Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-14
MILITARY BICYCLE CORPS.
Story of Its Crossing the Mountain
In Montana.

story of Its Crossing the Mountains
In Montana.
The bicycle was thoroughly tested for
military purposes in q recent trip over the
Rocky mountains. The bicycle corps IN
Ger Lieut. Moss, started from Fort Mis-
souia Montana. on the morning of the 18th
OF August. and crossed the summit of the
mountains at 4:30 o'clock August IT, ar
irving at Helena later in the evening. After
a brief rest at Fort Harrison, the march
was resumed, and active work for ffty-
three hours brought the party to the Vel
iowstone Park. In letter Just received
Lieut.. MOSS gives some interesting details
OF his trip. as follows:
so Tar our trip has been a decided sue
cess Not including the distance Travelled
IN the park. we have covered 1923 miles in
hfty-three hours Of actual travelling, aver
aging little over six miles an hour. We
nave made this over some of the worst
roads in the United States, going over
mountain ranges, fording streams, travel
ing In mud. dust, rain, sun, over rocks.
etc. For miles We have rolled our wheels
up mountain sides in the dust three and
TOUR inches deep. At 5 pm. September /
we leave for Helena, and hope to cover the
distance, 191 miles,. in three forced
marches"
OF the trip through the mark he gives the
following description:
Both the soldiers and myself enjoyed
our trip through the park immensely The
officers and soldiers stationed in the park
did all in their power to make us have a
sood tlme. and my men are delighted with
the treatment they have received every
where. 1 can hardly determine any rate of
the distance travelled in the park, as we
were constantly stopping to look at the
seysers. paint pots. falls. etc. However, on
our way back we made no stops from Nor
ris Basin to the Mammoth Hot Springs
twenty miles,. as we had been over this
part of the route going We left Norris
Basin yesterday afternoon at $50. and
reached the springs at 1870, having covered
the twenty miles in just two hours. The
iirst ten miles we made in fifty-five min
uteS. The roads were exceedingly dusty
but the grade was in our favor, although
We had to roll our wheels up several hills
Last thursday we crossed the CONT
mental Divide twice In going from the
Fountain Basin to The Thumb. The whole
distance (twenty-nine miles) was dusty and
billy. The road from the upper Geyser
Basin to The Thumb twenty miles) was
oy far the worst road we had on the whole
trip. 1t was between these two points that
we crossed the divide twice In one after
noon, the roads being exceedingly dusty
sandy. rough and billy. Again and again
We walked in dust and sand up to our
ankles. rolling our bicycles up grade; time
IL hours. 1t would have taken a COM
pany of infantry, in heavy marching order
as we were, one whole day to make this
hdiCi, tHeH tHey WOulQ nave been al
most dead with fatigue. The soldiers were
up until II o'clock that night. getting off
Jokes, jollying one another" etc.
NO one Will regret this interruption of q
well-laid plan more than Lieut.. Moss him
self. Beyond the fact that the government
furnishes the men the usual rations, the
lieutenant has provided for the entire ex-
pense of the trip himself. The expenses for
subsistence and the incidental charges
along the route are all to be paid by him
The United States are put to no expense
whatever. By commendable enterprise he
secured the bicycles and undertook the
work; and whether the results prove of
value or not, he deserves considerable cred
II. How much interest he took in the mat
ter for the men may be seen by the 1ol-
lowing extract from the letter just receiv-
ed. Speaking of the visit through the park
and It's benefits, he says:
The trip will, I think. serve as a great
educator to the men. The wonders they
have seen during the last five days will
broaden their minds. What a difference
between such a trip as this and bibernat-
ing in the barracks