William C. Bailey of Underhill arrived in Chicago on this day in 1939. Not a big deal, really, until you consider he went to see his grand-daughter all the way from Underhill...on his bicycle. Oh, and William C. Bailey was 86-years old.

At 79, Bailey had been deathly ill and in his delirium had asked for bike. His nurse humored him and got him one. When he got well he figured he might as well try to ride the thing, although he had no idea why he wanted one.

In that seven years, he biked about 17,000 miles and felt great. It was just over a thousand miles from Underhill to Chicago and it took Bailey 20 days...and then he biked back home.

Photo courtesy the Vermont Historical Society.