Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1900-05-03

1t is. perhaps, fortunate that every
owner of bicycle is not in the bicycle
business. 1t is a well-known fact
that some of the people who are en-
gagged in the various branches Of the
trade do not have the same enthuSi-
asm for actual riding that they had be-
fore the bicycle became means of
their making a living. 1t is so in other
things. A hardware man likes to talk
of other matters than the price or
tools and STEEL when he leaves his
place of business. A literary man
often tries to get away from people
who want to talk books. But it is a
fact and one that happily many of
those in the cycle trade recognize, that
the best way to get away from the BIZ
cycle in its commercial sense is to get
onto a bicycle and ride into the coun-
try.
Perhaps what has been said about
people in the trade applies even
more aptly to a large percentage of
old-timers, men who began riding
when cycling was young and who,
while they have never gotten into
the trade, have learned to share with
the tradesmen the ailment which
might be called too much bicycle.
The average man who rides
the bicycle of today, the
up-to-date machine, fitted with
chainless gear, or coasterb brake, or
cushion frame is riding machine
that for actual ease and enjoyment is
as far ahead Of the old ordinary, and
as far ahead of any really handy and
economical method of enjoyment, as
the cushioned automobile is ahead of
the hard seat over the hind axle of q
farmers wagon. There is today no
vehicle which for hardness, air-shod
comfort, speed and all-around at
Effectiveness should appeal to man
or woman as does the bicycle. All its
--er has to do is to mount 1t in
front of his home and let it roll along
with the least possible expenditure of
energy. Within an hour, by this pro-
cess, the rider can easily cover ten
or more miles, and see enough of the
passing show to get his mind COM
pletely off any subject which may have
been bothering him before the begin
ming of the ride.
One trouble with the average rider
is that he does not strike out into the
country. People work along too much
in ruts. IT there is a boulevard the
rider is likely to drift into it and have
no desire to switch off into this or
that interesting-looking lane. The
real pleasure of cycling is through the
woods, and out across country. Not
for the scorcher but for the lazy man.
Bear this in nina, ana make your
plans to leave home the first day you
can do so, resolved to get to certain
town in the country and to get there
er than is absolutely necessary to keep
the machine going You will be sur
prised to see how easily you get along
over the ground, and how little more
time is consumed by this method than
If you were to hurry, and strain, and
perspire. When you feel like sprint
ing a bit do it. But don't keep it up
That Is temptation, especially when
one is in a nervous condition. If you
have a riding partner. agree to meet at
a certain place, and do not interfere
with each others gait in any way DO
not try to ride together There are
times when a man ought to be alone
and when he is out on wheel to get
his system into a condition of quiet
ude-that is certainly one of the times.
The knowledge that the riding partner
will be there before, or about the same
time, or soon after you get there's
comfort. To stick together all the
way may produce more irritation and
overwork than If the ride had not been
takes.