Hitching a ride on an ATV in Villa Gessel.

One of the many things I love about travelling is meeting new people. When I visited the coastal town of Pinamar last year, I had the pleasure to meet a vibrant and `crazy girl` called Nora. She had a zest for life that was invigorating and  you couldn’t help to smile at this bouncing bundle of energy that never seemed to be running on empty.

Early one morning Nora and I decided to take the bus and explore Villa Gesell. Villa Gessel is not very far from Pinamar and it was a nice one day excursion where we had the opportunity to discover a new town.

The weather was miserable and the we decided to walk along the beach and see what we could find. It wasn’t long before a guy on an ATV (All terrian vehicle) made an appearance. He was in a hurry but before he knew what hit him, Nora was dashing towards him and with her limited Spanish she waved him down. Oh, I get it. She wanted to ride the ATV. The man was ever polite and offered her a ride.

Next moment she was sitting at the back of the ATV and asked me to take photos – which I gladly did. He took her for a quick spin and brought her back. She was laughing and told me that she really is a crazy girl. I just smiled, yes, that was Nora – the crazy girl from France.

Why an ATV?

I could hardly blame her for hitching a ride. For many years I had my own quad bike in South Africa and nothing beats the feeling when you leap through the air or ride through a mud puddle. The sensation of being free and wild is difficult to describe to another person. Not to mention the adrenaline pumping through your veins. It is a sport for the whole family and there are ATV`s and quads for Dad,Mom and the kiddies.

Valentino Rossi once said “Riding a race bike is an art – a thing you do because you feel something inside”.

I guess the same is true when you ride a Quad bike or ATV.