CYCLING NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 10510, 31 December 1897, Page 1

CYCLING NOTES.

fty Rover.l ; ; It has been decided to hold a lantern parade on ■ Friday night, leaving the Octagon about 8.30. ; A number ot the Dunedin and other clubs have, ex- ■ pressed their willingness to take part, and the various cycle firms intend decorating* special machines for the occasion. : Given a fine night, ■ the spectacle should be an imposing one.. . Messrs Maxwell and White succeeded in carrying off the cash and amateur championships, respectively at the Invercargill cycling sports on Christmas Day. Mr Maxwell also won- the Interclub Test Race. The Ralston brothers kept the Dunedin Club weir to the front at the WeatTaieri Caledonian sports, nearly every event falling a prize to One of ' them. At the same .meeting Mr S. Minn won the Consolation Handicap.' f•; • i ; ! 1 A fair number of cyclists were on the "roads', during the Christmas holidays," but there promises it ii. muo k larger number at New Year. Mr Hewlett, a well-known tourer, got as far as limaru, whilst Messrs D’A. Haggitt and Kirkham pleasantly' spent the time at Hampden and Uamaru. Mr and Mrs Bricg ;r are also tourihgiu and around Hampden. Several cyclists on the south roads presented very mud-stained appearances on Mohday, a number of them being reduced to seek the refuge of the prosaic railway train . . That cycling in Dunedin has not yet developed into racing, and racing only, was amply illustrated - during the Christmas holidays, ~ * A phase of cycling hitherto neglected in New Zealand, but which has been practised with much ' success in other countries, is a" cyclist's encamp- : ,Tbe idea, after simmering as a hazy notion for some time past, was at length given expression to, and when once expressed was soon carried out. To the Dunedin Club was reserved the honor of being the first New Zealand club to carry ou t such an encampment, and the success . which has attended their first venture augurs well tor such holiday, making in the future. Two well-known officials of the club (Messrs R. L/vo\v and A. H. Toukinson) had the arrangements ueder their control, and everything went without a hitch from beginning to end. The bulk of the party left town in sections at various times during Christmas Eve. The twenty oft-traversed miles to Henley were soon covered, and an early start was made next morning down the Taieri River to tho camp. There everything was in order, tents erected, etc., etc. Then everyone laid himself or ‘ Herself—there being a few of the gentler sex in tne party—out to have a good time, and they had it. When fishing paled they went swimming, and when swimming lost its savor some went shooting and others love-making. The laien Mouth is an ideal spot for such a holiday. Though only thirty odd miles away from town, it presents all the aspects of the wild interior. Aou have at once a river, the ocean, Dush, and mountains ; add to this good company, and what more need you desire. Whatever may have been the cause, the fact remains that the encampment of Christmas, 1897. will live as the pleasantest of memories with all those who par- . ticipated in it. Turner (Otago Club) managed to secure the much-coveted prize of the Wheel Race at Invercargill on Christmas Day. .- T he 9 taco Wheel Race will surely be most interesting from a spectator’s point of view. There are thirty-eight entries, including representatives from all parts of New Zealand. Tli® following has been sent by one of a party of the Otago Club who started for a trip round the Lakes district on their bicycles on Christmas Eve:— 1 Arrived here this morning after, the roughest experience I have yet had. ' Left Palmerston Saturday morning. Good road to Waihemp. There we encountered a hot north-west wind, against which, we had to negotiate the Pigroot Hill—or rather Hills. Lunched at Pigrobt after a six hours’ fast. Reached Naseby all serene that night, and had a night out. After breakfast proceeded to Wedderburn—ten miles of dusty road. Lunched there, and took the Ida Valley road, intending to make Clyde same night. Good enough road, barring the dust, but our ill-luck would bave a southern gale this time, against which we could only do from four to six miles an hour. Reached Blacks (or Ophir) about 8 a.m. Left next; morning (Monday) for Clyde, south-west gale still blowing; but after doing about twelve nubs we turned off to the right, which brought the wind on~ our quarter-to Clyde. Lunched at Clyde, and then our real" troubles began. l<rom Clyde to Cromwell the road is so dry as to be unrideable. Even the usual 6in to ISin along the outside edge of the road is in mmy places torn up and unrideable. Had tea at Cromwell; and left about 6.15 for Victoria Bridge, and I would fain pass over this few hour? of ojur tour in silence. Language necessary to-convey the slightest idea of the present state of the road up the Kawarau Gorge would have to be lurid in the extreme, and punctuated with adjectives the reverse of parliamentary. Bill got a severe cold m the chest at Blacks, and the ride from there to Victoria Bridge knocked him over. He has not been the same man since. From Victoria Bridge to Queenstown more bad road. Indeed, from Clyde to this place the road is simply a space covered with a mixture of dust and sand from 6in to 12m deep, with here and there a track over which the poor cyclist can go bumbety-bumpety for a few hundred yards, then dismount and proceed again on foot till he comes to the next rideable niece. To sum up, I would not advise you to try this trip at this time of year. They tell me that after rain (which they have rot had for some time} the road is not bad. So tho rainy season is the time to tackle it. We are here, and must get back somehow.”