CYCLE AND MOTOR NOTES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 73, 22 March 1912, Page 8

CYCLE AND MOTOR NOTES.

A few years back the dreaded Coorong Desert, which lies between Kingston and Meningie on the South Australian side of the Melbourne to Adelaide overland route, had many terrors for the motorist, but to-day, with hig-powered cars, high clearance and groat reliability, this sandy stretch of country is now fairly easy to negotiate. Messrs H. B. James and fi. V. Tuson, of the Dunlop Rubber Company, accompanied by Mr G. R. Breadbent, last week comjdetcd a 1350 miles motor ride from Melbourne to Adelaide and back in connection with the forthcoming military relay despatch race, and they had no serious difficulty in negotiating the “Coorong,” both going and returning. Only once was it necessary to use the matting, ropes and shovel (absolutely necessary adjuncts owing to the sand shifting so often and so quickly), and then only a few minutes work was required to extricate the car, and a detour round the headland took them past. On the return journey it only took s;} hours to go from Memingie to Kingston (94 miles), and then this time included stops to erect sign boards and have lunch. Great quantities of wild fowl (pelican, swans, duck, etc.), also emus, foxes, and all species of ground game, were seen, which, from a sportsman’s point of vieAv, makes the trip interesting. Altogether a total of 1350 miles was covered in 6) days’ running time, tho roads being in fair condition throughout. The trip was completed without a puncture, the same covers and tubes making the double journey, striking testimoney to the reliability and wear of the present day Dunlop. At his second effort, C. Patterson, the English motor cyclist who made an unsuccessful attempt last week on the Australasian 24 hours’ motor cycle record of 510 miles, succeeded in adding 37 miles to previous figures. Patterson had a most eventful ride, for ho was faced with a series of troubles that lost him over five hours out of the twentyjnur. After his bad smash-up in the last attempt, through crashing into a stone wall in the dark, Patterson had his 2J h.p, engine, together with petrol tank, etc., transferred hurriedly into another frame, and the rushed workmanship led to most of Patterson’s delays in his second and successful efforts. The ride was established over an 83 miles triangular, circuit on the Western District roads of Victoria, taking in Camperdovvn, Lismore and Terang. The first round was accomplished in 2hr 22min 30sec, at an average speed of about (J 6 miles per hour, but in the second circuit the petrol tank commenced leaking, either through a stone striking it or the pipe being strained in the assembling. On arrival at the control at Gampordowh the entire tank had to hi* removed, and its replacement’ caused a lost ! of 1 one hour and ten minutes. The 'second circuit, in the dark took 3hr 21min I SQseq.s , The third was negotiated -ifr 2hr 34min. On the fourth circuit his supply of lubrication oil was lost through the pipe fracturing, and the attempt to continue the test on the small quantity of oil in the crank chamber led eventually to engine troubles. From Lismore a telephone message was sent to Oamperdown for , ; a, fresh, supply. This caused a further delay of over four and a half hours. Patterson reached tho Cam- . perdown control at a few minutes past .9 a.m.—this round took 7hr lOpiin. During the night his lamp gave continuous trouble and most of tho distance was covered without it. Taking Patterson’s actual riding time, viz., 18 hours 40 minutes, his average speed was just over 30 miles per hour, including fifteen-minute stops for refreshments and replenishing tanks at the end of each circuit. He rode a 2f h.p. Dunlop-shod Hudson, and used . Pratt’s motor spirit and mobiloil. The previous record of 510 miles was made with 3| h.p. engine. Had the delays not occurred, 700 miles in the 24 hours would have been quite possible. However, Patterson’s ride is the best yet accomplished in Australia. The Australasion car record for the full day is 777 miles; this drive was also accomplished on the Western District roads of Victoria.