Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-11-16
WHEELING THROUGH EUROPE.
A bicycle Tourist TeIis uow ERtoy.n's
such Traseiin: IL

such Trsseiln: L.
One scarcely realizes. till he has tried
Il. how uttlr Is the expense OF bicye4s
TIN through Europe To TIE Prsc'en
American Gheelman the Erst question IS
What does |, eosty- From the expert
ence Of one who has been through me
Trossachs Of Scotland and the ea tneeI-.
towns OF England. who has RIDDEN Up 1ns
Rhine end climbed half cozen or Ie'S "
the Alpine passes In Swit1erlahu. AZ.
sDent nearly a month each In the citi,s OF
london and Paris. the cost is fonno 10
have bccu little more than it would have
hecn to have continued ii the dull routine
Of home life. To be sure. there IS ne ios'
time of those who have only sai2rieu IN
cor,es Once over here while the Traveller
by ordinary means Of conveyance Is GO
hating whether to 80 second or thru CLASS
or TO buy Cooks tourists tickets or the
repular ones, the wheelman selects an in
dependeut route and. without waiting
upon the manner Of going. goes BESIDES.
tie coing, instead of being a matter OF
great expense. as it sometimes Is by steam
or horse power. on the contrary. over the
perfect roads of Europe. is o means OF en-
joyablc exercise that not only does not
decrease the bank account. but increases
the stock Of physical health. After nearly
four months. or 500 miles. Of such de-
lightfui travelling in the present case. the
liraited letter Of credit is still found SO
bulky that ride through southern France.
along the Riviera. down through Italy
and over to the Pyramids is 10 be under
taken soon
Dut as to the cost. so far. in dollars and
cents While the English hotels are, as
o rule, ! think. more expensive than those
81 N nj
expenses did not average over g. day.
In fact. through Belgium and Germany
they were but 81 q day. wheeinan
travels SO independently that be Is not ell
ways Obliged to stop over night at the
larger cities. ard | often could avoid
them by riding eight or ten miles further
to some small inn. found plenty Of good
food and comfortable bed for half the
money Such mode Of travelling does
not allow Of the putting on OF any great
amount of style, but my chief ambition
was to see rather than to lie seen of men
In London there aro plenty Of good. re-
spectacle, private boarding places TO DO
found for 81 or CT Is . day. To end
them one needs only TO inquire OF some
friend who las made IN extended stay In
London, or TO apply to some American
living there, found . good place on
Euston road. within mile and half. or
Q four cent omnibus ride Of Fleet street,
for $40 week. That included the
room and attendance. q meat breakfast at
$50 and four or five course dinner at
$50. The luncheon at le. II lad. was cx-
ira. but it was usually more convenient
to take light luncheon wherever hap
pened TO be-
1t is proverbial that rrenchmen like
Americans better than almost any OF her
class Of foreigners, ard this was, perha ps.
shown TO be so one afternoon when Vas
riding out in the Do;s dc Doulogne, that
beautiful park of 2,.C0 acres just outside
tho fort iGcati ions towards the west. ! was
riding slowiy along, listening TO the music
Of the Grand Opera orchestra. which. to
many of the listeners. must Lave been in
pleasing contrast to tho sound of the
German shot and shell heard there SO
short time ago, when . policeman
stopped me and ordered rae to 80 another
way. | did hot understand which way,
but turned about and rode OF. In about
half nn hour | met tho same policeman In
another drive. This tiE:o lie IVES rad.
lie Ecsticulated wildly and talked so last
| could say nothing, Finally. wien !
could get ia u word, said did not under
stand. and could only speak EnGlish.
You urc an Enslis.lmauI" he SAID in
French could understand. but without
cooling down any no" said. Il am
an American" oh" To replied quickly.
pass Gu. and he stepped aide with a
wave Of his hand. Gs pleasantly Us could
be- | happened. Lave since found out.
to be riulng in Some of the drives
from which We arc prohibited. Many of
tho English and German whcel.ncn use
little sleigh bells fastened TO tho E.ndle
bars as warnings to pedestrians. but in
Switzerland. where tho noise of running
water browns ell other ordinary SOUNDS
in 30 many localities. found that my
shrill whistle even was insufficient, and
nothing but the most throat splitting yell
would clear tho road Of tie numerous
pedestrians, Here in Paris tho wheelrlcn
have adopted tho tram car horn. On in
strumcnt with q rubber bulb for forcing
the cir through, aud, really. one blast
from these pneumatic levers is enough TO
lift whole regiment out of the road
George l. Thaycr il Lew York World.