THE WHEELMEN. - The San Francisco Call, 08 Jun 1895
THE WHEELMEN.
C. S. Wells to Try for the World's Five-Mile Road Record.
Club Events To-Morrow.
Acme Club Wheelmen - Run to Novato.
Alameda Cyclers - Run to Mill Valley.
Alpha Cycling Club Run to Cliff House today, to Presidio to-morrow.
Bay City Wheelmen - Run to San Mateo and witness record trial.
California Cycling Club - Mile club race at Central Park, 9:30 A. M.; run to San Mateo afterward.
Garden City Cyclers - Run to Llagas.
Golden Gate Cycling Club - Run to San Mateo.
Imperial Cycling Club - Races at Central Park, 10 A.M.
Liberty Cycling Club - Run to Presidio.
Outing Road Club - Run to San Rafael via Sausalito.
Pacific Cycling Club Run to Halfmoon Bay, starting to-day.
Royal Cycling Club - Blind run.
San Francisco Road Club - Run to San Jose, starting to-night.
Y. M. C. A. - Joint run of Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose cycling annexes to Niles Canyon tonight.
Wheelmen look forward with considerable pleasure to the probability of some good racing and a pleasant entertainment at Santa Cruz next week, in conjunction with the water carnival and Venetian festival to be held there.
The races will be run on Saturday, June 15, at 2 o'clock P. M., on a three-lap track in Vue de l'Eau Athletic Park, which has just been completed. The track was built about three years ago, but was never used, and so was allowed to go to ruin; but although the surface work had to be done over again, the foundation was very good to work upon. It has been remodeled after the track at San Jose, except that the surface is loam instead of cement, and is thirty feet wide at the tape and twenty on the backstretch. The grounds are easy of access, being on the line of an electric railroad, and upon a popular drive, the Cliff road, about a mile and a quarter from the center of town. Comfortable training quarters and dressing-rooms will be provided for all the racers.
The races are under the auspices of the Pilot Wheelmen of Santa Cruz, and as all the best riders from this part of the State will compete, they should be very interesting. The events and prizes are as follows:
One mile novice - Gold medal; silver medal.
One mile scratch, class A - Gold watch, value $50; suit of clothes, $35; easy chair, $20.
Two-mile handicap, class A - Diamond locket, value $50; overcoat, $30; onyx clock, $20.
Two-mile handicap, class B - Unset diamond, value $125; gold watch, $50; shotgun, $25.
Half-mile scratch, class B - Diamond stud, value $75; banjo, $40; banquet lamp, $25.
It will be seen that the prizes are very liberal, and the races well divided as to distances and classes. Entries for handicap events close June 8, and for scratch events June 10, with the last delivery of mail on those dates, and should be addressed to L. E. W. Pioda, secretary cycling committee, Santa Cruz, accompanied by the customary entrance fee of 50 cents for such event.
The Pilot Wheelmen, an adjunct of the swell Pilot Club of Santa Cruz, are comparatively new in the cycling world, but have taken hold of this their initial race with a vim that promises good results. In their preparations the knowledge of an experienced hand is discernible, they having been directed by Ralph M. Thompson, now a resident of Santa Cruz, who was at one time president of the Bay City Wheelmen and chief consul of the California division, League of American Wheelmen. What he doesn't know about wheeling and race meets is hardly worth the learning, and he is ably assisted by his business partner, C. W. Hammer, also an old-time San Francisco wheelman.
The present officers of the Pilot Wheelmen are: F. W. Swanton, president; L. E. W. Pioda, vice-president; H. S. Wanzer, secretary; Ralph M. Thompson, captain; Reuben H. Pringle, first lieutenant; L. Talbot Ware, second lieutenant; Frank Armstrong, bugler; C. E. Lane, standard-bearer.
On the last day of the carnival, Saturday, June 15, there will be a competitive parade of all the prominent wheeling clubs for a valuable trophy. The captains of the various clubs around the bay have announced that they intend calling club runs with Santa Cruz as the objective point on Friday and Saturday, June 14 and 15. The Olympic Club Wheelmen will start Friday night and ride to San Jose and ride over the mountains early the next morning. The Garden City Cyclers will go over Friday night and also the Reliance Club Wheelmen of Oakland. The Acmes and Bay Citys are talking of going down together on a joint run, their ride to Camp Taylor last Sunday having proved so enjoyable. A proposition is also on foot for all the San Francisco and Oakland wheelmen to return together Sunday night by steamer. There will be no rest for the weary on that steamer, surely, if they do.
Altogether the prospect is bright for a most enjoyable three days' outing for all the cyclists who journey to the City of the Cross the latter part of next week, and all who can possibly get away will avail themselves of the opportunity to have a jolly time and see some good racing.
Last Saturday afternoon a number of the members of the new bicycle club, the National Road Club, composed of cyclists of the C and G companies of the First Regiment, N. G. C., took a run down to San Jose, starting from Fruitvale. It was a pleasure outing and not a test for determining the speed of the members, so they took their time and reached the Garden City in three hours and a half. On the following day they took a spin to Glenwood, in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and on Sunday evening returned to the City. The new club is captained by J. F. Norton.
Captain Kitchen will lead the Acme Club Wheelmen on a run to Novato tomorrow morning.
Tony Delmas, whose picture is presented herewith, is one of the fastest class B handicap riders of the Garden City Cyclers. He is young, stockily built and has great endurance, and fights his races out until the very last. His best recent performance was in winning the two-mile handicap class B race at the meet of the San Jose Road Club, in which were entered such prominent riders as Wells, Foster, Burke, Castleman, Long, Cushing, J. C. and H. C. Smith. He received 180 yards handicap and won his heat in 5:02 2-5 and the final in 4:45 4-5. With another year's experience he will rank with the best of them.
T. S. Hall, A. J. Menne, A. Lundberg, G. P. Caldwell, E. S. Battles and F. L. Day, the Bay City Wheelmen's "kindergarten,” will start to-morrow for a two weeks' wheeling and fishing trip in the vicinity of La Honda and Pescadero.
The Golden Gate Cycling Club will hold a five-mile handicap road race over the San Mateo course on Sunday, June 30. The
race is for club members only. There will be three prizes, the first being a high-grade bicycle valued at $105, the second a $40 suit of clothes and the third a club uniform, value $30. Certainly such trophies are well worth contesting for. Some of the probable starters are Captain Quadt, Lieutenant Siebe and Messrs. Stiegeler, Maas, Fenstermacher, Schwartz, Holler and Dwyer. These men are already actively training for the event.
Captain Quadt has called a run of the Golden Gate Club for to-morrow to San Mateo and return, starting at 8 A. M. from the clubrooms, 228 Thirteenth street. Lieutenant Siebe of this club rode to Santa Cruz last Wednesday, returning Thursday, making 160 miles in two days.
Captain Charles Etting will lead the members of the Pacific Cycling Club on a run to Halfmoon Bay and return to-day and to-morrow. The riders will take the 3:30 train this afternoon to San Mateo, and wheel from there to their destination, returning Sunday.
The Outing Road Club will have a run to-morrow from Sausalito to San Rafael, leaving on the 9 A. M. ferry. I should advise them to take the new grade over Corte Madera Hill. It is in much better condition, and the ascent and descent are much more gradual than the old road. Turn to the left about 300 yards north of Alto station instead of to the right, as formerly. Nearly the entire trip will be found ridable by going this way.
It appears the "old road" is a route that no longer exists, but is echoed by fragments of roads; Eastman Avenue, Buena Vista Avenue, Sausalito Street, Alto Bowl Fire Road, Coach Road, Vasco Court Fire Road. If the rider was going north, left is what we now call Camino Alto, which is still a popular route with cyclists, and right would be this old road.
"new road" to the left, now Camino Alto, and "old road" to the right
The "new road" (Camino Alto) is not yet built. Only the "old road" is in evidence.
George Stamper has been elected president of the Outing Club, vice C. Shilling, resigned. Mr. Stamper is an old-time and popular wheelman, having been prominent in the Bay City Club in the palmy days of the "ordinary," He will make for the club a splendid executive officer. Bert Mayer of the Outings leaves to-day for the Blue Lakes, there to join Captain Davis, and together they will tour that region awheel. Sol Peiser of the same club made a century last Sunday.
The Alpha Cycling Club is the name of a ladies' wheeling organization recently formed in the Mission, with the following officers: Mrs. Keller, president; Miss May Wynne, vice-president; Miss McCarthy, secretary; Miss Annie Pendergast, treasurer; Miss Vermeil, sergeant-at-arms; Mrs. H. F. Wynne, captain; Mrs. Smith, first lieutenant; Mrs. Yocum, second lieutenant. The club has adopted as its emblem the Greek letter "G, and starts off with a membership of twenty-two. Meetings are held each Wednesday evening at the rooms of the California Cycling Club, through the courtesy of that organization. This morning at 8 o'clock the club will have a run to the park and Cliff House, and to-morrow at the same hour another to the Presidio.
The members of the Liberty Cycling Club will enjoy a run to the Cliff and Presidio to-morrow morning. Only seven members completed the century run last Sunday, owing to breakdowns en route. Messrs. S. Mitchell, J. Thompson and F. Gherini have been elected members of the Liberty Club, bringing the roll up to thirty-nine, with several more to be voted for.
The San Francisco Road Club will have a pleasant run to San Jose to-night by moonlight. Captain L. L. Korn requests the members to assemble at Seventh and Market streets to-night at 11 o'clock sharp. An easy pace will be set, and the ride should prove very enjoyable.
An institution calling itself a bicycle stable has recently been started downtown for the storing of wheels during the daytime for those who are desirous of riding to work and have no place to keep their mounts. The success of such a venture here is problematical.
The California Cycling Club will hold the final of three one-mile handicap club races to-morrow morning at the Central Park track at 9:30 o'clock. Those who have qualified in the previous races for this final, and their handicaps are: J. W. Harvey, scratch; F. Struven 80 yards, A. Theisen 100, W. Sternberg 135, T. Wall 150, C. Birdsall 160. After the race Captain Burk has called a run over the San Mateo five-mile course, returning via the Spring Valley lakes, a very pretty ride. On June 23 the club will hold a road race over this course for members only; entries must be sent to Captain Burk by June 11.
The annual joint run of the California Associated Cycling Clubs will be held on Sunday, June 23, to Niles Canyon, and will be participated in by every club belonging to the association. This should make a turnout of several hundred wheelmen. The two previous runs of this nature were very successful, and the committee having this one in charge will endeavor to make it eclipse its predecessors.
The cyclers of the Young Men's Christian Association from this City, Oakland and San Jose will assemble to-night at Niles Canyon, where a large bonfire will be built and the riders treated to a sort of barbecue by the ladies of the association residing in Alameda County. Unattached wheelmen are cordially invited to join in the feast, and should arrange to be at Niles by 8:30 P. M.
Oscar Osen of San Jose, recently declared a professional by the racing board, will ride against two fast horses - Laura M and Ottinger - to-morrow morning at Agricultural Park, San Jose.
The Garden City Cyclers of San Jose will hold a club run to-morrow, under Captain Delmas, to the Mountain Home, on the Llagas, where a picnic lunch will be served. The following Saturday they will ride to Santa Cruz to attend the races there.
The Alameda Cyclers will have a run tomorrow to Mill Valley under their captain.
W. Henshaw Stinson and James Coffroth of the Olympic Club Wheelmen will start to-day on a tour to Los Angeles via the coast. They will each carry about thirty pounds of baggage. From here to San Jose they will be paced by H. W. Spalding this afternoon. They will then fall into the hands of Joseph B. Carey, cycling editor of the Mercury, who calculates they shall reach Gilroy the same night. The Tribune Cyclers of Gilroy will take them in hand Sunday and intend to ride with them to Paso Robles. At Santa Barbara they will stop one day and three days at Los Angeles. They are both good fellows and I hope our southern brethren will treat them cordially.
L. E. Hickok, well known in the cycle trade of Los Angeles, is in the city. He says none of the dealers there can get sufficient wheels to supply their orders. The racers there are all training for the big meet on July 4.
There will be an entertainment and evening at home at the parlors of the Imperial Cycling Club Thursday evening, June 13, for members only. A committee is also arranging for an entertainment at a local hall in the near future, J. J. McDonald has resigned from the directorate of the Imperials and E. W. Adams has been elected to the vacancy. The club will run some handicap races at the Central Park track to-morrow morning to bring out new racing talent. The events will be a half-mile scratch, half-mile handicap and one-mile handicap. F. M. Byrne of the Imperials won the half-mile scratch race at the Portland meet Wednesday and W. C. Howe of the same club came second in the one-mile scratch.
The members of the Royal Cycling Club will enjoy a "blind" run to-morrow under Lieutenant Sternberg. They were all out on a moonlight run to the beach last Wednesday evening. The club has moved into its new quarters, and is progressing finely.
Charles S. Wells, the crack racer of the Bay City Wheelmen, will attempt to lower the world's five-mile road record of 11:19, over the San Mateo course. He will be paced by some of his fellow-members on tandems. Harry Terrill, E. Languetin, S. B. Vincent, T. A. Griffiths, A. J. Menne and T. S. Hall assisting in this regard. The necessary complement of timers and judges will be on hand to vouch for the trial, should it be made in record time. He will start about 2 P. M., and Captain Dodge has announced a club run to witness the event. Wells is one of the fastest riders on the coast, and many think he can do the trick.
