A FEAT ON THE BICYCLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 56, 31 March 1909, Page 2

A FEAT ON THE BICYCLE.

TDK .NEW i'LYMOrm-WKLJ.IXIiTOX P.KCOUI).

On Saturday Air. Franciii Birtles Known m Australia as a road eve-list 01 Jjreat staying power, cssaved' to put . "I 1 ii'record between \ew t'lvnioutli ellington, a di.staiH'e of miles. | |'"'l tlii- fact llnil lie covered that di*-lam-e Hi seventeen hums, in the face of adverse conditions, proves liini n cvelisl "I iu"tc than ordinary pluck and fndnrMo I t .ft ]*lynioutli at. 3 a.m. «" Saturday, and for the lirst three hours hour* experienced cold weather anil muddy loads varied here and there >.\ sections ®) new metal, in .negotiating "huh he had several spills. Til the darkness |„. 0m ,,. ran a n|M j | of sleeping eattlv that ha,l .selected the road In pass (li,! nijrlit. on. and. before he i|tlile knew where lie was. he hail collided heavily with one of the animals. \o serious damage wa« sustained, however, and ho .passed through ITawera at '' !11,1 l Wavcrlev at !) a.m.. iiudin" •I"' roads in the ilistriel, bad and (lie going' in jilaees sleep and difficult, lie clapped on a S J (!-n iil en ii-ho 11 r pace in threading the "U'angauni district, (al one time doing seven miles in 14 minutes), ynd pulled up at Sanson for lunch. Leaving there at 1 p.m., lie experienced head winds to Otaki. but kept straight, on. 'passing through I'ackalftiriki at. li.h" p.m., anil arriving in AYelliugtou at S p.m. It rained during the greater part, of the jour, ley, and Mr. liirlleis arrived in Wellington soaked to 'he skin. Though several 'attempts have lieen made liy cyclists to travel from New I'lniioulh to Wellington in a (lav. Mil' ln*k (suvs tJie Dominion) lias never wra accomplished until Saturday,