Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-11
WHEELMEN FORMING A CLUB
Local Bicycle Riders VIII Again Have
an Organization TO Con-
troll Their AnaIrs.

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So earnest has been the revival in cycling
interest that it is now almost assured that
omaha is to have a bona hde wheel club,
an expression of athletics which the city
has not possessed in four years. That a
city the size of this, and a city which was
once as good a wheel town as this, should
be without a bicycle club at any time is a
condition that furnishes an excellent ex-
ample OF how dead this sport became; that
the wheelmen will be successful In rein
carnating the organized interest in their
game shows plainly how keen the return
Of loyalty to the tin horse is, and how
lasting 1t is likely to grow.
No name is yet announced for the new
club, nor is its organization completed.
Officers will shortly be elected, however,
and all the committees essential to its con-
duct named. In it's purview the new club
will be somewhat different from It's pre-
decessors here. No track meets will be
included in its intentions, the nearest APP
proach to this being probable road races
under the exclusive auspices Of the club.
Even this competitive feature, however. is
to be kept more or less in the background,
as the great object Of the club is to be for
pleasure purely, and road runs, evening
rides and picnic wheeling journeys will be
the matters upon which most stress will
be placed and most attention given from
day to day and week to week.
People in the small towns about have
already awakened to the fact that the BIZ
cyclers from Omaha, who a few years ago
kept their quiet streets awhir with whiz-
zing wheels, are again to visit them. From
Blair comes a standing invitation from a
hotelkeeper to a corking good dinner for
as many as will come whenever the run is
turned in that direction. This proposition
has made a big hit with the wheelmen and
they intend to put Blair on their schedule
very near the top of the list.
That run from Omaha to Blair and re-
turn, by the way, furnishes Just about the
ideal stunt for a days wheeling by riders
who are in good condition and who have
been riding regularly long enough TO get
into the swing Of the action. 1t is twenty
i've miles up and Just about as many back,
and the road offers about all in the way OF
level stretches and hills here and there
that can be desired by those who dislike
monotonous runs. To take a day for a
run OF that length, with two or three hours
for dinner and loahng at the Blair end,
means a degree Of speed and a lack OF
strain ideal from a standpoint of real
helpful exercise, pleasure and healthful
profit generally. This lie the most popular
middle distance run about Omaha. and has
been so for years. In the heydey Of the
wheeling sport here many fierce road races
were held over it. 1t means no heartbreak
ing, mankilling century" pace to cover It
easily In a short day.
The rain last Sunday afternoon prohibited
the run which had been planned to Cres-
cent City, Ia. and return. A crowd Of
wheelmen the size Of which was extremely
nattering to the future OF the game herN
was at the starting point. and the band got
away together Ike a small army. Before
the cyclerS were out OF the city. however.
the rain cut in and the run was cut our
till today. This afternoon the start will
be made from Seventeenth street and Cap
itol avenue, as usual. the time being 1880.
The exhibition OF keen interest in road
riding is extremely pleasing to the wheel
men who are leaders in the local revival
movement. Every day. too. brings to notice
another bunch Of the oldtimers who are
taking a hand. Even the veteran Jack
Eastman is seen again astride the leather,
and he seems to enjoy It as much as he
did years ago. though In a less violent
form.
1t is expected that organization Of the
new wheel club will be this
week. In that event there will be a sehed-
ule OF evening runs very soon now, for that
feature will be one Of the FIRST to which the
club will give its attention. This will I'M
doubtedly prove q most attractive matter
this summer, and II would not be surpris-
ing II the evening runs. which the long
summer evenings will permit to be OF some
length, would be even a better drawing
card than the weekly Sunday rides.