Chapter 4: The Orthogonal Path (5/23/25)

Around eight years before the race, during a dark period in November 2003, my dad showed up unannounced at my MIT dorm. I was deeply struggling, disinterested in my theoretical research, battling depression, and lacking motivation – a stark contrast to the self-reliant globetrotter I'd become. His visit, and his revelation that he'd faced similar despair and dropped out of college, was a lifeline. It helped me understand my struggle wasn't a unique failing and gave me the strength to finish the semester, though I knew I needed to leave MIT to heal. The chilling news of an MIT student's suicide a month later underscored the intense pressures there. With some savings, I embarked on a six-month global journey, and a chance encounter with a "Motorcycle Guide to the Golden Triangle" in a Thai shop ignited a new passion. That motorcycle adventure and the broader trip taught me the power of the motorcycle for connection, travel as a mental reset, and the need to navigate MIT by embracing my hands-on, independent nature. I returned to MIT, completed a practical Master's thesis that even went to space, and truly understood that my motivation thrives on taking "orthogonal paths" – unconventional, risky, but deeply personal routes – rather than conforming to standard expectations, a lesson that became vital as I later pursued the challenging Isle of Man race project for my PhD and faced the daunting task of assembling our race bike from a literal box of parts.