Around the world on a bicycle: Photographer retraces steps of globe-spanning Nova Scotian

Karl Creelman started his journey around the world in 1899. (Source: Louise Trotter)

Nearly 10 years ago, Louise Trotter spotted a mural near a railway station platform in Truro, N.S. The painting depicted, among other things, a young boy riding a bicycle. Below him read a sign: “Karl M. Creelman Around the World.”

Trotter, a photographer and travel writer, looked into Creelman and learned he was the first Canadian to bike across the world, something he did more than 100 years ago. It was a trip that put miles on his shoes and wore out his bike.

“He had an older bike from Nova Scotia through to Ontario,” Trotter said. “The spokes were lost and handlebars were falling off. He got another bike. He had his Red Bird (bike) and that got him around the world.”

The more Trotter looked into the 21-year-old Creelman, the more interested she became in his country-spanning trip. Her fascination ultimately led her to retrace his steps literally across the globe for more than four years. She’s documented every part of her and Creelman’s journeys, highlighting the changes in travel over more than a century.

“I did all the research back in 2016 and had the crazy idea to follow his journey in 2020,” Trotter said. “I copied his itinerary, any comments or quotes he identified in the newspaper.

“As he travelled, he was typically interviewed by local newspapers. I did the research and set out for the travel and write about it.”

Setting out from Truro in May 1899, Creelman pedaled west, working his way through North America, Australia, Sri Lanka, India, Europe and Great Britain before coming back home in 1902.

Trotter mirrored Creelman’s travels, photographing and sharing her experiences in each country. Last March she ticked off the final international spot on her checklist with a visit to Sri Lanka.

“I’m officially finished all the travels,” she said. “Every step of this journey has almost been a travel through time. The world was very different when Karl traveled. That was quite interesting.

“It was a big history lesson. Karl brought me places I never would have conceived of.”

On her website, Trotter details each leg of Creelman’s journey with regular entries. She recently reached the point when Creelman arrived in Saint John, N.B., in August 1901, which means she’s approaching the end of his travels.

“I’ll continue writing these (entries) until early January, which will be five years since I started. It’s a little bittersweet. It’s one of those funny things that you set out to do and all of the sudden it’s finished.

“It’s been phenomenal, one of the highlights of my life. It’s definitely a labour of love. Karl and I share the same determination.”

Despite this leg of the journey coming to an end, Trotter hopes to continue exploring Creelman’s life. She plans to pitch a manuscript exploring Creelman’s trip and the history of the era. She’s also submitted an application to Parks Canada to have Creelman recognized as an historical person.

“If Karl were to receive this recognition, it would be typically honoured with a plaque,” she said. “In my submission, I identified the Colchester Museum and Archives, Truro, Nova Scotia, as the site of Karl’s departure and return, and custodian of his archival materials, as the most appropriate.”

Trotter will lead a public presentation on her and Creelman’s travels at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax on Nov. 25.

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