BICYCLING. 



A ROAD MAP STUDY. 



I spend many winter evenings in study- 

 ing road maps and planning trips awheel, 

 to be taken in summer. A critical study 

 of the ordinary road map gives a great 

 deal of information which aids in planning 

 such trips; and it is information which is 

 generally overlooked. This can be illus- 

 trated no better than by describing a day's 

 trip, taken early in the season. 



The map shows part of the day's run. 

 The macadam roads are in double lines 

 and the ordinary country roads in dotted 

 lines. The map also shows the water 

 courses, which is an important feature. 



We were going from B to A and we 

 took the macadam road to C, which is the 

 only road used by cyclists. There was a 

 strong wind — in fact almost a gale — blow- 

 ing in the direction of the arrow. After 

 leaving B we had a steep climb up hill H. 

 Then before we got to C there was one 

 more small hill to climb; but the grade 

 was mostly in our favor, so we coasted 

 nearly all the way. The wind at our backs 

 made this a wonderfully exhilarating run. 

 From C to A the grades were easy, and the 

 road superb. 



We had dinner at A, but my peace was 

 disturbed by haunting thoughts of the re- 

 turn trip. The wind was still blowing hard, 

 bringing vividly to mind the great clouds 

 of dust we would have to face as we worked 

 our way up the long grade, from C to B. 

 Incidentally it may be remarked that there 

 is no dust quite so disagreeable as the dust 

 from a macadam road. 



I took out the road map to see if there 

 was any comfort to be derived from that. 

 First I noticed that there was an ordinary 

 country road, leading almost directly from 

 A to B, which would be much shorter than 

 the macadam by which we had come. Sec- 

 ond the country road followed a water 

 course, which would indicate no hill to 

 climb. Also as the road ran up the valley 

 the chances seemed to be that we would, 

 not be so much exposed to the force of the 

 head wind as we would on the macadam 

 road, which was on high, open ground. 



All this seemed so convincing that I 

 went to interview the stable man. He 

 strongly advised against the short cut, as 

 it was an old and little used road, and so 

 sandy as to be almost unridable. Such in- 

 formation, coming from such a source, 

 would seem conclusive; but still I was not 

 satisfied. After we had started for home, on 

 the macadam, I told my companion of my 

 ideas and suggested we return by the coun- 

 try road, taking our chances as to results. 

 Tow-headed girls are generally willing to 

 take any chances that are suggested; and 

 this one proved no exception. So we 

 turned to the left, at the first cross road 

 we came to, and started on our journey 

 into the unknown. 



I had memorized, by counting on my 

 fingers, the turns in the road — left — right — 

 left — right — left, and then to follow the( 

 brook. We had no trouble in keeping our 

 course, and for half the way the wheeling 

 was good. The last half of the road was 

 so sandy as to be unridable, but my com- 

 panion was a skilful enough cyclist to thor- 

 oughly enjoy the side path. As anticipated 

 we had no hills to climb and, almost too 

 good to be believed, we were entirely pro- 

 tected from the wind all the way, as the 

 road wound up the valley through dense 

 woods. 



In planning trips awheel, from road 

 maps, the water courses should be noted; 

 as they give a knowledge of the topography 

 of the country which is of great value. 

 For level riding follow the water course. 

 When the route leads across a water course 

 it generally means a hill to climb. 



HUMILIATED. 



The redskins ripped the welkin with their 

 war whoop till the air 

 Seemed to curdle with the terror of its 

 spell, 

 Then their faces blanched, and, paralyzed, 

 they scattered everywhere — 

 A tourist had let out a college yell. 



— Richmond Dispatch. 



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