Jenny Graham's book was so inspiring. What she accomplished ON HER OWN was an incredible act of not only physical stamina, but also mental stamina. She shared so many details of her ride that sometimes had me applauding her but also cringing. I have no idea how she was able to sleep in public toilets, on benches, in ditches and more. She stayed true to her goal of riding without support to the extreme. I would recommend this book not only to riders but to all for its inspirational message.

I absolutely love books where humans push the limits and see what they are capable of. I appreciate Jenny bringing us along for the ride with her detailed description of new cultures, biking challenges, and even the logistics. I tensed up reading the biking situation in Russia, where trucks passed her with mere centimeters to spare. As a new cyclist, it made me glad I chose a mountain bike!

❖ Quick Summary: Jenny’s world record attempt to circumnavigate the world on a bike.

“I, Jenny Graham, was riding around the actual world!”

How can you read the title of this book and not want to learn more about the inspiring attempt at a world record by Jenny, an endurance cyclist and kind-hearted mum? She’s chasing a goal to be the fastest woman to circumnavigate the world on a bike, and we get the privilege to accompany her on her adventure. Along the 18,000 miles over 16 countries, we get a glimpse of what it’s like to sleep in desolate areas, fight through storms, mend gear, deal with unsavory locals, and narrowly make checkpoints as she strives to make it to the finish line on time. It’s a reflective and inspiring book about a young woman who is putting everything on the line to achieve an amazing goal. What she is attempting is akin to Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler when they summited Everest or Amelia Earhart when she flew across the Atlantic. For years, I have recommended Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air as the de facto adventure story, but this sits right alongside it. Jenny Graham certainly brings adventure writing to a whole new level.

“Like so many other things on the road, ‘home’ had been stripped back. It was no longer a physical place, but rather a self-defined place within me.”

Before I get ahead of myself, I must say that this is not a traditional sports biography by any means. Each chapter reads like a travelogue. You start off each section learning details about her mileage for the day, the cities she crosses, and where she attempts to sleep, but you do not need to be an expert in cycling to enjoy the story. She takes you by the hand and leads you through more of the technical details of cycling, such as saddle material, chains, fittings, techniques, and more. It's an incredibly fascinating world, to say the least. If you love incredible adventure stories where incredible people accomplish incredible feats, this book is for you. That’s three Incredibles in the last few sentences, so if you did not know already, I LOVED this book.

“You must not leave. It’s far too dangerous for a woman on her own. You must stay tonight. ' OMG, I was actually being kidnapped by kindness'."

As you traverse the world with Jenny, she keeps you updated along the way with quick snippets of people she encounters on the journey. Whether it’s being shepherd around some bears on the road or putting her trust in mechanics to overhaul her bike hours before she is to set out again, Jenny seems to always have it together. The goal is always at the forefront of her mind, and no minor detours will keep her from achieving it. It was impressive to see her breaking down language barriers with individuals all over the world and laughing when seemingly insurmountable delays were thrown her way. From start to finish, it was an emotional rollercoaster.

“The physical benefits of training are easy to measure, but it’s only in times of resistance that you will see the resilience you have built up mentally to adverse situations.”

If you think for one second that this is some sort of commercialized setup like so many other endurance-based books, think again! Even though the Guinness Book of World Records does not distinguish the difference, she is attempting this feat in an unsupported fashion. This means that she is in control of her lodging, food, logistics, gear, timekeeping, and more! Her bike is essentially her desk, where she must tackle a multitude of administrative tasks for future arrivals. As you can imagine, the more nail-biting sections include getting through customs without losing an absorbent amount of time, making sure you have enough supplies if you encounter a puncture, and braving the monstrous trucks on the road. Oh, and finding coffee. That was incredibly important too!

“As the least important person on the road, I was the pawn that could be sacrificed at any moment.”

Let's talk about her lodging for a moment. I was so incredibly nervous for her safety because she was sleeping outdoors alone most of the time and vulnerable to the elements and wildlife that stalked around at night. She carries on through it all. Nothing seems to affect her when she’s dealt an uninspiring view, has plane booking nightmares, or has to miss meals by cycling throughout the night, topping off with calories from the food scraps in her bike bag. Her encounter with a bear was truly terrifying, and I was pleased when she attached a significant number of noisemakers to her bike to let any would-be animals know she was barreling down the road. She is a bonified wonder woman! In fact, move aside Diana Princess; we have a new sheriff in town, and her name is Jenny Graham.

“While I’m a fan of dreaming big and wild, I have come to realise that true contentment for me is actually found on the journey to the start line.”

As the book comes full circle and you gaze upon the pictures of the journey and read the humbling epilogue, you have to take a breath and marvel at what she was able to accomplish. It makes you want to mount your own personal dreams and tackle them with gusto.

Bravo, Jenny. Thanks for letting us get a small glimpse into your journey and your life.

❖ Category: Adventure / Cycling / Extreme Sport / Travelogue
❖ Rating: 5/5

When Jenny Graham decided to attempt to become the fastest woman to circumnavigate the world on a bicycle (with allowances for flights over oceans), she was both excited and nervous. This book that captures her adventures during this expedition was a fun and enjoyable read.

The best part of this book is her refreshing honesty about her fears and trepidations - and she does so with happiness and humor. This would sound like it would be difficult to pull off but Graham does so in a way that will keep the reader engaged and entertained. It doesn’t matter whether she is describing the terror of trucks running her off the road in Russia, the fear of snakes in Australia or when she sleeps outside in the elements on so many nights, it’s just fine to read about her adventures.

She does talk about her relationships with family and friends, but the real people aspect of this book is her interactions with those from other countries and cultures. The most heartwarming of these encounters are the many friendly people she met in Mongolia. Just like when talking about her fears and frustrations, Graham talks about these encounters with great energy, humor and joy - one can’t help but smile at some of these passages.

One doesn’t have to be a cyclist, a fan of the sport or even know anything about a bike to enjoy this book. If the reader wants to get a first hand account of a fantastic accomplishment by one woman with determination, then this is the book for them.

I wish to thank Bloomsbury Sport for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.