June is Men’s Mental Health Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the unique mental health challenges faced by men. It seems fitting that my first article on this page discusses how I find therapy through straddling a padded seat, feeling the gas between my legs, and hearing the rubber constantly burning against the road. 

Hi, my name is Lazarus Pachigalla, and this site, Laz Pach, is focused on the thrill of travel and the unique satisfaction it provides. From running down the street just to feel the wind against your face to packing a bag and setting out on an epic adventure across the country, these experiences are unlike any other. Having done both, and with plenty of time on my hands, I realized I needed an outlet to share my passions—not just for myself, but for everyone who rides for the thrill, relaxation, and therapy it provides. Two Wheels, One Soul #wanderlust is literally the way I feel every time I mount. 

In the United States, about 6 million men are documented as having been affected by depression. Even more alarming, only 1 in 4 of those men seek professional help. I, along with a few of my friends, have dealt with this. Take a second and think about it: either you or someone you know has probably disappeared off the face of the map. 

One way to battle depression is through social connections. Social connections often help alleviate the loneliness that men feel. When there is a strong social connection, men often feel emotionally supported, trusted, and reciprocated. These types of environments help reduce suicidal urges among men. The ability for men to share common interests, engage in positive memories, and have a sense of belonging are important factors in aiding a person to feel part of a community. 

Over the last few years, I have fought many battles, but the constant that remained was being surrounded by a community of motorcyclists. I can still think back to the day I bought my first motorcycle in 2019—it was a yellow Yamaha FZ-09. I stumbled on the ad on Facebook Marketplace. It was my chance to focus on something else and escape the stress of life. 

As soon as the seller responded, I ran down with my friend and picked her up. I'm not going to lie; the first time I saw her, even though I had done the MSF course and got my license, I was super intimidated. The max I had ridden was only a 200cc bike. I even took my friend to test ride the bike for me. He coaxed me to throw a leg over the bike, which wasn't really that difficult in hindsight. I pretty much gave in. I went down the street and came back up, grinning from ear to ear. I talked him down to $3,600 and bought the bike. 

The bike helped me focus on something other than just my life. My first ride was with a friend of mine, and then we grew to three. I started to realize the sense and importance of community. We started hanging out in parking lots, grabbing coffee (my favorite thing to do in the world), and traveling to motorcycle dealerships to test other motorcycles. 

While at one of the dealerships, I met another friend named Vince. He introduced me to a group called Bikes & Breakfast in Virginia Beach. They used to meet at a shop called the Old Trading Post, and I joined them for my first large group ride. I had so much fun. 

Fast forward a few years, and I moved to Arlington, Virginia. I started looking for a community here as well and stumbled on Bikes & Breakfast Clifton, where I met a man named Steve. Steve asked me where and when I was going to post my pictures. I gave him that stereotypical photographer reply, “Instagram and probably whenever I am in the mood.” 

While I was living here, Vince reached out to me and asked if I wanted to join him and a few friends on a group ride to Tail of the Dragon. The Tail is an 11-mile stretch of tarmac that leads to Tennessee from North Carolina and has 318 turns. As you can see in the photograph below, we had tons of fun! 

During this trip, another friend invited me to a group ride called the DGR in DC. I told him I might be too exhausted because I had a 10-hour road trip back to Arlington, VA. I lied. I showed up the very next day to the event. 

The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride is a global motorcycle event raising funds for men's mental health programs. This was honestly my first exposure to the idea of men seeking help on such a grand scale. I don’t think there could have been a more impressionistic time in my life than that moment. I was going through a ton emotionally and keeping it pretty bottled up. 

Within a few months of the event, on December 16th, my bike was stolen, my marriage fell apart, and everything I knew was tossed out the window. Going through all of that will be another article.

My friends everywhere posted about the motorcycle being stolen. She had 60k miles on her, but she was my baby girl. I didn’t buy another bike immediately; I kind of mourned the loss and what I was going through emotionally. However, I still kept going to the events, working on myself, and drowning myself in work.

Right before the 2022 DGR, the organizers for the DC ride reached out to me and asked if I wanted to shoot it. I said yes and followed them around in a car. I didn’t want to shoot the event from a car. I decided to go out and buy a bike. I bought another Yamaha the MT-09.

Honestly, having the bike made me feel whole again. I had so much fun shooting this DGR that I told them they could be sure I would be down to shoot the next one as well. Being surrounded by people who loved their bikes, stood around and talked about them, met, and joked about them—what more could anyone want? 

Research even shows that motorcycling can reduce stress levels by up to 28%. The sense of community that comes from riding motorcycles has been the reason I was able to stay sane. If you're reading this, maybe you can relate or have similar experiences. I’d love to hear your stories about how the motorcycle community has helped you.

Let's share our journeys and support each other. 

Sources:

• Men’s Mental Health Statistics:

  • National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). "Major Depression." NIMH.

  • American Psychological Association (APA). "Men and Depression." APA.

• Social Connections and Mental Health:

  • Mayo Clinic Staff. "Social support: Tap this tool to beat stress." Mayo Clinic.

  • Healthline. "The Importance of Social Connections." Healthline.

• Motorcycle Therapy and Community:

  • Psych Central. "Motorcycle Therapy: A Mindfulness Practice." Psych Central.

  • Motorcycle.com. "How Riding A Motorcycle Improves Your Mental Health." Motorcycle.com.

  • Harley-Davidson. "Riding Can Help Reduce Stress and Improve Focus, According to New Study." Harley-Davidson.