RIDING TO CHICAGO ON MY NINJA 300 IN THE WINTER: A 5,300 MILE SOLO ADVENTURE

OCT 5, 2021

Why I Chose to Ride 5,300 Miles Instead of Taking a Flight

Love knows no distance or boundaries. When I decided to visit my friend Elyza, I could have taken a flight, driven a car or even ridden Amtrak, but those options were too boring to me. Instead, I embarked on a 5,300 miles/ 8,500 kilometers solo motorcycle journey on my Ninja 300 in the winter. There's a saying, "Go big or go home." This was my first solo mototouring trip and I went big. I rode big, and rode home a different person. Here are 5 key lessons I learned along the way.

1. Test Your Gear Before the Journey Begins My trip spanned three weeks: one week riding from California to Illinois, five days resting in Chicago to spend time with my friend, and another week riding back home. I rode 300-500 miles/ 480-800 kilometers for about 6 to 9 hours a day and my lack of preparation caused problems from the start. As I left home, I experienced speed wobbles whenever I decelerated due to poor weight distribution in my luggage, forcing me to stop at a friend's house and repack repeatedly. I couldn't figure this out and instead, rode home, ditched my tent and opted for a mosquito net as a "tent" instead, a decision I would later regret. This lack of preparation caused me to leave hours later than I wanted. Testing your gear beforehand could save you from unnecessary delays and discomfort.

2. A Tent Provides More Than Shelter – It Offers a Sense of Safety I camped the entire trip with my mosquito net protecting me from critters crawling closer to me. One night in particular, it sprinkled at night and I thought I would need to frantically pack up in the middle of the night, ride down the mountain in the mud and get a hotel. Luckily, the sprinkling stopped. But the real scare came later when a man and his dog wandered into my campsite. The dog came right up to my sleeping bag, sniffed me and I froze - not daring to move or make a sound. This was a scary situation to wake up to in the middle of the night especially since I did not know if the dog was friendly, nor did I know the man's intentions. Luckily nothing happened. A tent may not stop a wild animal, but it does create a barrier that offers some sense of security. Lesson learned: always bring a tent, even if it’s just for peace of mind.

3. Avoid Riding on I-80E in Wyoming—The Winds Are Dangerous Seeing freeway signs saying "Warning: high winds over 65mph" is the one of the most terrifying things you could see while riding, especially on a small sportbike like the Ninja 300. The 80E is big rig territory for thousands of miles. And the worst thing is, you have no choice. There is no other road that will take you across the state so quickly, no backroads, no local streets. I never tuck when I ride, but in this instance, I tucked as low as I could. My anxiety was flaring as the wind tossed me across my lane. Luckily the few times it tossed me closer to the next lane, there were no vehicles next to me. I'm thankful I'm alive. I have a saying that you can only cheat death so many times doing the same thing. I cheated death that day and I am not pushing my luck again. Next time, I’ll take the longer, safer route via I-90 or I-70.

4. Human kindness is everywhere. Despite the challenges, I encountered countless acts of kindness on this trip. A gas station attendant near the Bonneville Salt Flats warned me there were mountain lions in the mountains where I intended to camp. He offered his hotel keys and said I could sleep while he worked overnight. He trusted me, a complete stranger with all his belongings. Of course stubborn me didn't lug all this camping gear not to camp, so I rode off into the mountains, but his gesture of generosity remains in my heart. In another instance, a small convenience store owner let me eat my meal behind the counter so I wouldn't have to eat on the sidewalk in the cold. He also said I didn't have to pay for my meal. This store owner thought I didn't have money because I looked so disheveled from my ride. Of course I paid him, but I am thankful for his gesture. These experiences remind me that kindness exists everywhere—you just have to stay open to it.

5. The Journey Changed Me—But I Wouldn’t Do It This Way Again I would not recommend to anyone to do this trip the way I did it. The trip was grueling. I was rushing everyday, some nights I could not fall asleep because the wind was so cold, and some mornings it took me two hours to get ready because it was 28F/ -2C and I could not get my hands warm. One morning, I even had to eat half-cooked, crunchy oatmeal because my water wouldn’t boil. This journey taught me that just because I can endure hardship, doesn't mean I need to. I will never do such a high mileage, fast paced trip again. I honestly didn't enjoy it. Next time I'll prioritize enjoying the ride rather than surviving it.

Lessons Learned for Future Adventures

This solo winter ride from California to Chicago was challenging, but I gained valuable experience from it. If you’re planning a long-distance motorcycle trip, I hope you learn from my mistakes—test your gear, prioritize safety, and, most importantly, give yourself time to truly experience the journey.