“Being There: Stories from the Road Where We Keep the Rubber Side Down”

About “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 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. Ride safe. Be present. And keep the rubber side down.

Publisher

John McCalmont

Category

leisure · leisure · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

26 Feb 2026

Latest episode

25 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

30 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   25 Oct 2026

   A Life Less Ordinary

   30 episodes of Being There, and a little something special to celebrate! I'm proud to share that Being There has won the Silver Award at the 2026 Signal Awards for Most Inspirational Podcast in the Limited Series & Specials category. What started as a way to preserve my father's stories has now reached 30 episodes, and this recognition makes the milestone even more meaningful. For this episode, I read Dad's story "A Life Less Ordinary," originally written for Ride Texas Magazine in 2006. ...

2. 

   4 Oct 2026

   Silent Night

   Can we disagree and still remember that we're all on the same team? In this episode of Being There, I read my father's original, unedited version of Silent Night Dad begins in December 1967. He's a college student working nights at Camp Gary outside San Marcos, riding a Triumph Bonneville because it's the only transportation he has, struggling with his grades, and knowing that school may be the only thing standing between him and Vietnam. Then the snow begins to fall. For a few moments, the n...

3. 

   22 Sept 2026

   They All Went to Mexico

   In this episode of Being There, I read my father's story "They All Went to Mexico." Dad takes us along on his first motorcycle trip deep into Mexico—a 2,800-mile, 16-day adventure through mountain passes, colonial cities, unfamiliar roads, rain, traffic, and a country that seemed to offer something completely new around every corner. But some of his strongest memories weren't about the roads at all. They were about the people. An unexpected invitation from local motorcyclists in Monclova turn...

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Contact “Being There: Stories from the Road Where We Keep the Rubber Side Down”

Guest appearances

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