It was in the 1890s when accountant Frank Lenz of Pittsburgh decided to become a daunting long-distance cyclist.

His first trip was from Pittsburgh to St. Louis. That was followed by a jaunt from St. Louis to New Orleans. He then decided he was ready for his greatest challenge: An around-the-world journey on his bicycle.

Embarking on his trip, Lenz became an instant celebrity. He crossed North America, took a ship to Japan, and moved over into China, taking six months to cross into Burma.

The jungles of Burma were almost impassible on his bicycle, but Lenz eventually made it into Rangoon, then to Calcutta. He continued on to his next destination, Istanbul. However, it was on this leg of the trip that Lenz disappeared without a trace, almost two years after his adventure began.

Recently, author David V. Herlihy published a book about Lenz, “The Unsolved Case of the Lost Cyclist.” In it, he focuses on the probability that Lenz was killed by the Kurds, who had a reputation for attacking foreigners on caravan roads.

Pieces of Lenz’s camera and gear were found in that area, but no evidence of his bicycle or a body was ever found. Another famous cyclist, William Sachtleben, traveled to Turkey in search of Lenz. He learned that Lenz had somehow insulted a notorious Kurdish chief and was murdered.

Eventually, eight years after his death, under pressure from the United States, the Turkish government sent compensation of $7,500 to Lenz’ mother.

• Professor James Pinkerton is a retired educator who loves to share the mystery in our history. He can be reached at pinkertonjames1914@gmail.com.