Travelling solo by bike from Milan to Chicago

The idea of travelling solo by bike from Milan to Chicago may seem crazy to many ... but not to Giulia Baroncini. 
At 33 years old, working as a hotel receptionist, Giulia decided to change her path and embarked on #ilviaggissimo, which she shares through her Instagram account @semicercatesonoingiro.  

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

It is said that sometimes a book can change your life and this is definitely the case for you. Why did you decide to take a journey in the footsteps of Luigi Masetti’s biography?

“The idea was completely random and came about after reading the book Luigi Masetti: l’anarchico delle due ruote (Luigi Masetti: the Anarchist on Two Wheels) in which I found a different interpretation. I focused on the spirit with which Luigi Masetti approached the journey – he experienced the adventure fully, he was determined, genuine. He was even a little bold, but in a good way.

I saw myself in these characteristics. We have 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 cycling. 

All these things in common and this feeling similar to Masetti made me understand that I had to take one of his trips. The idea was born in the depths of my heart and from there, it never left. It pounded in my head until I gave it life. It was something I absolutely had to do.”

What does riding solo mean to you?

“For me, riding is a way to discover the world from a different point of view. There is a total immersion in everything around you, because the bike allows you to see any detail – things that at speed, you would not be able to see.

Cycling is also the discovery of new cultures and new people, a total openness to the world. Moreover, on this trip the bike allowed me to see people I hadn’t seen for a long time and who were right on my path. 

Travelling solo by bike is also an introspective journey. It leads us to discover ourselves, to get to know ourselves better and understand what we’re made of. It gives us the opportunity to discover our limits, go a little further and know what we are capable of. It also teaches us to understand what we are not capable of and to accept it.”

What were your emotions at the start 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 – it entered my heart and I did not rationally elaborate what to do. I simply dived into it, without having the material time to understand what I was doing. I can’t describe this emotion but it’s like 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 would make it. I was very sure of myself.”

Follow Ursus’s blog to find out how Giulia’s journey went and how she arrived in Chicago.