Exciting news for fans of adventure motorcycling! Noraly Schoenmaker, better known as Itchy Boots, has just announced her plans for a new book at the ABR Festival 2025. This reveal has sent ripples of anticipation through her dedicated global following, eager to delve deeper into the extraordinary life of a woman who has redefined solo travel on two wheels.
This forthcoming title will undoubtedly pick up where her critically acclaimed debut, “Free Ride: The Story of the Girl Who Rode Around the World,” left off. “Free Ride” captivated readers with Noraly’s candid storytelling, detailing the initial leap of faith she took in 2018 to leave her corporate life behind and embark on an epic motorcycle journey from India. It chronicled her adventures, challenges, and the profound personal growth she experienced while navigating diverse landscapes and cultures on her trusty Royal Enfield Himalayan, Basanti. The book’s success, reaching both the Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller lists, is a testament to the universal appeal of her spirit and the raw honesty of her narrative.
Now, with the announcement of her new book, it’s clear that Noraly’s journey is far from over. Her current expedition, aiming for Japan on her vintage Yamaha XT600Z, affectionately named Frankie, is already providing ample material for another captivating read. As she recently shared at the ABR Festival, this leg of her adventure has already seen her traverse some 20,000 kilometers from Istanbul through challenging terrains like Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen, before reaching Dubai.
What makes Noraly’s stories so compelling isn’t just the sheer scale of her travels, but her unwavering resilience in the face of adversity. As she candidly admits, no matter the bike, she’s bound to “destroy it” in some form or another. From a malfunctioning fuel filter to a stolen motorcycle (both recovered, thankfully, thanks to some clever AirTag placement), her journey with Frankie has already presented its fair share of dramatic twists. Yet, it’s precisely these moments of struggle – a bent gear shifter in Iraq or navigating a thousand kilometers without electricity after a botched theft attempt – that forge the most memorable tales.
Her decision to switch to a vintage motorcycle for this new chapter also adds a fascinating dimension. As Noraly explained, it’s a deliberate choice to seek new challenges and embrace the simplicity of a machine that can be fixed with a hammer and a screwdriver by a roadside mechanic. This ethos perfectly embodies the spirit of self-reliance and adaptability that permeates her travels.
The upcoming book promises to delve into these new experiences, continuing to inspire readers to push their own boundaries and embrace the unexpected. Just as “Free Ride” illuminated the transformative power of stepping outside one’s comfort zone, the new title is expected to explore the deeper lessons learned from navigating the world on a less-than-perfect, yet perfectly capable, vintage machine.
For those who have followed her YouTube channel or read “Free Ride,” the announcement of a new book is a welcome invitation to join Noraly once again on her remarkable odyssey. It’s a chance to witness the continued evolution of an adventurer who finds joy not just in the destination, but in the thrilling, often messy, process of getting there.
Are you excited to read about Noraly’s latest adventures with Frankie?
