Exploring the world on a bicycle

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33189, 31 March 1973, Page 12

Exploring the world on a bicycle

Ever feel like leaving all your worries behind and setting out on a trip around the world? Ever think that there might be more to life than pounding the concrete a little deeper into your heels? Ever have a desire to explore new country, meet new people, and try new activities? Llovd Sumner did.

He arrived in Christchurch this week as part of his around the world trip by bicycle. He has now ridden his bicycle (named Maria to appease the wind) more than 9500 miles since he left his home in Charlottesville, Virginia, near the east coast of America in November. 1971. He has also travelled 1000 extra miles of- roadless country by foot, ski, raft, and canoe. On several occasions he has cycled more than 140 miles a day. However, he usually prefers to go slower and see more. His 10-speed touring bicycle is equipped with saddle bags for carrying the 30!b of supplies to sustain himself indefinitely. This includes tent, sleeping bag, change of clothes, tramping boots, tools for repair work, a camera, and 400 colour slides. Cheap travelling The showing of his slides and talking about his adventures provides much of the necessary funds for the trip. “Except for crossing bodies of water, about my only expense is for food and film. And since one has to eat no matter where he is, bicycling is a cheap way to see the world,” says Mr Sumner. But for him bicycle touring is more than just a way to save money. 'Tve travelled every way imagineable from skydiving to scuba diving. from crawling through mud’ (in caves) to jet aeroplanes, and there is no better way than by bicycle to see the countryside and meet the people.” Already on this trip he has canoed three major rivers, explored a virgin cave, rafted 225 miles through the Grand Canyon, and tramped for several days into the region haunted by Sasquatch, the North American abominable snowman. Climbing occupies much of his “extra-cyclar" time. He wanted to see all of his own country before going abroad. To do this well he had a project of climbing the highest peak in each state He has now managed 41 of the 50 Last July he joined an expedition and climbed Mt. McKinley which at 20,320 ft is the highest in North America. That climb took 17 days. His party found and brought down the bodies of the three Japanese women who were killed on the mountain a month earlier. Sleeps anywhere Accommodation is no real problem for Mr Sumner. “I simply sleep wherever night finds me.” He does, too. He has slept in cemeteries (“a sure place to rest in peace"), in jails, in ancient cliff dwellings. on mountainsides, in the middle of deserts, and even once in My Old Kentucky Home "Only once was I unable to find a place to sleep. Near Lemesa. Texas, the farms came right down to the edge of the road. There were no trees or bushes to hide behind. Since farmers don’t like people camping on their freshly planted cotton. I decided to ride into town and try to stay in the jail. However. it was dark by the time

I reached the edge of town. 1 stopped at a motel and asked how much for a room. "That’ll be 56.” "How much less than that can you go?” "Five dollars is the absolute minimum.” "Don’t you have just a laundry room where I could put my sleeping bag on the floor?" ’"Well, now, we do have this one room. It is just like all the others except it has no television. Now we advertise that ail our rooms have television, so we don't use this one any more. It’s got a private bath, clean sheets, and towels. If you don’t mind not having a television, you can have the room for free.” Happy endings Lloyd Sumner finds that almost all situations have a happy ending no matter how severe the situation appears. "I had just ridden 5000 vertical feet out of Death Valley. The temperature was 105 degrees Fahrenheit. The air was very dty and there was not a building or water hole for 60 miles in any direction. A car passed about every two hours. Suddenly, a car was slowing down behind me. 1 glanced out of the comer of my eye and saw some kind of club in the outreached hand. 1 thought they were going to clobber me, take my belongings, and dump my body in some remote canyon. I stopped and prepared to defend myself as best 1 could. The club turned out to be a I6oz can of icecold beer. ‘You looked like you needed this’.” Mr Sumner has been in New Zealand two months and cycled 1500 miles so far. Most of that has been in the North Island where he also climbed the four highest peaks there. He finds Kiwis exceptionally friendly for the most part. Someone in Gisborne splattered him with a tomato when he rode through that city. Usually, though, he does not even have to worry about where to spend the night. People frequently invite him to stay in their homes. “This is one of the greatest aspects

of travel —getting to experience how they live. Of course, I always enjoy sharing my adventures with them as well.” Computer artist As if cycling around the world was not unusual enough, Sumner is recognised as the first computer artist in the world. While at the University of Virginia he developed a technique of doing pen and ink. multicoloured line drawings with a computer. His book "Computer Art and Human Response” was published in 1968. He has lectured about his work in 10 countries. He was told that the New Zealand • taste in art was strictly for the traditional, realistic paintings and that his work would be met with disdain at best. However, he has sold more of his work here, for the number of people exposed to it, than at any other place he has ever been. Another unique enterprise, more personally than financially rewarding, is “Lloyd’s Traii-O-Gram.” This is a monthly newsletter which contains all the stories and pictures of his adventures. He now has 120 subscribers including several in New Zealand. Some people say it is like reading a book as it is being written and no-one, not even the author, knows how it will end. This personal travelogue is published at 1264 NE69th Street, Seattle, WA 98115 U.S.A. Subscription is SUSS a year. From Christchurch Mr Sumner will be cycling to Mt Cook, which he hopes to climb someday, and on to Stewart Island before returning to Picton via the West Coast. From New Zealand his planned route is Cairns to Perth in Australia, Singapore. Malaysia. Thailand. Nepal, India, Seychelles Islands, East and South Africa, Europe, England, Iceland, and finally back to America in about three more years. If anyone wants to join him, he says he is always happy to have company.