Life is Suffering | Choose Your Pain 

From one "old guy" to another.....nailed it!

I'm starting to appreciate these Sunday morning philosophy sessions... There always seems to be at least a nugget that's gets my mind going on something that pertains to me or my life. That said... I'll NEVER be a "ride plan-a-header" 😛 ... 🤣

On the riding side of this subject, I choose to ride without a windscreen, as(for myself), it detracts from the openness of the riding experience. I’ve ridden through all kinds of weather conditions, and gotten pummeled by wind, hail, dust, all that nature had thrown at me! When I ride with my friends(who DO have shields), they think I’m a glutton for punishment, but accept that I choose to “suffer” from the aforementioned weather conditions. I’ve been riding for 50 years, and, like you, work out regularly, ride when I can, and try to ignore the politics and other BS, and keep life simple. I enjoy your videos, and the thoughtfulness that they contain! Top notch content! 😁

Refering to Mark Manson, this is maybe why older people are happier, because they have developed more strategies to solve (or avoid senseless) problems, which as result makes them happier. So is my personal experience when growing older…and I agree with you: Stop fighting against windmills🤗

Yep. As a rider for 50 years and a practicing Nichiren Buddhist for 40 years, I'd say you've pretty much nailed it. However, when it comes to the nature of suffering, contemporary Buddhism posits that the path to enlightenment comes from understanding the nature of Karma and conquering it. There are only 4 sufferings or Karma that everyone are going to endure without fail, we are born, we get old, we get sick and we die. Everything in between is the result of all of our words, thoughts, deeds and actions, that's what Karma is, and to overcome or change Karma one must gain the wisdom to take appropriate action, meaning to take responsible action to think and act appropriately to the situation at hand. Applying that to motorcycle riding, I've found that overcoming the ego and riding with respect to the traffic environment is the best way to stay alive on two wheels, meaning to realize that I'm not more important or special than any other vehicle on the road. I don't expect any special deference as a rider, I maintain awareness of others around me and ride according to the way the traffic is and not how I "demand" it should be despite my greater speed and maneuverability. It means to literally "go with the flow", to be in control of myself and by extension, my own Karma, also realizing that every other driver on the road is dealing with the same obstacles and challenges that I am on the road, which means to actually "give a f*ck" about staying alive by being acutely aware of where you are and what you and others are doing, even when others are making bad choices. Stay safe, stay alive, and keep wearing the "banana jacket". 👍👍

I've always lived with the attitude that there are no problems ONLY solutions. Pittsburgh Paul

Choose your pain, and choose your joy. I and my good friend who I have done several moto trips always talk about how we both have a similar level of "enjoying the suffering" of the trip and that's why we travel so well together. Great video and topic. It reminds me of a quote I wrote down when listening to a talk from Mark Nepo (an excellent poet and writer if you don't know him). In the talk he said one of the great challenges of life Is learning to ask for what you need and having the grace to accept what you get.

Life is not suffering. It is facing inevitable choices and making the best choice. This is true even when we find ourselves in situations over which we had no control, we can still choose how to act. At most its a bit of a struggle; sometimes.

bumped into this video and just want to say thank you!

Nice essay. Yup. Everything has a price. And so much pain is self inflicted.

You are the best channel on RU-vid

Thanks! I needed that!

Well done Ripley.

Thank you very much! I enjoy to listen to your thoughts. Especially this philosophical Chautauquas are interesting and helpfully for my live. Greetings from Germany

I’m 4 weeks in after having total hip replacement so I’m suffering as much as I can to recover 5 mile walk today but the thought of riding my bike again keeps me going and living life to the full 👍

Craig - you're becoming a bit philosophical these last few videos, and I for one am really enjoying them. You're articulating what I too am reflecting upon and to hear it verbalized is great. Thank you for that. Also in my 60's, many of my conversations with my 30-year-old son these days have many times resulted in my asking him, about a particular topic he's struggling with, "will, or did, your reaction change the world?" and followed by "was the fight really worth anything more than getting you really upset?". I believe all fathers have those talks with their sons at some point. Thank you for another great video. I'd never heard of Wayne Dyer, so I'm going to log into my library account to see what books they might have from him and select one. Have a great week!

I like a balance of planning vs. winging it. My wife and I plan a basic route, but generally don’t plan our nightly destinations. We ride as far as we feel good riding in a given day. Some days that is 400 miles and some days it is 150. If we plan ahead for say 300 mile days, we end up feeling like we wasted time on the days when 400 miles would have been comfortable and we feel tired on the days when 150 would have been optimal and we have to forge ahead another 150 miles in rain or cold or both. So, I like to plan sights to see in advance and a rough route, but we are flexible to reroute when required, but I don’t like rigid nightly stops or hotel reservations. We only do the latter when riding in Europe or on our trip to Alaska, where we booked hotels a couple days in advance given the more limited selection. And I tend to view life as being challenge filled rather than filled with suffering. Suffering is mainly a mindset and I simply choose not to participate for the most part. I attribute that to my Christian faith. It has worked for me for nearly 60 years.

Count your blessings. It has taken me 66 years to work it out. I think we have read the same books and in many ways had similar journeys. Love your stuff. Keep going :).

I find no pain in camping but I do understand where you are coming from. One must choose their pain wisely.

Thanks for producing this. I sent it to my son, who i hope finds some comfort in your thoughts in life.

Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance 2.0! You stand out from the crowded RU-vid space occupied by motorcycle vlogs. You’ll make a good “hum-safar.” That’s Hindi for fellow traveler.

Great thoughts and wisdom , Like the new fluo jacket on todays ride , my season will only start in 2 week only a bit jealous. Alain & Yellow

Well done

Deep man real deep ✌️

Good day sir, your words are once more comforting, thank you! Finally my riding season has begun 🥳 Take care! Marc, Quebec 😉🏍

We have much philosophy in common...except that planner vs winger thing. I like to flip flop between the two. LOVE Wayne Dyer. About 3 years before he passed, he came to give a talk at our church. Afterward I shook his hand and thanked him for how the many many hours reading his works had blessed my Life. My wife hugged him. Not a fake hug, a 10 or 15 second long, Loving embrace. Sweet memories of a Wise man.

Good wisdom good video 👍🏽

I like your channel! Look like my area in southern Connecticut!

A lot of truth in this one! Thanks! On another note, can you do a full review of your Tiger, your opinions so far, was it worth it, cost of maintenance, etc. Thank you. From CT, U.S.A.

Suffering ... that is a weird word ... I enjoy camping on a motorcycle trip and there is no suffering there ... Sleeping all my life on a shikibuton futon, theres is no problem to sleep on a half inch thick inflated mattress over the tent floor. Sleeping outside is great. I like very much to overcome technical problems like i am doing right now not writing and composing in my first language! My first language is french. Like you, i love traveling on a motorcycle. Like you, i am traveling a mid size adventure bike. Like you, i always wear all the time all my gears on. Like you, i have a very bright yellow jacket on. And like you, i am riding motorcycles since a very long time! But i also like challenges. I rode once all Labrador in july by often one degree celsius, 34 degrees fr. sleeping outside and being relatively comfortable. Of course, i was having gloves according to the temperature and clothes also. My sleeping bag was in duvet and my tent, an expedition one, could endure very high wind. I like very much technical stuff in camping, great tents, great sleeping bags and so on, stuff that is lightweight, tough and reliable. When i saw you in one of your previous video with your huge tent and your huge mattress plus covering your mattress it make me smiling ... On my philosophy of riding, everything that i will carry on with me will be always as lightweight as possible. I have done a couple of hundreds miles on gravel on this trip and i was carrying additional gas because, sometime it was 300 miles between two gas stations! There is no suffering at all there, just anticipating in advance where you are going! On the other opposite, i had travel in Utah, New Mexico, Nevada in summer time and sometime it was incredibly hot! Again, with a bit of precaution, plenty of water, clothes always wet, everything went well. On this trip, i left Las Vegas at 4:00 am. crossing Death Valley during night to avoid the 118 degrees during the day! I had enjoyed very much road 6 and 50 in Nevada, the emptiness and the serenity of it and i will surely go back there for sure ... Happy trail and congratulations for your nice videos.

mmm, I'm not sure after listening to this video when you will decide to be called a therapist, but this was very therapeutic info in my book. Thx Bill Well said and thank you!

Good stuff Craig. Check your top-box. Vibrates a lot. Lol

I find myself returning to The Tao Te Ching to help me cope. I especially enjoy the Gia FuFeng and Diane English version with the beautiful black and white photography.

Wise words indeed. 😎

i wish also, as many others, that i knew lot of things/realize a lot of important truths of life earlier......happy for you, happy for me that i know you, enjoy life and squeeze further!!....❤❤❤❤❤❤✌✌🤠🤠

Yes, that’s life.

❤

👍 🛣️

Have you tried peloton spin cycling?

Maybe why they say Youth is wasted on the Youth?😊

Nicely stated as usual :) Acceptance and reframing is powerful and help finding what matters most and sensible solutions. Ride safe. Like that new Aerostitch 👍

Yeah, this is the Real Stuff. I'd also wondered why I couldn't have picked up some of this at a younger age, but figure that, at least in my case, I just had to take the poundings of youthful stupidity to arrive here, and boy, am I grateful I finally did. Wishing you, and hoping for myself, a Good Ride 'till the end.