Della Crewe

Completed a 5,400-mile (8690-km) journey across the US on a Harley-Davidson sidecar outfit in 1915, with only her dog Trouble for company. Della Crewe had had only ten days' riding experience before she left Waco, Texas on her 1914 outfit. She had considered taking the train for her cross-country tour, but rejected it as 'uninteresting'. With only dirt roads to follow, little more than rutted quagmires due to a very wet winter and spring, progress was painfully slow, particularly on the first leg of the journey to Dodge City. At one point, Della had to abandon the road and head off across the wheat fields for 4 miles before finding a useable track. The weather and roads were better as they headed north through Missouri then crossed the Mississippi and continued on to Chicago and the Harley-Davidson factory in Milwaukee. In Indiana, Trouble was threatened with quarantine due to contact with foot-and-mouth disease, and by the time the pair reached Ohio it was November and the weather was closing in with drifting snow sending them frequently into ditches. Finally, Della and Trouble made it to New York after 5,378 miles (8655km) and no major breakdowns. 'I had a glorious trip,' said Della to reporters. 'I am in perfect health and my desire is stronger than ever to keep going.'