Let’s back up a bit. Why am I participating in the 2023 Scooter Cannonball? How did I hear about it?

In the summer of 2021 I attended a bike night and overheard a few riders talking about this ridiculous group of people who take little scooters and ride them coast to coast. Each rider vocalized distaste in their own ways and all agreed that yep, it’s ridiculous, uncomfortable, and no one in their right mind should do it. I uncontrollably shouted, “That sounds perfect! What is it called?”

That night, I searched for a few of the phrases and words. Cannonball. Scooter. BOOM. Scooter Cannonball. And it looks like the journey has already begun! It’s going on right now! And what’s better, they will be riding through Minnesota in a couple of days!

I tracked the route and headed down to a small town that the riders would be passing through. A mile outside of the town, I could already see some of the scooters. Incredibly easy to spot… Bright red gas containers, luggage, large windshields, and most of the riders looked like yellow bananas.

I parked and watched as many as I could before the sun made it clear I was unprepared.

I was addicted.

I decided I would not miss the 2023 run. In November 2022 I decided my attendance was official and signed up soon after.

The core concept of this adventure aligns so well with my interests in technological preparation and survival. Pack lists, what-ifs, scheduling, planning, routing, and so on. Simply put, scooters aren’t designed to do this type of riding and so the added challenge makes it so much more rewarding compared to setting cruise control on an 850lb touring bike.

This is also putting me out of my comfort zone. Engines aren’t my thing. I love cars and motorcycles, but everything mechanical about them gives me anxiety. Committing to such a task forced me to explore and learn beyond familiar concepts of electrical engineering and for that I am grateful.