This Road I Ride: Sometimes It Takes Losing Everything to Find Yourself - Hardcover

Buhring, Juliana

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 039329255X ISBN 13: 9780393292558

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company, 2016

Synopsis

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.

15 illustrations

About this title

About the Author:

Juliana Buhring is a British-German ultra-endurance cyclist and writer. In 2012, she set the first Guinness World Record as the Fastest Woman to Circumnavigate the Globe by Bike, riding over 18,000 miles in 152 days. She lives in Naples, Italy.

Review:

“Now this is feminism!. . . Buhring is in a class with Amelia Earhart and Kathrine Switzer; brave, strong, and a little crazy in the best possible way.”
- Douglas Lord, Library Journal

“Vivid...Buhring insists she is...just an ordinary person pushing outside her comfort zone. That is exactly what makes her story so amazing.”
- Booklist

“[A] testament to the human will to overcome and survive as well as a moving portrait of a woman on a deeply personal quest to define the meaning of her life. A searching, engaging memoir from an author who "can be at home no matter where I am in the world."”
- Kirkus Reviews

“This is an inspirational memoir about the power of one's undefeatable determination that will appeal to adrenaline seekers.”
- Publisher's Weekly

“An incredible journey that is awe inspiring and completely captivating. I couldn’t put the book down, couldn’t wait to find out how Buhring would overcome the next barrier! She makes one realize that great dreams are possible to achieve. One of my all-time favorites!”
- Lynne Cox, author of Swimming to Antarctica and Grayson

“Juliana Buhring endured fear, doubt, and pain to achieve a truly remarkable feat. But Buhring is more than an athlete―she’s a phoenix, who rose from the ashes of a horrific childhood and a devastating personal loss to test herself against the unknown. You’ll be amazed and inspired by this book.”
- Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive

“I read this book in a single sitting, transfixed by Juliana's incredible story... The physical achievement of riding around the world pales in comparison to the mental achievement of holding herself together and staying the course through such hardship. This is one of those stories that just pulls you along for the ride. Once I embarked, it just whisked me along until the end.”
- Alex Honnold, author of Alone on the Wall

About this edition

• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 039329255X
• ISBN 13: 9780393292558
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 240