“The Vagabond Cyclist”

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 230, 30 September 1935, Page 8

“The Vagabond Cyclist”

ADVENTURES IN WORLD WANDERINGS

Visiting Palmerston North on Saturday was Gilbert Simon, tho “vagabond cyclist” who for thirteen years has been wandering round the globe which he has circumnavigated three times. In the course of an interview with a “Times” reporter, Mr. Simon said:— PEDALLING ROUND THE WORLD;“For several years I had been visiting various parts of the earth in different capacities. Mostly as a sailor, occasionally as a mere wayfarer, and for a long time as a “hobo” in tho United States and Canada. Hoboing caused mo to run foul of the United States immigration authorities and after rather a hectic time at their hands, I decided that a more novel method of satisfying my wanderlust might be moro comfortable and more exciting. In seeking for an original method 1 decided to circumnavigate the world, as it were, on a bicycle.

Hitting the Bull. “Sailoring had unfortunately not taught me economy, and as soon as I had made my decision I found myself with good intentions, but no money. In the end I managed to raise sufficient funds to purchase a lady’s bicycle much the worse of wear and tear. However, a little jiggering up put it in what I rogarded as a sufficient state of repair, anil with a small pack containing my clothes, and food for my immediate need, I startod on my long journey from Bundaberk, Queensland, Australia. “After about 000 miles I met my first serious yet humorous misadventure, duo to the fact that my machine was devoid of brakes. Whilst descending a very steep hill near Maryborough, Queensland/ my bicycle got out of control. On rounding a bend on the unmetallcd roadway 1 was horrified to see a huge herd of cattle ascending the hill under the supervision of a gang of drovers. As there were no means of avoiding a collision I quickly decided to select tho boefiest looking buLlock, hoping that its superabundance of fat might break to some extent the writable blow. “The next moment I had a fleeting vision of the heavens descending upon me, and knew no more until I recovered consciousness with a broken collarbone. My machine lay in fragments upon tho road, whilst beside mo in a state of complete repose, from which it never recovered, lay tho luckless animal.

“Nature kindly sent me back to oblivion. A few hours later I awoke confident that I had arrived in that land said to be reserved for better men than myself. Leaning over mo was the most charming of young ladies, who, 1 later discovered, was the daughter oi the kindly squatter to whose homestead tho sympathetic drovers had carried me. Here I remained six weeks until my injury was sufficiently cured to enable me to resume my journey. “With the help of some of the employees of the station -I repaired rnj damaged cycle sufficiently to ride away amid the cheers and good wishes of my host, his family and entire staff. “My aim now was to reach Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, several hundred miles due south. Never shall I forget the loneliness of this part of tho journey. Sometimes two or three days would elapse during which I saw no sign of human life. This meant sleeping under the bushes in danger oi being attacked by poisonous snakes and being eaten by huge ants which’ inhabit ■this part of tho continent. “It would be difficult to imagine my delight when ono night I came across a deserted shack on the edge of a marsh. It had started to rain in torrents and soon a terrific storm broke out, such as Queensland occasionally experiences. It was not until two days later that I discovered that the shack was roputed to be haunted by the spirit of a man who had been murdered tlicro a few years before. ‘ ‘ This may account for tho eerie experience which befell mo during that memorable night. I Jay down in the houso in complete darkness, as I had only two matches left and these I reserved to light a fire under my billycan iu the morning. Almost immediately there camo upon mo an unpleasant feeling that I was not alone. To mako matters worse tho door of the shack opened although I thought I had made it fast. This I attributed to the force of .the wind. The wind, however, could not account for the mysterious' barking of a dog which sounded for all tho world as if it were under my car, nor for the distinct sounds of heavy footsteps, as if a man were walking across the room. Treasured Signature. “I arrived at Brisbane on a beautiful sunny morning and went straight to Mr. Jones, the Lord Mayor, who welcomed me kindly and signed my autograph book to which ho also applicu tho Seal of tho City. I adopted this practise in every city that I visited in my tour round Australia, and shall always treasure tho little book which contains the signatures of every Lord Mayor, Stato Governor and Sir Isaac Isaacs, the then Governor-General of Australia. “It was evident that Australians were keenly interested in my undertaking, and I received everywhere tokens of appreciation in tho generous hospitality for which New Zealanders and Australians are famous. My machine came in for a considerable amount of interest, none tho less keen because of its delapidated appearance. If one could travel so far on such a poor specimen of a cycle, what could be done on a better one, was the general sentiment expressed by the amused observers. I fold that the bicycle was coming into its own. Riding on Ropes. “From Brisbane to Sydney, New South "Wales, a distance of about 6QO miles, I passed through some Of the finest ‘wide open spaces’ in the world. My manner of travelling naturally continued to a-rouse keen interest and 1 was often asked how I liked it. This was not to be wondered at in districts where horses and ‘shankes’ pony’ were the common mode of transit.

“.Here I experienced a great deal of discomfort owing to my tyres wearing out, without any chance of my replay