Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-09
THROUGH ENGLAND ANHEEL

DR.. William Jarvie of Brooklyn and his
daughter, Miss Jarvie have just returned
from a trip through England, under what
| were apparently perfect conditions in every
| respect.
1.-The first thing we did, planning for our
| trip. was to join the Cyclists Touring
Club said Mr.. Jarvie to a New York
Times reporter in describing his trip. 1--WE
Joined the club a year ago. when We plan
ned to take this same trip, but abandoned
| it for the tine. From the club We obtained
| maps and books, and with these 1t was
possible to go from one part of England
| 20 any other part with nc other informa-
| ton, If one had common sense and a heard
for locality. There are excellent guide
| posts a most of the cross roads.
Our entire trip lasted eight weeks. We
| left here July Z, and reached here again
| September 10. Our actual wheeling trip
| did not begin until July Il.
| IAN important part of Our arrangements
| was concerning our baggage. That could
| learn nothing about before left home. but
VIC found that 1t could be Very easily and
| satisfactorily managed. We took with US
| three pieces of luggage and each small
| package containing lew necessary toilet
| articles.
LAS for the transportation Of our lug
| gage, we had so little trouble with 1t ard II
| was of Sc little expense that we found we
| could have it sent along with US from day
| to day. Sometimes We did not open 1t at
| all when we had had an easy day and were
| not much heated. For the three pieces
| we paid from SO to GO cents. varying lit
| tle according to the distance. In town
here we would pay 50 cents for each piece
| of baggage transported from the station
| to the house.
| THE roads in England are exactly as the
Kentuckian described his whisky-they were
all good, but some We're better than others.
| In North Devonsn ire it was very hilly, but
| in middle and southern England the roads
| were better than the roads We have in Gen.
| trail or Prospect Park. The North Devon
| shire roads were not SO good, for there is
| great deal of coaching there. and 1t is nec-
| essary to use the drags, which dig up the
roads little.
| I'VE were not riding to cover distances.
| We simply used our wheels as means of
| locomotion. and there is nothing that is
| so satisfactory for such a trip. l have
| tramped good deal, spent several sum-
mers in Switzerland. gone in carriages and
coaches, but there is nothing equal to the
| bicycle. 1t is as Independent to go on foot.
| but, while you do not care to ride faster
| than eight miles an hour with wheel, you
| can much of the country as you wish
| to in that time. and ii takes you along
| much more quickly.
| Weather Conditions Favorable.
| 1.-The first four weeks of our trip the
| weather was perfect. 1t did not rain per-
| haps more than twice in the whole time,
| but the last part of the time it rained per-
haps twenty times a day. But the roads
| dry quickly. We would do our riding be-
| tween showers, and there only one
| time in the whole trip that were thor
| oughly wet. That was in going from Bide
| ford to ClovelIy. Then we were wet
| through. We had started before it began
! to rain, and there were no very good stop
| ping places, and SO we kept on. We had
dry clothing awaiting US and as there is no
| danger of taking cold if you keep on work.
| ing. We suffered no inconvenience from it.
| I'VE made 10 preparation for rain;
| suits We're intended for all kinds of wealth
| err neither too hot nor too cold; not too
| heavy, and yet warm enough. If you are
wearing WOODEN clothing and vet
| through and the clothing dries on you,
| there will be no Inconvenience from it. 1
think if 1 were going again 1 should lave
| something waterproof to put on in case
| Of sudden showers. But waterproof mate
rial gives no outlet for the heat of the
| body, and If worn any length of time the
| moisture which will form will dampen the
| clothing. and when the waterproof is re-
moved there is a cold, clammy feeling,
| which is very disagreeable. 1 know that
| from experience.
| Another thing that I would have for
! another touring expedition would be 4 gear
| case to cover the chain ana sprockct of the
| wheel. They are not SO much used here,
| but they are used very generally there. 1t
Is all very we'll not to have them when You
| are at home and only go out in pleasant
| weather. and perhaps have some one TO
| clean your wheel, but in touring, when the
| roads are little muddy. and the mud gets
| into your chain and sprocket it Is great
| nusar ce. They tell me these gear cases
| need not be removed more than once
year.
"Our program for the day in touring
was something like this: In the first place,
| l. may say that 1t is much more difficult to
| get an early breakfast in England than it
| Is In America or even on the continent.
| The lest could get would be bread and
| butter and coffee and hing
| which would not require the use of the reg
| ular steve. The very earliest We could get
this would be between and o'clock. And
| TINS seems strange, for 1t is light SO early
| in England. We would then ride our wheels
| until about IL, when We would stop for
something to drink. Miss Jarvie would
! shandygaff. half ginger ale and half beer
The beer gives the tonic qualities, and the
| ale gives life.
British Fare Appreciated.
Eve stopped for luncheon about O'clock
| This was always cold. but excellent. There
would be beef and ham, which were very
good and in the larger inns meat pies,
veal and chicken pies, with salad, lettuce,
bread and butter, and some light dessert.
In some OF the moderate-sized inns we
would find the table spread and the joint
| and ham delicious. Very often We would
| have to do our own carving. The climate
| Is such that it is possible to ride at any
time during the day without Inconvenience
| There is never the extreme heat we have
here. The time we stopped depended upon
the place. Sometimes we would stop an
| hour and half at noon.
| THE inns in England are all delightful.
always clean, and, while there is not a va
| ried bill of fare. everything is good and
well cooked. There is nothing better than
the bacon they have. The second and third
| class inns are infinitely better than the
corresponding establishments in this coun-
try.
Most Of the inns are old ones, there are
| very few which are new, and the increase
of coaching and bicycling is bringing them
| prosperity again. They were all delightful
| Dickens has never written anything about
them which was not deserved. There was
| one delightful old inn twelve miles
| from Manchester. 1t had a beautiful lawn
| around it, a lawn such as we never see in
this country. Inside there were Charming
old silver and pretty blue china. The pro-
| prietor, seeing that we were interested,
| took Us around the building, and in the
| pantry we saw the arches Of what 500 or
| 800 years ago was a cloister. Everything
| green We had on the table that day was
1 folro