Arizona republican., 1912-07-15
DAVIS CROSS COUNTRY SPIN
Phoenix Motorcyclist Now Among Colorado Noun tains; Passes Route of Noted Scenic Interest, "El CaminO Real"

Seized with a fever to emulate the example of transcontinental ocean to ocean national highway tourists, Hal r. Davis of Phoenix left last week on | his trusty Harley-DaVidSon motor cycle to make the first record run from the Salt River valley to Chi cago. And back if he has good luck l Before leaving, Hal made great preparations for the trail He over hauled his machine thoroughly, for it is most a year old but husky at that. Then he began adding equip ment until the old boat looked like an ocean going steamer. only smaller l The luggage carrier over the rear wheel supports a neatly made tank of sheet iron, with tubes, pipes and 1 cocks for passage of gasoline and oil. The tool tank is arranged to ] carry extra supplies together with d hunk of bOlogny' for obvious pur- poses. The fore parts of the ma chine are gracefully draped with wa terprOOf wearing apparel, slicker and a warm coat. A large tire pump on | the handle bars gives a rakish ap- pearance to the craft, which is pi- ratical enough with it's other access | sOres
 1 Thus prepared to hit the trail, Davis fared forth into the regions around about Tempe, Mesa and 1 Roosevelt. Expecting to make a long jaunt of it to the big dam, he found | the going so good, he continued on to Globe the first day. From there troubles began to infest the road From a comparatively smooth path the lane changed to a hill hanging rock streWn path of patience. That is the patience is evident on the part of the transgressor, for his way is durable
 Entering the sister state, the tra- yelling kid found the roads if any thing just a little bit worse. Mos of the time the track was doing il on the side hills and slopes to eter- nifty with one foot on solid eartl and the other pirouetting among thf circumambient But Hal plugged away at the trail so industriousl that a couple of days found him de scending into the valley of the Ric Grande below Albuquerque.
 The condition of the road rapidl, improved from the metropolis toWar' the capital. Santa Fe The route lie along the Camino Real the Oldes highway on the American continent whose scenic interest has led thous ands of motor enthusiasts to put III good time and money to make it Paradise for the autoist. The King Road" extends from the Duke Cit to Las Vegas or thereabOut passin through the old and historic relic o the conquistador. santa Fe.
 From the city of the late fisti vaudeville. the road is known as tn Old Santa INe trail. This is the rout followed by the hardy and unwashe pioneers who pushed back the tribes men in their Wanderings in scare
 of an abiding place. This too Ina
 been largely improved for touring s Davis enjoyed honorable good going
 for many miles into the land c
 Colorado.
 When last heard from he was i
 the Springs. resting after two days ( 1 fast riding He will pass into tn Sunflower state in the next few day
 where the mud is said to lie deep 0 the country roads with Q watchfl farmer waiting at every waterhol
 to add to his mortgage raising fun
 by pulling mired motorists throug
 for consideration.
 There is no doubt Hal will ncgo
 tiate this section with ease. for hi
 mount has proven trustworthy an equal to all the eXigences of un , blamed paths so far. He will be
 Chicago inside the time limit, with
 out doubt, and the feat will the
 become an incentive for several oth'
 local two-wheeler drivers to hit tt l grit eastward.