Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-10-01
A LONG BICYCLE ride.
A Noted Bicyclist and His Long
Journey-Now in Salem.

Frank G. LEM, the amateur bicy-
clist and photographer of New
York city, is to arrive in Salem
on Monday, coming from Portland.
Mr.. Lenz is a special representative
of the magazine called the "Outing,"
and is making tour of the world
on safety bicycle. He his now on
his way to San Francisco, having
arrived at Portland on Thursday,
the Goth.
Mr.. Lenz left New York on the
4th day of last June and has travelled
4l2S miles in 81 days. His record
for one day is "a miles, and his aver
age run, SO miles. He usually makes
from so to go miles day. On sey-
eral days he rode from 20 to 80 miles,
but finding that this pace had a ten
dency to stiffen, he abandoned it and
now seldom exceeds go miles. He has
had six escapes from death, two of
them very narrow, since he began
his ride. -Four of the escapes were
by being caught on trestles by trains,
and he had to crouch on the beams
and hold his bicycle until they
passed. While at Yellowstone Park
he nearly fell over precipice. He
was nearly drowned in the Yellow
stone river while trying to swim
across to get skiff to carry his
wheel over. He reached the middle
of the stream, and was carried by
the current for several hundred
yards and thrown on q sandbank.
He managed to get back to land and
did not make the attempt. Eastern
papers have published several reports
of his death by drowning and at
the hands of Indians. One paper,
the Pittsburg Star, recently had a
long article about LEM being cap
tured by Indians, and was about to
be scalped, when bottle of fire.
water was found in his pocket and
he was released. LEM did not hear
of his death, capture by Indians,
ETC., until he received letter from
his mother with the newspaper clip
pings enclosed.
He was five days in making the
trip from Wallu a to The Dalles.
The distance is only 126 miles, but,
owing to the severe sandstorms and
bad roads, he had to walk over 100
miles. A number of trains passed
him on the way, and trainhands
always asked him TO ''get on and
ride stretch" He refused, as he
to write articles on the roads
of the world, and wanted to gain |
some information about the roads of
the Northwest.
From Portland, LEM will ride to
San Fran cisco, and, after passing
some time there, will sail for Japan.
He will pass the winter in that coun-
.ry, China and India. He will go
through Persia, Palestine and Tur-
Key in the spring of 1898, and will
hen ride through Europe. He in
ends to return to New York in 1894.
When his journey is completed be
will have ridden over 10000 miles.
LEM shows no signs of fatigue
rom bis long trip. He says he has
,een sick but one day since be left
New York, and that was caused by
drinking alkali water in Montana.
lie is 25 years old, 5 feet 6 inches in
ieight, and weighs 140 pounds. The
bicycle on which he rides is SO made /,
hat whenever he strikes a heavy
,rade he can change the gearing 1
rom 80 to As or 54 inches. The
Wheel weighs 81 pounds and Lenz I
arries 27 pounds of luggage, con-
lsting Of a repairing outfit, clothes, /
nd materials fir his camera, which
e carries strapped to his back. 9
I