The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-07
SEEING EUROPE CHEAP
How It May be Done by the
Bicycle Tourist
THREE TRIPS OUTLINED
Where Much May be Seen at
Trifling Cost

Rome, July AT this time many Amer.
leans are considering how they can best
get a taste of European travel at moderate
expense during the vacation season. Hav-
my wheel during last summer and fall.
am surprised at the small number OF
bicyclists in the United States who seem
to appreciate the ease and economy with
which they can enjoy this most delightful
and profitable way of seeing the Old
| World. Some Of my own observations and
experiences during three long trips, which
brought me by circuitous roue from Rot
terdam to Rome, may be of service TO
those who are now contemplating a little
outing in Europe, and who would like in
formation regarding the rapidity, cost, and
advantages Of travel by the wheel.
Leaving Rotterdam on the 10th of June,
with a companion whose acquaintance 1
had made on the steamer, my first bicycl-
ing IN Europe was done over the brick
roads Of Holland. We rode between rich
meadows, In which fine cattle were broWs-
ing. Every now and then we passed
through little Village, with scrupulously
clean sidewalks. on which resounded the
clatter of wooden shoes. Everything
seemed new and strange-the windmills,
the carts, drawn by two or three dogs at
rattling pace; big, gilded milk cans every
where in sight; houses rooted with tiles,
and nowhere wood used for building. The
cows were occasionally covered with nicely
fitting blankets; men and boys were har-
messed to heavy canal-boats, aided some
what by clumsy sails which had to be
furled at every bridge. Now and then We
passed a grand mansion, set well back
from the road. All the Yerdure was damp
and luxuriant.
We went up through Delft to The Hague
and out to Scheveningen; then up 10 sleepy
Leyden, with its peaceful canal avenues
and on through mile after mile of glorious
parks and fower-gardens to HARLEM. At
Amsterdam we saw the galleries. and took
a days At; then rode through Utrecht
to Arnhem.
We were now out of the rich. fat plain,
and soon came in sight of the Rhine,
along which we rode as far as Mayence.
At Mayence we left the river, and skirted
the edge of the Black Forest from Heidel-
berg through Baden down to Frieburg.
The scenery at Baden reminded me of that
along the Deerieid valley in western
Massachusetts. Indeed, I have seen a
number of valleys in Germany and Austria
that might we'll have been In New Eng
land. ..,-
AT Frieburg We made delightful detour
around the highest peak in the Black For |
est, about 5000 feet high, and had an al !
most uninterrupted coast of fifteen miles |
down the valley of Basel, where we enter |
ed Switzerland. We had not yet seen the |
high mountains; but a day or two later; |
at Zurich, coming out on the lake 'front.' |
we saw a glorious chain of snow-peaks. |
From Zurich We went up to the celebrated |
Falls of the Rhine at Schaffhausen, and |
on to Constance. where We spent a night
again on German soil, having crossed the
border three times that day. We then
crossed the Alps by long covered bridge,
and entered Austria.
There is a trifllng formality connected /
with taking bicycle into Austria. It con-
sists in depositing s12 In gold, which will
be returned to you when you leave the
Now we were among genuine mountains.
and spent our first night in Austrian terri
tory, with a grand snow-peak, the Scesa-
plana, directly opposite our window.
The next day we did our first pass-cross-
Ing. Our road led through narrow val
ley, shut in by high peaks, from which
flowed countless cascades and waterfalls.
Slowly at first, but afterwards more rapid
~, we wound up the summit Of the Arl
berg pass, 500 feet high, and then down
Into another narrow valley. The steep
mountains on either side OF us were cover
ed with spruce forests and green pastures,
and cows were grazing so high up that
they looked like tiny specks. On we rode
past ruined castles, through glorious seen
cry. fifty miles in the mud and rain to
Innsbruck My chain being protected by a
year-case; and / myself by Dutch bicycl-
SITS cape the rain never interfered with
my progress.
We spent one more night in Austrian
territory, at an inn with whitewashed
stone walls, a yard thick in places. dark,
2!d-fashioned staircases, and incandescent
electric lightsl
1 got my bicycle money safely at the
Austrian border, and, after long days
-ide over the great Bavarian plain, entered
Munich June so, 1859 miles from Rotter-
lam. spent q db aiih SS
he Ord of August packed up my Things
md set out alone for a thousand miles or
Alpine bicycling. 1 carried with me a COM
,lete change of clothing. had "a luggage
carrier that fitted in the frame, another
hat hung from the saddle. and still an
,ther on the handle bars. The wheel when
oaded weighed between sixty and seventy
,ounds.
When only a mile or two out Of Munich,
came In sight Of the high mountains,
md for three weeks thereafter could see
hem all the time On the second day l
vas threading my way between steep
,eaks, and that afternoon the snow sum-
nits came IN sight. spent the night at
he Konigsee. a beautiful lake. from which :
rise sheer mountain sides 500 feet above ,
he level of the water. The third day I .
cached Salzburg, which Humboldt sets !
,eside Constantinopie and Naples as the ,