On Monday night, Lael Wilcox rode through Bellingham on her journey to become the fastest woman to circumnavigate the globe via bicycle. Her ride involves pedaling 18,000 continuous miles as fast as possible, and she will only stop to eat, drink and rest in friendly villas or on convenience store benches.
Wilcox started her journey 86 days ago in Chicago and has been riding an average of 170 miles per day on her custom Specialized road bike.
She crossed into Whatcom County around 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19. Wilcox started in Whistler, British Columbia, around 9 a.m. that morning, riding through Squamish, Vancouver, Richmond and White Rock, then crossing the border into Blaine. She made her way through Bellingham and stopped outside of Anacortes by late Monday night.
By Monday’s end, Wilcox was just shy of 14,000 miles into her journey.
In Birch Bay, supporters rode side-by-side with her, offering camaraderie and a brief distraction from the endless churn of pedaling. Closer to Bellingham, the riding group grew, and supporters cheered from the side of the road. Most riders were local, with a few traveling from the Anacortes, Seattle and Vancouver area.
An air of excitement held over the group, with those present knowing the significance of the milestone Wilcox aims to achieve. The casual conversation was gleeful, with riders mingling and discussing future ride plans or highlighting past adventures on bikes.
Another 180 miles, with thousands of smiles and laughs delivered, is just an ordinary summer day for Wilcox.
“It’s been wonderful,” Wilcox said of her time in the Pacific Northwest, sounding a little tired but with endless enthusiasm as she pedaled down North Red River Road in Lummi Nation.
Setting the world record only involves a few rules: A rider must ride in one direction (west to east, in Wilcox’s case), covering at least 18,000 miles under their own power, and pass through two opposite spots on the globe. Wilcox passed through that point on day 56 while riding through New Zealand, coinciding with her passing through Spain a few weeks prior.
The current women’s record is held by Scotland’s Jenny Graham, who completed her ride in 124 days and 11 hours in 2018. Though Wilcox isn’t targeting the men’s record of 78 days and 14 hours set by Marc Beaumont in 2017, she is well on pace to beat the current women’s record by more than two weeks.
“She’s hoping to be back in Chicago by September 15,” her friend, Alexia Molina, said as the group rode down the popular Interurban trail south of Fairhaven. Wilcox will first have to pedal to San Diego before making the journey east through her home state of Arizona, and finally back to Chicago.
“I’m so happy to be on the last leg of the journey and back in America,” Wilcox said.
Wearing a black kit with a high-vis vest and multiple blinky lights, Wilcox is hard to miss on the road as she rides at a brisk pace. It’s a good thing, too, as her journey often takes her on remote highways with little to no shoulder or bike-friendly infrastructure.
Wilcox’s wife, Rue Kaladyte, is supporting her on the around-the-world journey. Wilcox often speaks of her relatively easy task compared to Kaladyte’s. As Wilcox pedals, Kaladyte drives the support van, videographing the journey, arranging visas and passports, finding a place to sleep and updating social media.
“I’m incredibly happy that Rue will get to do the rest of the journey with me,” Wilcox said as she rode south. Kaladyte is often caught up in customs, dealing with border crossing issues, or stuck a continent away as she waits for a commercial flight. Now that they’re back in America, where Wilcox can cover thousands of miles without her passport, the logistical challenges ease for her support team.
“It’s been difficult to cope with the length of the journey,” Kaladyte said, “but making this a collective experience for all riders has been such a positive experience.”
From the beginning, the couple have invited people to ride, follow along, or cheer from the roadside during Wilcox’s attempt at the record.
“Being able to support and document Wilcox’s journey has been a highlight,” Kaladyte said. “There’s always highs and lows for the rider and support crew during these trips, but we’ve been looking forward to every new day.”
Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, Wilcox isn’t your ordinary cyclist. Her dogged determinism, always joyful demeanor and extraordinary talent to inspire otherworldly feats have defined her career. For the last decade, Wilcox has made a persona out of crushing world records and setting fastest known times (FKTs), all with a smile on her face.
Wilcox’s accomplishments include winning the 4,200-mile Trans Am Bike Race in 2016, setting the women’s record for the Tour Divide in 2015, and the overall Baja Divide record in 2017.
She also gives back to the sport in her home of Tucson.
In addition to funding women’s cycling scholarships and bike-packing challenges, Wilcox leads the GRiT (Girls Riding Into Tomorrow) program in Tucson for at-risk and low-income youth women. Students embark on a bikepacking journey with Wilcox and other volunteers and earn their bikes by finishing the program.
Upon the conclusion of the trip, Kaladyte and SRAM, a cycling company, will release a free film on SRAM’s YouTube page by the end of the year. Additionally, Kaladyte and Wilcox will be compiling a photobook and touring the film next year.
Those interested in Wilcox’s journey around the world can follow along with her tracker or find updates on Instagram. Wilcox and Kaladyte also release a podcast every morning highlighting the previous day’s ride. Listen to her podcast about her ride through Bellingham.
Casey Griesemer writes monthly. Email: caseyg2014@gmail.com.
