Anchorage, Alaska, native Lael Wilcox is on a journey to break the Guinness World Record for fastest circumnavigation by bicycle for a female — a feat that will take her through Bellingham in the coming days.
The fastest circumnavigation means completing a continuous journey around the globe by bicycle, and other means, and must be at least 18,000 miles (29,000 km) in total distance cycled.
Averaging 169 miles and 12–14 hours of ride time per day, Wilcox had knocked out about 13,800 miles of her trip by Thursday, Aug. 15, her 82nd day. She is aiming for 18,000 miles in 110 days through three continents.
Wilcox, 38, is just under 1,000 miles from Bellingham and is expected to arrive around Aug. 19 or 20. When Wilcox rides through the city, she wants people to join her so they can feel a part of the journey and spark their interest, she said on her daily podcast, “Lael Rides Around the World.” Locals can join by cycling alongside her or cheering as she passes by. Track her live progress here.
The current world record is 124 days, set by Jenny Graham in 2018. Wilcox has eyed the feat since 2016 but is attempting to break the record for the first time this year.
After winning the Trans Am Bike Race and setting records for several courses, Wilcox said on her podcast she is now reaching for the lifetime goal.
She records an episode of her podcast after riding every day, lasting between 5-15 minutes and currently on its 81st episode.
“Day 80 feels pretty big. I am on track and doing well,” Wilcox said in her recent episode. “I just have a month left of this big ride and it’s pretty exciting.”
In the podcasts, Wilcox is soft-spoken after a long day of cycling. She loves to describe her journey immediately after finishing so she doesn’t forget when she wakes up a few hours later to pedal forward.
Rugile Kaladyte, Wilcox’s wife, describes the journey from her point of view, including grabbing groceries, dealing with locals and battling poor cell service in some remote locations.
As they travel through British Columbia, Kaladyte said in the podcast, “I remember saying I thought Australia was more remote than this but I feel like we had cell service in every parking pull out.”
Wilcox began her world tour on May 26 in Chicago and traveled to Newark, New Jersey. Afterward, she flew across the world and cycled from Porto, Portugal, to Tbilisi, Georgia; Perth, Australia, to Brisbane; and Invercargill, New Zealand, to Auckland.
Now, she is on her second stint on the North America route, which started in Anchorage, Alaska, and travels through British Columbia.
When she arrives in the U.S., she begins in Washington and heads along the coast to Los Angeles, then across the country to Chicago.
Ride through Whatcom County
Once Wilcox crosses the Canadian border, she will be riding on Highway 548 until she reaches Harborview Road. She will ride along the coast on Birch Bay Drive to Red River Road before traveling onto Marine Drive in Bellingham.
Wilcox will remain on Marine Drive until it switches to Roeder Avenue then Railroad Avenue. Wilcox will ride along Bellingham Bay, South Bay Trail, Interurban Trail and alongside WA 11.
Wilcox must follow five rules to break the record. First, she must start and finish at the same location (Chicago in her case). Second, she must choose to ride east or west; she chose east. Third, she can only travel to the other continents by either flight or boat. Fourth, she cannot zigzag or go backward by more than five degrees, about 300 miles. Lastly, she has to cross two opposite sides of the globe. Her spots are Madrid, Spain, and Wellington, New Zealand.
Keep track of Wilcox’s journey here, or her blog at www.laelwilcox.net/around-the-world. Her Instagram handle is @laelwilcox, and Kaladyte’s Instagram is @rugilekaladyte. Wilcox’s podcast is at www.laelwilcox.net/podcast.
Nick Zeller-Singh is CDN's sports reporter; reach him at nickzellersingh@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 104.
