WRWR Position:
Committee for Tomorrow Captain
Contact Nina:
nina@womenridersworldrelay.com
How long have you been riding?
Since I was 40, so fourteen years and counting….
What do you ride?
Harley Davidson Road King
Why do you ride?
It’s the one place where I’m totally uninterrupted and alone with my thoughts, my own world, my own sights, smells, sounds, and where I can truly feel at one with myself and the world around me.
What is your greatest achievement on two wheels?
I have ridden many roads, many miles, at home and abroad, and done many mountain passes. Undoubtedly, though, my biggest challenge was about eight years ago, in early spring, doing the Splüga pass in the Alps of Switzerland/Italy. Snow, sleet, ice, minus temperatures, freezing cold, gravel, slippery cobblestones, dark and dank stone tunnels, tiredness, fear, tiny hairpin curves. I did it, arrived at the hotel for the night, and vowed and declared I’d never get back in the saddle. I’m glad I did.
What potential impact do you think WRWR would have on the world?
Get the world to listen to the voices of women.
Do you have a good crash story?
Not so far, thank goodness!
Do you have a biking idol?
Don’t know many, but was very impressed by Juvena Huang, Ambassador for Singapore, who did so many thousands of miles on a Vespa on her own.
Do you work on your own bikes?
No, and never will. I’m not particularly interested or fascinated by mechanics and engineering.
What’s your dream bike?
I’m so lucky to already own it. Would never swap to anything else.
Where would you most like to ride in the world?
I’m lucky to already have done it, but I’d go anytime again to my two favourite paces to ride: my home country South Africa and my favourite USA.
Where are you from?
I was born and raised just outside of Durban in South Africa, but with Portuguese and British parents, I have lived in Portugal, the UK, and for the past twenty five years, central Switzerland, which is now my home.
What do you do for work?
I’m a university lecturer of Academic English.
How old are you?
54 (born in 1966)
Do you have a family of your own?
Yes, mother of two daughters aged 23 and 24 and wife to my amazing rock Paul. Plus my fur babies of course.
Would you teach your kids to ride?
My oldest daughter has been riding since she was sixteen and now also has a Harley Davidson of her own and comes riding regularly. My youngest daughter sometimes rides pillion with us but it’s not her cup of tea.
Were you in any groups or clubs before WRWR?
Yes, I was an active member of our local HOG chapter, even the Assistant Director and Membership Officer for some years. I left, though, preferring to ride with friends, until WRWR…..
What do you enjoy doing aside from biking?
Sailing on our beautiful sailboat when it’s warm; skiing in the Alps when it’s cold, going for bicycle rides all the time; walking with our two beautiful dogs and spending time with family and friends.
What one word best describes you?
Committed.
…Now what one word that people who know you well would describe you?
Bossy boots.
Do you have a biker name – if not what would it be?
Nope, and don’t anticipate one.
What superpowers do you have and what would you have if you could choose?
I’m an excellent time master, planning , fitting in, working on and completing a myriad of tasks, jobs, and other commitments is my ultimate skill. I’d really love to be a fly on the wall sometimes.
Who got you into riding?
Not who but what. I was sitting in a café, reading a book in Fort Lauderdale when I was 21 and got distracted by a thunderous sound. It was a group of about fifty Harley Davidsons riding through town on a group ride out. My heart lept and I knew then and there I wanted to do that one day. I told myself, “When I’m thirty and got the money, I’ll buy myself one of those”. When I turned thirty, I became a mother, started a business and there was never much time or money for my dream , so I postponed it to “When I’m forty”. The day I turned forty, I bought my first motorcycle, a Harley Davidson Sportster. My husband got bitten by the bug a few years later, seeing me head off on rides and now we ride together. The rest is history.
Why did you join WRWR?
I saw a post on Facebook that they were looking for Ambassadors, and also for Switzerland. I applied. I believe in the power that unity of women can attain.