My motorcycle sleeps like a horse – standing. Yet I found it laying on the ground, dragged violently in this Colorado Rockies hotel’s parking lot; broken light, ripped pads and bear claw marks. The bear was unsuccessful in getting ten peanuts that spilled inside my top box, but it definitely exhibited a strong will.
Luckily, a bit of duct tape got me on the road again. As I continued on, my rear tire got punctured. It took me a while to find the culprit nail. The Wyoming gas station attendant exclaimed that there are no motorcycle shops in Wyoming – fix it yourself. I did. For the very first time. On another occasion, a forgotten wallet in a bar in Montana nearly got me in trouble, until a stranger handed me two casino tokens to settle my tab.
My 8000-mile motorcycle road trip across the Western U.S. was marked by numerous challenges, all shaping an incredible adventure. I rode hundreds of miles every day. I spent many hours each day in my helmet, reflecting, thinking, singing, meditating in motion, and my mood floated across a range of emotions from melancholy of loss to the joys of freedom and the flying landscapes around me.
This road trip was triggered by drastic changes in my life. I had a long career in high-tech. At Microsoft, I worked on projects that mattered, most recently in sustainability, helping companies fight climate change. Due to the recent political changes, my sustainability project at Microsoft was deprioritized and the team was dismantled. So, without warning, I was out of a job at the age of 59. The loss came in the same year as my divorce, and the move out of my 30-year home in Seattle. In just months, career, marriage, and the very ground beneath me were gone.
Trying to regain my footing, I chased jobs, polished my résumé, and pursued more training. But retrying to claim my old world felt lacking in inspiration. I felt empty. I wanted to create a new world. So, I began exploring my passions such as playing drums, learning Spanish, photography, and writing. In becoming more aware of myself, I felt that what I needed was a long motorcycle road trip of self-rediscovery.
Unlike a car, where the world passes like a movie, on a motorcycle I become part of the landscape – leaning into curves and breathing in the fields. When I learned about the pilgrimage of Camino de Santiago, I realized that it shares some of the characteristics of my trip: the rhythm, movement, encounters with strangers, and space for reflection. This motorcycle journey was my Camino.
As I completed it in September, I began to feel more confident in my path of discovery. I know that there is still a long and windy road ahead of me, but my spirit is uplifted. Looking forward, I hope sharing my experiences sparks change in others, while grounding me in my own transformation.
Riding into renewal at 59, I have learned that the road heals as much as it tests, and I am grateful for both.
-Eyal
After decades in the tech world, Eyal Schwartz is following the road back to himself. Once a technology leader at Microsoft in Seattle, he is now embracing a path filled with curiosity and renewal. Based in Los Angeles, he explores music, writing, and his passion for traveling on his motorcycle.