Update on Itchyboots

[TN_twowheeladdict]

Being both of those things, I used to have a great deal of respect for her as a rider and a traveller. But that has waned as both of those things became less important for her than making money on YT.

It is not wise to be travelling in South America right now. Several land borders are still closed, Peru has the highest rate of covid infection per 100,000 people in the world.

And I don't say this as a casual observer, a month and a half ago I was talking to an RE dealer in Bogota Colombia about buying a Himalayan and riding SA north to south this winter. I canceled because of the land border closures and the infection/vaccination rates down there.

I wonder if she was one of the people who brought omicron to europe.

I call BS on your first statement. If she were wanting to make money over traveling and videography she would become an influencer and have all kinds of product placement and sponsors for her videos. She doesn't do that because she doesn't want to be beholding to those sponsors. Look at some of the female motorcycle influencers that have brand stickers all over their bikes, and links to all the products in their videos.

Noraly is also not influenced by fear. Hear in the US, only roughly 10 percent of the population has tested positive for COVID, and less than 1 percent of the population has died. The chance of catching COVID is low, and the chance of having a bad sickness from it is very low in healthy people.

Now, border closings will still be an ongoing issue as the media keeps driving fear. Also, if you do some actual research, the vaccine efficacy is a fraction of what was purported to be when released. In fact it is hard to call it a vaccine anymore. It is more a medication than a vaccine at this point. Now they are just selling it as reducing symptoms, but they have never done a study to quantify what symptoms an individual will have without the vaccine to know their symptoms will be reduced because of the vaccine.

Your whole post hints of jealousy and fear. Whether that was your intent or not, that is how I perceive it, so if I am incorrect, I apologize.

 

[60sRetro]

I call BS on your first statement.

And that is the kind of bs reply I've come to expect from you.

There is a level of personal perception involved. I started following IB around the time she left India and entered Burma. I've had a few back and forth emails with her. Not saying I know her personally, but I'm not pulling these observations out of my arse.

At this point, I've got no more time for her. Going back to SA at this point is irresponsible.

I'm am not going to have a stupid argument with you over vaccine efficacy. Just understand that unless you are a virologist or an infectious disease specialist, you are talking out of your arse.

 

[petespace1]

Being both of those things, I used to have a great deal of respect for her as a rider and a traveller. But that has waned as both of those things became less important for her than making money on YT.

I wonder if she was one of the people who brought omicron to europe.

You make some some good points on risk of travel in these times.

However:
She’s making money ? I think her Kalahari rides were the best she has ever done. I hope she makes money so she can continue doing what she does- entertaining thousands.

She may have brought omicron to Europe ? Are you starting a rumour buddy ?

 

[60sRetro]

I think her Kalahari rides were the best she has ever done. I hope she makes money so she can continue doing what she does- entertaining thousands.

Interesting, this just illustrates how we all have different perspectives on this stuff. The kalahari rides were the exact point I disengaged. Completely uninterested in that self-promotion shit.

My favorite material of hers, is when she's out there on the edge, in some obscure corner of the planet, no support, and just depending on the people she encounters and human nature to get her through it.

At this point the money seems to have become the goal, rather than the secondary benefit.

She may have brought omicron to Europe ? Are you starting a rumour buddy ?

Maybe, given the timing, it's not a wing-nut theory.

 

[TN_twowheeladdict]

And that is the kind of bs reply I've come to expect from you.

There is a level of personal perception involved. I started following IB around the time she left India and entered Burma. I've had a few back and forth emails with her. Not saying I know her personally, but I'm not pulling these observations out of my arse.

At this point, I've got no more time for her. Going back to SA at this point is irresponsible.

I'm am not going to have a stupid argument with you over vaccine efficacy. Just understand that unless you are a virologist or an infectious disease specialist, you are talking out of your arse.

So reading reports from infectious disease specialists and virologists doesn't count in your scared eyes?

Noraly follows all the guidelines and has all the required tests. She is only considered being irresponsible by fearful people.

 

[TN_twowheeladdict]

Interesting, this just illustrates how we all have different perspectives on this stuff. The kalahari rides were the exact point I disengaged. Completely uninterested in that self-promotion shit.

My favorite material of hers, is when she's out there on the edge, in some obscure corner of the planet, no support, and just depending on the people she encounters and human nature to get her through it.

At this point the money seems to have become the goal, rather than the secondary benefit.

Maybe, given the timing, it's not a wing-nut theory.

If you are so fearful, how can you possibly ride a motorcycle. You can be taken out at any moment. You have a higher probability of dying while riding than you do of catching COVID if you are a healthy individual who practices good hygiene.

 

[TN_twowheeladdict]

Here is why Noraly chose the bike she did in her own words.

New bike of choice for season 6

www.itchyboots.com

One thing to note is if it weren't for COVID she would have completed the Alaska run on the Himalayan and would possibly be still riding it.

 

[60sRetro]

The thing that attracted me to noraly's channel way back whenever, were her travels in and affinity for India. I've spent well over a year in India on several trips and have super memories of those times and some great friends there.

Over many years I've become somewhat addicted to solo adventure travel, and in recent years I've combined that with my life-long love of motorcycling. These are two passions that I am almost incapable of explaining to the uninitiated. Even my wife of 28 or so years, who knows me better than anyone else on the planet I'd wager, doesn't really understand why I might want to fly to somewhere in northern south america, buy a motorcycle and spend six months riding to the southern tip of south america.

It's funny, recently my wife, in a transcendental kind of a moment asked me..."is it exciting to ride motorcycles, is that why you ride?" I had to think about it for a bit, but I realized that she doesn't have a clue. I responded that, no, it isn't exciting, it's actually the opposite of that. It is peaceful, relaxing, calming and introspective...there is nothing I can think of that recharges my batteries more than just being on a bike with no real destination, third star to the left and on till morning, it's magic, and I have trouble explaining it.

I know there are lots of IB fanboys out there, and yeah, she's making this work, making lots of money, as someone put it "entertaining" people, but my grudge is, and maybe it's kinda cliquey, that she's kinda sold out. I know she knows what solo adventure travel does for the soul, I've heard it in her voice, but I have this disappointed sense that she's simply cashing in on that and selling it to the uninitiated.

 

[johnny42]

but I have this disappointed sense that she's simply cashing in on that and selling it to the uninitiated.

When I watch her vids, I get the same feeling. I'm definitely initiated, and I'm not going to get sucked in with her merch, but simply watching her vids for entertainment while I work out in my basement is OK with me. It's like any other video you watch for entertainment.

 

[MiltDoggie]

@60sRetro @TN_twowheeladdict
There is something you should know about us Dutch people. We are not easily swayed or fear the government. We do not just accept and believe everything they shove down our throats. We think for ourselves, we have a backbone and stand for what's right.

Start of mask mandates in the Netherlands? After a week it was abolished. Why? Because the shops were imposing customers to wear it and the general population didn't accept it. They didn't go to the shops and in the end what did the shop owners do? Go and complain to the government. And just like that, no more masks because the people said NO.

 

[60sRetro]

@60sRetro @TN_twowheeladdict
There is something you should know about us Dutch people. We are not easily swayed or fear the government. We do not just accept and believe everything they shove down our throats. We think for ourselves, we have a backbone and stand for what's right.

Start of mask mandates in the Netherlands? After a week it was abolished. Why? Because the shops were imposing customers to wear it and the general population didn't accept it. They didn't go to the shops and in the end what did the shop owners do? Go and complain to the government. And just like that, no more masks because the people said NO.

I wish I could hear your voice as you say that. I love the Dutch accent, even when they're talking shit. I think that was one of the things that attracted me to noraly's channel, just hearing her voice.

 

[petespace1]

There is something you should know about us Dutch people. We are not easily swayed or fear the government. We do not just accept and believe everything they shove down our throats.

Err just one little point to your post…
The Dutch also have very high vaccination rates.

So yes the Dutch are smart people.

The corona vaccination | Coronavirus Dashboard | Government.nl

The Netherlands began vaccinating people against coronavirus on 6 January 2021. The Coronadashboard shows how many doses of vaccine have been administered and how many doses are on the way.

coronadashboard.government.nl

It may not fit in with your view of the Dutch, but a majority of the population is listening to the medical advice. Like in most parts of the world.

 

[Bluestrom13]

Start of mask mandates in the Netherlands? After a week it was abolished. Why? Because the shops were imposing customers to wear it and the general population didn't accept it.

Is this the same Netherlands Govt this link is to? Because this still says masks indoors area required.

Rules that apply indoors and outdoors

On this page you will find information about the rules that apply indoors and outdoors in the Netherlands.

www.government.nl

AND.....
Do you wear a "compulsory" crash helmet, (I hear that they save lives), or is that a threat to your civil liberty also?

 

[MiltDoggie]

Is this the same Netherlands Govt this link is to? Because this still says masks indoors area required.

Rules that apply indoors and outdoors

On this page you will find information about the rules that apply indoors and outdoors in the Netherlands.

www.government.nl

AND.....
Do you wear a "compulsory" crash helmet, (I hear that they save lives), or is that a threat to your civil liberty also?

These are the new regulations set in place a couple of days ago.

And what happened when they implemented these new rules? Riots and protests in the streets

 

[Bluestrom13]

SOooo.......
Will the riots and protests make the Virus go away....
' Streets full ' of people rioting will look terrifying, but is maybe 0.1% of the total population - hardly the "general population".
Masks don't only protect the wearer, but also people in the same proximity.

Do you object to wearing that crash helmet? 'cos that only protects YOU. No-one else will be hurt by YOUR non-compliance.
(Emergency services may not be happy with you).

And they don't hurt....
Sorry, but it's idiotic to do nothing.

 

[Robert]

Milt Doggie: "We are not easily swayed or fear the government. We do not just accept and believe everything they shove down our throats. We think for ourselves, we have a backbone and stand for what's right."

Me: Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah, 90% of the Dutch population were born to live on their knees, just like 90% of the rest of the world population.
Most people listen to the state propaganda channel, have a firm believe that the government is always right and fear the consequences of not following the gov orders.
They also believe that Sars Cov 19 is the horible deadly disease that will kill half the world population.
They simply don't think.

 

[Robert]

BTW: are we a bit off topic now?

 

[imnvegas]

I don't really get the reason people are so concerned that she is making money. I also have been following from early on in the beginning. She sold all of her assets to do this journey and followed her heart. That in itself makes her unique. She has found a way to continue her travels and not continually push merch at her followers. So what she has a website, vlog, Instagram, and store....MORE POWER TO HER. Don't like it..... then unsubscribe and move on. Noraly is a class act and does not seem to be the attention whore that so many people in this day and age have turned into on social media.
To me, she seems genuine and relatable. Before covid, I traveled to SEA and Latin America every summer and since June of 2020 I have traveled to Mexico (it has always been open) at least 8 times and I do not do touristy Cabo or Acapulco (I hate the beach). Like the late Anthony Bordain, I am a traveler not a tourist. Attached is a pic of the Las Vegas terminal in June of 2020 at the height of the madness on my way to CDMX. I am fully vaccinated and boosted and can do no more than taking appropriate precautions. I refuse to hide. I totally can relate to her motives and totally respect what she is doing. And now that I am retiring in May 2022 I am going to start traveling again, starting with going back to SEA then SA. She has bigger cojones that most dudes I know and still remains feminine.

 

[60sRetro]

I don't really get the reason people are so concerned that she is making money.

It's not a concern, in that I don't begrudge her need or want to make money. I just have no time for her anymore, because she just seems to be spouting platitudes and hamming for the camera, which is a shift from her earlier stuff. If I want to watch some actors hamming it up for the camera, I can watch the Walking Dead or re-runs of I Love Lucy.
And I have unsubscribed to her channel.
I only commented here because reading this thread I learned that she's heading back to SA, and coincidentally, I just cancelled a planned ride from Colombia to Ushuaia this winter. Things are still very ugly down there. Peru has the highest concentrations of covid infections in the world. Some land borders are still closed, for example, as a traveller you can't cross from Colombia into Ecuador by land.

I love to bike travel and hope to do that trip at some point, I just think it is completely careless and irresponsible to be doing it right now.

 

[Bikebit]

It's not a concern, in that I don't begrudge her need or want to make money. I just have no time for her anymore, because she just seems to be spouting platitudes and hamming for the camera, which is a shift from her earlier stuff. If I want to watch some actors hamming it up for the camera, I can watch the Walking Dead or re-runs of I Love Lucy.
And I have unsubscribed to her channel.
I only commented here because reading this thread I learned that she's heading back to SA, and coincidentally, I just cancelled a planned ride from Colombia to Ushuaia this winter. Things are still very ugly down there. Peru has the highest concentrations of covid infections in the world. Some land borders are still closed, for example, as a traveller you can't cross from Colombia into Ecuador by land.

I love to bike travel and hope to do that trip at some point, I just think it is completely careless and irresponsible to be doing it right now.

I'm definitely an IB fan and have bought my Himi primarily because of her. COVID discussion aside, I really don't have any idea how you can accuse her of hamming for the camera, etc. It simply boggles my mind that someone can watch her channel and say that...