482 



RECREA TION. 



TROUBLE AHEAD. 



" Skorcher felt terribly about getting his 

 face scratched in that bicycle collision." 



" Yes; he said he couldn't make his wife 

 believe he hadn't been to a lady barber." 



What do you think of the Lovell Dia- 

 mond bicycle, as compared with the Victor, 

 the Stearns and other $100 wheels? 



A. E. H., New Haven, Ct. 



Answer: The Lovell Diamond may be 

 all right but is not so well known as the 

 others you mention. You will always serve 

 your own interests, and those of brother 

 sportsmen, best, by buying goods that are 

 advertised in Recreation in preference to 

 those not represented there. 



" You go out on your wheels every Sun- 

 day, don't you? " 



"Yes; after we come home, you know, 

 we get a sermon and the music from our 

 phonograph; and our vitascope shows us 

 the people coming out of church." 



SUMMER JOYS. 



'Tis now the dusty time o' year — 



As writ in Nature's page; 

 When reckless sprinklers soak the streets, 



And make the cyclists rage. 



The Gotham Cycle Club is in the saddle 

 more firmly than ever, having now acquired 

 possession of its handsome and spacious 

 club house at 254 West 53d Street on terms, 

 for all practical purposes, equivalent to 

 ownership. The new President of the club, 

 is Mr. A. Jagmetti, the well-known Super- 

 intendent of the Century Association. 



Extensive alterations and improvements 

 will be made, in the club house, at once. 



" George, I heard talking after you came 

 in late last night; were you saying your 

 prayers? " 



" Not much: I was hunting matches and 

 put both hands flat on that fly-paper you 

 left on the mantel." 



CYCLE NOTES. 



With the ground white with the dreaded 

 snow, at late as March 15th, it looks as if 

 Southwestern Connecticut would have at 

 least her share of mud and slush this spring. 

 It reminds me that '97 will be a gear case 

 year in America, if year 'round riders are 

 real bright; for a good gear case saves a 

 lot 'of wear and muscle, not to say pointed 

 remarks, all due to bad roads, which are too 

 numerous all over the land. I shall try one 

 early, and report. 



* * * 



There is a budding tendency toward more 

 comfort and less agony from saddles; but 

 several of the new kinds shown, that pre- 

 tend to afford ease, are so small the rider 

 feels that if he remains on, it will be due as 

 much to Providence, as to his own skill. 



A light, accurate, repeating rifle, that 

 means business when fired at a vicious dog 

 who wantonly attacks wheelmen on the 

 road, is a good thing to carry in regions so 

 infested. No law in this State prevents it, 

 either, and should not in any other. 



Tires wider than inch-and-a-half " will be 

 much worn" this year by comfort lovers; 

 and even by many of the speedy ones, who 

 have grown weary of numb hands and ach- 

 ing arms due to small, hard inflated tires 

 on rough roads. One and three-quarters 

 and, in many cases, 2 inch tires will be rid- 

 den by those who prefer to still inhabit this 



vale of tears. Why not ride at ease? 

 # * * 



A fine quality of steel wire should replace 

 many of the flimsy dress and chain guards, 

 of string, found on too many ladies' wheels. 



Suppose wire costs ten cents more to a 

 wheel; it would make the owner more than 

 that much happier, and she would, with the 

 wire lacing, as the photographer says, 

 " look pleasant " at all times. 



Stamson. 



The secretary of the L. A. W. has com- 

 piled a list of membership in each State, 

 showing the numerical standing for 1896 

 and 1897. There was a decrease in only two 

 divisions — Oklahoma and Mississippi. The 

 membership a year ago was 39,323. This 

 year it is 75,512. 



The wheelmen of Watertown, N. Y., have 

 formulated plans for building bicycle paths 

 along Lake Ontario, connecting with paths 

 throughout the Northern, central and 

 Western counties. It is expected this cir- 

 cuit will be completed by August. 



Saratoga has been selected for the New 

 York State division bicycle meet, which 

 will continue 2 days, during the week be- 

 ginning June 21. The local arrangements 

 will be made by the Goods Roads Asso- 

 ciation. 



Six months ago the Greater New York 

 Wheelmen organized with 12 members. 

 They now have nearly 200 and the club has 

 made application for membership in the As- 

 sociated Cycling Clubs of Long Island. 



A party of 3 gentlemen will go from here 

 to San Francisco, on bicycles, this spring. 

 Will some one inform me in regard to»the 

 best route to take? 



B. G. Robinson, 

 East End, Oneonta, N. Y. 



