After your yacht tour around the world, are you now going to repeat this feat on a motorcycle?
I don’t see my solitary voyage around the world as a feat as such. I set the sails, the yacht went on, voila, the whole philosophy. However, a huge challenge was logistics, winning people over and organizing a charity event. I think that only from this point of view, we can talk about an attempt to repeat the feat. I have the impression that the overall degree of difficulty is incomparable and the biggest difference I can see for today is the possibility of sleeping. On a motorcycle, in case of fatigue, we can turn off the machine, get off the saddle and close our eyes. No matter where or if it a dry place, but still. And this was often not possible during the cruise.
At what stage of the preparations for the expedition “NatAround” are you?
The preparation stage is mainly working 12 hours a day to have enough the the fuel. At the same time, I am looking for support, I am looking for contacts in the media, an agency that would like to embrace it, etc. I am looking for people who would like to be part of it all, but regardless of the results of the search – I am starting in spring. I would like to publicize the expedition because of charity actions – the more people know about it, the greater the chance we have of real help. And the expedition itself? Well, maybe ten years ago, when I wanted to do it, it was something special – hardly anyone did that. Now there are many of us and I keep my fingers crossed for every one!
How will it look like? A route mapped out in advance in the fastest possible way, or on the contrary?
Why rush when we’re doing something fun? (laughs) I’m going to see the world, talk to people, share it all with others. After a lonely voyage around the world, I know perfectly well that fatigue can cost life and I had that in mind when planning the route. I want to ride 200 km a day, plus to have the seventh day for resting. I only want to ride during the day, because you need time to find accommodation, including a safe place to park the motorcycle, do whatever is teh reason you there, make materials send off to medias. I have approximate dates at certain points on the route that I will try to stick to, if fate will allow, and they are mostly dictated by the time of year – leaving Alaska behind before fall, for example.
Some guidelines of the plan I should stick to, and some will probably evolve during the 19-month journey, especially since the world is changing so dynamically. I divided the whole trip into three stages. The first stage is 8 months in 15 countries of the Americas and 39,000 km. The second stage will lead from Poland towards Asia (24 countries, 28,000 km, it will take 6 months as planned) and from there I will transfer the motorcycle to South Africa, starting the third stage, leading back to Poland through 23 countries, 26,000 km and 5 months – I calculated for that. In total, I have 92,000 kilometers to travel.
Are you going alone, but you are willing to invite accompanying persons?
Yes, everyone can join me. When? Where? However anyone wish. Soon, the approximate route will appear on my website nataszacaban.pl. I bet on women, but men do not bother me 😊, so I cordially invite them too, because friendship has no gender. There will be one rule – it must suit us, it must be “on the way” for both of us. In the sense that I have a world to ride over and you are nearby? Feel free to contact me. If you drive faster and my pace does not suit you – we will meet at the camp, totally relaxed, we do not need explain ourselves to each other. It will definitely be fun to ride a few kilometers together, in the evening to be able to talk, get to know each other better, share impressions. I hope to establish contacts with women on motorcycles from the countries I will be entering. I wish I could see places with their eyes and motivate at least a few of us to believe in ourselves. Show that life after beeing forty does not end!
This trip will also be connected with a charity event?
Of course! During the cruise, I cooperated with the Ania Dymna Foundation “In spite of everything” and the visit of her pupils on some of my stops turned out to be the greatest treasure of the trip. Now I am going to support as many as three different charity actions so that people can support this one that is close to their hearts. In addition, it will be possible to have a real influence on the shape of my journey by setting tasks for me, and when I do them, paying for one of the actions in return.
What will these actions be like? There are talks on this topic and as soon as there are arrangements, you will read about it in my social media. I am going to encourage you to support you with prizes in competitions. For example, a supporting person will be able to win a visit to one of the selected placeson my route. I am currently looking for companies that do interesting things and would like to join my journey by offering a reward.
What kind of motorcycle are you going to do and how will it be / should be adapted to your needs?
I have seven months to go and I work on every aspect of the expedition, machine selection is one of them. Whether the motorcycle works is influenced by the possibility of its servicing and reaching its destination. Therefore, it is important not only to choose the right model – taking into account the route, repair options, availability of appropriate fuel on the route, etc., but also to retrofit it for long and intensive use.
I am currently talking to one of the motorcycle brands, so today I will not answer the question of what I’m going to use. Most often I hear from those who drive far, that I should drive something smaller than I think I want and I have a list of things from them to pay attention to before setting off. I try to gain from the experiences of others, and in addition to the obvious things, such as a comfortable saddle, crash bars, a reinforced engine housing, heated grips, etc. – in the end a lot will depend on the motorcycle I choose.
When did your motorcycle passion come to your life?
I may surprise you here, because I would not call it my passion. I just like driving. Although, in fact, the times when I had fun in off road on my KTM 450exc, I remember as full of wild joy and this was probably the time when I laughed the most fully in my life. At the same time, I honestly admit that when I started my adventure with enduro, I had no idea that it was such a hard sport …
But going back to the beginning, I took up motorbikes late, because previously there were horses, sailing and my other hobbies. I got into it more seriously when I had a license already for 14 years. My friend Tomek was running after me when on his motorcycle trying to remembered how to change gears, then my fellow mechanics would let me ride the track on their motos when they had a break. Finally, I ended up with my own trainer and managed to have some injuries…
I remember buying my first Honda VFR and driving a long time at 20 km / h behind some garbage truck because I was afraid to overtake it (laughs), but I didn’t get discouraged even when some other truck crashed into me. With time, the project of three Polish women in the “Aicha des Gazelles” rally was created – everything went even too well, until it stopped … due to … someday I will write a book and then you will find out.
But despite everything, I can say that I was very lucky to meet amazing people on my way who reached out to me and I would like to thank them very much for that! For example, someone lent me his motorcycle so that I could ride when I was just collecting money for my own. At the beginning, I was wearing galoshes, I was ridding without goggles, in roller skates protectors … But with time, thanks to another person, even though I was homeless, I lived in a car with two motorbikes in the back and could arrive to any track for training. I love memories of that time !
I also found people who adapted my motorcycle for rallies, dressed me and I with time I could trained every day. Interestingly, over the years, it also happened that I had an offer to go as a participant in the Dakar Rally with an Italian company, but unfortunately by car, and then ambitiously (today I think like this stupid) I did not want to knock my helmet against the ceiling. And so, with my arm broken at the time, I went to South America to have a closer look at the race.
Yes … I used to have bigger off road plans, but life writes its scripts. And I have summarized the story of ten years of not giving up in making your dreams come true! I can’t train anymore, hence the idea to ride the world with no pressure.
Do you feel ready for this challenge ?
I should say diplomatically that I am ready, of course! But I know those who went after making the license and those who set off with great experience and have not come back. I don’t know if you can ever say you’re prepared for whatever adventure brings, but I’m just not afraid to fgive it a go. The coolest thing about this trip is that I am going, because at last I can do it and I will go with what I have, prepared as best I can. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone anymore …
I have an appointment with my mechanic for “disassembly and assembly” of the motorcycle, because I want to be able to diagnose the problem and if there is such a possibility, also be able to remove the problem – but let’s be honest, suddenly I will not become technically amazing. I am also scheduled for a “repetition” of riding off road with the best trainer in the world – Marcin Spirowski from enduroes.pl, but I will not learn to ride like him in a week 😊 We will polish me up, so it will look nice on the video materials (laughs), because at the moment – I am not an eagle and I can already see the opinions of those who can ride better. I am well aware that I am not an excellent rider, but on the other hand, I think that if the world champion rode, the expedition would probably not be as interesting for the audience as if a lady of my age, with rather average skills – can be funnier (laughs). I hope, however, that in this expedition, persistence, not giving up in difficult times and the ability to handle logistics will be more important than technical skills.
Do you prepare in some way in terms of your condition, are you improving your skills?
In my professional work, I often have to climb a 100-meter ladder to the top of a wind turbine, carrying loads with me – so I laugh, that I already have the “six pack”, only hidden deeply! But seriously, I know that I will often pick up the machine myself and so I take my condition very seriously. I’ve already had a few surgeries and I have a lot of scars on my body, but I know my weaknesses – I’m working on it, proud to say, almost every day.
Is your life driven by the power of dreams? Is it hard to keep you in one place?
It depends. At the age of 40, I realized that it was time to choose those dreams from a long list that I would turn into a goal, because I will not be able to make them all. I chose the motorcycle one, along with a few others. Although it is true that my previous job as a navigational officer at sea, and now the rope access technician, means that I do not stay in one place often, but is it the fault of my dreams? I think more that this is only the way to fulfill them.
I have a couple of bags here and there … sometimes it is difficult with logistics when you want to “kite” in the north, then go to an official meeting in a suit somewhere in the south, and then freedive somewhere else. During the trip I will still pack constantly, but at least I will have few things and everything always with me.
When I finish the trip, I hope to find my place … maybe somewhere between Africa and Poland, because I must admit that I hope to find a place for myself in Africa, where I will be able to return after the trip and do something good there. However, contrary to appearances, I also love the times of routine with my partner – and now everyone will probably smile when I will say that: – even if it happens that it only lasts a week at a time (laughs).
Questions asked by Edyta Klim from www.motocaina.pl