THE OPEN ROAD

Evening Post, Issue 113, 10 November 1930, Page 11

THE OPEN ROAD

CYCLIST REMEMBERS

FIFTY YEARS OF PEDALLING

WHEN "HIGHWAYS WERE MIRE

Tes, yes. The other day I celebrated my cycling jubilee. Lhavo been travelling the roads for fifty years. Mr. George Broadbent laid down his pen iv his office in the building of the Eoyal Automobile : Club .of Victoria. It was ■ clear from his eyes that his thoughts' were concerned .with subjects far removed from.the city., After a few moments of reflection he remembered that he was being interviewed, and recovered "himself with a start, says the Melbourne "Argus." "How did I celebrate? .By riding my bicycle to-the office, :of course. Do you know what I should Tike to do at this minute?" Mr. BrWbeht asked. "I should like to take a holiday for a fortnight. I would have one of my sons drive me to the hills Then I would unstrap my bicycle and spend the holiday pedalling about the country. There is nothing like it. I have played golf and cricket and tennis. They are all very well m thenway, but they do not compare with cycling. They are.as restricted as cycling is unrestricted. One who has enjoyed the' pleasuro of the open road— 'the heavens above and the road below, as Stevenson said—has little time for other recreations. CLUB RUNS. "It is difficult for men to realise that it was as long ago as early in October, 1880: that I had my first ride on a bicycle. The machine was called a Coventry Rotary. It.had two small wheels about 28in in diameter in line on the 'right-hand side. They \vere connected with each, other, and they moved castor like for steering. On tho left was the larger driving wheel attached to a cranked axle. Soon.l became tho proud possessor of a 'penny-farthing' bicycle, and I was able to join the club runs on Saturday afternoons. The old cycling clubs would cause a smile now. Keilor was then the Mecca of cyclists, and no one was considered a fully fledged wheelman until ho had ridden there. Some readers will remember the, clubs. I was a member of the Ferndale Cycling Club. Wo were 50 or 60 strong, and we wore uniforms consisting of brown Norfolk coats and knee breeches and claret coloured stockings. We were led by a bugler, and as we. approached a town on our 'penny-farthings' we were heralded by a brave fanfare. Rival clubs were the Melbourne, whoso members jvore a uniform of green; the Normanby, whose members wore grey; and the Victoria, whose, members affected blue suits and stockings. BAD HIGHWAYS. "Yet, although in these self-conscious days such simple pleasures would raise a vulgar guffaw, we had many enjoyable and healthy outings. There were no trams or motors in those days. Albert cabs, in which the passengers sat back to back, were the only conveyances in the city. Elizabeth street was such a mire in wet weather that women gladly paid sixpence to be carried across. Tho bicycle was our emancipation. It opened a new world. My friends did not believe me when at first I boasted that I had been to Geelong and back in one day. Soon, however, with ihe organisation of the, cycling clubs such trips became common and nothing was thought of a ride of 100 miles in a day. "Cycling soon meant more to me than a. hobbyj, I acquired a very close knowledge of the roads of Victoria—in more ways than one. The /penny-farthings' did not give the steadiest of seats. The number of times I was thrown over the handle on to my wrists made me keenly appreciative of the shocking condition of the surface of the highways of the State. My habit of jotting down on a rough map of the period notes about tho trips I undertook made me an authority on the roads. At that time there was nothing in the nature of a chart or a plan or a map of the usable roads. They were traversed only by coaches, carriers' wagons, bullock teams, and pedestrians. It was natural, therefore, that the first cyclists should seek information from me TIEST ROAD MAP. "It was not until 1895 'that I published my first road map. Since then I have published many -maps, all of which have been compiled from personal knowledge. At first I gathered my information upon a bicycle, but later pressure of work compelled me to travel in motors. I estimate that in making my maps I have travelled 500,000 miles. Although I have two motors I cycle frequently for health reasons, and I seldom go driving without carrying my bicycle strapped-to the side of the car. "I have used every form of bicycleand motor transport. I was one of the first owners of a 'safety' bicycle, which was introduced in 1887. The 'safety' bicycle was virtually the same machine as that in use to-day, except, of course, that pneumatic tires had not been invented. The feat of which I am proudest is the! record which I established by riding fromHeXham, in the Western district, to Mount Moriac, a distance of 100 miles, in 6 hours 57 minutes. Even the riders of to-day would have to travel to reduce that time on solid tires. The ' safety' cycles eliminated ' croppers, and still farther. widened our horizon. Later, in 1891, when pneumatic tires were adopted—l was one of the nrstthree in Australia .to use them—we believed that we had gone as'far as it was possible, to go toward conquering distance. !" Everybody cycled. I liave a vivid recollection of seeing Lord and Lady Brassoy sedately pedalling through, the city, gracefully: acknowledging tho- salutes of the loyal subjects of the King. . A MOTOR-CYCLE. "When,'at the end of the last century, the motor appeared, the first motor vehicle I drove was a tricycle, with tube ignition, which gave a great deal of trouble. It had ,to be pedalled before -.the-, engine would start, and its great weight made the pedalling heavy work. In 1899 I used a motor-cycle, which had an engine fitted on the head of the machine, that drove the front wheel. The transmission was , through a round belt. It was quite a practical mount.. From that time.' the development of motor vehicles was astounding. The motor has been a boon to civilisation. Even I, who love cycling so well, am forced to use cars. Yet I cannot help feeling that we have lost something. There are indications, however, that cycling is returning to popularity. These difficult times are compelling people to seek simpler forms of recreation and cheaper means of transport. Cycling clubs aro increasing in number, and, although they are now interested chiefly in racing, there is no reason why they should not take up touring again. If they do, tho members of tho clubs will never regret their choice. "Tho father of one of my doctors was an enthusiastic cyclist. One day my doctor nsked, 'Are you still cycling, George?' I replied that I was, and tho doctor said gravely, 'You had better be careful, you know; .it killed my father.' 'How old wns your father when ho died?' I asked. Without a hint of a smile, my doctor told me' gravely that his father had died at the age of 94,"-