The morning call., 1895-01-20
THE WHEEL.
Cyclists Hoping for Good Roads and Weather
Late SPINS,

Cyclists Hoping for Good Roads and Weather
Late Spins,
Another week has passed by without the rid
ers being able to get out for spin on account
of the almost incesSant rain. The probabilities
are now, though, that we shall have dry spell,
for time at least, in which event it is reason
able to expect that every wheelmaE in the city
viii take advantage of the opportunity to get a
little exercise combined with pleasure.
An idea of the terribly muddy condition OF
the rosds from here TO San Jose on the Oakland
side OF the bay, which during summer is one OF
the best pixies in California, may be gained
from the experiences OF Messrs. Carey and
Ravlin, two prominent members of the Garden
City Cyclers San Jose who left San Jose last
Saturday afternoon with the intention of riding
to this city and return, distance OF one hum
dred miles, thus crediting themselves with the
first century made in the State in 1895. The
trip to this city was made in d tri1e less than
six hours, and Mr.. Ravlin was so completely
worn out that he decided not to attempt the
return. He and Mr.. Carey attended the
Olympic wheelmen s ''smoker" that night, and
Carey started on the return trip afterward
alone. leaving Fruityale at 1915 o'clock on
Sunday morning, and did not arrive in San
Jose until ten h ours later-ten hours for trip
that is usually made in three or four hours
and by some in two hours and half. The rain
pelted in his face the entire distance, and five
minutes after starting he hadn't dry stitch
OF clothes TO his back. It was very dark, and
his wheel slid all over the road and through
mud everywhere. The mud was caked all over
him fully all inch thick when he reached his
destination, and he was so dishgured bylt that
his own mother wouldn't have known him" 1t
was q pretty tough trip, he told me When
questioned him about it, land wouldn't at
tempt it again under any consideration. was
tempted a score of times to give up, but had
II Il a. a Pint
hereafter any one else is welcome to the honor
of having ridden the first century"
1t would take now fully month OF dry
weather to leave the roads even passable for
wheeling. And then they would be so fur
rowed by wagon wheels that the sport would
be anything but enjoyable. The city riders
will do well to confne themselves TO the park
for some time to come, and captains mad best
refrain from calling club runs or road races.
The next regular meeting of the Imperial
Cycling Club viii be held tomorrow night at
their clubroOms, 636 Golden Gate avenue, and
the club viii hold weekly meetings every Mon
day night hereafter.
The Bay City Wheeimen having issued notices
to its members that progressive euchre tour
nament would be held at the clubrooms last
night, about fifty of the members assembled
and participated in the game. Liquid refresh
ments in the shape OF eggnog were served dur
ing the play, and the party kept in jolly
frame of mind until the affair broke up about
midnight. The house committee, in whose
hands the management OF the tournament was
carried it through to its successful termina-
ton. The club Will give other similar affairs
during the next three months TO come.
Emil utrecht, the Southern California flyer,
who rode in the C. a. C. c. twenty-tiye-mile road
race last February and secured the time prize,
has written to Secretary Hancock OF the G. A.
c. c., inquiring about this years race on Wash
ington's birthday, and states he may enter the
same. Last year he was member OF the Bay
City Wheelmen, but not being on their rolls
now it is doubtful under whose colors he will
rld vi
Clubs TO recognize his records over the San
Diego boulevard and Santa Monica courses
which be made several months ago. He is a
remarkable long-distance rider, and on the
road has few equals.
special meeting of the North California
division OF American Wheelmen was held last
night at San Jose. Chief Consul Melrose, Rep
resentative Welch and Attorney Kerrigan at
tended from this city
a contemporary said last Wednesday that
Sanger is to receive a $500 week salary dur
ing the season OF '95. OF course, no one be-
lieves such q statement-one dealer here telling
me that he did not-think the mighty thinner
man could draw such sum as $1,000 month.
Such statements cause great deal OF dIssatls-
faction among racing men and dealers, and
while no faith IS placed In them still they
should not be made.
The California Cycling Club nave gwen
notice Of ladies' night, to be held at the
clubrooms Twenty-second and Folsom streets,
Saturday evening, February 2.
The regular bi-mOnthly meeting of the Cali
fornia Associated Cycling Clubs is to be held
Saturday evening, February 2, at The rooms of
the Bay City Wheelmen. OF course the annual
25-mile Toadrace, to be held on the 22d of
next month, will be the principal topic OF
discussion, and doubtless a special meeting
win be called 10 be held the Saturday night
previous to the race, to arrange all final mat
tiers. The matter of the annual relay, to be
held in April, Will also be thoroughly dis
cussed, and also club captains will be asked TO
meet and select dates for their respective
clubs on which they desire TO hold race meets,
in order that there may be no claShing of dates
later in the season. 1t is almost certain that
the Bay City Wheelmen viii ask for May so,
the Oak Leaf Wheelmen for July 4 and the
Garden City Cyclers for September 8. AS one
man puts it, 'There are so many clubs there
amt enough holidays to go around"
What promises to revolutioniZe record break
ing on the track is an electrical pacemaker re-
Gently designed by Wilbur Edwards, the crack
racing man of the coast, and now being con-
structed under his supervision. The great
lesson learned from the remarkable straight
away performances of Johnson, the Eastern
fier, is that the public at large care more for
the fastest mile on circular track than for
any other record, no matter how or where
made. There is always some question concern
ing a road or Straightaway record; the
accuracy of the thing is always in doubt;
the course and the wind may benefit
the rider, and there are many other causes
which tend to make short distance road records
unsatisfactory and unreliable. Upon the track
this is all changed: there is no question about
the accuracy of the timing; the wind both
assists and retaTds the rider, while the course
is alike all the way; consequently the fastest
track performance will be appreciated by the
public more than the fastest time made on the
road. The difficulty has been, though, to Sc
cure pacing sufficiently fast to urge the rider
on to his greatest efforts, and as steady and
fast pacing are the great requisites for making
records, with these views in mind Mr.. Ed.
wards has designed the mechanical pace
maker.
The machine win be a three-wheeled con-
trivance, similar to a tricycle., two wheels be-
hind and one in front, the entire affair to be
covered with a framework in the shape of a
locomotive cowcatcher, which will serve as a
windbreak. Between the TWO rear wheels will
be s. powerful electric motor, above which viii
be seated the driver, who viii be enabled to see
where to guide his machine by a plate-glass
window in the frame of the windbreak. A side
bar used in place of trolley connects with a
wire running around the inside of the track at