Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-21
RECORDRUN MADE
BY PAUL DERKUM
RACES FROM LOS ANGELES TO
SAN DIEGO AND RETURN
800 MILES MADE IN 10 HOURS, SO
MINUTES, 80 SECONDS
Lowers Record Held by Shafer by
Nearly Six Hours-Rode
Stock Indian Motor
cycle

Shaking off the hoodoo that has per-
sistently clung to him for nearly year
in all his races and attempts to lower
records, Paul j. c. Derkum, better
known as Daredevil Derkum, rode his
three and a half horsepower stock In
dian motorcycle from Los Angeles to
San Diego and return yesterday in the
remarkable time of 10 hours, SO minutes
and 80 seconds, breaking the record
hitherto held by Howard Shafer by
hour, so minutes and 30 seconds.
The feat of Derkum is regarded as
the greatest he has ever accomplished
since he first became known as the
demon" of the motorcycle world. The
distance that Derkum rode is popularity
supposed to be 1862 miles, but according
to the figures of Charles Fuller Gates,
official of the f. A. M, the course is
officially 800 miles.
Derkum rode the entire distance
without a mishap of any kind, and but
for mistaking the course at San Juan
Capistrano, by which he lost 40 min
utes, he would have made a record that
doubtless would stand for years to
come.
Rough Roads Passed
Three hundred and twenty miles, al
though Derkum actually went more
miles than this, over mountainous
passes and along sandy stretches, in
cycle is a record that seems impossible.
but the trip was made under direction
of the f. A. NJ, and the time will
stand as official.
Exactly fifty and half minutes af-
ter o'clock yesterday morning Der
kun was sent on his record-breaking
stunt by Charles Fuller Gates, who act
ed as the official timer.
The start was made from the Los
Angeles Motorcycle club house, Twen-
ty-second and San Pedro streets. Der
KUN was given a srousing send off by
a number of the club members who
had assembled at the early hour
To beat the record made by Shafer,
who rode a four-horsepower Reading
Standard machine, was the purpose OF
the Daredevil" and just before he
started he said, 81 will break the rec
ord or else come back in an ambu-
lance"
Schedule Closely Followed
Derkum had planned a schedule
which would take him over the course
in 10 hours and 40 minutes, but his
closest friends laughed when he an
nounced the schedule.
That he had timed his run to nicety
was shown by the result, for he was
less than twenty minutes behind 1t
when he finished, and stated that he
would have bettered his schedule II 1t
trying to follow along the coast line at
San Juan Capistrano.
The rider was in excellent condition
when he ended his remarkable run and
feels confident that he has at last
shaken off the run Of i'll luck that has
pursued him In recent attempts.
II knew If something did not go
wrong with the machine I would ac-
complish my purpose. 1t was rough
and tumble ride. and the only mishap
was the loss of a pedal, which was
Quickly repaired by the use OF an
emergency pedal.
I could have started back from San
Diego ten minutes after l arrived, but
as Shafer, who held the record, was
also obliged to wait forty-five minutes,
also had to comply with this regula-
tion."
Derkum's schedule brought him
through Anaheim, which he reached at
45S, and along to San Juan Capistrano'
where he was checked at $3.50.
Loses Time Along Coast
1t was here that the rider attempted
to follow the coast line, as 1t was low
tide but he struck a siX-inch depth OF
muck and sea wash, and after strug-
Cling for half a mile gave up the task.
He was compelled to carry his machine
over sand hills and across railroad
tracks before he struck the main high
way. which put MIN torty minutes De-
hind his schedule.
Oceansde was reached at 1880, but
from this point to San Diego, distance
of forty-eight miles, Derkum made the
run in 56 minutes, reaching San Diego
at $3.50 o'clock. He registered at the
office of the San Diego Evening Trib-
une, and at 9:15 started on the return,
thirty-four minutes behind his schedule.
Escondido was passed at 1929 and
Temecula at 11:15, Elsinore Hot Springs
being reached at 1882.
Derkum shot through Corona at 122,
Pomona at 2:07 and arrived at the club
house in Los Angeles at 3:35, finding
the worst stretch of road on the jour-
ney between Pomona and Los Angeles.
The elapsed time from start to finish
was 11:44:3O, from which is deducted
the forty-five minutes lay over at San
Diego.