Say the phrase Dakar and also you’ll conjure up prompt photos of rallying greatness within the minds of motorsports followers. It’s so synonymous with powerful, succesful autos that numerous Dakar tribute autos—each by OEMs themselves and by customized builders—have come into being over time.
In April 2023, after loads of time spent exploring Morocco and Mauritania, and seeing unbelievable world treasures just like the Eye of Africa, Itchy Boots has lastly made it to the legendary capital of Senegal. Dakar is a busy metropolis, although—and as you’ll see on this video, there’s loads of visitors to take care of as she finishes the journey from Saint Louis (additionally in Senegal, not the one in Missouri) into Dakar.
For those who’re used to driving by way of congested visitors, after all, such a scene might look extremely acquainted to you (and truthfully, that is probably the most personally relatable portion of her journey to me). Whereas different riders are lane filtering between the slow-moving and stopped four- (and more-) wheeled autos with aplomb, Alaska (Noraly’s trusty Honda CRF300L Rally) has panniers. So sadly, it’s not that simple to squeeze by way of a number of the narrower areas left in visitors.
Nonetheless, after a prolonged, scorching, and exhausting journey that she ultimately tells us about after she’s discovered a spot to remain for the evening, Noraly has lastly achieved every part she needed to do at the moment. She’s ridden the 200-something kilometers (that’s about 124 miles) to Dakar. She’s bought insurance coverage that ought to be good to see her and Alaska all over to the Congo. Regardless of some mishaps find a spot to remain, she did ultimately handle to seek out fairly a comfortable room, which is sweet—as a result of she’s exhausted.
Though at the moment’s journey wasn’t lengthy in kilometers, the warmth and stress of visitors (which isn’t usually a factor that she has to take care of frequently) made it a special sort of tough. Whereas there was a minimum of one earlier video the place she did about 700 kilometers (or practically 435 mi) in a day, it’s all about what you’re used to—and visitors is a completely completely different sort of harrowing in the event you don’t cope with it frequently.
On the finish of the video, Noraly explains that she’s going to have just a little break on her YouTube channel to get the subsequent leg of her journey so as. Since she’s only one particular person, and she or he’s doing her journey on her personal, meaning she should do every part. That features arranging visas, legally importing her bike (she has a Carnet de Passage, which helps), altering cash, getting mandatory components for her bike and cameras, changing gear that wants it, and so forth.
All that doesn’t even start to take her lengthy hours modifying and importing these movies into consideration. So, whereas she’d beforehand been importing round three every week, she says she’s going to take about two weeks off (possibly extra) to get the subsequent leg of the journey so as.
There could also be further breaks like this sooner or later, too—however truthfully, why shouldn’t she have them? Doing what she’s doing is loads of work, even with out the cameras. Narrating her experiences alongside the best way is additional work, on high of the remainder of what’s concerned in posting these movies for the remainder of us to journey vicariously together with her on her journeys.
Whereas that is the Web, and feedback aren’t at all times form, the vast majority of Noraly’s viewers appear to share the identical sentiments. Right here’s hoping that her time away is as refreshing and revitalizing as she wants, and we stay grateful that she’s sharing her journeys with the world through YouTube.
