What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedFree Ride
Noraly Schoenmaker · Book
If you loved Free Ride, start with Long Way Down (Ewan McGregor, 2007) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Free Ride across media.
What hooked you in Free Ride was the way a solitary journey across vast landscapes becomes a profound act of self-discovery.
Films on the same thread
Easy Rider
Film · 1969
Explores: Freedom, Existentialism, 1960s counterculture.
If Free Ride captured your fascination with motorcycle culture and the search for truth, this road movie offers the definitive exploration of counterculture freedom and existential movement across America.
Nomadland
Chloé Zhao · Film · 2021
Explores: Economic hardship, Resilience, Loss and grief.
Like the life transition that fueled Free Ride, this film follows a woman finding resilience and meaning while navigating the open road after losing her previous life.
Wild
Film · 2014
Shares a thread with Free Ride: Self-discovery.
Much like the personal evolution documented in Free Ride, this story captures the raw, internal shift that occurs when a woman faces isolation and nature to heal.
Ice Road: Vengeance
Jonathan Hensleigh · Film · 2025
Explores: Brotherhood, Redemption, Protecting the Innocent.
While Free Ride focuses on personal growth, this film mirrors the intense, high-stakes physical environment that riders face when navigating the world's most treacherous and demanding road terrain.
Series on the same thread
Long Way Round
Ewan McGregor · Series · 2004
Explores: Friendship, Adventure, Overcoming Obstacles.
If the motorcycle travel in Free Ride resonated with you, this documentary provides a deeper look at the endurance and personal growth required for long-distance, transcontinental two-wheeled expeditions.
Long Way Down
Ewan McGregor · Series · 2007
Explores: Friendship, Motorcycle Travel, Adventure.
Continuing the spirit of motorcycle exploration found in Free Ride, this journey expands the scope of cultural discovery and adventure across the challenging landscapes of the African continent.
An Idiot Abroad
Ricky Gervais · Series · 2010
Explores: Fish-out-of-water, Culture Clash, Travel Misadventures.
While Free Ride highlights the joys of travel, this series offers a comedic, fish-out-of-water perspective on the culture clashes and unexpected hurdles inherent in global exploration.
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown
Series · 2013
Explores: Cultural Immersion, Culinary Exploration, Global Travel.
Bourdain's approach to global travel mirrors the curiosity found in Free Ride, using food and local rituals to connect deeply with the diverse cultures encountered along the way.
Podcasts on the same thread
Cleared Hot
Podcast
Explores: military life, personal growth, overcoming fear.
The themes of overcoming fear and personal growth that defined your experience with Free Ride are central to these candid conversations about navigating life's most challenging transitions.
The MashtagBrady Show!
Podcast
Explores: cultural exploration, world travel, experiential travel.
If the immersive nature of Free Ride kept you engaged, this podcast brings that same sense of experiential travel and cultural exploration directly to your ears.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Free Ride based on the Itchy Boots YouTube channel?
Yes, Free Ride is written by Noraly Schoenmaker, the creator of the YouTube channel Itchy Boots. The book recounts the transcontinental motorcycle journey she undertook following significant personal and professional changes in her life.
What is the primary focus of Free Ride?
Free Ride focuses on the transcontinental motorcycle ride taken by Noraly Schoenmaker. It documents her experiences and travels during this trip, which she began after experiencing major shifts in her personal and professional life.
Who is the author of Free Ride?
The author of Free Ride is Noraly Schoenmaker. She is well known as the creator of the Itchy Boots YouTube channel, where she documents her extensive motorcycle travels across various continents and regions.
Does Free Ride cover a specific motorcycle journey?
Free Ride covers a transcontinental motorcycle ride. Noraly Schoenmaker recounts this journey as a response to personal and professional changes, providing readers with an account of her travels and experiences while on the road.