The morning call., 1894-07-23

when the suns rays shone hot upon the
city, at the hour of $50 yesterday morn
ing goodly troop of athletes mustered
before the headquarters of the California
Cycling Club on Twenty-second and Fol-
som streets. S ONE, indeed. had gone down
to San Mateo the night before to see that
all was in rea diness for the athletic inva-
sion. And the sight that greeted the lover
of the wheel o n the departure of the excur-
cursion was suffi cient 10 fill his soul with
jov.
Statistics as to the exact number tina.
undertook the trip are somewhat vague,
as it was impossible to count them, and
each club swelled its subscription list az
far as it would stretch. But there ap-
pears to have been at least 100 to 200 on
the scene. These included some twenty
five of the California Club twenty-five of
the Olympics, fifty of the Bay Citys, fifteen
of the Crescent Bicycle Club, some Of the
University Club from Palo Alto. while
there were outsiders galore, who went
down TO San Mateo unattached indeed and
tree of Invitation, bur welcome neverthe-
less.
AT precisely 9 o'clock the whole caval-
cade moved off at leisurely pace. There
was nothing of note on the way down,
save that some unknown, unattached man
got into trouble. He knew every body, but
no one knew him. This man shook hands
all round and In his honest endeavor to be
impartial in his condolences he contrived
to throw three or four legltlmately branded
athletes off. Well, they settled him after
that, for they put him out of the gathering
somehow and the unattached was seen no
more.
The run down to San Mateo was accom-
plisbed in about two hours At IL o'clock
ha hnd
Coyote Point, spot on the beach of San
Mateo about one mile out of town. This
was their camping ground, and on arrival
the boys were greeted by detachment of
cyclists from San Jose, who had ridden up
to meet them and share in the days fun.
They consisted of about score of Garden
City boys and ten from the San Jose Road
Club.
The wheels were fed and watered, or
whatever is required to be done to them,
and when stacked up together they made
an imposing array. They represented
over $4,000 in money. Then their owners
made preparations for the feast. 1t was
purely a picnic. each club providing its
own outfit. All the cometibles and
drinkables had been sent down in wagons
early in the morning. The unattached
threw the mselves on the hosptality of the
clubs and had as much to eat and drink as
anybody else.
AS to the lunch itself. it consisted of
everything that hungry man would most
desire. There were pies, roast chickens,
salads. rolls, hams, tongues-eVerything
that goes to make cold collation.. There
was no whisky. The sun-burnt. healthy
boys preferred Quenching their thirst with
cool beer or fresh milk, of which number
of cans had been procured from neigh bor-
ing dairy. The boys fell to with a will,
while scores Of residents and visitors of
the neighborhood rode and drove up to the
spot, aud, hitching their horses on the
roadside, watched the athletes feed with
considerable interest.
Altogether, it was pretty scene. The
camping ground was under some shady
trees, just beyond the rocks that rise from
the beach at the spot known as Coyote
Point. There is lovely stretch of beach
just there. and after lunch was disposed of
the boys DOTTED their clothes and were Jon
swimming about in the surf, running races
on the sand. and altogether having a
pleasant seaside holiday.
Something was said about some clam
chowder that was to have been prepared
by one Professor Munson. Some there
were, indeed, who partook of that same
after hours of dreary waiting but others
there were whose patience gave out, and.
doubling either the existence of the
materials or the capacity of Professor
Munson, returned chowderless to The city.
One Bay City wheelman said: 81 don't
know, but l think something went wrong
with that chowder. l was constantly see
ing carts coming up that were supposed to
contain the material, and as for Muuson,
| heard that he started in TO make the
stuff a t. / O'Clock in the morning. Well. all
L know is l never got any. l was always
being told that it was just about ready.
and got to filling up on lunch, and Just |
as well did, too. for Munsons chowder
never came my way. But he worked hard