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The Amazing Adventure Of The Brazilian Cyclist Who Crossed Eleven Countries On His Opel Bicycle, Facing Wild Animals, Political Revolutions, And The Indifference Of Authorities To Achieve A Historical Dream Of Freedom
The Bahian cyclist Rubens Pinheiro reached the city of New York after pedaling for two consecutive years leaving Salvador with his Opel bicycle. The arrival occurred at 2 PM on April 1, 1929, marking the end of a winding journey.
The young man traveled over 18,000 km crossing the borders of 11 different countries during his long journey.
Pinheiro used a bicycle from the German brand Opel to achieve the unprecedented feat that lasted from 1927 to 1929.
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The motivation arose after hearing criticisms about the courage of Bahians made by the Pernambuco native Mauricio Monteiro on a previous road.
Rubens swore he would undertake an even greater journey than that of his involuntary mentor to prove his personal worth.
Preparations And Departure By Bicycle From The Bahian Capital
To finance the project, he raised 10,000 réis with local merchants in Salvador before starting his official departure.
The adventurer packed few clothes, a weapon, and a book with a snake leather cover to record the events.
On March 15, 1927, the young man said goodbye to his family at the door of the newspaper Diário de Notícias.
More than 100 cyclists accompanied him at the beginning of the route, under heavy media coverage and many fireworks.
The cyclist declared to the Diário de Notícias that he was willing to endure thirst and hunger to see the North American metropolis.
He wished to see New York in person, refusing to know the place only through photographs or others’ accounts.
Challenges And Encounters Across The Continent
In Santo Amaro da Purificação, he said goodbye to his girlfriend Euthymia, who gave him a photo to be published in the foreign press.
However, an accident with another cyclist in the interior of Bahia damaged his Opel, forcing him to temporarily return to Salvador.
After fixing the equipment, Rubens resumed his journey and faced real dangers, such as spending an entire day in a tree.
In Alto do Rio Negro, he had to escape from a jaguar that was stalking him in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon.
As he crossed borders, the Bahian used his communication skills to obtain financial support from various local political authorities.
In Venezuela, dictator Juan Vicente Gómez contributed 5,000 bolívares after receiving a congratulatory telegram from the cyclist.
Experiences In Central America And Mexico
In Panama, the Brazilian met American officials in the Canal Zone and enjoyed a thrilling airplane ride.
In Nicaragua, marines temporarily detained him, mistaking the cyclist for a guerrilla fighter amidst the local conflict.
Rubens stated in his memoirs that he was accompanied by the revolutionary Augusto César Sandino, leader of the fight against invaders in the region.
This experience marked his passage through Central America before heading north to complete the plan.
In January 1929, Pinheiro arrived in Mexico City and received a warm welcome from hundreds of local cyclists.
President Emilio Portes Gil received him at the Brazilian embassy and handed him a check for 5,000 pesos.
The Arrival By Bicycle In The American Metropolis
The cyclist entered the United States during the end of the roaring twenties, a period marked by jazz and great social optimism.
He traveled across the eastern part of the country sharing paved roads with enormous wagons until he reached his final destination in New York.
Upon arrival, Rubens confessed to the local press that he was exhausted but impressed by the beauty and size of the great city.
He no longer had the photo of his girlfriend, lost at the beginning of the journey, but collected new loves along the way.
Brazilian communities in Brooklyn organized a banquet in his honor, buying him a new suit to avoid embarrassment with inappropriate clothes.
Consul Sebastião Sampaio tried to seek a reward from Minister Octávio Mangabeira, but the request was never granted by the Brazilian government.
Return To Brazil And Lack Of Support
Rubens worked washing dishes and at General Motors before returning to Brazil on the ship Southern Cross in June.
He expected a festive reception in Rio de Janeiro, but the public was searching for Miss Brazil, Olga Bergamini de Sá.
President Washington Luís received him for an audience at the Palácio do Catete but dismissed him quite brusquely.
The president questioned whether Brazil had requested such a journey, ignoring the heroic effort made by the young Bahian cyclist.
In Rio de Janeiro, the newspaper A Manhã published stories of the journey based on the leather-bound journal.
The director of Mesbla stores, Louis La Saigne, helped the cyclist in exchange for displaying the bicycle in his window.
Activities In Salvador And Accidents
Back in Salvador, Rubens organized a mass at the Church of Bonfim that attracted a crowd of curious onlookers and admirers.
He showcased his skills by cycling backwards down the hill of Bonfim, receiving applause from the audience present who witnessed his technical display.
In 1934, the cyclist accepted a circus challenge to venture into the feared globe of death in Salvador.
He won a small prize, but suffered a serious accident three years later after performing a series of stunts.
Rubens spent his final years in a wheelchair, selling a small blue book containing his travel memoirs.
He compared himself to Icarus and defined himself as a hero forgotten due to the lack of official recognition of his glory.
Family Legacy And Late Honors
The celebration of the golden jubilee of the journey took place in 1979, with a 50-meter cake and lights. One of his granddaughters appeared at the top of the structure set up by engineering students at the Municipal Square of his hometown.
His eldest daughter, Olga Pinheiro, keeps the travel book with signatures of authorities and witnesses from the borders crossed.
At 87 years old, she preserves the memory of her father, whose name she honors in homage to Miss Brazil of 1929.
One of his grandsons, also named Rubens Pinheiro, follows in his grandfather’s footsteps as a cyclist in current endurance events.
He sees his ancestor as a representation that nothing is impossible for an athlete determined to push their limits.
Rubens Pinheiro passed away in 1981 at the age of 71, leaving a legacy of courage that faced the oblivion of time.
His bicycle journey remains recorded only in the documents kept by the family and in rare publications of the press from that era.
The Bahian hero crossed continents with few resources, driven only by the desire for freedom and the challenge of a rival.
Although he died without great honors, his Opel bicycle symbolizes the audacity of someone who crossed the Americas on two wheels.
With information from BBC.
I would have contributed $ to him had i been around at that time. He endured alot.