This Road I Ride: Sometimes It Takes Losing Everything to Find Yourself
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4.7 • 12 Ratings
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- $22.99
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- $22.99
Publisher Description
This Road I Ride is the remarkable story of one woman’s solo journey around the world by bicycle.
Juliana Buhring had been mired in a dark hole of depression after the death of a man she loved, and when an acquaintance suggested they honor his memory by biking across Canada, she thought, “Canada? Why not the world?” And why not alone.
She had never seriously ridden a bicycle before. She had no athletic experience or corporate sponsorship, but with just eight months of preparation, Juliana Buhring departed from Naples, Italy, in July 2012 aiming to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe. She set out believing she might not ever return, but that she had nothing to lose. Over 152 days, Juliana’s ride spanned four continents and 18,060 miles. She traversed small-town and big-mountain America, Australian desert expanses, South Asian rainforests and villages, and Turkish plains. She suffered innumerable breakdowns, severe food poisoning, hostile pursuers, and the international longing for a good Italian espresso. When she crossed the finish line into Naples before the end of the year, she officially became the fastest woman to cycle the world (beating prior men’s records, to boot).
Accomplishing what she never thought she could, buoyed by the outpouring of support from friends and strangers, Juliana rediscovered herself. In the process she proved that there are no extraordinary people—there are only people who decide to do extraordinary things.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this touching memoir, ultra-endurist cyclist Buhring (Not Without My Sisters) chronicles her journey circumnavigating the world on her bicycle, covering 18,063 miles across 19 countries and four continents. After the death of Henri, an intimate friend and fellow adrenaline seeker, Buhring vows to beat the men's world record and become the first woman to cycle around the world in less than 165 days. Her first challenge is to win the support of endorsers and convince a trainer that she is capable of setting the new world record with no prior experience on a bicycle. After eight months of rigorous training and support from friends, Buhring begins her solo journey on her bicycle, Pegasus. With fierce determination, she endures extreme weather and the isolation of being a woman on the road. She charmingly collides with cultural differences and relies on the kindness of strangers. Grappling with her past as an escapee of the Children of God cult, she reflects on overcoming loss and starting from nothing. Buhring is at her best when she describes the rich scenery of the roads, including the desolate plains of Nebraska and the rolling hills of New Zealand. This is an inspirational memoir about the power of one's undefeatable determination that will appeal to other adrenaline seekers. Unfortunately, in the chapter "Indian Nightmares," Buhring expresses hostility toward Indian culture in a diatribe that stands in stark contrast to the rest of the book.
