Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-22
TOURIST CARS
RETURN TODAY
AUT0ISTS TO BE ESCORTED
INTO THE CITY
LARGE PARTY WILL MEET THE
TOURISTS AT TRoPlco
Twenty Machines viii Have Conn
pIeted tooo-Mile Tour on caIifor-
MIA Roads When They Arrive
This Afternoon ~
BY FREnER1o PARsr

The twenty-odd Tourist automobiles
and the Southern California motorists
who will have covered 1000 miles on
California roads when they reach here
are due to arrive on the return trip at
4:30 this afternoon.
A large delegation Of local Tourist
owners will meet the wanderers at
Tropico at o'clock and escort them
into the city.
The cars reached Santa Barbara yes
terday evening and will start on the
concluding 115 miles of the tour this
morning.
When the dust covered machines roll
down Main and Broadway to the home
of the Tourist car the longest touring
contest ever held in the west will come
to an end One thousand miles of
mountain desert and park roads will
have been covered, and the Los Ange-
les motorists will have the cheers of
over hundred large and small cities
ringing in their ears.
Starting from Los Angeles the route
took the automobilists up the valley
via Bakersfield, Fresno and San Jose to
San Francisco. The return trip was
over the coast, stops being made at Del
Monte, Paso Robes and Santa Barbara.
The run yesterday was the hardest
OI LIS lOuT. 1u0 CdIS WtI6 CctlACQ uPOAA
to run 165 miles, and this proved even
more of a strain on the drivers than
on the cars. Early morning calls were
In order at Paso Robes and soon after
6 o'clock Walter Sahland slipped in the
clutch of the pilot car and the next to
the last days run was on.
Out of Paso Robles the road was
found in fair shape and a string of
cars was soon whirling through the
ne Tox1on1ofnr, Santa Mar
garita. A few miles on and the climb
over the Cuesta grade began. The
north approach Isl the easiest on this
grade, and the cars experienced no
trouble in making the climb. At the
summit a beautiful sight stretched out
below, unfolding before the eye many
miles of picturesque valley.
Descent Made Easily
The descent was dusty in places, but
was not difficult. The first car was
through San Luis Obispo at 8
o'clock and was followed fifteen min
utes later by the press car. The road
straight across to Arroyo Grande was
in such bad shape that 1t was neces-
sary to go by way Of Pizmo Beach:
This gave the motorists a delightful
morning drive along the cliffs over
looking the sea. The four miles to
Arroyo Grande was over rough roads,
but fair going was encountered for
most of the next sixteen miles into
Santa Maria, where the noon control
and luncheon stop was made.
The motorists were delighted with
the recent repairs and precautions
taken to improve the roads north of
| Santa Maria.
On one sandy stretch straw had beer
' spread for over a mile and across the
| Santa Maria river with it's deep sand
| the party found an excellent straw
road. The county has Just started work
on 1900-foot bridge which is to span
the river.
A large crowd greeted the visitors
at Santa Maria Most of the cars
were ahead of schedule here and an
extra thirty minutes wait was neces-
sary.
The Foxen canyon road, between
Santa Maria and Los Olives, had be-
come so full of chucks that the pilot
car altered the route, taking the
motorists via circuit and Los Alamos.
The roads from Los Alamos to the
Santa Ynez mission were in fair con-
dition and good time was made. The
Gaviota pass road was dusty and In
poor shape.
After this climb came the most tire
some part Of the days run, over fifty
seven varieties of bumps for thirty
miles to Naples. The highway into
Santa Barbara is dusty and full of
chuck holes. Certain parts of the road
today led to many an expression re-
garding the superiority of northern
roads over those in the southern end
of the state.
Last night the party stayed at the
Hotel Potter.