The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-09-21
DOWN MT. WASHINGTON.
Exciting Experiences Of Portland
Bicyclist ON Mountain Road.

Sharp Descents That Thwart All Efforts
With the Brake-Ingenious Device of
Woman Bicyclist-Advise for Others.
One of Portland's well known wheelmen.
Mr.. Perez 7. Griffin, has just had an expert
ence on Mt. Washington that will afford a
lessoon and warning to others who may visit
that region. Mr.. Griffin went to North
Conway on the train and then wheeled to
Fabyans, at the foot of Mt. Washington.
There he put his wheel on to the express
car of the little railroad and rode to the Tip
Top house. From the summit a carriage
road leads down the mountain eight miles
towards the site where once was the Glen
house. Before the burning of that hotel
this carriage road was kept in good condi-
ton, and bicyclists have ridden down it,
even on the oldfashioned high wheels. Mr..
Griffin was told at the summit that the
road was in bad condition, washed out and
quilted in many places. But he is used to
riding hills, and can stop his machine half
way down Gil owe street HILL locally famous
among wheelmen for it's steep descent.
Therefore thinking that ride down would
be safe, Mr.. Griffin started. Those who
have ridden down this road will remember
rocky wall on the upper side and the rock
clad abyss on the other. AS he had been
told that he was unlikely to meet any team.
Mr.. Griffin proceeded with greater assur-
ance. although his speed soon became such
as to give him considerable alarm. Hold
ing his brake SO hard that his hand ard
arm were numb; and back-pedalling with
all his might, he yet sped downward at a
cr,oo hot fo1a l,1f ho
assurance received at the Tip Top house
that no teams were likely to be met. was
comforting the flying wheelman.
Suddenly, rounding a sharp curve about
third of the way down, a team appeared
coming up. Several alternatives presented
themselves to Mr. Griffin, and each of them
was full of peril. To pass the team was
impossible. He might go over the outer
edge of the road and fall onto the rocks
below, or dash himself against the rocks of
the inner edge, or run into tn. team, or
make a flying leap off his machine. To stop
was impossible, for he was straining every
muscle at brake and pedal without lessen
ing the speed at all.
Mr.. Griffin decided to leap, at the same
time keeping hold of his machine if
possible. 1t is not difficult matter for
bicyclist to leap from his machine while
riding at speed: and land on his feet. But
to keep the feet on steep down grade IN
der such circumstances is very hard. In this
caseswhen the riders feet struck the earth
they bounded off again and he flew several
feet beside the machine, only to bound
again as his feet touched : the earth
But he managed to keep both himself and
his machine from falling off the road, and
at the very nose of the approach
ing horse, managed to stop. 1t
was an exceedingly narrow escape, and
only perfectly trained rider could have
accomplished it.
At the Half Way house Mr.. Griffin took
the advice of the keeper and dashed his
brake until he could scarcely turn the
wheel. With the aid of this and by back
pedallfng he managed to make he rest of
the way with much trouble and danger, the
road being very bad.ss His tire was nearly
torn TO pieces, the outer tube being almost
skinned off, leaving the inner tube bare in
several places.
At the foot of the mountain Mr.. Griffin
was told that few days before a young
lady had coasted down on her bicycle safely
by means of novel device. Securing log
of wood six or eight feet long, she attached
it to her bicycle by means of rope. This
served as a drag. Then, bearing hard on
the brake and back pedalling, she managed
to reduce her speed to the limit of safety.
But there are dangers to such device,
since If the log should catch behind rock
or in gully in the road, the rider might.b
thrown.
Mr.. Griffin does not consider the road at
all safe for wheelmen in it's present con-
dition; and advises that the-trip be not at
tempted.