The Wheel. - San Francisco Chronicle, 31 Aug 1886

The Wheel.

A week ago last Sunday William Meeker and Frank James, First and Second Lieutenants of the Bay City Wheelmen, rode to San Jose and return in thirteen and a half hours, their cyclometers showed a record of over 110 miles. Very little of such riding as this is seen out here, as it is too much hard work.

George P. Adams, connected with the bicycling firm of Osborne & Alexander, took a severe header in the Park Sunday.

Browning, Cole and Russ of the Bay City Wheelmen are training hard for the September races. They are anxious to pass Turner on the track. Time will tell.

The Capital City Wheelmen will hold a series of races at Agricultural Park, Sacramento], on September 15th, beginning at 10 A. M., for medals given by the State Agricultural Society. The programme will be: Parade: one mile novice race; one-mile handicap race: two-mile handicap race: five-mile handicap race: half-mile club race. A $20 gold medal and a $10 silver medal will be given for each race, Entries may be made with William Lampert, Captain, 718 J street, Sacramento, on or before September 5th. Entrance fee 50 cents.

On account of the action of the wheelmen in announcing a programme for September 9th, the day set apart by the Pacific Coast Amateur Athletic Association on which to hold its yearly championship meeting, the Executive Committee of the Association, at a recent meeting, decided upon holding the meeting on Thanksgiving Day, and not on September 9th, as erroneously stated in the columns of the Call recently.

Dr. J. R. Ford of Wells, Nev., writes to the CHRONICLE, under date of the 27th, to say that S. G. Spier, the champion long-distance bicyclist of the world, left that town at 8 o'clock that morning en route for San Francisco on his wheel. Spier is en route from New York to this city in the endeavor to beat 105-days, the previous record. He has already tallied the following to his credit: 60 miles in 4 hours, 116 miles in 12 hours and 3000 in 38 days. Dr. Ford bespeaks for him a hearty welcome from the wheelmen of this city and State on his arrival, and no doubt the reputation of the golden coast will not suffer in reputation at the hands of our cyclists. Mr. Spier will give some exhibition long-distance specimens of what he can do while in the city. He will be here a week from next Thursday or Friday.

The members of the San Francisco Bicycle Club on Sunday started for a club picnic at Crystal Springs. The start was made from Mission and Twenty-first streets. The grounds were reached shortly after 12 M., and lunch was at once served. In the afternoon a run was made farther up the canyon, where a couple of hours were pleasantly passed. This is the first club run at which Captain Houseworth assumed command. The following were present: Houseworth, Captain: C. A. McDonald, First Lieutenant; Charles B. Wheaton, Second Lieutenant: O. C. Haslett, B. C. Austin Jr., Beverly Letcher, A. M. Brown, F. A. McLaughlin, Benjamin H. Patrick, H. C. Finkler, William Day, and Messrs. Knapp and Donnelly of the San Mateo County Wheelmen. The return was made at 3:45 P. M.

Messrs. Letcher, Wheaton and Houseworth intend making a trip to Taylorville next Sunday,