Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-07-02
BROKE THE RECORD.
Edwin Simons Again Holds
the Championship Cup.
Distance from Hartford to Augusta
Covered in oh. I'm.
Trip Under Most Favorable Conditions and
No Accidents.

| broke the 30O-lnil road bicycle record
| yesterday, by riding from Hartford
Conn.,. to this city in q hours and /:
minutes.
Simons started from Hartford. al
Z O'Clock Saturday morning, leaving the
| Old Court house. He was then dressed
| in an ordinary bicycle suit and. was
paced by motor cycles. His first desti-
nation was at Springfield, Mass, tc
| which place he had a strong side wind
and everything in his favor. On arriv-
ing at Springfield, he stopped few
| moments, and ate a simple lunch OF
sandwich, a glass of milk and a piece
of pie.
When he left Springfield the cosdi-
lions had slightly changed. The wind
changed and instead of blowing at his
side blew from behind and greatly as
sisted him in his work. He continued
on his way making the best of time
over the hard roads He arrived in
Boston, at 4.23 p. NJ, Saturday. There
he at once went to the emergency hos
pital where he was rubbed down and
given lunch. the first approach to a
meal that he took on the road, consist
ing of toast, dropped eggs and milk
He left Boston at 40 p. NJ, but be-
fore he started he made a slight change
Up to that time he had been riding
91-gear wheel. He had with him an
other wheel, in case an accident should
occur. This wheel was geared to 81
and had a coaster brake. He could use
the high gear when he was on the
Massachusetts roads. but feared that
on the Maine roads the wheel would
not De able to stand the strain.
Until he reached Boston he was paced
by motor cycle There the PAGERS
We're changed to a tandem ridden by
Bicknell and Harrison of Boston. With
this team he continued to Portland, ar
irving there at $40 A. NJ. Un to this
time, of course, the ride was taken in
the darkness. each wheel was fitted
with a lantern and the riders did not
have the slightest difficulty
On arriving at Portland he went to
one of the local drug stores where it
was arranged that his PAGERS should
meet him. They failed to appear and
an attempt was made to find them by
telephone. 1t seems that there was a
misunderstanding as to the hour he
should arrive and his PAGERS did not
show up. When they did arrive finally
the men started out. A short stop was
made at Freeport. There Simons
tasted food for the first time after
leaving Boston. The lunch he ate was
not hearty but was just enough to
keep him from being faint. 1t was in
this section that he drank water for
the first time since leaving Hartford.
At Freeport he made change in his
costume. Up to this time he had been
wearing a dark bicycle suit. Then he
changed to a blue jersey striped with
white. He replaced his cap with a |
close fitting jersey cap on which We're
his colors.
He continued on to Brunswick where |
his PAGERS We're changed. The tandem
was dropped out of the race and in its
place were used two single wheels. |
ridden by Louis Tibbetts and Charles
Up to this time Simons had met
with the most favorable winds. Then |
the wind suddenly veered and began
to blow in his face and it was against |
this that he rode into this city. While |
through Bowdoinham his front
wheel picked up a tack. 1t was not an
TACK Dut more III inc shape Oh |
a small nail. A piece of cardboard had |
been slipped over the head so that the |
nail was standing upright in the road. |
AS soon as he attended to the tire he
decided to let the nail remain and rode |
into Augusta with it. The air leaked |
out of the tire so slowly that he was
obliged to blow uD the tire but once.
1t was just 1912 when he arrived at
the bicycle shop of Cyr & Michaud in
this city. 1t was expected that he
would not arrive here until about noon
and there was the greatest surprise |
when he appeared.
He was at once taken in charge by a |
physician and given the best possible
care Everything that could be done
for his comfort was furnished. He
was taken to the home of J. f. Morris |
where he was given a course of treat
ment.
The fearful eXertiOn of such a ride !
could not but show its effects on his |
system and the physicians forbade him
to eat anything but the whites Of eggs
These We're taken through straw that
he might not suffer serious effects from
eating when he was so tired. He was
given UIutIS lldl ue SIIouiu hoe So'
anything until after he had taken
long sleep. This he was unable to do
up to in the afternoon. when he was
seen by Journal reporter.
He was then sitting on a chair be-
side the window, watching what was
going on in the street His face was
naturally little drawn. as he was so
tired, but his mind was as clear and |
bright as though he had not UNDER
gone such a strain. He chatted pleas
antly. but at times showed the effects
of his WEAKNESS. This was especially
when he was lying on the
bed. He was so tired. having ridden
300 miles and been without sleep for
over 80 hours. that he could not sleep.
but at times when the others We're talk
ing he would close his eyes and seem /
to lose consciousness for a moment.
Then he would open his eyes and his
former brightness would be in evidence.
As he got up to walk across the
room he seemed to be lame. The bones
of his knees, he said, felt as though
some one had been pounding them. he
Of pain in his left side in
the region of his heart. but that seemed
sHAKE INTO YOUR SHOES