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j EPIC TRICYCLE RIDE
Melbourne*'To Sydney In
Ten Days
Trie conditions of the Melbourne to
Sydney (564 miles) tricycle' ride, which
ended in favour of the rider, Mr. Alf.
Williamson, the 43-year-old Melbourne
"digger," who covered the. distance in
lOd.. 2h. 40m., stipulated that . the
journey must be covered within 21 days.
During the ninth day on the road Mr.
Williamson covered 81 miles, and the
urge to go after that day's record was
intensified by Hubert Opperman's
action -in riding his trans-continental
record machine alongside the Unicyclist.
Thus, at the age of 43 years, ..Mr. Wil-
liamson has performed a feat which
was considered to be well-nigh impos-
sible. The rider's abnormally short
legs-they measure only 221 Inches-as-
sisted him materially to gain his ob-
jective. He collected £25 from Mr. Les
Bois, and further sums of money which
were wagered from the Sydney end
while the ride was in progress. The
shrapnel embedded in his right calf
caused him much inconvenience .when
tho weather became cold in the vicinity
of the vicious Jugiong Hills, but he
I gained some relief by wearing leg
warmers.
NEARLY QUIT
It ls not generally- known that the.
now-famous tricycle ride which was
followed with interest in every.State,
nearly ended in the Jugiong Hills. The
rider's knees and back had been -sub-
jected to a terrific jarring on the cor-
rugated roads for two days, and bitterly
cold winds blew as his weary limbs
pushed down thc little pedals. These
discomfitures in his cramped position
urged him to quit.
It was then that Opperman - rode
alongside him and kept reminding him
of the hardships he had suffered in his
recent trans-continental success.' Mr.
Williamson kept going, and conditions
changed in his favour next day, allow-
ing him to make Sydney in suchamaz
ing time; . .. , -
Traffic in George St., Sydney, was dis-
organised for half-an-hour while
thousands of enthusiasts proclaimed the
hero of this epic ride of- the -Australian
road. '
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