Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-29
SIMPLEX MAKES
SUMMER CRUISE
VALVELESS MOTOR CAR DRAWS
ATTENTION
Interesting Details of Three Weeks
Trlp-Farmers Have Eyes Open
for the Best Machines
on Sale

Bronzed of face and forearm, as II
by summers cruise. Milo w. Beklns
returned Sunday from a three weeks
run in his American Simplex lnclud-
ed in the party was his sister, MISS
Ruth Bekins, who handles the powerful
car as deftly as himself and also wears
broad bracelets of tan from driving
under the August sun.
The trip was made largely Tor
pleasure, but as this was practically
the first time that the biggest of the
two-cycle cars had been seen in the
north, 1t attracted much attention and
there were many stops to show 1t to
enthusiasts who wanted to know about
the valveless motor. AS their curiosity
was seldom satisfied short of the local
hard test. Mr.. Bekins feels well pleased
that his car returned with only two
punctures against It's perfect score, and
after 1000 miles of hard work, during
which 1t has carried as many as ten
and eleven persons, Is running smooth
er and quieter than ever
The trip and its infinite variety or
climate, roads and scenery are known
to nearly every motorist. The slash OF
the Newhall grade. the fifty (estimat-
ed fords of the San Francisquito can
yon and then the seemingly endless
stretches of desert to Bakersfield.
When the party reached Fresno, and
the thermometer at the same time took
the 106 degree, the perspiring Angelo
nos wondered at the amazing energy of
it's lively citizens, whose busiest time
comes when the sun is hardest at
work on the long lines of drying fruit
and raisns. But whether their wide
spread interests are in fruit. grain or
the distant oil wells, these men, Keen
eyed, informal, eagerly interested, are
looking for the best, the simplest and
ii nf M q
them in carrying out their big enter
prises regardless of the heat and vast
ness of the valley.
In the rolling cattle country north of
Fresno the party had some rather
amusing experiences, as the stock
seemed to prefer resting on the high
way to keeping in the fields and held
the crown of the road as tenaclously
as one type of autoist does when he
hears the impatient horn of n larger
car in the dust behind him. The road
over Pacheco pass is rather rough and
rocky, but on the whole the valley
roads are better than those of the
coast.
After two weeks stay in and about
San Francisco the return was made
through Monterey, with a run in the
machine art Ind the seventeen mile
drive. This route was much cooler
than the other, and the beautiful seem
cry compensated for the sandy and
rough roads often encountered the
worst being from Gaviota pass to
Santa Barbara. 1t was surprising that
SO few machines We're met on the trip,
but they are evidently plentiful enough
at times, for here again the cattle were
thoroughly auto broke. 1t was occa-
sionally temptation to try ramming d
phlegmatic beast, but the only sacrl-
flee made to the god of speed was a
chicken who hesitated and was lost.
This was the more regretted. as feath
ers do not permanently improve the
dimpled highway. and a COW would
have come nearer filing some of the
chuck holes.
one of the few machines met was at
the foot of the TETON pass. 1t having
declined to climb the grade, the ladies
of the party We're grilling in the sun
while sthe driver studied deeply into
the ball bearings of rear wheel which
he had removed. When he was advised
TO replace it and his throttle was ma
nipulated for a few moments the car
promised to be good and make the rest
of the way without further amusement
at its owners expense.
On the boulevard into Oakland a big
car on fire was met The driver was
drunk and stopped the American Sim
plex to ask for a hose to put out the
flames. One of the party began throw
ing dirt on it, but as an explosion of
the gasoline tank was imminent and
the driver doing nothing he was finally
left to watch 1t burn out, and the de- !
layed party hurried on. The smoke |
could long be seen rising above the big |
limousine, but no explosion was heard |
and possibly the car saved itself.