My Zen Encounter With a Motorcyclist

…And The Book I’m Reading Because of It

Random conversations with strangers are part of the normal flow of my day.  And nine times out of ten, a book that I have with me is a conversation starter.

A few weeks ago I had a chat with a fellow patron at a coffeehouse who I saw arrive on a badass motorcycle. Before sitting down to visit with his mom who had joined him at a nearby patio table, he and I exchanged some spirited banter back and forth about the make and model of his bike, his love for riding, and the vicissitudes of life in general.

Despite having had cycling friends who’ve described it as the ultimate rush, I’ve never ridden one. With that admission, he offered to take me for a spin someday. 

Curious, I then inquired about whether he had read the iconic book “Zen And The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values.” He responded by saying that it had indeed been recommended to him countless times but he had never read it. 

Fact of the matter is, I hadn’t either. 

Fast forward to May 1st, this past weekend which was National Independent Bookstore Day. I had the opportunity to visit Denver’s infamous BookBar to take in the celebratory mood for the day and purchase a book. 

Upon arriving, I made my way to the back of the store where the non-fiction books were housed. After scanning the shelves for an hour or so, I stumbled upon Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Prompted by that encounter with the motorcycle enthusiast a few weeks ago, I decided to purchase it. 

Honestly, I know very little about this classic book. So I’m stepping into reading it blindly which is a bit outside of my normal pattern.

Below are a couple of brief video’s that offer an introduction about what the book is all about. In the meantime, stay tuned for my thoughts about it in the coming weeks.