Gerome highlights the book, Around the World on a Bicycle

With the Tour de France in full swing, Gerome has cycling on his mind. So, this week’s highlight is Around the World on a Bicycle (1889) by Thomas Stevens. This two volume work details Stevens  journey as the first person to ride around the world on a bicycle.

His trip, which began in San Francisco on April 22, 1884, included a stop in Davisville (now Davis). Here’s what he said: “Already I realize that there is going to be as much “foot-riding” as anything for the first part of my journey; so while halting for dinner at the village of Davisville, I deliver my rather slight shoes over to the tender mercies of an Irish cobbler of the old school with carte blanche instructions to fit them out for hard service.”

Nearly four months later, Stevens arrived in Boston on August 4, 1884. After spending the winter of 1884-1885 in New York, he embarked to Liverpool on April 9, 1885 to continue his trip.

If you are interested to know more about Stevens journey, including what happened during his travels through Europe and Asia, you can read Volume 1 and Volume 2 at the HathiTrust Digital Library.