“Being There: Stories from the Road Where We Keep the Rubber Side Down”
Being There: Stories from the Road Where We Keep the Rubber Side Down
There’s a difference between passing through… and truly being there.
Being There: Stories from the Road Where We Keep the Rubber Side Down is a collection of true motorcycle journeys written by my father — stories of open highways, small towns, long miles, unexpected detours, and the kind of moments you only find when you slow down enough to notice them.
My father passed away many years ago.
But through these writings, his voice still rides.
In each episode, I read one of his stories from the road — just as he wrote it — and then I share a personal reflection at the end. What it means to me now. What I hear differently as a son. What time and miles have taught me since he first put those words on paper.
These aren’t just ride logs.
They’re lessons in presence. In freedom. In risk. In faith. In keeping the rubber side down — on the bike and in life.
This podcast isn’t just about motorcycles.
It’s about legacy. It’s about listening. It’s about being there — even when the person who taught you how to ride is no longer beside you.
Ride safe. Be present.
And keep the rubber side down.
“Being There: Stories from the Road Where We Keep the Rubber Side Down”
Turning 50
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Originally written by Gene McCalmont and first published in 1996, Turning 50 is a high-octane reflection on what it means to cross a life milestone without surrendering the passion that got you there.
Later translated into four languages and published in multiple European motorsports magazines before appearing in TexMoto Magazine (May/June 2000), this story captures a single day at the track — 85 miles, 1.2 at a time — aboard a bright red Ducati 900 SS SP.
What begins as a birthday ride becomes something more.
In this episode of Being There: Stories from the Road Where We Keep the Rubber Side Down, I read my father’s original words as he wrote them. Afterward, I share a personal reflection on what this story means to me now — eleven years after his passing — and what turning milestones really looks like from the other side of time.
For the next 85 miles, life was simple.
Sometimes that’s the whole point.
Ride safe. Be present.
And keep the rubber side down.