So, let's go back to the special 3-page "souvenir" program published honouring Karl's journey around the world on his Red Bird.

The program includes a variety of excerpts from various newspapers up to his time in Sydney. Although the story is familiar to you, dear reader, there are some lovely sentences about Karl's character that just warm my heart. So, if you are new to the Karl Chronicles, you may want to read the full program, but otherwise, I want to share a variety of quotes from the document, in the chronology of Karl's journey.

Excerpts from Kingston "Daily Mail":

His is not exactly a trip round the world, but a trip to those countries and remarkable places which every human being has a wish to visit before the final shuffling off this mortal coil.

His wheel, the trusty Red Bird Special, is carrying him beautifully, and he expects to make good time over the better parts of his journey.

He is a very plucky rider, and his jolly disposition and pleasant smile will make him many friends.

Excerpts from Montreal, Canada, Daily Papers:

He started from his home in Nova Scotia on May 11th, 1899 with a few cents in his pocket, and so far has succeeded in his venture, although he has had a terrible time with snow and ice, the roads in places being almost impassable.

Creelman comes from a good stock, and, although he is but twenty years of age, has shown great pluck and determination.

If successful, he should, on his return, be able to give some interesting accounts of the world at large from the standpoint of a youth at twenty.

All who have met him pronounce him a good fellow, and wish him every success in his plucky undertaking.

Excerpts from the Chicago Dailies:

Creelman is certainly proving what grit and a bicycle can accomplish, and although he left home with but a few cents in his pocket, he has not yet been "dead broke" managing to earn his expenses as he goes.

Creelman is certainly plucky to the extreme and we hope to hear of the successful accomplishment of his journey.

What Vancouver papers say:

Creelman is twenty years of age and the trip is evidently agreeing with him. When he left Truro he tipped the scales at 130 lbs and now weighs 142 lbs.

He is modest in demeanour and those who have met him in town pronounce him a splendid fellow.

His many friends in town wish him every success in his plucky venture.

What Sydney papers say:

He has not much money, but plenty of self-confidence and pluck enough to take on any kind of work en route.

Creelman is not riding for a wager, nor is he engaged in any other fool enterprise. He is young and strong, and wants to see the world; this seems the easiest way to manage it.

He is mounted on a Red Bird Special, which has given him most excellent satisfaction, and proves what can be accomplished by a determined cyclist and a really good machine.

Karl Creelman, the young Canadian World tourist - he is wheeling on a Red Bird Special Model 55 round the world because he wants to see just what it looks like.

Truro is Creelman's native place, and as a prophet has no honour in his own country, and when Creelman was still a boy, the people of his native town saw him off in rather confident expectation that he would sneak in at his mother's back door the same night, and ask to come in because it was very cold outside.

But it is quite probable that all the way through the Garden of Eden, there was a Creelman about to undertake the job that other people thought uninteresting or unnecessary.

He speaks in glowing terms of his Red Bird, Model 55, which has carried him through in a wonderful manner. Not one part shows the slightest sign of wear, although its plumage is sadly ruffled owing to the awful knocking about it received in the mountain trails.

The brochure was printed by Websdale, Shoosmith & Co., Printers located at 117 Clarence Street, Sydney, Australia. There’s consistency in how people perceived Karl's character. Everywhere he went, people recognized his determination, his pleasant nature, and his "pluck" – that wonderful old-fashioned word that captures both courage and spirit.

I think it’s also clear Karl seemed to win over every journalist he encountered—reporters were genuinely impressed by this young man from Nova Scotia who set out with almost nothing but determination and a good bicycle.

The Sydney paper's comment about the people of Truro expecting him to "sneak in at his mother's back door the same night" made me smile. He may have been underestimated initially, not appreciating his pluckiness. But as these newspaper excerpts show, Karl proved himself time and again across continents with each mile pedalled on his trusty Red Bird.