He's recreating a historic hike, in which a man was bet that he could not walk around the world, wearing an iron mask, and pushing a baby carriage.

And when did this famous trek begin?

EXACTLY ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO, TO THE DAY.

Coincidence?

I think not.



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Iron mask wager 'was a fib'

By Richard Alleyne
Last Updated: 11:35pm GMT 31/12/2007

Even the great fictional traveller Phileas Fogg would have baulked at such a wager: walk around the world while pushing a pram and wearing an iron mask, and pick up a wife along the way without ever letting her see your face or know your name.

Harry Bensley became a celebrity after trekking 30,000 miles across 19 countries

Just to make it a little more interesting, you can set off with only one change of underwear and £1 in your pocket and your sole source of income must be the sale of postcards.

Harry Bensley accepted the wager with John Pierrepoint Morgan, the founder of JP Morgan Bank, and Lord Lonsdale, in 1908, for £21,000 - equivalent to £1.5 million today.

He became an Edwardian celebrity after trekking 30,000 miles across 19 countries over six years. As compensation, he was given £4,000.

However, on the 100th anniversary of his departure from Trafalgar Square his great-grandson fears that his ancestor may have told a fib or two.

Despite more than 20 years of research he has not found a shred of evidence his ancestor ever left Britain.

"It seems very odd that he leaves in a blaze of publicity and then there is nothing about him until he re-emerges six years later claiming to have traveled around the world," said Ken McNaught, 49, of Wakefield, Yorks.
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"I suspect that he disappeared for five years, probably to France, and came back at the outbreak of the First World War."

His ancestors now believe the journey was more likely a forfeit after Bensley, a well known chancer and playboy, lost his fortune in a game of cards with the two men.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/01/01/nmask101.xml

Oh geez, the mental picture that brings. Eerie.

So, will he be able to sell the postcards on Cafe Express? I'd be willing to buy a couple to help him in his trek.

The baby pram. I think there was a homeless person in Eugene, OR that used that as their 'cart'.

Janet, Blooming Flowers

You've got to click the link to see the amazing hundred-year-old photo of this man!

Now, he's being pelted with Flying Lizards. It must be true. I read it on the Internet!

The extreme cold weather in South Florida brought about an unexpected phenomenon: iguanas were dropping out of the trees en masse!

When the temperature falls below a certain level, the large green lizards drop out of the trees and litter the ground. […]

It was raining iguanas at Bill Baggs Thursday morning. There were a couple underneath buttonwood trees and a third beneath a sea grape. All were about 30 yards from the beach, in the coastal hammock.

”We have found dozens on the bike path after a major cold snap,” said Yero. “When they warm up in the sun, they come back to life.”

http://www.neatorama.com/2008/01/04/its-raining-iguanas-in-florida/

“When they warm up in the sun, they come back to life.”

YUCK!

~Aurora
LOL

When the temperature falls below a certain level, the large green lizards drop out of the trees and litter the ground. […]

It was raining iguanas at Bill Baggs Thursday morning. There were a couple underneath buttonwood trees and a third beneath a sea grape. All were about 30 yards from the beach, in the coastal hammock.

maybe that is how purveyors of exotic pets get the really nasty ones that seem like they have never been handled by humans.
six stars

There was a story on the news the other night about a man who's got one in his bathtub, caring for it while he waits for it to wake up.

DebBee

Iguanas are cool. Although I don't think I'd want to tangle with a big wild one. One of the kids at my school had one he'd bring to school (It was cool with the school) and we'd wear him on our shirts. I had hamsters and the kids would bring their's to visit. One of my kids had a parakeet that he'd bring to school--on the bus.

I haven't seen any iguanas falling out of trees, but I wasn't really keeping my eyes open for them either. I will now, though! =)

-- Ryan

And just think, the gators are moving a lot slower. Sweet dreams, Ryan.;)
Florida Sunsets

And just think, the gators are moving a lot slower. Sweet dreams, Ryan.;)
Florida Sunsets

Ooooh! That was not very nice!

::snickering::

3H

Upon further consideration, I suspect there aren't many gators in the Keys. They live in fresh water, and there's not much of that down there. Might be a few crocodiles, but probably fewer of those than there will be gators, when he gets farther north.

DebBee

Might be a few crocodiles, but probably fewer of those than there will be gators, when he gets farther north.

The highest concentration of crocs is near Naples, apparently. Gators are comparatively harmless...watch out for those aggressive crocs! But, still, you're very unlikely to see any crocs at all because they are so very rare.

3H

Quote

Ooooh! That was not very nice!

::snickering::

3H

We do have an odd sense of humor here, lol!
Florida Sunsets