Traveling by bike alone from Milan to Chicago

The idea of ​​traveling alone by bike from Milan to Chicago may seem crazy to many, but not to Giulia Baroncini.
33 years old, a job as a hotel receptionist: Giulia has changed direction and undertaken #ilviaggissimo , which she talks about through her Instagram account @semicercatesonoingiro .

We at Ursus immediately supported her adventurous spirit, providing her with two Ursus TC 37 Disc wheels and the seatpost . Now, on the way back home, an even stronger Giulia shares her experience with us.

They say that sometimes a book can change your life, and that's definitely true for you. Why did you decide to embark on a journey in the footsteps of Luigi Masetti's biography?

The idea was completely random and came about after reading the book The Anarchist of Two Wheels, Luigi Masetti: The First Italian Cycle Traveler, in which I found a different perspective. I focused on the spirit with which Luigi Masetti approached the journey: he lived the adventure to the fullest, was determined, and genuine. Even a little cocky, but in a good way.

I saw myself in these characteristics of his. We have so many other things in common. My grandparents were born where he was born, we speak the same languages, we both worked in hotels, and we were both struck by the idea of ​​bike travel.

All these things in common and this feeling of similarity to Masetti made me realize I had to take one of his trips. The idea was born deep in my heart and never left, it kept pounding in my head until I brought it to life. It was something I absolutely had to do."

What does solo cycling mean to you?

“For me, traveling by bike is a way to discover the world from a different perspective. There's a total immersion in everything around you, because the bike allows you to see every detail : things you wouldn't be able to see at speed.

Cycling is also about discovering new cultures and people , a complete opening to the world. Moreover, on this trip, cycling allowed me to see people I hadn't seen in a long time, people who were right on my path.

Traveling alone by bike is also an introspective journey. It leads us to self-discovery, to know ourselves better, and to understand what we're made of. It gives us the opportunity to discover our limits, push ourselves a little further, and discover what we're capable of.
It also teaches us to understand what we are not capable of, and to accept it."

What were your emotions at the beginning of the trip?

At the beginning of the trip, there was definitely a lot of adrenaline and a bit of confusion. This decision struck me like a bolt from the blue: it hit me hard, and I didn't rationally think about what to do. I simply dove into it, without having the time to figure out what I was doing.
I can't describe this emotion, but it's as if it took me a little by surprise.

I was also happy, because I was doing something I wanted to do. At the same time, I also felt a lot of determination and no doubt that I could do it . I was very confident.”

Keep following Ursus's blog to find out how Giulia's trip went and how her arrival in Chicago was.