How a Russian traveler made the first round the world on a bicycle in 1911

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

In early July 1911, Russian citizen Onisim Pankratov set off on a round-the-world bike tour that lasted a little over two years. A resident of Harbin covered about 50 thousand kilometers in 748 days, becoming famous all over the world. He literally had to risk his life and walk on the edge, and in different countries he was treated differently.

A parent's dreams and the start of a cyclist

The hero of the story, the Russian athlete Pankratov, was born in February 1888 in the family of a peasant from the Penza region. At the end of the 19th century, the International Cycling Federation established the diamond palm branch, promised to the first athlete to circumnavigate all of Europe. Pankratov Sr. even then saw his son in the role of a potential contender for a high award, and decided at all costs to make the 8-year-old child a champion. Onesim's father did his best to involve his son in various sports, bringing up physical endurance and willpower in Onesim.

In 1906, Onisim Pankratov moved to Harbin. Here he immediately became a member of several societies - Harbin athletes and volunteer firefighters. For several years, Pankratov turned into a professional firefighter, becoming the owner of a gold badge for 300 successful shifts, a distinctive sign for the fight against plague and the title of fireman of the fire society. Onisim Pankratov was a person who did not know how to sit, it was simply vital for him to participate in something extreme. In the spring of 1910, he plunged into cycling, gaining the status of the best racer of the local cycle track by the end of the season. Having saved up money, the man bought a road bike, and, realizing his father's dream, went on a trip around the world.

Departure of all participants from the distance and through the taiga along the sleepers

In the early summer of 1911, Harbin solemnly saw off several cyclists. Together with Onisim, a certain Voroninov, Sorokin and Zeiberg went on a bike trip. One of them left the distance after 100 kilometers, the rest, constantly lagging behind, reached Chita with Onisim, completing their journey on this. Almost the entire subsequent road Pankratov overcame alone. The exceptions were sections in the area of Moscow and St. Petersburg, where the traveler was accompanied by members of the Russian Cyclists' Club, as well as water crossings outside the Russian Empire. Throughout the entire path of misadventures, Pankratov was not to be occupied.

At first, the athlete faced the taiga, with incredible efforts making his way through it on a bicycle. Losing to nature, Onesimus decided to ride on the railroad ties. At the same time, he had to move at night, since in the daytime he was chased by railroad workers. Hunters shot at Pankratov, residents set dogs on the traveler, Onisim was robbed by road robbers. But nothing stopped him. In Europe, Pankratov followed the route in the form of the "eight": starting from Germany, he went to Turkey through Switzerland, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria, Turkey, and then, having returned along the circle, has already reached France, Spain and Portugal.

In Turkey, Pankratov was arrested for "espionage" by the police, in Italy he contracted malaria and was again detained by the security forces, the Swiss generally considered him insane, going to storm the Alpine passes. How Pankratov, who does not speak any foreign language, managed to convince the authorities of his own innocence and explain his purely sporting intentions, still remains a mystery. Perhaps he saved a travel log, in which Onesimus deliberately asked the heads of the visited cities and villages to leave their stamps. Onesimus most often had to sleep in the open air, and more than once he had to make do with bread and water for food. In early 1913, he sailed across the Pas-de-Calais, reaching England. From there, on the second steamer, I moored to America. Through New York - Chicago - San Francisco, he crossed the United States, and again got to Japan by water. Having traveled on two wheels the whole country, and then Korea and China, on August 10, 1913, he returned to applauding Harbin.

Newspapers about Pankratov and the help of those who are not indifferent

Pankratov was not alone in coping with the vicissitudes of the bike trip. Fortunately, he had a foothold both in Russia and abroad. In St. Petersburg, cycling enthusiasts raised good money for his European trip. With the help of publications in newspapers that accompanied Onesim's movements, money was brought directly to the editorial office. Newspaper "To the sport!" reported how Pankratov conquered the roads of Italy without a penny for his soul. At the same time, the journalists told their compatriots that the cyclist caught a bad cold, overcoming the snow-capped mountain passes. Pankratov was then supported by the wife of Gorky, who lived in Italy, and the authoritative fiction writer Amphitheaters. In England, Russian writers who lived there helped Onesim publish travel notes. Here he also took part in cycling and wrestling competitions, going further after several victories.

Attempt to fly around the world by plane and adjustments of the First World War

Returning home, Pankratov rested a little and continued to improve himself. In St. Petersburg, he learned to drive a car, passing the exam for a driver-mechanic. Then air courses were planned, after which he planned to fly around the world already on an airplane. But all intentions were violated by the First World War. After the Gatchina aviation school, Onisim went to the front. He immediately gained a reputation as one of the most skillful pilots. He was used both as a scout and a bomber; Pankratov also had downed enemy planes on his account. Proof of the pilot's courage are his awards: in a year and a half at the front, he rose to the full St. George Knight and was promoted to lieutenant.

The last battle of Onisim Pankratov took place near Dvinsk in September 1916. Having entered into a difficult air duel, Pankratov managed to shoot down, according to various sources, one or two German aircraft, but he was unable to dodge the aircraft that had come from the tail. By the highest order, Pankratov was posthumously awarded the Order of St. George of the fourth degree.

It is fair to say that Russia has always haunted foreigners. Just take a look at the series of cartoons of the Russian Empire published by Puck magazine.

Just take a look at the series of cartoons of the Russian Empire published by Puck magazine.