The evening times., 1896-11-02

mosphere lowering about the peaks of snow
clad mountains. The air is light and inyiS
Grating; the leaves of the dense foliage are
of an unnatural freshness; the grasses are
fragrant, and of a peculiar richness.
1t is an ideal spot for cyclist, and the
champion rider A. W. Evens, who recently
visited the course, came away with this
idea, if we can Judge by the following ac-
count concerning the track. which he has
written:
when the Cyclists Union Club was
started in Mexico a year ago. the menr
bers began to look around for suitable
track, with the result that one was planned
on the Paseo de la Piedad. and it is now
one of the finest tracks in the country.
There are many reasons why this track
is a favorite one among whcelnien. Nor
are the least OF these the equable teinpera-
ture of tn climate and the delightful scenery
of the locality. II might be thought that.
at an altitude of & 900 feet, racing wouli
be difficult. but IL has not been found so.
Some remarkably good records have been
made over this track. and the riders have
experienced no ill-effccts from their work
This highest track in the world is on
n fine avenue, the surface OF which is very
good, as in fact are a Il roads leading into
the Mexican capital The track itself Is
covered with a material resent bling cement,
but not quite SO hard.
For five or six months OF the year we
have no rain in Mexico that amounts 10
anything, and the few showers never Wet
more than the surface, which is as dry as
u bone within an hour after the rain Is
over. Mexico is in many respects Il wheel
mans paradise. There is hardly any dust
on the roads, nd what little there is, does
not blow all over owe as it does in the
States. After leaving the City of Mexico
the road ON which the track in the skies is
situated, winds upward toward the snow
capped ridge surrounding the plateau. On
both sides of the way are immense trees
that cast pleasing shade as the whenI
men pedal along the hard, dry roadbed
THE growth of vegetation. is most iux-
uriant, and across the narrow valley can
be seen the green-clad slopes of the noun
tains as they rise to snow capped peaKs
which pierce the clouds TIE cntranc"
to the track is by sharp turnout of the
road across the little rustic bridge, over
what was once canal The ticket office
is a tiny building with a matched roof.
which gives very picturesque effect 20
the entrance.
THE track is n third of a mile in
length, and is half cncircIed by the granI
stand, which has row of handsome
private boxes in front. Just beyond the
grand stand is promenade with well
kept walks Ind al anevergreen law
ION the opposite side of the track from
the grand stand are the training quarters
of the men. Each man has a separate
f,.r -nl
there is a large house for all at the
track. The incIJsurc is kept in the best
possible order, and there is every con-
venicnCe for the riders as well for the
spectators. The track is rather a fast one
| One rider rode an unpaccd mile in 2'l2-
| l myself have ridden II 2-3 miles i'll
one hour, unpaoed. and ON one occasion
| l made "a century, unpaccd, i'll . hours
| and 30 minutes.
Directly in front If the track can ic
seen the towering heights Of Popocatepe:i.
| the highest mountain in America. Sine.
the earliest memory OF man this gilut
has been snow-capped. Just beyond is
seen another huge peak. 1t is IZtacvi-
huatl. and, althouth both mountains seen.
| but a few miles distant, they are i'll
| reality over fifty miles away
| ''As Il rule, the majority Of Mexican
| bicycle races are run ON Sunday, whicf!
| Is the day for general recreation in this
| country. At first the people did not tikc
| kindly to the idea Of the riders appear.
| ing barearmcd and barelcgged on the
| track. but they soon got over that, and
| now everybody is anxious to go to Jf3..
races and see the results II is safe 20
| say thai bicycle riding and bull fighting
are making a close race for popular favor
| in Mexico.
Surrounding the track and on either
| SIDE of the broad walks leading up Ia
| the grand stand are set flag poles. and on
days when there is any racing the AT
| is fun of gayly -colored bunting.
"In my racing experience i'll Mexico i
have found the country and the people
most delightful, particularly in-the i'm
mediate vicinity of the City of Mexico
| In this very even climate it does not seem
| To me that one feels the fatigue of riding
or racing as in a more northern lstituda
and have found that, taken aitoi ether
| Mexico is the place OF all places for the
| enthusiastic wheclman.
zone peculiar thing, however, is the
| habit which the Mcxicans have of taxing
| bicycle 81 each month. Each wheel
| is registered and numbered, and if I'll,
| rider is found on the street without i b.i
| and 4 metal tag showing his nuInLer an,
Il light at night. he or she is fined S. Blu,
| there is 20 much else in favor Of the plac.
| for the wheelman that after the first montl
he does not bother much about the tax. :
| In hooking over Chairman CiiGeoD's recnr