Not a run, but rather a "climb and coast" - Mon, Nov 16, 1891, Page 3, San Francisco Chronicle

Mon, Nov 16, 1891 – Page 3 · San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, San Francisco, California) · Newspapers.com

The Wheelmen 

Not a run, but rather a "climb and coast" this time was the programme of the Bay Citys yesterday. The 8 o'clock boat to Sausalito found the boys all ready for the ride, which they started at Ross Station, and walked and climbed to the very top of the mountain, about two hours from the station. A register in the book at the top, lunch, a survey of the really magnificent view from that point, the great ocean on one side, San Francisco and San Pablo bays on the other, with the pretty valleys at the base of the mountain, and then the descent. It may have taken two hours to reach the summit, but considerably less than half that time was necessary to get back. The scorchers went on via Corte Madera to Sausalito, while the others took the train at Ross Station.
Those on the run were Captain Thomas H. Doane, George P. Wetmore, Alex M. Burns, Charles Dietle, Alfred J. Storey, Arthur Barnes, Horace B. Sperry, Calvin N. Langton, Wallace Thompson, Theodore C. Dodge, Albert F. Buneman, Charles H. Rankin, George H. Bell and George Andrews, and "Tom," the club dog. Edwin Mohrig and Robert M. Welch started for a century run yesterday morning in order to get a bar for their "Century Club" badges.

T. H. B. Varney and George Faulkner rode to Santa Cruz, via Alma and Hotel de Redwood, Wednesday of last week on pneumatics, covering the distance in 10h. 45m., which they claim as record. H. F. Wynne, one of the long distance "fiends" who has heretofore held the record, will try to regain it within a few weeks.

The preparations for the race meet at Oakland go on apace, and from the friendly rivalry which has been started among the several clubs we are sure to see some good races. The three-mile ordinary and five-mile safety championships will be run, and not as stated last week, the five-mile ordinary and three-mile safety.

[1891 was about when the 'ordinary', or what we call the high-wheeler or penny-farthing bicycle started to go out of style, and the newer 'safety' bicycle - which is what we now ride - became the norm. Note also that they discuss pneumatics and cushion tires in this article. They were transitioning to John Boyd Dunlop's reinvention of the pneumatic tire. We have to assume that much of the riding described in this article, including descending Mount Tamalpais, was done on penny farthing bicycles with hard rubber tires! MF]



The Hesperian Cyclists held a run to Piedmont yesterday. After partaking of a luncheon they continued their journey to Alameda, W. J. Pattosien acting as pace-maker for the day. The club, having been but recently organized, is looked upon with a great deal of interest by the resident of the Mission. The members on the run yesterday were Charles W. Etting, Charles F. Meyer, John Merguire, James Temple, W. J. Pattosien, W. H, O'Malley and W. F. Cordes.

The Pacific Road Club held a club run to Niles yesterday, going via Centerville. At Niles they fell in with some San Jose cyclists, and with these they visited the stone dam. On the return trip the San Jose boys went via the mountain road, [Calaveras? - MF] the Pacific Road Club members via Haywards.

Those on the run were: President A. T. Janzen, J. F. Hancock, E. S. Battles, J. C. Luby, George Hicks, L. L. Murch, A. Aiken, Thomas Colestock, J. Simmer, Albert Makison, C. Pomeroy, W. Grimes, R. Gilkey, C. Belloli, M. Lummers and G. Peterson.

The Bay City Wheelmen hold open house for their lady friends next Thursday evening. The membership of the club goes on steadily increasing. Many of the very old members, who had almost forsaken cycling, have with the advent of the cushion and pneumatic tires and an appreciation of the good times had by the members of the club again presented their applications for membership.