Whitney Levash Meza ’09 completes cross-country motorcycle odyssey

Whitney Levash Meza ’09 of Ripon, Wisconsin, was featured in a recent article in the Ripon Commonwealth newspaper.

“48 States in 10 Days: Ripon resident crisscrosses the U.S. via motorcycle” chronicle’s Meza’s completion of a motorcycle distance challenge across the lower 48 states. She rode 7,982 miles in nine days on a Harley-Davidson Pan America motorcycle.

“During the journey, Meza rode in 10 hours of straight rain while on the East Coast, 20-plus mph crosswinds while in the south, through forest fire smoke and endured temperatures ranging from 51 degrees to 117 degrees in the desert,” the article states.

Meza said  in the article, “’There have been tears, frustrations, exhaustion, so much sweat and grime, laughs and smiles so large my cheeks went full-on chipmunk. … I left Wisconsin knowing I was capable of something like this, and I end tonight proving to myself that — without any hesitation — I could accomplish something only a few women have been certified to do.’”

She adds, “For me, it’s a mental and physical challenge. You’re not competing against anyone else, but you’re making sure that all the planning and the work that you did, in trying to complete it, pays off. It’s similar to people who enjoy running marathons.”

Meza is one of only approximately 20 women to complete the 48 States in 10 Days challenge.

At Ripon College, she majored in art and business administration. She has since run Whit Meza Photography LLC in Ripon and served as the marketing coordinator for the Green Lake Area Chamber of Commerce.