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Free Ride

Heartbreak, Courage, and the 20,000-Mile Motorcycle Journey that Changed My Life

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Free Ride

By: Noraly Schoenmaker
Narrated by: Imani Jade Powers
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About this listen

By the YouTube sensation with more than two million followers, the inspiring account of a woman in her thirties who, in a moment of personal crisis, embarked on an epic, transcontinental motorcycle ride – and along the way found a new sense of purpose.

Noraly Schoenmaker was a thirty-something geologist living in the Netherlands when she learned that her live-in partner had been having a long-term affair. Suddenly without a place to stay, she decided to quit her job and jet off to India in search of a new beginning. Her plans were dashed when she fell quickly and helplessly in love: with a motorcycle. Behind the handlebars, she felt alive and free – nimble enough to trace the narrowest paths, powerful enough to travel the longest of roads.

She covered remote and utterly unfamiliar territory; broke down on impossibly steep mountains; and pushed too many miles along empty roads, farther and farther from civilization. Through her travels, she discovered the true beauty of the world - the kindness of its people, the simplicity of its open spaces, as well as her own inner strength.

In spirit of The Motorcycle Diaries and Wild, this is an inspiring story of self-discovery and renewal. Filled with unforgettable figures, hilarious disasters and powerful human connections, it shows you what happens when you open your heart and let the world in.

© 2025 Noraly Schoenmaker (P) 2025 DK Audio

Imani Jade Powers
is an actor, writer and singer who has narrated over 90 audiobooks. She has narrated romance, contemporary fiction, fantasy and YA. Including the likes of Ava Reid’s Lady Macbeth and Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s The Beautiful Ones. When she is not narrating she is acting specifically on Broadway in Harry Potter & The Cursed Child.

Noraly Schoenmaker is the creator of Itchy Boots, a YouTube channel with more than two million loyal subscribers. A motorcycling obsessive, her journeys have taken her the length of the American continent, from Argentina to Alaska; from the northernmost point of Europe to the southernmost point of Africa; and to some of the least travelled regions of the globe. Trained as a biologist and geologist, she is based in the Netherlands.

Adventurers, Explorers & Survival Asia Travel Writing & Commentary Women Funny Heartfelt Witty Middle East Iran
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Great story. Nice to hear the extra details you miss in the videos.

Wish the narrator hadn't been American though, should've been English or European.

Lived it

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Amazed me from listening, how much she did not know about motorcycling. still this did not stand in her way. Definitely a good listen of her adventures. Thumbs up to her for taking on this massive undertaking.

Good on her

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What I a ride. Inspiring funny and sad sometime all at once. Great story telling as well as film making.

Funny, entertaining and encapuring

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What an amazing adventure. I can't help but put myself in her shoes/itchyboots one day. I already have done a tour in India so hearing her version brought back so many emotions.

Description of how hard it is sometimes on a bike and reminding yourself this an adventure.

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Highly recommend this book I found it very interesting great read.
Thank you so very much

Great read

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