HER STORY | Antonia Napoli

Her Story. A series of blog posts telling the stories of 'women who ride' from all corners of the globe. We hope that by sharing these stories we can help encourage other women to build their confidence, learn from others and inspire others.

This month we have a story from Antonia. Antonia is an avid rider, adventurer and explorer and has been kind enough to share with us, the amazing places she has been able to visit by motorcycle.

We hope you enjoy her story.

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ANTONIA NAPOLI

 My name is Antonia Andrea Napoli, 29 years old. I was born and raised between the countryside of Brazil and the south of Italy. Since I was young I was surrounded by a beautiful landscape, with forests, Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, soon I start practicing all kind of outdoor activities. I grow up passionate about surf and waterski, I went professional for a couple of years, and later on I introduced motorcycle and photography to my life.

Since I was young I ride all kinds of motorcycles, motocross in the beaches and dirties roads of Brazil, Vespas in the south of Italy Nakeds, Motards and Cafe Racers on the road and in the city. When I got my license I bought a Vespa and a Motard for me in São Paulo and later when I moved to Milan a Ducati 750.

 I started traveling long distance on motorcycles in the end of 2012, I was 26 and living in Italy finishing a master degree when I decided to challenge myself. So I travel to India and Nepal, first I went to Nepal where I spend one month trekking in the Himalayas and riding with a local motorcycle then I went to India, rented a local motorcycle called Bajaj and start driving versus the Rajasthan zone, back then I had no idea how crazy the local drivers were and I had many thrilling moments on the road.

I drove alone for one month for more than 3,000km from New Delhi until I reached the border with Pakistan in the beautiful desert o Thaar and all the way back by the northern road of Rajahstan. When I got back to New Delhi I was really overwhelmed I had made it in one piece, I was well and alive and with a lot of new adventures to add to my life.

 

When I got back to Italy I bought a Ducati 750 and start exploring the alpine passes and later I decided to take the Ducati for a ride along Europe. I left Milan and went straight to Moliets, France, to surf a swell that was arriving, after one week surfing I continue my trip and start heading north to Bretagne and Normandy. I cross the English Channel and surrounded the UK until I get to the highest point of my Journey, The Highlands in Scotland.

I will never forget the beauty of Dover Cliffs, Scotland Road A82 and Skye Island. I drove for 45 days and more than 10,000km, it was a unique experience that changed something inside me, strangely it was much more challenging and overwhelming than the Indian trip, so I understood that driving alone in the wilderness of Scotland was what made it so much more interesting.

 

When I got back from that trip I was still completely in love in traveling long distance so in 2014 I had the opportunity to do it in the USA, so I rented a Triumph Bonneville and started riding to discover some interesting places in the Southeast of the United States. From Miami I went north by the sea until the borders with Georgia and then I start heading west passing through Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.  I saw some amazing forgotten American scenery, and then I came down south again by the Gulf of Mexico.

The landscape changed so fast, one day I was on a beach at 32 degrees Celsius, the next I was in the middle of a forest at 8 degrees Celsius, and suddenly I was somewhere else from where I expected to be, and this place has made my motorcycle trip much more interesting.

 

And in 2015 I was back on the road again and it was time to introduce a special member of my family to the motorcycle lifestyle, so I brought my young cousin with me. As passionate as I am for motorcycling, he was the best company I could have asked for and together we made an unforgettable trip together. We left from Milan and passed an uncountable number of alpine passes in Italy, Switzerland and Austria and finished our journey driving through the Black Forest in Germany.

 

 

I enjoy every second of those motorcycles trips, being alone in the wilderness only with myself to keep me company. It’s very interesting for our inner formation. I am a different person every time I return from these motorcycles trips, somehow fell more in peace with myself and many doubts and anxiousness that I had been feeling before have disappeared from my mind. You live life as it is given to you on the road, you are focused on that moment and nothing after or before that really matters.

The most special thing that I got from those journeys is that it made me understand a lot more about myself and where I was heading with my life and if it was where I really wanted to go. So slowly I started to chance things in my life and to aim in a direction that is more truth about myself, about who I am and who I want to become.

I am currently living in Europe, a bit as a nomad with my girlfriend, we go where our interests bring us too, for me its photograph, surf and motorcycle and for her its feminism, arts and dance. I am working on a project of a motorcycle trip for the next month in Portugal, Spain and France to explore the European Surf Coast, and hope to be on the road much sooner than expected.

For more pictures or videos visit:
Photograph Portfolio - http://toninapoli86.wixsite.com/diaryoftoninapoli
Vimeo Channel - vimeo.com/toninapoli
Instagram - @diary_of_toninapoli

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Thank you to Antonia for sharing her story and if you would like to share your story with us simply go to the Contact Page of the website and fill in the form and we will gladly be in touch.