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.
