The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-07-19
ON LEVEL PRAIRIES.
The Seattle Cross Country Blk.
ers I'm the DakotaA
1900 MILES or RoUeH RIDING.
A Pleasant Trip Through fhs bad
Lands snake
AT Bismarck.

tells 4 lively. interesting story OF their
experiences In Montana. and through the
| Bad Lands OF North Dakota
The letter dated At Bismarck. July ID
follows:
| Wheeling through Montana II pleasant
| Ia many respects. bat we are not al al
sorry TO be wen over n North Dakota
Eastern Montana Is now associated N
cur minds with sand. prickly pears. COW
trails and sage brush None of them are
particularly dear to Us. and when We
struck the smooth roads ever the rolling
surface Of Dakota we expressed salts
faction The alkali water Is our chief OBJ
lection 20 this state
From Livingston We ran out late one
afternoon about twelve miles on our way
20 Billings 50 as TO be able II possible ID
make Billings the next day. There was
one consideration. aside from that OF
time. which caused US to desire TO reach
Billings. week In the park had depleted
our purses. or rather had emptted mine.
and had helped TO nAtten Mr.. Turner'S.
so that our available cash would barely
take Us TO Billings where a money order
was In waiting. Riding through strange
part OF the country with pancrured
purse Is an unenviable experience. for
rubber patch WON'T repair IT. These cir
cumstances account for the longest days
ride We have yet made, liz miles. oA We
found the remittance at the end OF the
days ride and as result We took day
OF rest. The day was intensely hot, In fact
the mercury stands very high in the es-
tisnation OF the Inhabitants Of the Yellow
stone valley during the summer months.
and this particular day It registered over
100 degrees on two or three more or less
reliable thermometers.
We did some very pleasant coasting dur
ing the day. and at one time Mr.. Turner
had an experience which he hopes not 10
repeat. We were coming down very long.
crooked hill, Turner a few rods ahead.
At the bottom the road takes sharp
turn. and as came around the curve
with my wheel under control. saw the
front part of my partners machine stick
ing out between two large rocks. and his
head and shoulders Just emerging from
behind the larger of the bouiders. He had
ths surprised look OF person suddenly
awakened from sleep and after ascertain
ing that neither he nor the wheel were
injured we both had a hearty laugh at
the movements which he had executed.
Our rough. hazardous riding Is now over
and our machines will probably not be
put to any more tests but we are begin
ming to feel an affection for our noiseless
steeds. based upon eompanionship of
over 100 miles OF rough riding.
From Billings We followed the south
side OF the river, being obliged 10 wind in
and out along the cow trails for many
miles. At little section house we stop
ped for the night. and slept not at ALL
There were no screens to the windows
and the mosquitoes came from the river
in sHarfns and literally drove us out of
doors. where we made smudge of green
sage brush and waited for morning That
day We were neither OF us In good spirits
and we rode far apart. and kept pumping
In one respect we We're happily disappoiut-
a had nj haf a
very poor water all the way into Dakota,
but at every section house, and nearly
every ranch we found good ice water
Where We stopped for supper the people
used water from melted ice for washing
as well as drinking. The ranchers along
the lower Yellowstone have found It
easier TO haul ice In the winter when there
is but little else 20 do than TO secure good
water during the hot summer months
That night about dusk we stopped at
a little cabin and were told by two Eng
lish boys who owned the place that we
could stay If we cared 10 share their
bachelor quarters. The offer was a.
cepted and they even forced upon us their
cots while they made beds for themselves
on the floor. The miserable preceding
night had put us In condition TO more
fully appreciate their generosity: the mos
qultoes made fuss on the outside of the
screens. but not one encounter did we
have during the night. The breakfast
was fine and we shall remember those
boys long time, not only for the en-
tertainment, but because they were per-
feet gentlemen. They had each served
three years in the L. s. regular army, but
a soldiers life had not made them rough
and "fun OF strange oaths," and We did not
hear an ungentlemanly expression from
either
The next night we had another section
house experience. Just east of Miles city
darkness overlook US, and at the nearest
section house We dismounted and fought
mosquitoes while negotiating for lodging
and breakfast. We found a room with a
screen TO the window and went to bed,
but soon were made aware that mosuui-
toes are not the only pest. Certain sus-
picious cravings over our tired frames
caused Us 10 strike a light 10 investigate.
Pillows. sheets and all were covered with
hed-hugs. we wouldn't have minded a few
dozen. but there were hundreds OF the
voracious fellows walking W and down
that bed searching for food We con-
sidered. Turner sat on a trunk; and I on
a chair for a fun half hour. and tried 10
determine what TO do. To go out OF
doors meant death from mosquitoes:
10 sleep on that bed would have DESTROYED
anyone but a mlraculoQsiy protected
Daniel An. Eureka, of came the bed
clothes and disclosed the bare woven
wire springs below. and with our sweat
ers for pillows. nothing above US. and
only that wire beneath US we PASSED the
night. The next morning our bodies were
marked by the springs IN an artistic man
ner such as would have made a tatooesl
South SEA- Islander extremely envtous
No more section houses for us please
The next day we made seventy miles ove-
a very rough road. part OF the way on
the railroad track rather than stop
short % Gleniiye. the nearest hotel point
Occasionally We wopli run through a
bed OF '.gumbo" glaey mud which sticks
like a book agent. When our machines
would run into it there was nothing TO do
but dismoant and extract them ard our
selves Then would ensue an hour OF
hard work removing the mud which would
clog the chain and wheels.
Speaking OF the '1gUmho'' reminds me
az the man n Spokane who recently
bought a wheel. and few DAYS later
came hack 70 the dealer, saving. NY
wheels run very hard. in fact I have 70
pgssh hard 20 make IRE wheels 20 AZ ALL
esFFAve goa oiled IL" asked the dealer
Yes. sir
Are yaa1 sure you oiled y thoroaxhYyss-
'-Oh. yes. gave Il good oIiinx from
the OF IN this lead bo,sle." pointing to his
cemsns tube
Another equally Iaascroas inelasr. vas
reEatea 70 Is hy e&Syc1s agent A rasa
Nho had boGght > wbsal came back 10
the agent IN a few days ard said that hts
wheel woaIsnt te-u wsli. He said he had
oiled i wes ard bad AIKEN good care Of
r. TIE agent gave the rear wheel a twist
ana X pent half way roanS se6 sEop24d
What have yoG eons TO stv' he asked
the owner.
Netting: sxce7; that yesterday I took
eat = few es the shes from the hub. out
f4f ~ ~ xFr %a