Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-06-14
TERRIBLE TRIP.
Rice Down the Side OF Mountain ON
Brakeless Bicycle.

Our mine, the Spondulix, OF Colorado
was the highest on the range. 1t wa
$3.50 feet above Silver Brick Station
and nine miles distant from the village
From the works up the mines there wa
broad, hard, smooth road, used fo
carting ore down from the mines an
hauling supplies up. The averag
grade down the mountains was 300 fee
to the mile; in some places it was con
siderably sleeper, and at intervals a
most level The road was made part
on the bare rock, and wound Mp a nal
row guich; presently it climbed out
ide the chasm. and here at severa
places the road-hod had been blaste
cut o. tic solid rock, Or cut into III
perpendicular side OF the mountain
but everywhere the road was almost a
smooth and hard as a floor. Knowing
that a loose stone might cost the live
Of both .eamster and team, where some
times the breaks would not entirel
check the decent Of an ore-wagon, un
til one of the nearly-level places ha
been reached, the teamsters were care
full to keep the surface of the road cleal
and smooth. BY constant practice
managed at first to ride my fifty-two
inch university roadster up thu
whole slope of the Spondulix, of cours
resting at levels, but my chief deligh
was the coasting down again; it requir
ed skill, good deal of nerve, and firm
grasp of the brake. One evening al
accident occurred to one of those en-
gagged at the mine. | instantly got gu
my bicycle, explaining that / coul,
90 swifter than horse down the slope
In few minutes / had on my riding
suit and was off.
The night was clear and crisp; tn,
full moon, except in a few curves
shone directly into the gulch, lighting
up the road. Leaning well back, will
my legs over the handles, and firm
finger on the brake, 1 allowed the
wheel to glide down the first long slope
at speed which had never dared tc
venture before. Finding the motion
safe, i allowed the machine to run
faster, and still faster. Over the first
level shot like an arrow. Down the
next slope | seemed to glide on the
rushing wind. Then turned a curve
and ran into the shadow of the
mountain upon the next level Know
ing every inch of the road, how
ever, l did not SHAKEN speed, ex-
cept very slightly. As flew over the
top of the next slope, steep plunge of
nearly half mile, another curve COM
pletely shut out the moon, making the
road almost as dark as pocket. Here
| put down the brake hard, and checked
my speed materially. Still, | knew the
road so well that had no fear. But
just us / was upon the steepest plunge
of the slope---Clink! Something flew
from the machine like a bullet. In
stantly the wheel darted forward like
the rush of frightened bird, while the
brake-lever came home to the steering
bar under my finger The brake had
broken short off in the elbow! There
was nothing to check the machine,
which was running away with me with
over five miles of mountain grade be-
fore me, and the chance of meeting a
team at any moment in the dark. |
might have leaped backward off the
machine at the instant of the break, but
five seconds afterward it was too late.
To attempt a dismOunt would be certain
death.
There was nothing to do but stick to
my saddle and take the chances.
Within thirty seconds the machine had
acquired velocity never before expe-
rienced by mortal rider. The sensation
was like that of falling through the air.
The rush of the atmosphere past me
was like fearful gale. The wheel no
longer felt the inequalities Of the road
1t seemed 10 glide smoothly over per
feet plane. fell no sense Of shocks
from pebbles or holioNs. on proWber-
ances. ia fact, believe that there
were many places, especially when I
shot over Tie brow Of 8 sleeper incline.
where the whole machine took q fiVing
hop, or rather a long, Skimmng glide
through the air, without touching the
road. 1t was lucky that | had prac-
ticed so much coasting down this very
road, and that | knew every inch of it
so thoroughly. Going at that amazing
speed, leaning far back in the saddle
the steering was somewhat novel and
peculiar. The speed gave the wheel
such an obstinate disposition to keep on
a straight line that | could not have
turned n short curve if had tried A
very little too much turning of the steer
ing-bar would have wrenched it in
stantly from my hands, and smashed
the wheels to fragments. But my prac-
tice had taught me the necessity of
my curves long and easy when
coasting at great speed; and, by instinct,
my grasp upon the steering-bar was
that of desperation, both of my arms be-
ing kept as firm, yet flexible, as spring
steel.
When the accident happened, l was
Just entering dark curve in the shadow
of the mountain. The wall on my right
appeared dark, almost invisible brown,
while the chasm on my left was of an
inky blackness. As / rounded the hol-
low of the curve, could see the moon
light shining far ahead on the point of
the elbow which | must turn where the
road is channeled into the wall. AS /
approached it had the sense and nerve
to run on the outer side of the road,
close to the edge OF the caynon, thus Civ
ing myself rs broad turn as possible.
l found by the track of the wheel after
ward that at the sharpest turn | had ac-
tually ridden within three inches of the
extreme edge for several rods, where,
if had been going at less fearful speed,
the wheel would certinly have slipped
over the edge, and carried me
down a fall of 1000 feet. Safely past
this, the worst point, the remaining
curves were easy. Thus far there had
been no time to think. My actions
were more instructive than reasoning
My mind was wild, confused whirl Of
sensations and fears. But now, as
shot down the last steep incline,
suddenly / experienced terrible men
tai shock 1t was caused by hearing
the tinkle of Il bell far below and seeing
the spark of lantern such rs the mine
teamsters carry in front of their wagons
There was team, perhaps u train OF
teams, coming up the road! In few
seconds should be upon them.
The shock made me think, and tina
clearly. If the teamster was walking
behind his team, he would be on tn,
inside, next to the mountain wall, an(
the team would be in the middle o
the road. If he was riding, the team
would be kept near the mountain wal
and at safe distance from the QUITE
edge of the track. Either way my hes
chance was to pass on the outside
As | approached. therefore. | ran clos
to the outside edge of the track, an
flew by in safety, hearing the teamste
shout as | did so. Here it was luck
that | was going at such great speed
for the teamster saw the red light {
l.. I o,.l,.