The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-29
THELATEST W HELLER
He Is Riding Around the
United States on a Bicycle.
JUST TO SHOW HE CAN DO IT.
BufTsio Newspaper Man Who Took =
Hard Gonfract-Harsi Luck I'm the
southwest and California.

Tom NJ winder. who Is making tour
around the United States on bicycle IS
the representative of the Buffalo Illus
frated Express, arrived in this city yes
tsrday from Tacoma and will remain
until this morning. when he viii con
iiuBe his long Journey. which ne hopes
TO complete January 3. Ise. Ninder Is a
young uan, whose home ~ r. WarsaN,
Ind. and has been in the Newspaper btIsi-
ness for eighteen years Last February
ne discussed the matter Of making trip
around the United States or his wheel
with several friends, and while they
treated n at first a. a Joke. Winder final
~ made up his mind 10 attempt the jour
rlcy The Express agreed 10 send him
and an Eastern company promised 20
give him $500 II be would ride certain
type Of wheel.
Winder left Sew Orleans March II.
making that city his starting point for
the reason that by 80 doing he wound oe
able TO make an early start ana al the
same time escape bad weather. After
crossing Louisiana, Texas and Arizona,
wInder went 70 Los Angeles and then
went up the coast to Santa Cruz. Al the
latter city he cut inland and rode 70 san
Francisco, where he followed the Sacra-
rnento valley and came northward into
Oregon. He was more than three weeks
in making the trip from San Francisco
TO Seattle. Eleven days OF bad weather
were encountered, and there were times
when the eycllst wished that he was
back I'm his Indiana home, instead Of try
ing to travel around the United States
on a wheel.
II was winder's intention IN continuing
the Journey east TO follow the Great
Northern railroad. but after coming to Sc
attic yesterday and conversing with some
wheeimen and others who are acquainted
with the route he concluded that better
time could be made by following the
Northern Pacific. thus escaping the
switchhack and al the same time encoun-
tering better roads in the east
allowing for crooks and turns" said
winder to a reporter last evening. II fig
ure out that In making the trip VIII have
ridden q $50 miles. Just how far / have
ridden thus far Is impossible for me to
say. because ! lost my cyclometer In Aft-
zona and did not discover the fact for
some little time. AS far as | can figure
out I have thus far covered about 4.eoo
miles. I will go East as far as Belfast,
Me. and then skirt the Eastern coast
southwark Instead Of going into the ex-
trcme southern part Of Florida viii cu6
across IL and continue my Journey 20 New
Orleans.
Thus far have had a very delightful
trip. and yet II has at times been very
firesome. In order 20 reach my destina-
ton I'm me time allowed me | must aver
age seventy-two miles a day. but during
the trip north from California I did not
cover more than sixty. owing 20 the bad
roads. In Southern California | encoun-
tered fine roads ana nner weather. and
made splendid time. In the Fast | viii
have good travelling. as u is well known
that along the Eastern coast the roads
are OF the finest.
MY Journey In point OF adventure
might not he regarded as a great success.
! cannot honestly say that l have been
chased by any Wild animals but before
/ get through with Il I may have some
trouble with the Indians farther east.
The state which made II the most inter-
esting for me was Texas. one night
was held up Ivy couple OF negroes, who
tried 10 rob me- but | had n revolver with
me and scared them OF. Al another time.
while crossing a bridge in Texas. train
came along and I was compelled 10 place
nay wheel at the side of the bridge and
hang over until the train passed.
~ have thus far done all my riding by
day except In Arizona and New Mexico.
where ! encountered moonlight nights and
put In from sixteen TO eighteen hours a
day. once down In that country / went
thirty eight hours without bite TO eat
I could not induce family met TO sell
me anything. l learned that there had
been So many tramps IN tho country that
the railroad companies had ordered their
men not 10 feed any OF them. and came
witnln the category"