Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1910-10-20
LONG AUTO TRIP
From Trinidad, Colorado to Bedding
and Return


and Return
The following is an interesting ac-
count OF the auto trip taken by w. j.
Miller, clipped from the Chronicle
News of Trinidad, Colorado:
"From Trinidad TO Belding, Mich,
and return by automobile, an overland
journey OF $500 miles, came TO an end
AT noon yesterday when Mr.. and Mrs.
w. j. Miller of this city reached Trini-
dad in their REQ 1901 The entire dis
lance of 1890 miles was covered in p
days of travel, and practically without
mishap. Besides Mr.. and Mrs. Miller
on the journey from Bedding, Mich, To
Trinidad were Miss Eta Hall, sister OF
Mrs. Miller, and cousin, Winnie Tall
man. 1t has been one of the most re-
markable successful auto trips report
ed in this part of the country.
The trip, over all sorts and conditions
of roads, in all sorts and conditions OF
weather, was marked by only two
machine mishaps that were easily and
quickly repaired, and both of these
occurred on the way back. Near La
Sale, H., rear axle became out OF
whack and near Creston, Iowa, spring
was broken. But neither of these little
mishaps caused any serious delay.
Ideal weather conditions favored the
Miller party on the return journey and
the little four passenger REQ car upon
its arrival yesterday noon was in al.
most as good condition as when it pull.
eel out of here last May.
On the morning of May % Mr.. and
Mrs. Miller left this city on the 1900
mile cross country journey TO their old
home in Bedding, Mich. Mr.. Miller
had but ten days before purchased his
machine and thus when ii became
known that with only ten days eXper-
fence Mr.. Miller was going to make
the long trip, the older heads gathered
around him with advice and expressed
the fear that he would never make il.
When he pulled out these wise old
owls winked at one another and declar-
ed that if he got as far as La Junta he
would be doing well indeed. Miller
prepared TO leave without the usual
automobile equipment, and Jonn H..
English who was on hand TO wish the
local contractor god-speed, loaned him
a pair of mud hooks, which Miller had
not believed were necessary at all. To
day Miller stated that if it had not been
for those mudhooks he would never
have been able to get through the miles
and miles of mud which was encoun-
tered through the state of Missouri on
the way TO Michigan. "Time and again
when the rain was beating down upon
me in old Missouri and when the roads
were seas of mud axle deep, | have
thanked the Lord for those mud hooks
and blessed the name of English" said
Mr.. Miller.
1t required twenty-one days to reach
Bedding, ten of which were actually
spent in the auto, the remaining eleven
in sight seeing at various stops on the
way. More than two months were
spent by Mr.. and Mrs. Miller in visit
ing friends and relatives in the old
home and in persuading Miss Hall and
Miss Tallman to make the trip home.
About two weeks ago the start for
Trinidad was made and the distance
covered in twelve days of actual travel.
The journey back east was filled with
grief caused by bad weather and bad
roads. 1t rained every day while the
Millers were passing through Missouri
and for two or three days after they
had left the state behind. There were
times when the tour had to be aban-
doned until the storm had ceased and
roads were passable. When finally
they did arrive at Bedding the two
happiest people in the United States
were the Trinidad people. The journey
from Michigan here was made over
good roads and under smiling skies.
Aside from the two machine mishaps
no trouble was encountered. A feature
of the trip is also that only two tire
punctures were sustained. Miller now
has the laugh on the wise old heads
that obviously predicted that they
would never get TO their destination.