There are tons of reasons why people cycle, asides from cycling being a great form of cardio or aerobic exercise; it also helps in burning calories. Others do it for adventures, just like this British couple Stevie Massey and his wife Laura Massey-Pugh who traveled through 21 countries and beat the previous record by 83 days.
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Fastest Tandem Riders
A British pair beat the previous record and set a new record for the quickest tandem bike riders around the globe. The couple overcame several obstacles on their journey: navigating tough terrain in India, dodging heavy snowfall in Canada, and dealing with visa issues in Georgia before arriving in Berlin, Germany.
Thriving Through The Cold
According to a CNN article, Stevie Massey and his wife, Laura Massey-Pugh , have witnessed everything that has happened over the past 180 days.
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“It was dark. It was also snowing. They [their friends and family] were absolutely frozen, but they still got their banners out and everything,” Laura Massey-Pugh told CNN.
Traveling Through Various Countries
On June 5, the couple set out to travel 18,000 kilometers through 21 nations, breaking the previous record by 83 days. Through Australia, Canada, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Georgia, New Zealand, Hungary, Czechia, Austria, Romania, Turkey, Georgia, and Bulgaria, they pedaled the tandem bicycle.
Who Would Have Thought
Before the couple met at a beer festival in 2015, the veterinary surgeon had no intention of embarking on a world record-breaking tandem bicycle tour.
Setting Big Goals
The pair first learned of Cat Dixon and Raz Marsden from the UK, who had achieved the world record for the quickest tandem cycling circumnavigation in 2020.
Despite their admiration for the accomplishment, Massey-Pugh claims she couldn’t help but feel “we could go faster than that,” so she began to dig into the matter more.
Bringing Her Womanly Talents To The Table
Massey-Pugh helped relieve some of her husband’s stress by planning their route and “sorting out the food,” among other things.
Keeping Their Eyes On The Goal
The two had to abandon any notions of stopping to enjoy some of the places they were going through because they faced difficulties the entire way.
They encountered several roadblocks, but they received a lot of “help and assistance” from others throughout a large portion of the voyage, and they were deeply moved by the lengths people went to support them.
Giving To Charity
In addition to hitting their goal, they were able to raise £10,000 ($12,379) for three different charities: the mental health charity Mind, the independent charity Vet Life, which offers support for the veterinary community’s emotional, financial, and mental health, and the UK charity Sustrans, which promotes sustainable transportation.
No Plans For Competition Yet
The couple is currently taking advantage to rest and “having other people to chat to” after being overwhelmed by the love they have received since returning to the UK earlier this month.
The couple claims they’ll keep riding the tandem bike together now that they’re safely back on solid ground, but they have no plans to attempt any significant cycling challenges.
