A friend's recent attempt to take a few weeks riding his motorcycle from New Jersey to California and back made me realize how intimidating long distance riding can be -- especially for novice travelers who don't know their limits.
My friend had spent many months thoughtfully preparing his motorcycle, his equipment and himself for this great adventure. He took the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's beginners riding course, got his motorcycle drivers license, bought a reliable used motorcycle and leaned the rudiments of maintaining it -- including fixing a flat tire on the side of the road. He gained experience riding in all sorts of weather. What's more, he equipped himself with proper riding gear that would keep him comfortable and provide protection in case of an accident.
So when the departure date finally arrived, he and his bike were both ready. He rolled the machine out of the garage on a bright sunny morning, cranked it up and headed west.
By late afternoon, after traveling about 450 miles across New Jersey and Pennsylvania, he was ready to pack in it, but not only for the day. He was ready to end the trip right there. He was tired, cold, hungry, worn out and disoriented. Rather than camping out, he went to a motel to get a good night's sleep and review his options.
He subsequently scaled back his trip from a few weeks to a few days and slowly rambled back home.
So what went wrong? Well, depending upon how you look at it, nothing went wrong.
This was certainly a great adventure and a learning experience. My friend learned that a good windshield and a warm motorcycle jacket aren't always enough to ward off the cold. He learned that the combination of putting in a long day of riding then camping out might not be as enjoyable or relaxing as anticipated. He learned how important it is to drink lots of water to prevent dehydration when riding long hours out in the wind. He learned that he needed a lot more time to comfortably and safely travel the distances he'd originally planned. And, in the end, he'd learned enough to revise his plans to turn a bad experience into an enjoyable outing.
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