First bike trip around the world 131 years ago

Thomas Stevens, on January 7, 1887, completes his first trip around the world by bicycle.

Thomas began his trip in April 1884. He rode from San Francisco to Boston; by boat he traveled to England; again by bicycle; by boat and again by bicycle across France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and the Balkans, where he slept among people who had heard about America.

He then waited until reports reached that the streets were free from bandits and cycled through Anadol, Armenia, Kurdistan, Iraq, and Iran, where he is caught in winter and is a guest of the Chess.

When the weather heated up, Thomas took a steam in Constantinople and from there to India; another steamer took him from Calcutta to Hong Kong and southern China; cycled to eastern China, and sailed to Japan.

His bicycle tour of the world ends on December 17, 1886, in Yokohama. Thomas Stevens returned by ship to San Francisco in January 1887.

Throughout the trip, he sent detailed letters and reports to Harper magazine; these writings were later collected in a two-page book of about a thousand pages “A copy of the first edition of this book today costs about $400.