The herald., 1894-09-16
Some Very Pleasurable and
Tiresome Experiences.
Wading Through Sand and Tide
That Had to Be Done.
Graphic Narrative of Cycling Trip to
Southern Csiifornis = suggss-
tIons to Those Contemplate
ing Like Trips,

loW6Q O6on'o c6i6 DratoO record perform. :.
snce and the almost equally remarka BILE
trip OF Professor Wilson and party. So
graphically were the delightful seaside
resorts, beautiful orange groves and
healthful climate described and extolled
by these parties that general desire
was awakened to inspect the southern
portion OF the state in person, and among
the others l succumbed to the fever
whicn was becoming 30 prevalent.
immediately began planning the trip,
and soon induced DR.. Lovegrovc. Will
Haley, Frank Fuller, Frank Hunter,
George Pollard and Jack and Howard
Alexander to join the party. What q
time we anticipated; q regular club run,
but Haley, Fuller and Frame Hunter
found it impossible to 60, and as the San
jose boys started some days before DR..
Lovegrove and myself could leave, we
found it imperative to abandon the
original intention OF riding all the way
through, and instead to take the stea mer
to Santa Barbara and join forces there,
| The trip down on the steamer was un-
eventful, and we found ourselves in
Santa Barbara on the night of July 10th.
Inquiry elected the information that the
san Jose delegation had not yet arrived,
and as q consequence we had some time
at our disposal 70 inspect the town.
At 8 O'Clock, the boys not having
arrived, we decided to take advantage Of
the low tide and proceed to Ventura
along the beach, a distance OF 30 miles.
Some three miles out OF Santa BarbR ra
the doctor got punoture which we
could not locate and which necessitated
. walk of about a mile to the next
house, where we could obtain a bucket
of water. From there we went on to
Oarpinteria, over excellent roads, prin-
cipslly down grade. Shortly after leav-
ing Carpinteria We struck the beach.
1t was now after O'Clock and
a dense fog WAS rolling in,
making 1t impossible to look
ahead more than 100 yards or so
Meeting q team here the driver in.
formed US that we could make it, al
though we might get little wet. The
first Is miles were excellent, the wet
sand making good hard surface, but
after this cliffs became more precip-
itious, rising righ. from the waters edge
and making it necessary to watch for an
|
receded. After this had been repeated
several times, each passage being more
difficult than the last, and knowing re-
treat to be impossible. with an impen-
etrable fog snveloping us and with no
means OF ascertainiDg when the cliffs
came to an end, We began to think our
chances excellent for camping on some
ledge of rock.
Riding as we had never done before
we finally reached q point projecting
out q considerable distance into the sea.
There was 10 help for it, and without
waiting to take off shoes or stockings we
picked up our wheels and started to
wade around in wafer now up to our
ankles, now at our knoes. Awaiting
ourselves of the rocks where they would
sfford foothold, we finally managed to
| to get out of the water on the other side
of the cliff, and were rejo:ced to see tn at
We had passed the worst of it. But the
tide was too high to admit riding on the
beach. and after q weary tramp Of two
miles through loose sand We arrived at
Ventura hungry and sleepy.
Leaving there next morning at 6
O'Clock we proceeded, confident that
our tribulations we're at an end. A
fairly good road extends almost to New
Jerusalem, where it turns right
through river some hundred feet in
with, and over which there is not
even suspicion Of a bridge, and conse-
quently no alternative but to wade. Two
miles beyond here the road runs through
lhe bed OF creek for three miles, and
the ssnd 10 so deep that u 10 - poeei-
bic to ride loot o. ".
We wore now rapidly leaving tho
coast snd the heat was becoming in-
tense. The road here became sandy
again, making progress very slow. We
were told that what was called the long
grade was about a mile ahead, 80 we
pushed forward. reaching the top after
q hard climb. The road on the descent
WAS so steep and sandy that riding was
impossible. We trundled our machines
some distance before we could remount.
A mile beyond this the road forked,
and taking the one to the left we fol-
lowed it until it disappeared in the
middle of q field. We concluded we
would cut across the country rather than
rstrace our steps. 1t was two hours be-
fore we again struck the right road, and
another hour before We saw a house,
which We hailed with delight. as it was
now O'Clock and we had not tasted
food ninoe leaving Ventura at 6 O'Clock.
But this house was deserted, as was the
next one also. The heat was now more
intense than at MONDAY, and seeking
the shelter OF the barn We waited until
the sun went down before proceeding.
Fifteen miles further on wo reached
Oalabasas, q road house and postoffice
30 miles from Los Angeles, whore, after
procuring something to eat. for we were
faint with hunger, we remained all
night. Next morning we arose early
and arrived at Los Angeles three hours
af,er. rejoiced to be again amid civili
zation.
The Alexandsrs and Pollsrds arrived
the next day. and we greatly enjoyed
exchanging stories and com pairing otes.
Jack Alexander gave the following ac-
count OF his trip, to which we listened
with an interest born of sympathy.
II left San Joee Thursday, July 18th,
ut II nm. The first days ride took me
to Hollister. This ia some or 10 miles
off the road, bnt as l had four days in
which to make 200 miles, l wished to
| take in as much OF the country as possi-
/ BILE. Early next morning / climbed the
San Juan mountains. whiGn looked bad
enough that early in tine trip, but which
we're Paradise compared to those en-
countered later. At the foot of the grade
| again wandered from the straight and