The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-10
RICHMOND WnEELWOMEN
A PARTY TO RIDE FROM THIS CITY
TO ATLANTA. GA.
Some Of the Ladies' Who are Enthusisstic
'Cyclers-Msny Girls are Riding.
To Form q Club,

! Richmond has row gotten to be the
leader among southern cities for the
| iemaIe 'cyclist. When one sees pretty
| little girl, dainty society young LADY,
| or a handsome married woman speeding
| along on her wheel as serenely as you
| please on any CT the principal thorough
| iares in the West knd or the East End,
| IL is hard TO realize that only "a short
| while ago the female riders OF THIS city
could be counted On your myers. Inc
| piucky girls had to undergo the general
| fusilade OF newspaper ana verbal crit.
| icisIns against the "unwomanliness or
the sport and for while they were dis,
| couraged. Such terms as tom-boys
| and the like grated upon their ears
since society has taken up with the
| wheel, however, everything runs along
smoothly, and the number Of femd,9
| cyclists is increasing every day. Ana
| why notf ! cannot. for the lie OF me,
| see any immodesty in this healthful and
| pleasant past-time. The old theory has
| the most prominent girls in the city have
| taken advantage OF the fact The So
ciety girl, with her twenty-pound wheel.
| can now be daily seen taking her consti-
| tutional out on west Franklin. the Broad
| street road. the Brook turnpike. the
| boulevard. and many places in and about
the city. 1t has become a popular lad,
and many who formerly opened their
| eyes in holy horror when pretty woman
| sped by on her no.seless bicycle have
now learned 10 look upon the sport as
harmless and perfectly proper. This
summer the woods Will be full Of female
cyclists.
SOME or The RIDERS.
The lady riders of Richmond owe much
to Miss May Handy, who was about the
first in Richmond 10 champion the cause
She learned to ride while on visit
10 one OF the northern watering places.
When she first took TO the sport in this
city, she gave Madame Grundy a little
shaking up: but soon the prejudice was
overcome. some of the doctors who had
advised against the wheel came over to
the popular side. the regulation against
riding IN the Capitol Square was annulled,
as far as the ladies were concerned. and
a number OF society women were not
slow to take to the sport.
Among the cleverest riders to be seen
now and then on the boulevard and other
popular drives are Miss Mary Pace and
Mrs. Charles T.. Smith. They spin along
with grace and ease that is quite pleas
ing. Their riding cos tunes are among
the neatest to be seen. Each affects the
Alpine style. which is graceful and at
tractiyei Miss Callic Ryland is also a
Bodeker, Miss Kate Harris. Miss Viz
GINA Hayes, Miss Bessie Pace. Miss
Callie Mercer, Mrs. John ID. Murrell and
q long list of others. Among the other
pace are Misses Williams, White. Baird.
Esq Esse Phillips, Harris Bowie. Winco,
sic Watkins. Mrs. George Davis. Miss
Lula Hart. Misses Mayo. Tallev and
many others too numerous to mention.
THE YOUNG GIRLS.
There are large number Of little girls
and others just beginning 10 tuck up their
hair who are enthusiastic devotees OF
the wheel Some of them literally live
on their bicycles. They get up parties.
ramble about the country FOR mile or
two around the city, and get any amount
OF enjoyment out of the sport Many
them n
set the pace for some of the boys who
frequently accompany them on short
bicycle tours in and around the city.
One of the cleverest little riders / have
yet seen IS little Miss Pauline Powers,
daughter of Mr.. Robert W. Powers. She
t the wbe kf hn and her bearing on
very neat rider is Miss Daisy Hancock,
as is also Miss Maude Thompson. Other
riders an ong the younger girls who are
often seen enjoying the sport are Misses
MichauX. Leary, Whitlock. Ellyson. Gil
mer Goodman Yancey, Stearns. Buford.
Putney .Waddill, Starke, Street Thomp-
son. Besides these there are many Others
who have taken advantage of the pleas
ure 70 De gotten from the wheel and the
number, goes on Increasing from week
thirty or more female riders. including
a number of married women, are now
In framing a one Of the schools These
VIII help swell the army of lady 'cvcItete
in short time. 1t is estimated thst
there are more than one HUNDRED and
hfty female riders now in the CITY. and
TINS number will doubtless be increased
10 HVe hundred within the next year.
TOUR TO ATLANTA
a bicycle tour from Richmond throu.b
the taroi:nas 10 Atlanta and return bv
a party OF ladies and gentlemen! Siicb q
th,hg would seem at trst blush TO be a
colossal undertaking for amateurs Yet
that is just what is going 10 ba done This
summer. or early IN the fall Plans are
being considered already for the trip and
a number OF ladies', as well as gentlemen
nave become all interest in the matter
The details of the trip have no. vet been
mapped out. 1t is, however. am cstab-
ilshed TACT that the trip will be taken
that Mr.. Walter Mercer. the wrlI-known
wheelman Of this city. will direct the
cyclists. II IS understood that the route
will be via Petersburg. Weldon. Hender-
son, Raleigh, Monroe, Chester, s c.: FL
berton and Athens. Ga This seems to
be the most convenient route for the
tourists, as there are large number of
stop overnight from time to time, and
break the trip at places where hotel ac-
commodat!ons can be secured
The route above mapped out has not
however been settled upon, and II is
barely possible that the party may de-
eide to go via Danvile thence to Green's
boro. Charlotte Greenville and thence
to Atlanta The idea in view is to travel
over for the night at convenient places
en- route. and viewing places OF interest
The trip will be somewhat after the
order OF the touring party of botan!sts
from New England TO South Carolina
some years ago, in which Miss Daisy
Hampton was conspicuous figure. They
walked from Massachusetts to the Pal
netto State, making a study Of plants
and flowers wherever they found any
striking botanical specimens
II is thought that the cyclists tour 20
Atlanta will be completed in less than
probably be carried along, and the tour
v i'll doubtless be a very interesting one
in variety of ways. Quite a lumber Of
cyclists have already indicated their pur-
pose to join the party, and more are
Lected to decide later.
pcYcLf NOTES.
1t may be worth while here TO insert a
tit of advice which lady riders would do
well TO heed. Some Of them have been
in the habit of tying red ribbon TO the
handles of their wheels by way OF orna-
ment. This shoild be avoided when tours
in the country are made. II is some
what undignfed TO drop ones wheel in
angry bovnes. Twas interesting 10 Wit
ness the agility OF number Of female
riders a few days since. Rosy cheeks
won't enrage a bull but red ribbon viii
1t is said a ladies club is forming. II
is 10 be styled the Good Road Ramblers.
The object of the club is to promote
the sport in this city. pick out good roads.
and ray as much toll possible. so far
there have been no regularly orcaniZcd
movement towards racing among the falr
cyclists. This will come later however.
The bloomer costume has not as yet
Ats are made after an exceedingly at
tractiye pattern, and they Will hardly