The record-union., 1894-07-26
HARD ROAD FOR BICYCLE TOURISTS.
Rough Experience of a Couple of
Sacramento WheeImen.
Almost In Sight of Yosemite-one With
an Injured Leg, the Other
With a Broken Wheel.

Last week the RECORD UNION con-
tanned short account of two young men
leaving on trip on wheels for the Yo-
semitic Valley-B. j. Hoaglaud, of the
firm of George e. McCrea u Co., and his
friend George III. Graves. AS many
wheelmen are interested in their trip, the
following letter just received by MIR. Nc
Crea from Graves, giving an account of
the trip, is publisned:
HAMILToN's STATION, July, 1894.
George Il. McCf'eo, SocTdnte1to-DEAR
SIR: do not know the date, and have
no way OF finding out, but il is Saturday.
This place, called Hamilton, consists of a
house and barn. 1t is located in the
mountains, forty miles from the y yosemite
Valley.
We made Knights Ferry the first day,
ninety-four miles. Yesterday we made a
place called Priests, covering twenty
eight miles, over the worst road in the
State, uphill, rocky and with twelve
miles Of dust on the level. 1t took four
hours to climb one hill, and it was like
pushing wheel up the side OF tree. l
am determined not to walk down it.
am going TO tie a tree on behind my
wheel and slide down. / think that will
work.
Yesterday we took dinner at Chinese
camp. Hoagland came away and forgot
his revolver and camera, but we expect
to get them by stage.
This morning we left Priests at 7:45.
went nine miles, when l straiued my
ankle and could 60 no further. Hoagland
lett me alone to die-forsook me, bid me
goodby, and said be was going to reach
the valley III the evening. did not know
what to do. l could not stay there on the
mountain in a dense forest, where large
| bear devoured a boy last night. 1t makes
me shudder 10 think of it even now. [
pulled myself together and determined to
make the tour miles to this place, if l had
| to leave my wheel up against "a tree and
crawl on my hands and knees.
All can say is | got here, and my
wheel with me. Imagine how [ felt after
arriving and finding not drop of lini-
nent or anything in the house to help
me. Tonight am going to give my an
kle dose of coal oil. / wonder If that
will do it any good? If not, then / am
liable to remain here-Well, there is no
telling how long.
Here's another surprise. The stage
reached here few minutes ago, and
when it stopped / noticed wheel fast
ened on behind. / looked at it, and it
looked like Hoagland's. The driver said
he found 1t up the road about six miles.
but there was no rider in sight. He
nearly scared the life out of me, for
concluded at once that Hoagland must
have gone over precipice. Then the
driver explained that going down a hill
Hoagland broke the rim of his front
wheel in two places. The wheel was q
wreck, but wonder where Hoagland is?
7:30 P. M.-TwO men have just passed,
walking from the valley. They report
having seen Hoagland four miles from
the next stopping place (Crocker's). He
is ''hoofing it'' and having hard time.
can almost hear his French all the way
down here.
feel sorry for Hoagland for he has a
long, hard road before him. What he
will do cannot say, but l presume he
will walk TO the valley. | would just
like to get look at him. You may Won
der how he Will get home. That is what
| would like TO know, too. 1t will cost
him S2S by stage to Oakdale, the nearest
railroad station. L fear he will have to
walk only 100 miles. He must know by
this time whether or not walking is good.
l miss his company very much.
L met another wheelman this afternoon
and he has fractured tire. | have not
had an accident with my Wheel and it is
in as good condition as when l left, ex-
cept that l wore out the rubber on the
front tire while "braking" my wheel on
the slide down hill.
Under the circumstances | cannot say
that we have had a pleasant trip, but in
my next | hope to say that we are enjoy
ing ourselves amid the beautiful scenery
of the Yosemite Valley.
GEORGE H. GRAVES,