Or maybe you've been caught inan unexpected downpour and
instead of being frustrated, youjust smile and embrace it
Because, hey, that's part of theride too, right, it's part of
the experience, it's part ofthis relationship that we have
to have when we're out on thebike, relationship with Mother

(06:40):
Nature.
If you're not already aware ofItchy Boots, that's right.
Itchy Boots, the ridingadventurers of Norley, from the
Netherlands.
She has such an amazinglypositive attitude when faced
with incredible challenges outon her motorcycle journeys
around the world.
You can find her on YouTubeSomehow, even in the most

(07:01):
treacherous of circumstances,when many of us would give up,
she embraces the challenge,seeks help from the locals as
best she can and continues witha smile.
Amazing.
Now I don't know what happensoff camera, but she is traveling
alone and, yeah, just recordingthese events live, and her

(07:25):
reactions are mostly positive.
It's amazing.
I so admire that.
It was about 10 years ago,riding my Honda Goldwing through
Monument Valley, I stopped inthe spot of the road that they
call Forest Gump Point.

(07:46):
That's the spot in the moviewhere Forrest Gump decided to
stop running and just go backhome.
Anyway, out in Monument Valleythere's not much in the way of
shelter.
That's evidence if you go backand look at the movie, that
scene.
Anyway, I was riding south downtoward Arizona and the distant

(08:08):
road just disappeared.
It disappeared into a blackwall, or I should say a blackish
green wall.
It was a combination of rainand hail.
There was really nothing Icould do but just duck
underneath the windshield and go.
So, yes, that's what I did Ijust ducked and went and the

(08:32):
rain hit hard and the hail wassmall, thank goodness, but it
hit hard too and it hurt.
But it seemed like just asquickly as I entered that
blackness that I came out theother side into full sunshine.
As I glanced in my rearviewmirror, I'll never forget what I

(08:53):
saw In the blackness of thatstorm I had just ridden through
was a beautiful double rainbow.
It was like Mother Nature sayingaren't you glad you kept going?
And, more importantly, aren'tyou glad you kept going?

(09:16):
And, more importantly, aren'tyou glad you looked back.
And so, my friends, here's mychallenge for you and for myself
Next time we hop on our bike,let's take a moment to
acknowledge the fact that ourmom, mother Nature, is all
around us, the fact that our mom, mother Nature, is all around

(09:38):
us, appreciate her on those calmand gentle days and respect her
when she needs to show herstrength.
And, most of all, I'd say,let's embrace the freedom and
the gift to ride our motorcycle.
What a gift, what a gift.
My hope for you and my hope formyself is that I'll always

(09:59):
remember to appreciate MotherNature, to appreciate the beauty
that's all around us.
Our hope is just to have theeyes to see and the ears to
listen to the wonderful thingsour Mother Nature has to show us
, as always.
Thank you so much for listeningand for telling your friends if

(10:21):
you enjoy it.
I wish you peace and I wish youlove.
Thank you.