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 Cloe Whittaker and Tyson Jerry returned to Vancouver Tuesday with a world record under their belt. (MATT KIELTYKA, 24 HOURS) |
They started off with nothing but grease, but Cloe Whittaker and Tyson Jerry returned to Vancouver Tuesday with a world record under their belt.
The local couple has shattered the Guinness world record for longest journey by car using alternative fuel after puttering around the continent in their vegetable oil-powered “Veggie-Mobile” for seven months and more than 48,500 kilometres.
“It's been real hard work, but very rewarding at the same time,” Whittaker, 24, said during a visit to Vancouver's St. John's elementary school. “The project has been a lot different from what we originally intended. We wanted to travel the continent but also motive students into thinking about alternatives.”
The previous record was 38,137 kilometres, and the Victoria couple - running under the Drive to Sustain banner - broke that mark as they passed through New York City.
Along the way, they made numerous stops to schools like St. John's.
“The fact that it was free and is a food product really got people's attention,” Whittaker said. “The record attempt has been ideal in planting the seed, that's all we can do right now.”
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Now that their green expedition has come to a halt, the couple looks forward to relaxing and finally paying off some bills.
But they won't be giving up their drive for sustainability just because they're off the road.
“I'm looking forward to working in the community to create tangible stage,” Whittaker promised. “That's where my focus is going to be now that we've planted that seed.”
For more information on the trek, visit www.driventosustain.ca.