CYCLING AND MOTOR NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 889, 21 March 1907, Page 12

CYCLING AND MOTOR NOTES.

Under date January 23 I have received (writes “Fortis”) ' some particulars of the completion of C/ J. Glidden’s trip from Boston to Mexico City which was finished on December 31. Unfortunately, Mr/ Glidden’s usual’ good fortune deserted him /'when’ within! 50 miles 1 of Mexico City, as, - after' having successfully traversed 4972 miles oh the railway ini’ his Napier car, the machine struck a rock wedged - in between’ the rails when /gliding smoothly' along at about' 2’B /miles- an hour. Thd-• front 5 -wheels Jumped into the air, and the rearwheels followed them, and when the duSt r Cleared away the Napier car'was turned' on its side against an em ; bankment of rock and dirt, both front 1 ’ whehls’ being demolished, arid the or/’/ cupants spread on the’ track, f while - a /path' Through the rock ballast for' a ‘ ; distance of §0 feet showed the/'trail; of the ‘machine ''after it had left' the ’ track. The car was occupied by five' including Mr.’ W. S; Page! ;; trainmaster of the Mexico division of the-tri-National Railroad, and a newspaper reporter. After assuring 1 ’ him- : self Thab’ none 1 of his party •'’■was' injured/ Mr/ Glidden hunted up his' camera, which was mixed up in the wreck, add photographed the car And

surroundings. Before the wreck the car was going at an average-speed of 30 miles an hour, running as -high as 32 miles. Although the heavy wood spokes of the front wheels were broken to splinters, the only other damage consisted of slightly springing both axles, and some damage to the upholstery. Arrangements were made for a passenger train to pick up Mr. Glidden’s party and bring them to the city of Mexico. Up to the time of the accident Mr. Glidden’s Napier had kept absolutely to the schedule time; ever since leaving Chicago not a single train had been delayed by the car, which, in fact, often made better time than the regular trains. Mr. Glidden speaks very highly of his experience on the Mexican railway lines, and , classes the trip as the most delightful he has taken. He says the scenery is unsurpassed, and as at one point he -reached a height of over 9000ft, he would, no- doubt, have seen some .fine mountain scenery. Mr. Glidden-, conveyed a greeting from President .Roosevelt to. Pre-' sident piaz, and intended leaving for Boston, after- r a few days’ stay in Mexico City. The car has, been shipped to -London where it will be overhauled,- and put in readiness for him to . start on a new trip ,on May 1, as he is not -satisfied with, his present total of 39,-768 miles, but . is-ambitious to .complete,/ 50,000 miles -in 50 different-. countries.’-:..-77 ! . I t’ /./k*l*?/ e/’ * There' seeiris to be-a probability of a great amoufit'-of motor-car racing on the hew Track At Weymouth, England; /.(says Ah; ■'exchange). A vast ’ suiri of'money;has been spent ,in ;its " coristrucltipn-Aefnbankments, cuttings, ’’’ and even’ in the course of a river • intersecting the grounds, whidh; 'otherwise, would have necessitated' two/.or.more bridges being ; constructed/' ? Alrieady have the management received applications from /prominent motorists to attempt soriie - records, and the first, it is under; 'stood, has been [awarded!'to Mr.i S; F. ; ' Edge,: who’ will endeavour. to average a rnile Jpriri rtiinute for 24 cprisecutive hours, inclusive of all stoppages ? for replenishment for man arid motor. If ' this great feat is achieved the .total : mileage will be the enormous distance of 1440 : miles, and constitute a world’s /record of speed and mileage. Whatever his total, Mr. Chas. Jarrett, another well-known motorist,

win attempt to improve it, and it is further understood that there are several other autqmobolists anxious to make a name for themselves under the improved conditions of motor speed contests/ "The speedway will have all the physical characteristics of a highway—hills, flats, curves, and straight stretches, anud will also be of a width sufficient for several cars abreast- ’ Mr. Edge will use a Napier car, while a Dietrich will be the choice of Mr. Jarrott.

Another two riders, Messrs! A. Warren and R. Lennie, have caught the fever for overland riding (says the “Australasian”), and left Perth on /Monday, February 25, their intention being to wheel across the continent. to Sydney. They are in communication with Birtles, who is wheeling across the centre of Western Australia, but they do not feel disposed, to fall in with his method of travelling or his'mb.nner of cq'iipment. The route , the jiair have ...map-’ ped out is from Perth to Coolgardie, Widgiemooltha, Fraser’s Ranges,. Bel-/ ladonnia, Eucla, • genial Bay, Port Augusta, Adelaide,' Mount Gambier, Melbourne,, and Sydney.They ..have' not bound themselves to any specific time to be at any of the above places..

The members of the A.A.A. were' the ' guests of Mr/ A. H. Pittar ari the'mohthly run on Saturday. ■ .-urr

■ Touristsand travellers..: of. q classes .are >well .served r/in and,, ; dn .many.. - 7the,f Toi.iriiig ; Club is - seeking;, to ... further --. . improve. - the conditions. /and to - this- ■ end it is' organising a no,vel f fqrm of 7 competition, the -object being tc* dis-“ ; cover,ith®: most affable and able.. Wei. proprietor. The winning 7 publican s will; receive.g an avyard of/; £4O, and there are to besgold medals and,. f smaller prizes for / others.r I ters are already; in -trainrto; project through, but it; .seems; to'•mop; to be a formidable, task, necessitating hundreds, of. visits !tio; all parts of-the - country, by- the committee appointed' ’ to decide. . rv ,.../r/77 kv: • 7;k ’- : ' - '7/7/-oU