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| Photo by Sara Shepherd. Avijit Chakraborty of Kolkata stands with his bicycle outside the Sikh temple in Shawnee. Chakraborty rested in Shawnee this week during his around-the-world bicycle tour, which he hopes will set a new world record. |
September 14, 2011: Compared to the ground Avijit Chakraborty says he covered to reach Shawnee, pedaling the remaining 1,400-plus miles from here to Miami isn’t that far.
Chakraborty said last week he was nearing the final destination of the 56-country around-the-world bicycle tour he started in his native Kolkata just under 21 months ago, on Dec. 23, 2009. He said he’s gone roughly 38,000 miles so far.
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| Photo by Sara Shepherd Avijit Chakraborty of Kolkata stands with his bicycle outside the Sikh temple in Shawnee. Chakraborty rested in Shawnee this week during his around-the-world bicycle tour, which he hopes will set a new world record. He is pictured with Paul Singh (left), Kulbir Singh, Jasvir Kaur, Sahib Singh, Bachiter Singh and Satinder Hundal, all of Shawnee. |
“There are two purposes to my venturing,” Chakraborty said.
He wants to set a world record and educate people about the importance of green living while doing it.
“Pollution is coming to our good world,” he said.
Chakraborty said he had spoken to more than 100 classrooms along his route, encouraging students — whom he calls the “cream” of society — to recycle. He also encourages people of all ages to ride bicycles instead of drive cars “as much as he or she can.”
The late John Hathaway of Canada currently holds the Guinness world record for a trans-global bicycle tour. Hathaway covered 50,600 miles (81,430 kilometers) between Nov. 10, 1974, and Oct. 6, 1976, according to Sara Wilcox, spokeswoman for Guinness World Records NA Inc.
Hathaway’s record tour took just under 23 months.
Chakraborty said he hopes to break Hathaway’s record by touring the globe faster.
Guinness was unable to verify whether Chakraborty’s on track.
Chakraborty submitted a claim to Guinness for a solo “cycle tour to every continent” on Feb. 19, 2009, Wilcox said, and Guinness sent him guidelines about the evidence it would require to substantiate the feat.
“Unfortunately, we have not heard from Mr. Chakraborty since he submitted his claim so we cannot verify his attempt status,” Wilcox said Friday in an email.
Newspaper articles and photos posted online over the past year and a half have placed Chakraborty in cities at all corners of the United States, including in New Jersey, Washington, California and, earlier this month, Georgia.
Media reports of Chakraborty’s start date, mileage, planned route and tour ending point have varied.
Chakraborty said he cruises around 10 mph to 12 mph and covers about 80 or 90 miles in a day of riding.
Throughout his tour, Chakraborty has ridden the same Cannondale T1000, which he calls “the best bike in the world.”
The bike is loaded with about 40 pounds of equipment, including a GPS unit, headlight, compass, tent and saddlebags. He’s had to change the tires about 15 times apiece, he said.
Chakraborty said his instructions from Guinness required him to document his trip in various ways, including having police officers verify his odometer in most every city he reaches — on Thursday, a note on Shawnee Police Department letterhead was at the top of his pile. He’s also supposed to meet local officials and save newspaper clippings.
Sikh temples have proven ideal places to stay throughout his voyage, Chakraborty said.
Chakraborty is Hindu, but as patrons of Shawnee’s temple explained, everyone is welcome regardless of religious beliefs.
And if they are hungry, they will be fed.
“He is from India, and he knows about the hospitality of Sikh religion,” said Paul Singh of Shawnee, a temple patron who stopped by to meet Chakraborty Thursday. “And, of course, we are happy to see him in the city of Shawnee.”