Imperial Valley press., 1913-09-29

rocks is no joke. The trip over the
new course is no joy ride. And while
our Cadillacs never hesitated and
weer always ready to push ahead, if
they could talk / know they would
have welcomed a bed the same as
we poor humans.
We life Los Angeles at in the
morning and took five hours for the
run to San Diego. We knew we had
a long, hard trip before US and did
not want to do any record speeding.
The road down the coast is not
in any too good shape just now, and
I no not believe it will be geratly
improved before the race There is
considerable rough going in Orange
county, and places where it is neces-
sary to leave the road and plow
through the fields. But there is also
considerable god road where fast
time will be made. | look for a
few cars to 60 to San Diego in about
three hours and five minutes. The
distance is 140 miles.
Out Of San Diego we rolled through
beautiful valley for about twenty
two miles, when the climb begins.
Before US range Of mountains that
had to be crossed loomed up. We
climbed for mile after mile into
Stel Canyon and then through the
national forest preserve. 1t was a
beautiful morning, and the cars were
climbing like scared rabbits. The
road winds and twists and while it is
in fairly good condition there are
many dangerous places and drivers
must use care.
At the top Of the range we turned
a corner around a giant rock and
before us stretched the Imperial val
ley. / cannot describe the sensation
to look far to the East and see the
land disappear in blue haze. Every
color seemed to be combined into a
startling effect. Both cars came to
a stop like the explorers of old MUST
hoxa Iopa or babolJ;pr :. ,,a1., oopf;
nent or an unknown ocean. But we
went out for work and not to enjoy
scenic wonders, so, slipping in the
gears, we were soon on our way again
down the hill to Mountain Springs.
Between Mountain Springs and Cay
ote Wells is the stretch of fourteen
miles where 50 many people have
died of thirst. Joe Brown had been
over this section Of the road, but it
was new to me. About seven miles
out we stopped and l noticed along
side the road pile of rock. l had
noticed quite a number during the
last couple miles.
What are those piles Of rocks
road signs?" said l to Brown.
Each pile Of rock" said Joe,
represents a grave" And Sure
enough, all along we saw where poor
devils had died from thirst. There
is no water in this fourteen miles and
in the summer the heat is so terrible it
evaporates the water from the body.
Here we encountered our first
sand. But bad as it was it was only
a tsate of what was to come later.
Fro mthe time we left Coyote Wells
we were below sea level and contin-
ued to drop until we were ITO feet
down. At not SO very far distant
time this was the bed Of the ocean.
Signs Of the old dep-sea days can
be seen everywhere and the old beach
line is plainly discernible. This is
the only road race ever run on a road
below the level of the sea.
Twenty miles out Of the hustling
little town of Browley fast time will
be made. The road is cut up in places
but the racing cars will be able to
take it at speed.
At the end of this twenty miles the
sand was met again and here is
wheer the Cadillacs were called upon
to show what they were made Of.
TWO PHOENIX. !. !. ......
There are seventy miles Of sand and,
while it is not all low-gead work,
there are miles when a car is in the
low practically every inch of the way.
No sand holes in the world has been
talked about as much as the Man
moth Wash And it deserves all that
has been said of it. If the wash was
left as it is there would be a nice
large tie-up on the day of the race.
1t is six miles across, the worst part
being in a distance Of three and a
half miles. 1t is hub deep sand all
the way, but for three miles the sand
is bottomleSs. We reached ther after