This Department is conducted in the interest of Bicyclers, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on the subject. Our maps and tours contain many valuable data kindly supplied from the official maps and road-books of the League of American Wheelmen. Recognizing the value of the work being done by the L.A.W., the Editor will be pleased to furnish subscribers with membership blanks and information so far as possible.
Copyright, 1896, by Harper & Brothers.
Continuing the run from Poughkeepsie to Waterbury, leave Newtown and proceed to Southbury over a fairly good road, with a few hills. Leaving Southbury, keep to the right; but before getting beyond the town limits a sharp turn to the left is made, and at the fork beyond turn again to the right and run out to Strongtown. From Strongtown to Naugatuck the road improves slightly, and is in good condition. There is no difficulty in finding the way except at a point a mile or more before reaching Longmeadow Pond. Here a sharp turn to the right, another to the left, and a third to the right again are made, and it may be necessary to make inquiries in order to keep to the proper road. Passing Longmeadow Pond, continue to Naugatuck, and here cross the railroad, turn to the left, run up through Union City by Great Hill, to Waterbury, following on the eastern side of the railroad and Naugatuck River.
Leaving Waterbury, proceed direct to Waterville, running alongside the New York and New Haven Railroad, keeping to the left of Waterville by a somewhat steep hill, and then bearing to the right again into Pequabuck. Crossing the railroad, follow it to Terryville, and keeping sharp to the right on running out of Terryville, run to a junction of the roads about a mile out of Bristol. It will be wise to follow the map here, carefully turning to the left, and on entering Bristol keeping to the right again rather than running straight through the side streets of the town. Passing Forestville, cross the railroad at Plainville, and follow the railroad into New Britain. The run from New Britain to West Hartford is not difficult to find, except at about four miles out from the centre of the city the rider must keep to the right at the fork, and a little less than three miles farther on, instead of running into Elmwood, he should bear to the left and make straight for West Hartford. At West Hartford take Farmington Avenue and run into Broad Street, Hartford; thence proceed to Capital Avenue, Trinity Street, and Pearl Street to the City Hall.
The roads along this route are in reasonably good condition, but they are not very level. After reaching the Connecticut line, and especially after leaving Newtown, the wheelman will find that he has a good many very short but somewhat steep grades, and the danger is, if he is not an experienced rider, realizing that they are not very long hills, and not appreciating the strain that a succession of short hills gives to a rider, he may try to do them all. It should be borne in mind, therefore, that it is wiser occasionally to dismount and walk up several of these hills, or to dismount and rest on the top of one or two of them. Otherwise a run of this length, which is not over thirty miles, would tire the average rider and take away the pleasure of his run.
Note.—Map of New York city asphalted streets in No. 809. Map of route from New York to Tarrytown in No. 810. New York to Stamford, Connecticut in No. 811. New York to Staten Island in No. 812. New Jersey from Hoboken to Pine Brook in No. 813. Brooklyn in No. 814. Brooklyn to Babylon in No. 815. Brooklyn to Northport in No. 816. Tarrytown to Poughkeepsie in No. 817. Poughkeepsie to Hudson in No. 818. Hudson to Albany in No. 819. Tottenville to Trenton in No. 820. Trenton to Philadelphia in No. 821. Philadelphia in No. 822. Philadelphia-Wissahickon Route in No. 823. Philadelphia to West Chester in No. 824. Philadelphia to Atlantic City—First Stage in No. 825; Second Stage in No. 826. Philadelphia to Vineland—First Stage in No. 827; Second Stage in No. 828. New York to Boston—Second Stage in No. 829; Third Stage in No. 830; Fourth Stage in No. 831; Fifth Stage in No. 832; Sixth Stage in No. 833. Boston to Concord in No. 834. Boston in No. 835. Boston to Gloucester in No. 836. Boston to Newburyport in No. 837. Boston to New Bedford in No. 838. Boston to South Framingham in No. 839. Boston to Nahant in No. 840. Boston to Lowell in No. 841. Boston to Nantasket Beach in No. 842. Boston Circuit Ride in No. 843. Philadelphia to Washington—First Stage in No. 844; Second Stage in No. 845; Third Stage in No. 846; Fourth stage in No. 847; Fifth Stage in No. 848. City of Washington in No. 849. City of Albany in No. 854; Albany to Fonda in No 855; Fonda to Utica in No. 856; Utica to Syracuse in No. 857; Syracuse to Lyons in No. 858; Lyons to Rochester in No. 859; Rochester to Batavia in No. 860; Batavia to Buffalo in No. 861; Poughkeepsie to Newtown in No. 864.