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

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Being There , I read "Hunter's Moon," written by my father, Gene McCalmont, in 2005. While camping alone at Enchanted Rock in the Texas Hill Country, my father finds himself caught between reality and imagination. What begins as a peaceful evening beneath a brilliant Hunter's Moon slowly transforms into an unforgettable night filled with myst...

Send us Fan Mail For decades, Highway 17 in West Texas was a road that gave my father equal measures of adventure and anxiety. From desert storms and mountain vistas to long rides beneath the stars, it became a place filled with memories. But one memory stood above all the others—the day his son crashed a motorcycle on the side of Interstate 20 after a ride through the Davis Mountains. In his stor...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 18 – Kebler Pass In this episode of Being There, I read “Kebler Pass,” written by my father, Gene McCalmont, in 2004. While riding alone through the mountains of Colorado, Dad spots a squiggly line on a map and decides to follow it. What begins as a scenic detour quickly turns into a test of skill, courage, and determination as he finds himself navigating a narrow mountain...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Being There, I read “Reflections of You,” written by my father, Gene McCalmont, in 2004. While sitting outside a coffee shop in Fredericksburg, Texas, Dad becomes fascinated by the reflections moving across a plate-glass window. What begins as a simple observation turns into a deeper meditation on identity, perception, and the many versions of ourselves that exi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Being There, I read “A Fallen Soldier,” written by my father, Gene McCalmont, on April 30, 2004. As the Iraq War dominated the headlines, Dad found himself reflecting on another generation of young Americans who answered their country's call to serve. While restoring a 1967 Triumph Bonneville once owned by a young soldier who never returned home, he wrestle...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Being There , I read “What Do You Think About This?”, written by my father, Gene McCalmont, in 2004. Set in the old rail yard of Chama, New Mexico, the story follows a brief but unforgettable conversation between the author and an aging railroad worker named Eloy. As steam engines roll into the station and tourists gather with cameras, Eloy reflects on work, age...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Being There , I read “Tres Cervezas,” a story written by my father, about a motorcycle trip into Big Bend country in 1967. Three young riders. Old motorcycles. No money. No real plan. What starts as a rough ride through West Texas turns into an unforgettable night in Boquillas, Mexico—complete with tacos, tequila, cold Carta Blancas, and the kind of unexpected friends...

Send us Fan Mail Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out into the midday sun, but it is here that one often finds that moment of truth when he is reminded of his own mortality and the limits of time. It is how one chooses to move forward that makes all the difference!

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Being There , I read “Jalapeño Jelly,” a deeply reflective piece written by my father, Gene McCalmont, during a particularly difficult season in 2003. Set against a cold motorcycle ride through East Texas, this story weaves together moments of loss, grief, family, and quiet resilience. It moves through the passing of loved ones, unexpected tragedy, and the emoti...

Send us Fan Mail A moment’s inattention is all it takes to ruin a perfectly good day. No matter how much he knows about riding, the author admits to forgetting the basics from time to time.

Send us Fan Mail My Everything was written in March of 2003 as a story to commemorate the author’s 35th wedding anniversary. It was inspired by a chance encounter with a redheaded beauty at Coopers in Llano, Texas, on a ride with his long-time friend, Jerry.

Send us Fan Mail In the 60s, life was never certain. The Vietnam War, motorcycles, and living life fast dominated everything. The author remembers how reality appeared in his mailbox one summer’s day in 1968.

Send us Fan Mail Title: My First  Author: Gene McCalmont The first motorcycle the author ever rode, at least for more than a block, was in 1966. Back then, there were no riding lessons other than what you gave yourself. Motorcycles were still somewhat rare , though they were gaining popularity, especially among the young. That ride was not his most accomplished, although it was the start of a life...

Send us Fan Mail Title: Winter’s Morose Author: Gene McCalmont In the theater of the mind, the author relives past adventures and envisions the day when he will again ride the grandeur of the Big Bend.

Send us Fan Mail Sometimes, the ride is just an excuse to hangout with friends. In this story, the author explores the nature of a long-standing friendship and the unspoken words between two men who have lived many shared experiences.

Send us Fan Mail A familiar road. A familiar Ducati. A stranger on a bench who didn’t feel like a stranger at all. “Familiar Places” is about how motorcycles open doors to connection — and how sometimes the ride reminds you exactly where you belong.

Send us Fan Mail You’re never too old. Too married. Or too “mature” to make a fool of yourself. A Hill Country stop, a bag of ice, and a moment of questionable judgment… “A Young Beauty” is live now. This one proves the road teaches humility in unexpected ways.

Send us Fan Mail In 1993, my dad and I rode to West Texas on a motorcycle trip that changed more than we realized. That night at McDonald Observatory, he looked through a telescope and saw the light of a hundred billion stars. It opened a universe for him. “It’s Full of Stars” is live now — and this one means a lot, because I was there. 🎙 New episode of Being There .

Send us Fan Mail 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 a...

Send us Fan Mail A winter ride through the Texas Hill Country. An unexpected run with a young deer. For two miles, youth and experience moved side by side on an empty road. “Come Run with Me”— one of my father’s most reflective pieces, written in 2000. Sometimes the road gives you more than miles. Sometimes it gives you perspective.