Census Bureau Daily Feature for Wednesday, January 7: Pedaling around the World
WASHINGTON-(Business Wire)-January 7, 2009 - Profile America — Wednesday, January 7th. A little remembered epic of human endurance ended on this day in 1887 as Thomas Stevens arrived in San Francisco, ending an around-the-world trek — on a bicycle. He left the city by the bay in the spring of 1884, riding a Columbia Standard bicycle — one of those with a huge front wheel and a tiny back wheel and with no brakes. Stevens pedaled 13,500 miles as he crossed the world’s mountains, deserts and jungles. He wrote a classic book about his adventure, “Around the World On a Bicycle”, recently republished, and an incentive for today’s bicyclists. Each year, more than 43 million Americans enjoy riding their bicycles. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at www.census.gov.
Sources: Famous First Facts, 7201, p. 544
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2008, t. 1222
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2008edition.html
Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look under the “Newsroom” button).
 |
 |
 |
|
||
 |
|
 |
|
||
Search Our News Using Google Search
Can't find what you want? Try using Google:
