The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-26
NEWS OF THE wHEELMEN.
sCORoHING Ell ZEN PRoMIsFs To
RE OUr IN FORCENTO-DAT.

gard to neRlth-Preparntlona nt Indlln-
hpoIIs FOR the National Noei-NcDnmc's
GOod Routes for Riders.
According to indications this will be another
day full of invitations to the bicycle policemen
to distinguish themselves by a%rrcsting scorch.
ers. A couple Of months ago the records made
1t appear that this evil was diminishing. There
was a Sunday when in all the city not an ar.
rest was made for tho violation Of the speed
ordinance. 1t was probably because riders had
not been properly thawcd out and warmed, and
there was comparatively so small n number
abroad that tho few cases of scorchinR were un.
detected. The records OF the last few Sundays
toll a different story, but they do not by any
means represent the extent OF the practice. II
the law were enforced to the utmost tho
scorchors in the police courts tomorrow would
far outnumbcr the cases Of ~"intox.' Fifth
avenue and Eighth avenue below tho Houlc.
ward do not see so much ovcrSpeeding as the
Boulevard itself, but IL is more dangerous on
the avenues named, and there is plenty of room
for police work on thcm. The Coney Island
cycle paths are the grand resort for scorchers
nowadays. They are almost in complete con.
troll there. Nothing but u general police raid
for several weeks and steep fines will check the
growth OF tho thing, and as il will have all the
summer in which TO expand If not nipped now
the records tomorrow will show some active
police work II the officers are Jealous.
Some of tho points furnished in this weeks
report to the l.. A.. w. on streets in unfit con
ditiOn are as follows: Eighth avenue below
Fifty-ninth street is poor and in places danger
Gus. The west side OF the Boulevard is still in
miserable form. One Hundred and thirty
eighth street from Madison Avenue Bridge to
Third avenue is in wrctchcd condition and very
difficult riding; the roadway Of the bridge
is so full of splinters that it is much bet
ter 10 walk over it. In the annexed district
and n%or,hward the roads arc in good condition,
but dusty. In Brooklyn, Twenty second avenue
is all right, but Fort Hamilton avenue is COW
cred with loose. sharp stones, which are liable
to puncture thin tires. At the fort there are
five companies OF volunteers stationed, and n
o'clock. Generally speaking, the roads Of Long
Island are in excellent condition, rs are also
those of staten Island and New Jersey, the dirt
roads aS well as maCadam.
1t was at the junction of Bedford avenue and
Eastern Parkway where he sat down to rest
that n club rider Uroke forth MS follows: Don't
call Inc IA veteran because | used TO ride n high
wheel. but, oh, say! do like sometimes to look
back 10 tho old days when We did not have SO
much attention. This %tondying and catering TO
and iionizing of whecimen makes mo tired. and
! sigh for the days OF The rough Girt roads, when
farmers set their dogs on you. 1t WAS some
thing like an adventure then 10 go on a cross
country tour and bo kept guessing ms TO where
you could get something to ent or even a drink of
water, No, 1t isntdyspepsia that ails me. What
started Il was coming along and seeing signs
on two little farmhouscs stating that they had
lamps and oil for. cyclists. Thon | hogan look,
ing at the signs Of : Wheelmen's Rest Cyclists
Haven l.. A. w. Candy Store e.. It's l.. A.
w. this and l.. A. w. that, wheels checked free,
bicyclists. lunch, hicyclists' drinks, w~hcelmcn's
expect to run across u wheclmen's horscshoeing
shop next, What makes me mad is 10 think
them would do anything practical tor The cause
OF good roads to benefit us and himself ami the
community. never saw SO many signs in my
looking at them and reading, and | couldnt see
anything, else. Ii was like Punch, brothers.
punch, II made me feel like a wealthy looking
farmer landing at Niagara and being welcomed
by the %Hckmen. Before / had ridden ten miles
! thought every one was after me. | want to
get out somewhere and ride where it is not like
walking through a double line of pullers'in."
cycle manufacturers and dealers. one who is
prominent in the Board of Trade said ycslcr,
"If such an affair can be held without any
formality.. stated hours for sueochos and in.
definite attempts to form definite plans, it will
be u grand thing for the trade, and | have al
ways held that the trade and sport flourish in
compan and wanc together. Few Of the trades.
men are good speakers and the others do not
want to he bored to death listening while they
do all the, talking. Let the manufacturers
come together for "A weeks picnic Mt a seaside
resort and hobnob with each other in n good old,
fashioned way. and I'll wager there will come
Out OF the affair more good ideas and plans
than You could get in n month Mt any formal
convention under parliamentary rules. Let
the trade and ali the sport viii be discussed in
couples and q%usrtcts. without too frequent as.
scmDlases OF the whole. That is what | stand
for"
Following is the reply of a man who wears a
y"!T1Wl! Sn9 i f1n OF tsmre n oG TiI, to the G]G st
What fun. ehi Well it's the fun OF doing
something now and then, that you don't dc
every day. vs. the fun doing something every,
body else can t do, or doesn't 40. There Is u lot
Of satisfaction in being able to 20 out on q sun.
dav and reel oF 100 miles ami feel fresh and
good and get up bright and ready for business
the ncTt day. Why dol ride centuricsi like
it. All This. talk about century riding being
about IL and being done nj the cost
Of " terrible strain is nonsense. It is
i, but mean doing it easily and enjoying ii.
The satisfaction of being somewhat a stronger
enjoyment all along tho line. There is pleasure
in a itty.mile ride if IL doesn't use you up, and
there is twice MS much In Il spin of 100 miles.
like 70 see the country, and do see 1t, nOtwith,
standing tho talk, about not being able
dreh miles in, fourteen hours is not terrible
riding. II doesn't call for any sCorch'
Ing > or prolonged strain; Aimosi npybpds
can would BE- surprised TO find how easy il is
The great majority do not go on centuries
though, and ! was, thinking rnly last sunday
how it was | found the same familiar faces ii
run after run. There's a sight of socinbillty in
II loO.lnilc continuous ride. You get very wei
acquainted with your companions. and the best
OF fellowship always prevails. There are FIRE
quenL stops for rest and food and drink. anC
there are bound TO he a certain number o
mishaps OF one kind or another to give the spice
of adventure and uncertainty 20 a %Ccntury. The
true century, though. is over II strHIslitpwaS
course. That is what advocate. This doubIinl
"A course by going nifty miles and return
over the same roads il not tina way Il
ride II century. Take the run from Grrcnport
l.. l., in to BroOklvn or from Perth Amhoy Il
ASrury Park, and then you have an IDEAL cen
fury ride. With fourteen hours to do it in. vol
do not have to average more than ten miles nj
hour. and that leaves four hours Tor rests. 1t II
time the century riders in this district began Il
break away from tho old WORKOUT routes an,
seek fresh fields. That century 10 O1kdHlc NM
hack is IA lin" level run, but il is getting fright
fully mOnOtOnOus. A lOO-mile ride. cilht,
straight away or over "A ClrCultOuS route. woul,
attract new riders. Thrrc'aro thousands wh,
could make centuries easily II they would onl,
Try. IL is hard to convince any one who n"vt
tried II Of the pleasure there Is in ii, but IL /
there and the regulars get II every summer.
So much has been said pro and con by physi
olOHists ANA practitioners Uf medicine ancnt tn
healthfulness and injury of cycling that tn
testimony has become too voluminOl( Cor tn
ordinary rider to peruso and pOndcS Frur
Cleveland, however. there comes nov sou him
so new and original from an authority cog