BICYCLING. 



The annual meet of the League of American 

 Wheelmen, which was held at Asbury Park dur- 

 ing the past week, has opened up an era of possi- 

 bilities never before dreamed of by even the most 

 ultra cyclists. During the three days' racing the 

 crowds averaged iooo a day, and fully 10,000 

 wheelmen attended the meet. 



Those who saw the extraordinary interest dis- 

 played in the races were tempted to ask if cycling 

 races would not eventually rival baseball in the 

 hearts of the people. This is not impossible. 

 When baseball was first played it was by ama- 

 teurs. This continued for years until profes- 

 sionalism became a necessity. 



Just so with cycling to day. It is now passing 

 out of the ameteur alphabetical class so far as 

 racing is concerned. The action of the Racing 

 Board in their recent meeting exemplified this 

 when they gave their official recognition to pro- 

 fessionals. 



This action will create a revolution in the 

 ranks of racing wheelmen. Every man in Class 

 B with any kind of a record will now jump out 

 as a professional and race for revenue only. If 

 the L. A. W. can keep the sport clean and free 

 from all suspicion of trickery they need not fear 

 for patronage. It is the opinion of many wheel- 

 men that it will not be a great while before a 

 regular bicycle circuit is formed. — New York 

 Herald. 



Editor Recreation. 



Albany, N. Y 



My experience in bicycle sailing has not been 

 very satisfactory. Unless the wind is abaft it is 

 difficult to obtain favorable results I used a pole 

 of bamboo for a mast and lashed it to the wheel 

 just back of handle bars, to be out of the way 

 in steering. I then fastened the tip of sail to hub 

 of back wheel, with a wire and small pulley. 

 This gave me control of the sail and enabled me 

 to get it low, so it would not over-balance easily. 

 My boom was only half as long as my sail. This 

 let me handle quickly for a semi-tack, but it is 

 impossible to grab on to the ground tightly 

 enough to tack against wind. With wind abaft, 

 one can fairly fly and trust to — luck to stop. 



R. F. W. 



The Rev. Mr. Dennett, of New York, said in 

 his pulpit a few days ago : "What was once 

 thought to be impossible has been accomplished. 

 We have even outdone Peter, who failed to walk 

 on the water. We are riding on the wind. Take 

 this beautiful wheel, this rubber bauble, with its 

 steel wings, this scientific angel, which seems to 

 bear you on its unwearied pinions, and tell me 

 is my text out of place when I say that what Job 

 did in his figurative escape from trouble, riding 

 on the air, the wearied and confined toiler at the 

 desk and counter performs when he shuts the 

 door behind him, comes forth into God's pure 

 air, and mounts his scientific angel for a buoyant 

 ride of miles and miles without a thought of 

 care ?" 



p. m. June 27th, with a message to Colonel 

 Kline, at Madison Barracks, reached Sackett's 

 Harbor at 3:40 p. M. of June 30th. Starting on 

 June 9, Lieutenant Wise and Private Weed 

 made the trip from Madison Barracks to Gov- 

 ernor's Island in 88 hours. The return trip was 

 made by Weed alone in 96 hours and 40 minutes. 

 Weed rode a 21-pound wheel, and carried the 

 regulation soldier's equipment, which weighs 

 about 35 pounds. 



The management of the Rhode Island State Fair 

 is planning the building of what it is proposed 

 shall be the finest bicycle track in the country. 

 It is to be three laps to the mile, and no expense 

 or skill is to be spared to make it a record 

 breaker. The Rhode Island Fair proposes to 

 hold a bicycle tournament during Exposition 

 week, which opens September 16. 



Perley Burritt arrived in Chicago, recently com- 

 pleting a ride on an 1 8 pound bicycle from J ^ckson- 

 vi!le,Fla., to Chicago The total distance covered 

 was 1,385 miles. Burritt started on his ride June 

 13- 



The young ladies in York, Neb., are too nice 

 to wear bloomer bicycle costumes. Only one 

 has dared to appear in them, and the evil prophe- 

 cies in regard to her future, for appearing in such 

 attire, would hoodoo old Trinity. 



" Mike " Dernberger, of Syracuse, rode two 

 miles in 3m. 51 4-5S., at Louisville. May 30th, 

 cutting almost three seconds from the record, 

 which previously stood at 3m. 54fs. 



Arthur Zimmerman made a new world's record 

 at Pittsburg, June 22d, by covering a mile in 

 two minutes on a quarter mile track. 



At Philadelphia, June 22, John S. Johnson 

 established a half mile unpaced professional 

 record, doing it in 59m. 2-5S. 



Charles Murphy, of New York, broke the 

 world's mile record in competition at Waltham, 

 May 30th. The new record is 2m. 1 4-5S. 



Chairman Gideon, of the L. A. W. National 

 Racing Board, announces that he will not 

 sanction any record trials until after October 1 . 



Private Arthur E. Weed, of Company F, Ninth 

 Infantry, who left New York on a bicycle at 3 



Elgin, 111. 



Herewith please find draft, $13, for 13 new 

 subscribers to Reckf.ation. I am so delighted 

 with its bright, newsy stories, that it affords me 

 pleasure to be the means of increasing its circu- 

 lation. Four of these gentlemen are taking a 

 magazine at $2 a year, but say yours is much 

 better, at half the price. Sportsmen owe you a 

 debt of gratitude for giving them a first-class 

 publication at so low a price. 



Fred. M. Adams. 



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