TO OLYMPUS ON WHEELS. - Annual Feast and Games of the O. C. Cyclers at Escalles. - San Francisco Chronicle, 14 May 1898

TO OLYMPUS ON WHEELS.

Annual Feast and Games of the O. C. Cyclers at Escalles.

The Academic League's Annual Relay Race - An Outing for the Old Boys.

To-morrow is the one day in the year when the Olympic Cyclers shine in all their glory, the occasion being what is annually looked forward to as the greatest and most enjoyable cycling run of the season. The Cyclers care not for races for racing men, their entire energies being devoted to having a good time and being hospitable to their friends. Once every year they give a sumptuous outing across the bay in Marin county, at which trom 150 to 200 invited guests partake of unlimited hospitality. The destination is Escalles, but a short ride from Sausalito. The crowning feature of the entire affair is, of course, the feast, but in addition to this a very elaborate programme has been prepared by F. G. O'Kane, James W. Coffroth, Charles Morel, N. A. Hewson and J. Cooney, comprising the entertainment committee. Bob Mitchell will be there, Billy Finnie, "Kid" Nelson, Wiliam O'Brien, Charles Cathcart, Willie Hynes, Marlow and Kelley and several prominent actors who are at present in this city. An athletic programme has also been prepared under charge of W. B. Taylor, the secretary of the club, and Harry Keegan Monahan, which will consist of novelty races of all kinds, ending with a bicycle race. This year covers will be laid for fully 175 guests. The main party will take the 10 o'clock Sausalito ferry.

Nothing is likely to come of the protest lodged against the Bay City Wheelmen by the Garden Citys, unless the latter can bring forth more tangible evidence than they have at present upon which to base their charge. When the protest was made Thorn, the Garden City man on the third relay, who made the charge, depended upon Squires of the Acmes to substantiate him, and the announcement was made immediately after the finish that the Acme man had done so. Squires denies having made any such statement, and furthermore affirms that if he testifies at all at to-night's meeting of the Associated Clubs his testimony will be in direct accord with the defense.

Both Squires and his trailer, Bolte, claim they were practically in sight of Noonan, the Bay City man charged with having accepted pace, all the way over the third relay, and they are positive he did not accept any pacing. As this is practically the only protest that has been taken up seriously, the Bay City Wheelmen stand the best kind of a show of retaining possession of the trophy until next year's race.

On the other hand, the Bay Citys have positive proof that Bunt Smith, the Garden City man on the last relay, received pacing from his trailer, Hardenbrook, this irregularity being seen by fully a dozen witnesses trom different clubs. No protest has been filed, however, and the matter will be allowed to drop.

Unless more rain falls, the relay race of the Academic League will take place today, as previously outlined. There are five teams entered, including the Lowell and Polytechnic High schools of this city, the Oakland, Berkeley and San Jose High schools. The race starts from High street, continues out the San Leandro road, twice around the "triangle," and finishes at the starting point. The event is attracting considerable interest, and should he easily won by the team from the Lowell High School, as in its team are such cracks us Russ and Fuller of the Olympic Club, Stone and several other promising riders. The team of the Oakland High School will sadly miss Kenna, who was a tower of strength to them last year. Next to Lowell, the San Jose High School has the most promising aggregation.

William Furman, the lengthy crackajack from Southern California, who rode the last relay for the Bay City Wheelmen, is getting a slight dose of "cold feet" during his short sojourn in the north, and is not nearly so anxious to talk racing as he was upon first arrival. After backing down from propositions to race either Wing or Downing, he entered into negotiations to take on a race with Russ. The latter offered him any kind of an event. Furman asked time to consider this, but at the expiration he failed to put in an appearance and is reported to have returned south.

The fifth annual "old men's" run under the auspices of the Reliance Club will take place to-morrow to San Mateo, and will be participated in by a large number of the retired members of local cycledom. The start will be made from Oakland, the valetudinarians crossing the bay in a tug to Point San Bruno, the rest of the distance to be wheeled. The committee in charge is as follows: E. B. Jerome, George H. Strong, C. H. Lovell, F. E. Whitney, Seth Mann, S. G. Dunbar, H. H. Shinn, F. F. Caire, W. L. Arnold, G. R. Lukens, P. S. Carlton and P. H. Bernays.

The trial of E. A. Bozio against the five and ten mile road records to-morrow will be made from High street at 2 o'clock. As pacemakers he will have the services of two triplets and about a dozen tandem teams.

J. E. Edwards, the erstwhile racing man, left suddenly for Alaska yesterday, having less than a day's previous notice of the trip. He struck it rich trom the very start, being presented with a complete outfit and passage.

To-night the regular meeting of the California Associated Cycling Clubs will be held at the clubrooms of the California Cycling Club, corner of Twenty-second and Folsom streets.

The much-talked-of road and touring book of the Associated Clubs has at last been received from the printers, and is ready for distribution among the members.

[[Category:100-mile relay race from San Francisco to Oakland]