The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-01-10
CYCLING IN EGYPT.
UHEELING on THE DESERT
UNDER

ing" TO Suez u New sport For TIN
AdventnresOme Tourist in the
Ancient Land.
At first glance a trip through the
sandy wastes which extend as far as
the horizon from both sides of the Nile
would not seem feasible for a bicycle.
However. enthusiasts have overcome
the yielding sand and most interesting
lrips have been made with Cairo as the
starting point. To visit the pyramids
of Egypt on a bicycle is an idea that
at first would hardly be entertained
by the uninitiated. and to bike to Suez
across the sandy plains seems innpossi-
bic. but both have been successfully
carried out.
TIE pyramid of Abu-Roash was the
first one visited and the road as far as
the Mena House was perfect for bicycle
riding. AS soon as the desert was
reached, however, it seemed absolutely
impossible to continue farther, but
several green patches extending along
the lowest levels just to the east of the
hills running northward from Gizeh
Pyramids proved to be 'velvet
carpets" for the wheels and We rode
merrily on without the least difficulty.
Several small villages were passed and
natives were rather surprised to see
two "agalehs" Swimming along, but. as
always, treated Us very Hospitality.
After we had pursued the even tenor
of our way northWard until we We're
! about abreast of the gigantic mountain
upon whose crest stood the old pyramid
We then turned westward and after a
! few sad trials of riding continued OH
foot. The sand was so hot that we
could smell the tires scOrChing, but we
, continued on. A large WhiteWaShed en-
, closure attracted our attention, and
this we found to be the camel corps
station of Kerdassa Inside we found the
Soudanese. fellow caring for their camels
and saw one running along the sand at
full speed with the rider swaying from
ol(lC " sue anu lIINI4 QildCl SIOOl why
it was that these soldiers are never
allowed to drink milk. But I think in
that heat butter would have melted in
stanter)
Pushing on. we gradually approached
q wonderful ancient causeWay which
led to the top of the mountain and
passed several Bedouin encampments.
where we saw the women with their
gold "yashmaks," and countless dogs,
who kept up an incessant chorus of
barks.
A long climb up the steep incline and
we reached the top, nearly exhausted
from the heat and tiresome plugging
through the sand. Here we saw the re-
mains Of the pyramid, and were quite
surprised to find building and a large
gang of men at work eXcavating. The
building was the house where the ex-
caNator lived and was quite a pre-
tentious affair, with a courtyard around
it, and with visions of a glass of cold
water we approached the yard but were
'jarded' at the curt reply and the in
formation that the house was not an
antiquity. A native standing near by,
however asked us to go behind a stone
wall near by, and there he brought US
secretly a tin Of most delicious water,
stolen from his master. The incrimna-
ting goods were soon disposed Of, and
we gave a cursory glance over the work.
which we later found out produced
absolutely no result or find Of any
value. We are so sorry!
We ate our lunch in a secluded spot,
and after a short rest wendell our way
homeward and took the roads leading
through the cultivated land on the re-
turn journey which we found most in
teresting and We're able to ride most Of
the way.
A few weeks later we made more
extended excursion to Sakkarah, going
by train to Bedreschein and then riding
our bikes as far as the Steo Pyramid.
We inspected many of these interesting
remains of the old burying ground Of
Memphis and found that by going ont
of the usual route to the south we could
ride over the desert. as the surface was
quite coated with flint stones. The ride
was an object lesson. for If we de-
waited from our straight course either
to the right or to the left the wheels
dug into the sand and We fell. 1t was
about as easy to keep a. staight line
here as in ordinary life, and I must
admit that there were few curves
made on the desert in spite Of all our
efforts to the contrary.
In this manner we managed, from
time to time, to visit all the old
pyramids within reasonable distance.
including those Of Dashur, Meidour,
Bihamou and Hauarah. We always
found the natives most considerate and
ever ready to add to our comfort in any
way possible.
Meeting with such success we decided
to make the trip to Euex, and one after
noon, with our bicycles laden like pack
mules, we started off toward Abbasiyeh,
and after a. struggle through the
trodden sand at the frontier passed the
poligon and headed eastward, follow
ing the line Of the abandoned railway.
About every five miles stations have
been built, and No. 2 is the first one
reached. Here We found a very good
fellow in charge and who made us
coffee and offered to go as far as No.
with us, where we could pass the
night. We accepted his proposition and
started off on a 14-mile ride in the cool