"You're so completely focused on the moment and the conditions you're riding in that you forget everything else," she says.

"It's challenging and quite confronting but at the same time relaxing."

Ms Simpson, who plans to ride around Europe for the third time this year, has written a book Let Sleeping Dogs Lie based on her first trip in 2008.

"I wanted to travel through Europe on the Orient Express, but it was completely out of my price range, so I decided to ride instead." she says.

"I met a number of people [on the cycling trip] and had a good time and decided to write a book about it.

"It's set around the ride but has also ended up being a reflection of my life and becoming a bit of a memoir."

It talks about her adoption, relationship with her adoptive parents, a violent marriage, divorce and being a single parent.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie will be launched at the Sun Bookshop in Yarraville at 2pm on Sunday.

Information: 96890661.