Pedal power

The woman who cycled around the world

It is 1894. Annie Kopchovsky is 23 years old. She lives in Boston with her husband Max and their three children. Annie was born in Latvia. When she was 5, she and her parents moved to the United States. 

Annie likes adventure. One day, she has a big idea: she wants to ride a bicycle around the world!

That sounds crazy, right? Why does she want to do it? Here is the story:

Annie hears about a strange bet. Two rich men said that a woman could not go around the world on a bicycle in 15 months. They think that women are too weak. Annie wants to show them that they are wrong.

We don’t know if this story is true. But it’s a great story, isn’t it?

In June 1894, Annie starts her trip. At first, it is difficult. Her bicycle is heavy and she wears a long skirt. Riding a bike in a long skirt is hard! It’s too hot and Annie cannot move well. But Annie is smart. When she arrives in Chicago, she gets a lighter bike. She also starts wearing trousers. Now, cycling is much easier!

Annie travels across the United States to San Francisco. Then she travels to Japan on a ship. From there, she visits China, India, Egypt, and Europe. In France, she cycles across the country. Then she takes a ship to Britain. After that, she returns to the United States.

Annie has many adventures on her journey. She meets people from different countries and visits famous places. But she does not only ride her bike. She also talks to journalists about her trip and writes articles to earn money. Some of her stories are not true, but people still enjoy listening to them. Annie is a great storyteller!

Annie also gets money from companies. She puts advertisements on her bike and clothes. One of those companies is called Londonderry, and she changes her name to “Annie Londonderry”.

After 15 months, Annie returns to Boston in September 1895. She had travelled 7,000 miles on her bike! This proves that women can be strong and independent. She later writes about her trip in a big newspaper.

After some years, people forget Annie’s journey. But in the 2000s, her story comes back. A film is made about her, and people write books about her life. Today, we remember Annie Londonderry as a great athlete and traveler.