B is for Julianna Buhring

When Juliana Buhring loses the love of her life in a kayaking trip in Africa— he was pulled into the water by an African Crocodile—she decides to embark on circumnavigating the world on a bicycle. She came to this decision despite the fact that she was not a cyclist, did not know how to repair a bike, and no long distance woman cyclist had succeeded. Her book The Road I Ride details her trip —18,000 miles, nineteen countries, and 152 days Naples to Naples.

This , my B book in my 2017 challenge, was found on the new book shelf. Prior to selecting the book—I was actually looking for an A author— I had never heard of the author or the feat.

The saga is so out of my comfort zone, but it makes me wonder what I might have attempted if I had more nerve and a strong constitution. I always wanted to walk the Appalachian Trail, but obviously not enough to quit my job , buy new hiking shoes, and a frame backpack. So I settled for hiking bits and pieces—small sections—with old boots and a fanny pack. Nothing extraordinary—tame. I did hike Mt Katahdan, the northern end of the trail—but that doesn't count and I did have a pack.

Looking backwards I can't find anything. Perhaps the time has passed for me to attempt something heroic, dramatic, and other worldly. I will vicariously follow those who run in the World Marathon Challenge—seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. That's 168 hours.
And it includes all your flight times from continent to continent. The cost $45,000 dollars.