The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-10-11
down The SIERRA ON BICYCLES.
The Ride of Mr.. and Mrs. McIIrath
Last July.
Interesting Description of Their Last
Days Run Into the Capt.
tai City.

The Chicago Inter Ocean of September
9th publishes a six-column letter from
Sacramento written by H. Darwin Nc
Ilrath, the correspondent OF that paper,
who with his wife is now making tour
of the world on bicycles. Mr.. and Mrs.
McIlrath reached Sacramento on the
night of the 24th of July last. after riding
all the way that day from Cisco. 1hey
remained about a week in this city. ana
while here Mr.. McIlrath wrote the letter
above referred to- covering the details OF
their journey after reaching Truckee
A considerable portion of the story is
given up to a recital OF the sufferings OF
the Bonner Lake party in the winter OF
1916, descriptions of the havoc done by
hydraulic mining on the western slope OF
the Sierra Nevada. etc. The night OF
July 23d found them at Cisco. and he thus
relates how they made the last days
journey into Sacramento, Including
clever description of the scenery and
points of interest on the way:
THROUGH THE sNowsHEDs.
Early in the morning, July 9th. we
were up and away, through the snow
sheds again, the path delightfully."- smooth,
descended few hundred feet in altitude,
and about us, outside the sheds, the snow
lay in great heaps. Trains passed us
frequently, going IN either direction, but
we had become accustomed to the thun-
der of the pounding pistons the roar OF
the forced draught, and the Missing steam,
and no longer dreaded their approach.
Emigrant Gap, ten miles west, was
sighted, and here we were to leave the
snowsheds. We paused at the hotel, but
as il was only 2. NJ. breakfast was not
ready, and we decided to push on to the
next stop.
To take the mountain road it was nee
essary to rstrace our path a mile, turn
up over the hills TO the left, then. alter
walking a mile, get on our wheels, look
out for sharp curves, turn loose, and run
down hill for twenty miles without an
effort.
We have used no brakes on our wheels
since starting, preterring to keep our
pedals" upon ordinary grades and use
one of our feet upon the front tire, near
the fork crown, upon steep grades; but
had We to descend the Sierras again, over
mountain trail, we would use brake OF
the strongest make.
When we reached the summit of the
hill over which we tipped we found an
excellent road of mountain gravel, with
even grade and long curves. That is the
road as il started.
The air was cool, the gray light of
morning did not dazzle our eyes, and
soon our wheels were tearing along, the
gravel popping from under our tires like
paper tOrpedoes. Everything went well
until the speed became so great to
alarm me, and l attempted to "back
pedal"
This action punched the muscles of my
knees. The strap of my kniok er bockers
broke. and, Tapping wildly about, caught
in the chain-sprocket, and I-dismOunted.
1t didn't hurt me much, only my hands
felt, as [ blew upon them, as If the palms
were filled with burning Goals. The right
leg of my knickerbockers was torn COM
pietely off in a straight line around the
hip, as neatly as if the surgeons knife
had performed the circular flap in an
upper third and l was mad.
When my wife quit laughing at me and
told me- as usual that the thread and
needle were in the other valise, l was
still mad. There was nothing to do,
though, but GO on, and if we met any one
/ must hide in the bushes or sit down
and cover my limbs with my coat until
such travellers had passed. l experienced
much trouble with that strong right leg
in che descent. The fact that only light
underwear covered il seemed to instill
the idea into it that it was in racing rig
and, 90 what l would, it would go faster
than the other one. For ten miles down
the valley we rolled, sometimes over the
excellent gravel, sometimes over rocky,
stony road, and again over corduroy
built of saplings only four inches in d.
ameter, bat when laid side by side for a
mile or so they seem TO be foot apart
and three feet around.
DESERTED MINING CABINS.
Below US a pretty little stream muir
INJURED along, moss-covered huts and
cabins on the shore telling of days when
California Waa naonlnd In tic IEiIdasf 70