Coffee First, Then the World

One woman. One bike. One world. In 2018, over the course of 18,000 miles, amateur cyclist Jenny Graham smashed the round-the-world cycling record by nearly three weeks, finishing in 124 days and 11 hours. But her real achievement was a new relationship with herself and with the world. Alone and unsupported, Jenny left family and friends behind in Scotland to complete her mission: a solo lap of the planet by bike. Her inspiring story swerves from terrifying near collisions on the Russian roads and weather extremes in the southern hemisphere to the beauty of the Mongolian landscape and exhilarating wildlife encounters in North America. As she battles the physical and mental challenge to race against the clock, Jenny gradually opens up to the joy of the adventure itself and all its daily discoveries, and gives in to her impulse to connect with people. With infectious wit and honesty, Jenny recounts her friendships with strangers and the myriad different cultures she comes across that gave her a new perspective on the world. By the time Jenny crosses the finish line at the Brandenburg Gate she is a changed person, thanks to one humble bike, and the entire world. Jenny smashed the record, but it was what she discovered about herself and the world around her that truly changed her.>

I've always found it difficult to hear Graham speak without feeling radically inspired. Her book had the same effect.

Préface
This is the story of one woman's solo lap of the planet by bike.

Auteur
Jenny Graham is a Scottish endurance athlete and advocate for women in cycling. She is a public speaker and a presenter for the Global Cycling Network documentary channel, and lives in the highlands of Scotland. @jennygrahamis

Texte du rabat

'An amazing adventure... I was left in total awe' - Lorraine Kelly 'Brilliant' - Mark Beaumont 'A compelling account of a truly remarkable achievement' - Tim Moore, travel writer 16 countries, 124 days and 18,000 miles. This is the story of one woman's solo lap of the planet by bike. 'The relief was immense: no longer was I talking, thinking or worrying about this. I was just actually doing it. I, Jenny Graham, was riding around the actual world!' In 2018, amateur cyclist Jenny Graham left family and friends behind in Scotland to become the fastest woman to cycle around the world. Alone and unsupported, she crossed the finish line at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin four months later, smashing the female record by nearly three weeks. With infectious wit and honesty, Jenny brings readers into her remarkable Round the World adventure, as she takes on four continents, 16 countries - and countless cups of coffee. Her journey swerves from terrifying near road collisions in Russia and weather extremes in Australia to breathtaking landscapes in Mongolia and exhilarating wildlife encounters in North America. Tight on time and money, she resorts to fixing her bike on the fly, sleeping on roadsides and often riding through the night to stay on track and complete her mission. As she battles physical and mental challenges to race against the clock, Jenny gradually opens up to the joy of the adventure and all its daily discoveries. She gives in to her impulse to connect with people, making friends with strangers across the globe and embracing new cultures. Coffee First, Then the World is her account of a record-breaking ride, and how one woman and a humble bike conquered the world.

Résumé
A WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 - SPORT 'An amazing adventure... I was left in total awe' - Lorraine Kelly 'Brilliant' - Mark Beaumont 'A compelling account of a truly remarkable achievement' - Tim Moore, travel writer 16 countries, 124 days and 18,000 miles. This is the story of one woman's solo lap of the planet by bike. 'The relief was immense: no longer was I talking, thinking or worrying about this. I was just actually doing it. I, Jenny Graham, was riding around the actual world!' In 2018, amateur cyclist Jenny Graham left family and friends behind in Scotland to become the fastest woman to cycle around the world. Alone and unsupported, she crossed the finish line at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin four months later, smashing the female record by nearly three weeks. With infectious wit and honesty, Jenny brings readers into her remarkable Round the World adventure, as she takes on four continents, 16 countries - and countless cups of coffee. Her journey swerves from terrifying near road collisions in Russia and weather extremes in Australia to breathtaking landscapes in Mongolia and exhilarating wildlife encounters in North America. Tight on time and money, she resorts to fixing her bike on the fly, sleeping on roadsides and often riding through the night to stay on track and complete her mission. As she battles physical and mental challenges to race against the clock, Jenny gradually opens up to the joy of the adventure and all its daily discoveries. She gives in to her impulse to connect with people, making friends with strangers across the globe and embracing new cultures. Coffee First, Then the World is her account of a record-breaking ride, and how one woman and a humble bike conquered the world.

Contenu
Part I: Preparation Part II: Europe to Asia Part III: The Southern Hemisphere Part IV: The Northern Hemisphere Part V: Back to Europe Part VI: Epilogue Books Referenced Acknowledgements