Kristy Bellmer from the USA has achieved a remarkable feat by creating the world’s largest GPS drawing by bicycle, honoring her late dog Slinky. Over the course of two months, Bellmer cycled 4,707 kilometers (2,925 miles) across Europe, surpassing the previous record held by American David Schweikert by threefold.
Bellmer began her journey on May 1, Slinky’s birthday, starting and ending in Amsterdam. Her route, which traversed Belgium, France, Switzerland, Germany, and Czechia, was meticulously planned to form a large depiction of a dog.
“I used a lot of creativity to connect the various locations into a dog-shaped route,” Bellmer explained. She incorporated visits to Paris, Brussels, and friends in Switzerland and Germany, adjusting the drawing’s dimensions to include these stops. For example, she extended the tail to pass through Czechia.
During her ride, Bellmer faced significant challenges, including severe rain that not only flooded her tent twice but also damaged her bike, nicknamed “Bikecephalus” as a nod to Alexander the Great’s horse. The rain also reduced visibility and compounded the difficulties of navigating hilly terrain, especially the mountains between Czechia and Germany.
Despite these obstacles, Bellmer managed to complete her record-breaking journey. Her previous long-distance rides include the Pacific Coast Highway, a cross-country trek across the USA, and a route from Portugal to Spain. She undertook this latest challenge after leaving her engineering job in late 2022 to pursue personal goals.
Although she was limited in her training due to an injury, Bellmer was thrilled to set a new record. “It’s a dream come true,” she said. “I remember reading about such feats as a kid and knew this one was achievable.”
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