Contributed by Roger Anderson, 7-25-09 |
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MOTORCYCLISTS JOURNEY MORE THAN 1000 MILES Photographs Showing the Three Webster Brothers Leaving Duluth, Minn. on Motorcycles for Pacific Coast; Also After Their Arrivcal in Los Angeles Fred Webster Harry Webster Victor Webster |
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Travel From Duluth to Denver The three boys, Harry, Fred and Victor have, for many years, been living in Duluth, Minn., where each member of the family had learned to become expeerienced automobile men. Getting the California fever during the early fall, they decided to start for the balm an sunshine of the ngel City. How to get there was the question. Each member of the rfamily wished to travel in a different manner; one wanted to come by train, another by automobile and the third thought it would be fun to9 get two wheel gasoline machies to make the journey. The latter was finally chosen, and on October 2, after loading their three N. S. U. machines heavily with the nedessary equipment for such a journey the travelers started from the head of the lakes. The 120 miles from Duluth to Minneapolis was perhaps the worst piece of road that could be found in any part of the country at that time. A heavy rain had but recently fallen and the swampy highways, naturally of the corduroy type, were made almost impassable for the singles. The two speed gears which had been attached to each of the machines, however, was a boon to the cyclists, and they were able to surmount many a stiff and slippery grade which otherwise would have been an impossibility. A few days' stay in the Twin Cities and the motorists were again on their way. Passing south from the capital city, the good roads of Minnesota were quickly traversed and then came the sticky black loam highways of Iowa. A detour was made from the regular route and the journey to Omaha made by way of Albert |
Lea and Mason City,. From Omaha west the boys followed the line of the
Union Pacific almost into the town of Julesburg, Colo., where the first real hill climbing started. From
Julesburg the route selected laid southwest, with Denver as the objective point. Hard climbing resulted in this
particular stretch of territory, and more than once, even with the two speed gears, the boys were compelled to
dismount from their machines and push up the stiffest parts of the grades. The Colorado capital was finally
reached, however, and a short stop planned upon. Inquiring the relative toutes to Los Angeles, the boys were told that the roads over the desert and through Utah were utterly impossible for a machine of their type. After several consultations, this resulted in deciding that the trip further west on the N. S. U. shoud be abandoned and the balance of the trip made by train. This was done and the wheels shipped to California by freight from Denver. The equipment carried on each machine was something which would make most of the local autoists halt before. Deciding whether the trip hsould be made on a two wheeler or not.. Each man carried an extra belt, an estra valve each, one steamer rug in which to sleep, two Thermos bottles, six spark plugs, an extra inner tube each, rivets, wire, both copper and iron, and other accessories necessary for such a journey. One of the most remarkable features of the journey in the estimation of the riders was the performance of the machine. In places, they were compelled to resort to the low gear for fully 50 to 100 miles at a time, and at no time during the entire trip, of something more than 1000 miles, were they compelled to remove one of their spark plugs. Not one of the boys is an esperienced cross country rider, and their performance on this account is considered "high class" from a motorcyclist's standpoint. They will remain in Southern California during the winter at least, during which time it is probable that local riders will hear more the the trip of Minnesota youths. |
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