Are you in love with the motorcycle lifestyle and you’d love to go on a solo trip but there’s only one thing stopping you? You’re a mom. As mothers, we love our babies, but motorcycles have a special place in our hearts too. Sometimes you can find yourself thinking – what would happen if I just hit the road solo and disconnect for a week?
This doesn’t have to be just a daydream. Though we know it’s scary to go out on the open road alone as a woman, it’s not impossible to stay safe and enjoy your biking vacation solo. Here are some tips for biking moms on how to travel by yourself.
4 Travel Tips and Advice for Solo Mom Motorcycle Riders
Think about child care options
Before you go on a trip it’s extremely important you make sure your child is being taken care of while you’re away. Find a nanny or a childminder, or call a family member who will be willing and able to come and babysit while you’re biking. When it comes to the babysitting service, call in a couple of weeks early and make sure to run a background check on both the service and the person they will be sending.
Don’t forget to note that the babysitter would have to move into your place for a couple of days – you don’t want to leave your kid alone overnight. If you want to save some money on child care, reliable family members are always an option, though you should probably compensate them in some way or the other. Of course, if you have an older child who lives with you, or your husband doesn’t need additional help, you’re all set.
Have a pre-trip
If you’re planning on going away for let’s say a week, you should always have a pre-trip to see how your family will deal without you and how you’ll cope without checking in on your baby every once in a while. Book a hotel room which is a five-hour ride away and spend your night there.
This way you can note your emotional reaction to being separated from your kids and you’ll know how to appropriately cope when the time for the real deal comes. Once you come back from your mock trip, you’ll also see how your family handled the experiment. Did the bedtime go out the window or not? Was the dinner something healthy and nutritious or just a chocolatey snack? With the pre-trip accomplished, you’ll know which things you need to emphasize to your family. This way things won’t go out of control when you hit the road for a longer period.
Planning is the secret to a successful trip
As a solo traveler, the worst thing you can do is to spontaneously hit the road and see where it can take you. Sure, it can turn out to be fun, but you’re putting yourself in danger’s way. Before you set off, you should research the biking routes that interest you, as well as all the roadside stops and attractions. It’s also advisable you make a reservation at some of the hotels along the way.
This is how you can avoid the awful scenario of coming to a hotel dead tired and them telling you that all the rooms are taken. Also, if you have a plan that you stick to, your family will always know where you are without having to contact you. If you want some more protection, you may install some of the tracking apps available on the App Store that are great for those who love to take their naked bikes on the road. Whenever you’re on the road your loved ones will know your exact location which will undoubtedly relieve some anxiety you may have around solo travel.
Don’t share your hotel information
Once you’re on the road a top tip to stay safe at all times is to never share your hotel information with strangers. Though biking is a great way to meet new people who have the same hobby as you, staying safe should be your top priority, especially as a mother. Now that you have someone else to take care of, your life isn’t just your own, so being a bit more cautious is of utmost importance.
Sharing your social media and maybe even a number can be fine in most situations but never share where you’ll be spending your night. Also, don’t spend the night at other people’s accommodations, no matter how friendly they seem at first. Blindly trusting others can backfire quite fast.
