Girl on Wheels

A sharp turn to the right, my knee is close to the ground. I move my body weight from left to right in the turns, accelerating with my right hand. That’s how it’s been going for three days. I take my next break at 2211 m altitude in the Alps, breathe in a combination of cool mountain air and hot fuel, and think to myself: ‘’How did I get here?’’.

When you are moving from Germany to Italy to study abroad for a year, there are many things you expect to need, but even more you hope to leave to behind. Calendars and winter coats for example. I practically grew up on my dad’s motorbike, so it was no big surprise when I mentioned that I was planning on getting a license and bike myself. However, my dream of driving it down to Italy to live there was a different story. Same goes for doing that trip seven days after getting the license and bike.
Somehow, rationality stops where passion starts. So here I was, a 20-year old girl, trying to fit everything I had on the back of a motorcycle. Being an inexperienced biker at the time, I was lucky enough to be accompanied by my father, who has been a passionate biker for over 30 years. I packed all I had on my Honda CBF 600 and started a 1400 km trip from Münster to Bologna.

First day on the road was a long, 12- hour drive on the German Autobahn. Wind in my hair, controlling the speed as I was gliding over the smooth highway. Then the rain came. Lots of rain. Six hours in I was wet to the bone, but there was no turning back, and wet or not, I felt more alive than ever.

But wet clothes dry, and it was nothing compared to what was awaiting me the next day; the Alps. Driving through mountain roads requires full concentration. I felt my ears pop as I drove higher and higher. Then, a hair pin turn to the left. There it was; an open road between two mountains and low hanging clouds. The only sound the roar of motorcycles. As I was driving through the clouds I knew, that I would never feel as free as when I was riding a motorcycle. Upon arrival I promised myself that this feeling of freedom, of full commitment to the journey instead of the destination, was what I wanted. An oath to myself, to always keep on riding.