S. G. Spier, who claims the championship for long-distance riding, arrived in this city on last Thursday evening at 9 o’clock. His principal reason for traversing the continent on a bicycle was to beat the world’s record, made by Thomas Stevens in 1884. Mr. Spier is 22 years old, stands five feet eight inches, and weighs 150 pounds. He came overland on a 52-inch wheel.

One can only really travel if one lets oneself go and takes what every place brings without trying to turn it into a healthy private pattern of one's own and I suppose that is the difference between travel and tourism.
 Freya Stark (Cited in Molly Izzard, A Marvellous Eye, Cornucopia Issue 2)

He is of medium height (5'5") and well built (about 140 pounds), he has a very pleasing manner. He is naturally the fairest of blondes, but so thoroughly have the sun and the wind done their work that, were it not for his light moustache, his face would be taken for anything rather than a white man's. He is an Englishman by birth, and is about 29 years of age.