The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-09-17
YEAR OF ROAD RIDING
SUCH. NOTABLY, WAS 1899 IN
MINNESOTA CYCLING
ANNALS
PRESIDENT MACE's REVIEW

1t Gives Resume of the Seasons
New Records So Far and the In
viting Opportunities Yet Open to
the Expert Rider Late Spring
Did Not Spoil the Season-CycIe
Notes.
President A. L. Mace, of the Century
Road club. gives the G b e an interest
ing review of the departures made in CEN
fury and long distance riding during the
season. in this state as we'll the East and
South He says:
Century and long distance road riding
opened up very late in Minnesota TINS
spring on account of the lingering erect
of an unusually cold and stormy winter.
Some of the few who look with dlsIaVor
upon this style of cycling, took advantage
of this lull in the whirring of the wheels
to predict that the century rider with MS
bars. was going out or style, ana that,
before many seasons, the country ROAD
ride would become SO unpopular with the
Wheelmen that such a performance as
century would be attempted only by
few of the old has beens' who don t
know how to enjoy moderate riding. Alas
for these early predictions Of the cycling
pesSemiSt, this has turned out to be the
greatest year for road riding ever known
in this country. Interest Is not confined
to any particular state or section either,
but seems to be at high tide in all parts
of the Union.
THE New York Journal century run
run over the famous Long Island course
last June turned out $50 wheelmen In
line, and quite recently a joint run In
New York given under the auspices OF the
Royal Arcanum and New York Firemen's
association had the unprecedented num-
Der of 1000 wheelmen In line at the start.
Club runs in Massachusetts have also
been patronized this year to an extent
hitherto unknown the same is true of
Indiana and Wisconsin.
up to this time there has been little
century riding reported from the Southern
states and the California district, the rea-
season is just about to begin in those sec
lions. The mileage and century reports
will be rolling in from these favored sec
tons of our country long after the Mime
sofa enthusiast has stored his wheel in
the attic and is plodding down to his office
or store through the snow drifts!
But it is of the Minnesota season I
wish to write at this time. The Mime
sofa road rider is now in his element, and,
1 should add her element for a goodly
proportion of our best road riders in this
state belong to the. gentler sex; Some. of
the most remarkable feats Of wheeling
which have been recorded this year have
been made by women riders, and l wish
to remark in passing, that, contrary to
Cn6 OIL expressed opinion lHdI long us
lance riding is injurious, the lady mem
bers Of the Century Road club are the
heartiest, the healthiest. and the happiest
class of cyclists in the state They are
out being aware of it, and soon be-
come so accustomed to long trips
awheel, that century or even
double" Is made a pleasure instead Of
task
''Of our lady riders. Mrs. McIlrath, Of
ST. Paul. is certainly entitled to first
place. June 26 she accomplished the first
"Quint" century. ever ridden by a woman
in America, or the world. for that mat
1.-THE rules governing 'fquint',' century
riding are that the entire distance 600
miles, must be covered by wheel or
sixty hours elapsed time from start to
finish. Mrs. McIlrath completed the dis
tance in fifty-eight hours and forty min
utes and finished in fine condition, SEEM
ingly unaware of the marvellous nature
of her performance. Her great ride at
tracted attention to Minnesota from all
over the country among the cyclists, and
riders began to look to the North Star
state for more record-breaking feats.
They did not have to wait long 10 be
astonished and dumfounded again., for
of Minneapolis started on a race against
time for 1000 miles over the Smelling
'TOnka century course which has since
been re-christened the, Hansen course
and established state road records from
100 miles up to 500; national road records
from 500 up to 1000 miles, and the
worlds record for 1000 miles. which was
formerly held by T. A Edge of London,
England at 105 hours 10 minutes. Han
sen reduced these figures to 929 hours Sc
minutes and became the champion long
distance rider of the world. This ride
can be called the greatest. cycling. feat
of the year, showing as it does that the
Northwest can produce men of the neces--
sary stamina and ability to take front
rank among the athletes Of the world.
While I am on the subject of multiple
centuries I wish to mention the very
meritorious ride of Miss Minnie Cum
succeeded in accomplishing a quadruple
century in At hours 90 minutes.
This performance Is particularly re-
markabe from the fact that the young
made more than q single century "a, at q
her well up in line and she is considered
one Of the. best road riders in the, state.
stands fourth in the State Century com
petition. is another rider who merits
special mention. Joining the club less
than a year ago, she has ridden more
centuries under club rules since then
than any other lady in the Northwest,
with the single exception Of Mrs. James
McIlrath. Of St. Paul. who ranks as the
Queen of the Wheel s..
1.-THE first century in Minnesota. for
the season. of 1899 was. ridden April y,
by James McIlrath local centurion Of st.
Paul. Mac made the ride under most
discouraging conditions Of road and
wea Their Through snow and ice and
mud he succeeded in his attempt and his
first bar this year bears an earlier date
than that OF any other rider in this
state The honor of making the first cen
tury is becoming much sought after by
riders and the competition among them
is very keen. The ride of Mr.. McIlrath
attracted considerable local attention at
the time and he will be sure of favorable
and honorable mention in the state cen
Just one week after McIlraths ride Mrs
McIlrath made the he SECOND eco cent century Of
woman; she rode over the regular st.
Paul-'Tonka century course
Mr.. Archie Matheis, who has charge Of
the road records department Of the Gen.
fury Road club, In this state, says that
more applications have been made for
''bars" this season than ever before-so
far as club records go-and no one would
doubt this statement in the least after
WITNESSING the crowds q, wheelmen
checking stations along the course on a.