Doncaster woman on 1,000-mile solo cycle trip to Vienna after US holiday cancelled by Covid

Jo Goodall from Austerfield decided that she was not going to let the travel restrictions imposed by Covid-19 stop her from embarking on an epic adventure.

Jo, aged 29, said: “I had a trip planned in America before Covid-19 but that was cancelled so when I saw that Europe was opening back up I knew I had to go for it.

“I chose Vienna because it’s where Kipchoge ran the world’s first sub-two-hour marathon.

“I’m a huge running fan and the spot where he finished is a place that will go down in history.”

Jo crossed the Channel by ferry from Hull and has cycled through the Netherlands, averaging 70 miles a day.

Her goal is to cycle 1,000 miles solo for the first time.

She said: “I have done other challenges in the past but always with other people.

“It was a little bit scary in the beginning because it’s just me and the bike in the middle of nowhere.

“But I’m just taking each day as it comes and trying not to think about the enormity of the whole ride at once.

“I really want to push myself out of my comfort zone.”

Jo is currently in Cologne, Germany where the weather is a hot 32 degrees.

“There are some incredible cycling trails in the Netherlands,” Jo said.

“I went for 120 miles without seeing one road.

“It’s not like in the UK where you’re battling lorries and dancing with death.”

Jo says the scenery is beautiful, she is passing great rivers and green woodland every day.

On her rest days, she is exploring tourist spots and indulging in the local cuisine.

The highlight of her trip so far was meeting up with a group of cyclists from York who were also embarking on a long cycle through Europe.

Jo said: “If all goes to plan I should arrive in Vienna in two weeks' time.

“I’ve booked a nice hotel for myself when I get there and will be taking a plane back to the UK.”

Jo was initially nervous about the trip due to the intense mile goal and Covid-19.

But she says she has felt comfortable and safe the entire time she has been travelling.

“These European countries are so used to cyclists that no one is batting an eyelid at me,” she said.

“On the odd occasion where I have looked lost people have stopped to help me.

“In the tourist cities everything is clean and people are wearing masks.”

But her intentions are not purely based in tourism,

You can check out more of Jo’s journey on her blog here.

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