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

Juliana Buhring had been mired in 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 departed from Naples, Italy, aiming to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe. She set out believing she might not ever return, but she had nothing to lose. Over 152 days, Juliana's ride spanned four continents and 18,060 miles. 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?only people who decide to do extraordinary things.

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

Juliana Buhring had been mired in 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 departed from Naples, Italy, aiming to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe. She set out believing she might not ever return, but she had nothing to lose. Over 152 days, Juliana's ride spanned four continents and 18,060 miles. 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?only people who decide to do extraordinary things.

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

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

by Juliana Buhring

Narrated by Henrietta Meire

Unabridged — 5 hours, 11 minutes

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

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

by Juliana Buhring

Narrated by Henrietta Meire

Unabridged — 5 hours, 11 minutes

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Overview

Juliana Buhring had been mired in 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 departed from Naples, Italy, aiming to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe. She set out believing she might not ever return, but she had nothing to lose. Over 152 days, Juliana's ride spanned four continents and 18,060 miles. 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?only people who decide to do extraordinary things.


Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

02/22/2016
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. (May)

Alex Honnold

"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."

Lynne Cox

"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!"

Booklist

"Vivid…Buhring insists she is…just an ordinary person pushing outside her comfort zone. That is exactly what makes her story so amazing."

Daniel H. Pink

"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."

AUGUST 2016 - AudioFile

Narrator Henrietta Meire's British accent is clear and easy to follow as she keeps the listener engrossed in Juliana Buhring's unique story. Buhring has experienced many hardships in her life, having spent her childhood moving from country to country in a notorious cult, before finally breaking free in her 20s. As a result of her unconventional upbringing, she struggled to find her place in the world, ultimately ending up in Naples, Italy, before deciding to undertake a bicycle trip around the world in order to cope with the death of a man she loved deeply. The accents that Meire provides for people of various nationalities whom Buhring meets throughout her travels occasionally hit the mark but more often are not believable. S.E.G. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2016-03-01
An endurance cyclist's account of how the death of the man she loved became the catalyst for a record-setting around-the-world cycling journey of self-discovery. When Buhring (co-author: Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed, 2007) met adventurer Hendri Coetzee, she was working as a "quasi-missionary" for the Children of God in Kampala, Uganda. The two were immediately and powerfully attracted to one another, and for the next several years, they maintained an intense connection despite the distance that separated them. In 2010, just as Buhring (now an ex-cult member) was nearing her 30th birthday, Hendri was killed on an African kayaking expedition. More grief-stricken than she had ever been in her life, the author realized she needed to do something to save herself "or be swallowed up by the profound melancholy I was drowning in." So she set herself a goal: to travel around the world by bicycle. She had no training and no sponsorship, yet within a year and a half, she gained both. Leaving her home in Naples, Italy, Buhring began her journey in the United States. Traveling against fierce headwinds, she cycled between Boston and Seattle, averaging 175 miles per day. After losing her way in New Zealand, she was forced to traverse—without a map or functioning GPS—through icy, mountainous terrain. She crossed the deserts of Australia and then made her way through Malaysia, Thailand, India, Turkey, and finally Italy. Hunger, illness, and the threat of equipment failure dogged her, as did moments of doubt and fear. As grueling as the journey was, however, ex-cult friends and strangers she called her "road angels" gave her the journey-affirming aid she needed. Buhring's book is 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...in the world."

Product Details

BN ID: 2940171388867
Publisher: HighBridge Company
Publication date: 05/24/2016
Edition description: Unabridged
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