Great story of the first guy to ride around the world on a bicycle. And he did it on a penny-farthing way back in 1884. It's actually his first person account, first published in 1887. From Wikipedia:
Thomas Stevens (December 24, 1854, Berkhamsted, Herts, England - 1935) was the first person to circle the globe by bicycle. A voracious reader of travel literature, in 1872 Stevens left his parents' home and moved to the United States where he held a number of assorted jobs before becoming a miner in Colorado. In 1884 he acquired a black-enameled Columbia 50-inch Standard model penny-farthing with nickel-plated wheels built by the Pope Manufacturing Company of Chicago. Stevens struck out across the country, carrying in his handlebar bag: socks, a spare shirt, a slicker that doubled as tent and bedroll, and a 38 Smith & Wesson. Leaving San Francisco at 8 o'clock on April 22, 1884, he traveled eastward towards the Unites States, reaching Boston after 3700 miles on wagon trails, railroad ways and public roads, to complete the first transcontinental bicycle ride on August 4, 1884.
You can read the text for free since it's public domain or buy the book on Amazon.
