CLIMBING MOUNTAINS ON WHEELS. 



20t 



The exploring party numbered 42 and in- 

 cluded, beside members of the club, several 

 distinguished guests who had come from 

 various parts of the world to join in this 

 trip. 



The most feasible route, from Portland 

 to Crater lake, is by way of Ashland, a town 

 near the state line in the Southern part of 

 Jackson county. From this point the road 

 runs East across the summit of the Cas- 

 cades, and then doubles back some 50 or 60 

 miles along the shores of Klamath lake, 

 past Mount Pitt, and Mount Scott to the 

 strange volcanic basin known as Crater 

 lake. 



From Portland to Ashland, a distance of 

 323 miles, the journey is easily made by 

 railway; but from there on it becomes 

 necessary to travel by wagon or pack-train. 



In the expedition of 1896 there were 3 

 Mazamas who decided to make the journey 

 on wheels. 



Mr. C. H. Sholes, president of the 

 Mazamas, Mr. Edgar McClure, professor 

 of analytical chemistry in the University of 

 Oregon, and Dr. L. Connel of Portland, 3 

 enthusiastic friends of the bicycle, formed 

 this detachment. 



Mr. Sholes and Dr. Connel left Portland 

 by wheel and arrived in Eugene, distant 123 

 miles, August 6th, where they were joined 

 by Professor McClure. From here on the 

 account of this expedition is taken largely 

 from the latter's notes, which, for brevity 

 and clearness are not easily improved upon. 

 The first entry runs as follows: August 

 7th left Eugene at 2.30 p.m., cyclometer 

 registering 636^2. On Camas Swale, chain 

 broke. Took 25 minutes to repair it. Roads 

 good. Reached Cottage Grove, 22 miles 

 from Eugene, at 7 p.m. Cyclometer regis- 

 tered 659." 



Here the party slept in a barn. Each man 

 carried a roll of blankets strapped to the 

 handlebar of his wheel, and was thus pre- 

 pared to " rough it " in the best sense of 

 the term. 



From Cottage Grove, through Pass 

 Creek Canyon and the beautiful Yoncolla 

 valley, they found the roads hilly but fairly 

 good. Crossing the Calapoovia mountains 

 they were forced to do a great deal of walk- 

 ing. They made but 38^2 miles that day, 

 and reached Oakland at 6.15 p.m. 



The next day being Sunday, they made 

 a leisurely run to Roseburg, over an indif- 

 ferent road. After dinner they went to 

 Myrtle creek for supper. 



After an hour's rest at that town they 

 wheeled 5 miles farther and camped for the 

 night under a tree on the bank of the 

 Mupqua river. It is officially recorded that 

 at this point the entire party " took a bath." 



The next entry reads: "Monday Au- 

 gust 10th — Left camp at 5.30 and arrived at 

 Canyonville 6.30. Cyclometer, 745 7 A- 

 Road good. Canyonville is not a good 

 place to get meals. Waiter does not know 



enough to make what he has go round." 

 From which it may be inferred the Canyon- 

 ville breakfast was not altogether satis- 

 factory as to quantity; though it is pos- 

 sible, that maligned waiter had not hitherto 

 had occasion to estimate the capacity of 

 biking Mazamas. He should not, there- 

 fore, be too much blamed for insufficient 

 provision. 



What was lacking in Canyonville was 

 made up at Galesville where the wheelmen 

 dined sumptuously. The Chinese cook, at 

 Galesville, atoned for the stupid waiter at 

 Canyonville and in addition was interesting 

 by reason of his desire to be sociable in 

 " pigeon " English. 



" Cow Creek Crossing, 5 miles from 

 Galesville. Stream about 30 feet wide and 

 knee-deep. Must wade and carry bikes. 

 Reach Wolf Creek Station at 3.00 p.m. 

 Cyclometer 770^. Road hilly but good. 

 Out of Wolf Creek, follow the telegraph 

 line. Top of Wolf Creek Hill 3.50. Cy- 

 clometer 772^4. Next hill about 2 l / 2 miles 

 long. Too rough and rocky to ride. Tried 

 to ride down, but took a header. Wheel 

 ran away with me twice." 



Another member of the party fared even 

 worse in attempting this descent. In ap- 

 plying the brake, after a fashion of his own. 

 Dr. Connel had a serious misunderstanding 

 with his wheel. When it was over and the 

 atmosphere had cleared sufficiently to en- 

 able his companions to see him, the doctor 

 was found sitting in the middle of the road, 

 facing uphill, with his feet through the 

 frame of the unlucky bicycle. However, 

 neither man nor wheel was damaged and 

 after a breathing space the expedition pro- 

 ceeded on its way. 



From Grant's pass, which they left Au- 

 gust nth at 8.35 they found the roads re- 

 markably fine. The roadbed of the S. P. 

 railway, being ballasted with decomposed 

 granite, forms an excellent bicycle track for 

 the greater part of the remaining distance 

 to Ashland. The only accidents on this por- 

 tion of the journey were a damaged cyclom- 

 eter and a punctured tire. 



" Wednesday, August 12. Arrived in 

 Ashland for breakfast. Spent the day in 

 repairing wheels. Rest of party, 39 in 

 number, came in on noon train. 



" August 13th. Left Ashland at 8.15 a.m. 

 Cyclometer 834^. Road good first 6 miles, 

 when ascent of mountains begins. Climb is 

 steep. Impossible to ride, even where 

 grade is moderate, on account of loose dirt. 

 Whole party arrives at Spout Spring at 

 12.30. Luncheon. Reached summit of pass 

 at 3.10, cyclometer 849^4. Rapid descent 

 for ^4 of a mile. Ride comfortably from 

 here to Hunt's ranch, arriving 5 p.m. Went 

 into camp and waited 3 hours for cook- 

 wagon to come up. Horses had balked at 

 lunch-camp. Had a scant evening meal 

 and sought our beds." 



Leaving Hunt's the party proceeded 



