Oakland Tribune 26 Jan 1898 Sporting News - bike path to San Jose - six-day race - bicycle notes - acme
Here's the "Sporting News" from the Oakland Tribune 26 Jan 1898, Wed, Page 8, "Resume of the Week's Events In the Athletic World". I've kept the cycling and Acme Club items. What's fascinating is the pre-car lobbying for road infrastructure - the bike path from Oakland to San Jose presages highway 880 - and the obsession with what a human body could accomplish on a bike, over great distances at speed. Bicycle advocacy is no new thing. The "need for speed" got satisfied by motors after the turn of the century. An article on bike camping rings true. It's now quite popular to go bikepacking, or to pack up for a road trip to a riding destination. The advice on winter cycling is right. I include the bit about the Acme Club, because I am very curious about this athletic (including bike riding) club that used to be here. As a cyclist, it is encouraging to see how much we (my city of Oakland, and the nation) was enthralled by bicycle riding. - MF
Found on Newspapers.com
One thing which has done much to discourage the proposed path is the utter lack of interest which the people of San Jose show in regard to the project. The San Jose cyclers and the public spirited citizens of that city were expected to enter into the project heart and soul. The city of San Jose would be benefited more than any of the other cities, and it was thought that the citizens would realize that fact and he even more enthusiastic than the originators of the project in Oakland. But something seems to be the matter with the people of our neighboring city. They haven't even seen fit to endorse the proposition. Not one of the papers of the interior city has had a word to say on the subject, and it is dead, so far as their athletic clubs are concerned.
Judge Allen assures me, however, that the cyclers of San Jose are not so dead as their actions indicate, and that they will show a sufficient amount of enthusiasm as soon as the project takes some definite shape.
An informal canvass shows that the cyclers of Oakland and San Francisco are not only willing but exceedingly anxious to contribute their pro rata toward the project, and more than one biker residing in the towns along the proposed route of the path have taken pains to notify the Judge that the intermediate points will do their share. The road houses are also in line, and are unanimously in favor of the path, and the Supervisors of the two counties, Santa Clara and Alameda, can be depended upon to make liberal appropriations.
It can safely be said, from present indications, that the project will go through booming, despite the coolness of the San Jose, or "Garden City" cyclers.
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THE CYCLE PATH TO SAN JOSE
Wheelmen Are Enthusiastic Over the Proposed Scheme
THE UMPIRE
Judge J. J.. Allen, who is president of the Acme Athletic Club, and who has been one of the most earnest advocates of the proposed cycle path from this city to San Jose, assures me that the project is daily gaining in favor among the local cyclists. The San Francisco cyclists are also favorable to the project, and as soon as the winter rains are over the supporters of the project will organize and meetings of cyclists will be held in Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose.One thing which has done much to discourage the proposed path is the utter lack of interest which the people of San Jose show in regard to the project. The San Jose cyclers and the public spirited citizens of that city were expected to enter into the project heart and soul. The city of San Jose would be benefited more than any of the other cities, and it was thought that the citizens would realize that fact and he even more enthusiastic than the originators of the project in Oakland. But something seems to be the matter with the people of our neighboring city. They haven't even seen fit to endorse the proposition. Not one of the papers of the interior city has had a word to say on the subject, and it is dead, so far as their athletic clubs are concerned.
Judge Allen assures me, however, that the cyclers of San Jose are not so dead as their actions indicate, and that they will show a sufficient amount of enthusiasm as soon as the project takes some definite shape.
An informal canvass shows that the cyclers of Oakland and San Francisco are not only willing but exceedingly anxious to contribute their pro rata toward the project, and more than one biker residing in the towns along the proposed route of the path have taken pains to notify the Judge that the intermediate points will do their share. The road houses are also in line, and are unanimously in favor of the path, and the Supervisors of the two counties, Santa Clara and Alameda, can be depended upon to make liberal appropriations.
It can safely be said, from present indications, that the project will go through booming, despite the coolness of the San Jose, or "Garden City" cyclers.
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Charles Miller of Chicago, the winner of this event, was credited with the enormous distance of 2,093 miles in the six days. After the race a careful measurement of the track showed it to be (eighteen inches from the pole, according to the racing rules) 561 feet 3 inches in circuit. These figures multiplied by nine - the number of laps counted as a mile - give a total of 5,078 feet 3 inches, which is 201 feet 9 inches short of a mile. Miller's actual record, therefore, is reduced to about 2013 miles: but even this is more than 100 miles ahead of the score by which Hale won the six day championship a year ago. Two other contestants, Messrs. Rice and Schinneer, who were respectively second and third in the recent race, beat Hale's last year's record; while Hale himself, who finished fourth this time, was credited with 1,920 miles, his uncorrected score. The lowest score made by any of the fifteen contestants who finished was 1,229.
In round numbers, then, two thousand miles in six days, or 333 miles a day, is the modern record for long-distance riding. As Miller was absent from the track only ten hours out of the 142 that the race lasted, his average speed during the week was something over fifteen miles an hour. No horseman, with any number of a relays, could possibly maintain that pace for six consecutive days. Fifteen miles an hour is a good time for an ordinary freight train on any railroad, and even the passenger trains do not go much faster than that in some provincial sections. At that rate a wheelman might start from New York on a Monday morning and pedal to Chicago and back by the ensuing Saturday night.
If he had a straight, unbroken track all the way he could ride his wheel entirely around the world in eighty days, with perhaps a few hours more margin than Jules Verne's hero had. - Leslie's Weekly.
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BICYCLE NOTES
Prospects for summer cycling camps in this country are promising this year. Hitherto very little attention has been paid to this particular feature of bicycle life, a feature which is enjoyed to the utmost in England. But reports from various parts of the United States indicate that such camps are to become popular and numerous during the coming summer. Generally speaking, the camps are to be conducted by bicycle clubs, and so arranged as to provide certain comforts as well as mere protection against wind and weather. The subject of such a camp is now under discussion in several of the leading cycling organizations of New York, and several expeditions of the kind will undoubtedly be arranged for. Considering the steady popularity and success of cyclists' camps in England for the past fifteen years, it is singular that the subject has been neglected so long in this country. The camps are conducted on an inexpensive scale, and offer most attractive opportunities for the vacation holidays. Almost any club of fifty members or more can run such a camp successfully and profitably. Reasonable rules and careful management, together with a sufficient number of subscribers, are bound to make the undertaking one of the most attractive events in the club's year. The location should be chosen in or near good touring country, and close to some waterway if possible. The programme for entertaining the campers for one week, two weeks, or even a longer time must naturally be left to the ingenuity of the management in each individual case. The opportunities in that respect are endless. Now is the time to begin preparations for summer camps, and it is gratifying to note that American clubs are taking to the idea.
Winter bicycling offers as much real enjoyment as does summer riding. In fact, there are many who prefer winter riding. There is no reason why the sport should not be as freely indulged in during the winter months as in the summer, provided always that a few necessary precautions are taken. The matter of dress is the most important. Extra heavy garments are cumbersome and are not needed. Warm woolen underwear is the proper thing, over which outer garments of ordinary winter weight should be worn.
Very fast riding should be avoided, as a cyclist is apt to take cold easily in stopping to rest when perspiring freely. An easy, moderate pace is preferable.
All nuts on the bicycle should be tightened frequently in cold weather. They are more likely to work loose than in the summer. Heat expands metal; cold contracts it. Cyclists should avoid hot alcoholic beverages while riding in cold weather. The effect on the system is anything but good, particularly if the rider resumes riding after taking a hot drink.
ACME AFFAIRS
The Acme Club seems to have met a matrimonial wave. Kitchen, Cook, Shanley et al. have within a little while past joined the matrimonial ranks, and now one of its oldest members has folded up his single tent like the Arab and quietly stole away.
In a sunny room on the corner of Ninth and Clay streets lived two apparently contented bachelors, seeming to have settled into single blessedness. Now one of those two wears a solemn look, characteristic of a breaking up of a household or a death in the family.
That melancholy individual is the heretofore beaming Lou Hardie, and it will be some time before he will be reconciled to the fact that Charlie Hannan has been captured by Dan Cupid.
There are few better or more favorably known men in the club or in the city than Charlie Hannan, and all the boys wish him and his highly esteemed bridle long life and happiness.
On next Sunday the Acme Wheelmen baseball team will go to San Jose to play the local team in that city.
The San Jose team has played a game which took eleven innings to decide and as the Acme has won two games with small scores an excellent game is expected.
The boys are enthusiastic over baseball, and that is about the only sport which can be indulged in during this season of the year.
Many inquiries are being made about the success of the cycling path, and as the agents report a big advance business in wheels, it is more than likely that when the wheeling season is begun the ride to San Jose will be a favorite one.
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