This new episode of “Overlanders” section comes with a 100% women´s tone.
If in previous posts we knew about the personal stories and motivations for travelling of Gustavo Cuervo and Juan Recio, now it´s the turn of Gabriela (alias Ladybird).
We met each other some time ago, first through social networks, and after that, we had the opportunity to meet face to face in Ride to Roots 2015 Event in Morocco.
If you´re Reading this, you are a woman and still in doubt about travelling on a motorbike, maybe you shouldn´t keep on reading 😛
Without any doubt, she´s a great example to follow, specially to all of you that still are full of doubts about riding a motorcycle and start travelling on it.
- Your full name or alias as you are known.
Although everybody in bikers community call me Ladybird, my name is Gabriela, or Gaby (as my friends call me).
- What do you work as? Which is your occupation or career?
I´m an English teacher, and here in Spain I also teach Spanish Language and Literature. I work at Secondary and High School. I love teenagers, I like to work with them, to share their energy, their dreams and projects. This is a career that fills my soul of happiness.
- How did your passion for motorbikes started?
I like them since forever, since I was a child I loved racing motorbikes and cars. However, I had never ride a motorbike, not even an scooter, till I bought my F650GS, Ladybird, three years ago, and I learnt to ride on it.
- What is the meaning of riding for you?
The motorbike world has given me a lot of good things. I´ve had the opportunity to meet awesome people in Spain and all over the world, to visit breathless places, to reencounter myself, to feel myself able to reach and beat challenges again, to try my limits, to enjoy. When I´m riding I feel free, I feel complete. I am happy.
- Which was your first trip, your own motivation and which was the motorbike you travelled with?
My first great trip was to Morocco, in March 2014. That´s exactly why I bought my motorbike, Ladybird, to be able to travel each one with ours. In about 5 months I was boarding with my F650GS. It was an unforgettable experience.
- Which were your following trips and the motorbikes you travelled with?
Along Spain, Portugal and France, the trips followed one after another. The Balkans, with my F650GS, two more trips to Morocco with a GS700 and among the last ones, North Cap and Switzerland with the GS1200. This year I´ve had the opportunity to travel to India and enjoy a Royal Enfield motorbike, I fell in love with it.
- Your next plans?
A lot. I´m like a plan-maker machine. The next one and the one I am most excited with is the First GS Girls Meeting Peninsula Iberica, which is held here in Segovia (Spain) in October. It´s an event that brings together girls that ride different GS and share the same passion and hobby. I´m the Administrator for Spain and Portugal, but we also belong to GS Girls International, that gives you the opportunity to meet GS girls all over the world. It will be an incredible weekend, I´m sure.
- What would be the fact you are most proud of like a biker? Why?
I believe they would be my achievements. I´ve been very satisfied and proud of every single step I´ve done riding my motorbike. I´ve discovered everything I´m able to do and that fact gives me a lot of energy. In addition to that, to be part of a community where no matter where in the world you are, if you cross a biker, he/she waves at you, and if he/she thinks you´re in trouble or need help doesn´t hesitate to ask you. That´s great! And I believe that the friends I´ve met and are part of my life are worthy.
- Do you have a website or youtube channel?
My Facebook profile is ladybird.ar
- If you have any videos of your trips, which of them would be your 6 favourite?
Every time a trip ends, there is a video summarizing all the experiences. Every one is important. But there is one special, the one that we called ‘The double Trans-Pyrenean’, when we went across the Pyrenees on its French side and on its Spanish side as well. I think that would be the number one of the 6. The others, they are all in the number two.
As you can see, Ladybird story breaks a lot of the moulds in a ‘typical-men-world’. So, if you are a woman and still havent´t leaped to ride or travel on your motorbike, don’t look for any more excuses.
You are also #otraenmoto (another ‘girl’ on a motorbike).
