Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-25
WOMAN DRIVERS
TRIP NEARS END
PLUCKY MRS. RAMSEY STAYS
IN LONG JOURNEY
TRANSCoNTiNENTAL PARTY IN
TRANSFORMS
Cars Plunge Over Irrigation bitches,
and Although Behind Time,
Autoists Are Enjoying
Ride

After about thirty days of touring
Mrs John RI Ramsey and lady COM
panions, who left New York on June
for San Francisco in a Maxwell touring
cars, are rapidly nearing their destina-
ton, establishing a record for cross
country touring for women.
When the party left New York they
expected to reach San Francisco about
the latter part of July, not figuring, of
course, on the wretched conditions they
have met in some places. Up to Gin
ton, Iowa, the roads were very fine,
and the first 1000 miles were made in
one week.
After striking into Iowa, however,
heavy black gumbo roads were Travelled
oVer-rOads that were impassa BILE in
some places as a result of the heavy
rains which washed out bridges and.
in fact, resulted in such conditions that
travel was absolutely impossible in
some places even by railroad trains.
Once out of that state and into Ne
braska, there was an improvement in
the roads, but even there the results OF
the rains were felt and were it not for
the tremendous power of the Maxwell
engine and all around stability of the
car it Is doubtful if some of these roads
could have been Travelled.
Roads in Bad Shape
AS it was, a number of cars driven
by men either turned back or were
shipped ahead on fiat cars. But Mrs.
Ramsey gamely struck to her wheel,
and got through without trouble, though
not quite so fast as she had expected,
for the roads We're the worst in years
as the result of rains. the like of which
had not fallen, according to some of the
farmers along the route, in ten years.
60 had tha IN haf
fears were felt in many places for the
crops. Once out of Nebraska and into
Wyoming. the roads were much better,
and over the mountains through val
leys and across plains and deserts Mrs.
Ramsey made fine time.
The tremendous climbs over the
mountains from twenty miles east of
Cheyenne to Ogden was made without
bit of trouble, many of the steep
grades being taken by. the Maxwell on
high speed. Across the plains and
deserts for most part the travelling was
good. and the party enjoyed the trip
over the winding, grass grown trail.
On Monday last, however, the trav-
cling was somewhat rougher and more
strenuous. In one stretch of four miles
eight irrigation bitches were crossed,
the car plunging through the water and
soft. muddy bottoms beautifully and
without trouble while later on in the
day hundreds of dried bitches. in some
places making a drop and rise of ten
and twelve feet, were crossed.
These in places looked almost impass-
able. and looked like sure death to
springs yet they were all taken by the
Maxwell, with its four passengers and
heavy equipment of camping outfit.
trunks. baggage, and when Rock
Springs was reached every part of the
car was examined and everything found
n COIi1 af CT of tba Ho We
run, not so much as bolt being loosened,
in spite of the bad roads, which shook
almost everything out of the car.
From Rock Springs there was a vast
improvement in the roads to Salt Lake
City, a run across void country. which
was made in short time. Salt Lake
was reached Wednesday, and after a
short rest the journey westward over
the mountains and valleys. through
beautiful scenery, was again begun.
and by the middle of this week Reno.
Nevada, will be reached. when the trip
will be pretty much down hill into San
Francisco.
Trip Is of Interest
"The trip across the country" saws
Mrs, Ramsey "has been wonderfully
interesting and ENJOYABLE From the
very start we have enjoyed the run. and
there have been Just enough happenings
OFT of the ordinary to make it exciting.
Coming through the mountains, we
saw a number of COYOTES. the first I
have ever seen out of captivity. while
along the way prairie dogs and rabbits
have been so thick that at times We
had to be careful not to run them down
"The scenery in Nebraska. Wyoming
and Nevada. so far. has been beautiful
crossing first up 2 mountain and then
down into a valley. following along
the old trails on which so much history
was made
'I am really surprised that the trip
so far has been so easy. This is due.
Of course. in a n1ea sure to the fact that
the car has stood no under some pretty
hard tolting, and has not caused = bit
of trouble since we left New York.
Pretty nearly everything but the bitches
we took on the high. and in spite of the
shaking the car has had have yet to
find ANYTHING even loosened.
"Al that is needed on trip of this
kind" said she. ais light weight car.
I mean by that, a good, powerful engine
of the same power as my Maxwell.
which is plenty powerful enough to get
through anything that can be encoun-
tered in good weather, and car of the
same weight.
"a heavier car is not so easily han
died on the narrow. winding roads
which are found over the mountains.
while one of longer wheel base is not so
EASY to handle on the sharp turns, OF
which there are many on the sides Of
the Rocky mountains.
"a car Of the same weight and power
as the one I am driving brings about
a very enjoyable trip, the pleasantest
and most enjoyable. by the way, that 1
have ever taken"
"Pop" Harvey. the dean OF auto
drivers" nearly accomplished the am
bition of his life in that thrilling run
Al - ,Fe