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V-* % *~ A J* ^^0^ :/. ■x^'"^^ '^:^, '":\ \- ■\ "o^ "^A >^ vV ■/ %. .A^"^ ■"o^ ,-y .*^ LOG OF MY MOTOR Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/logofmymotorOOvand LOG OF MY MOTOR BY W. K. VANDERBILT, Jr. NEW YORK PRIVATELY PRINTED 1912 Tx> copybight, 1911 By W. K. Vanderbilt, Jr. THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A. CCI.A3050S5 FOREWORD HIS book is a modest attempt to collect between two covers the records of the more important trips made in Europe by the author, during the past four years. It contains such information as guide books lack, describing conditions along the various routes as they now exist, touching lightly on the history of the more important towns. It is illustrated from photographs taken en route. [v] CONTENTS TRIP, 1908 Page LlVEKPOOl, TO LoNDOX 3 London to Frankfurt 7 Through the Austrian Tyrols to Lucerne and Aix-i.es- Bains 19 Aix-les-Bains to Monte Carlo 39 Monte Carlo to Lyons . . . .' 48 TRIP THROUGH SPAIN, March 21-Apiil 1, 1909 .... 57 TOUR THROUGH EUROPE, December 15, 1909-Januarv 22, 1910 103 TRIP THROUGH SPAIN AND PORTUGAL, February 11- March 15, 1911 153 [vii] >v LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS The Specially Built 35-H. P. Renault Car 2 The 45-H. P. Mercedes and the 35-H. P. Renault 5 A Good Example of German Town Architecture — Ulm ..... 6 Mr. W. K. Vanderbilt, Jr., and Mr. William Payne 9 Castle of King of Bavaria, near Fussen 13 The Foot-hills of the Austrian Tyrol 17 Another View of the Foot-hills of the Austrian Tybol 18 Entrance to the Town of Mumurbigen 21 Cathedral at Ulm 22 Weissen See, near Fussen 25 Another View of the Foot-hills op the Austrian Tyrol 26 Ablberg Pass — The Renault Car 29 A Swiss Village — The Renault Cab 30 Near Lichtensteig, Switzerland 33 The River Rhone, Just West of Aix-les-Bains 34 Scenery in Switzerland 37 The Climb op the Col du Chat, near Aix-les-Bains 38 The Road between Gap and Digne 41 The Hotel des Trois Rois in the Village op Seyne 45 Another View of the Hotel des Trois Rois 46 Grasse 49 The Country near Grasse 50 View along the Riviera. A Glimpse of the Mediterranean ... 53 Roman Arch at the Entrance to the Town op Orange 54 Map op 1909 Trip through Spain 56 The 55-H. P., 1909 Mercedes, used on Trip through Spain .... 59 Portion op Wall Subrounding Laguardia 60 Market Day in Tolosa 61 Street in a Village op Northern Spain 62 Old Spanish Church, Tolosa 65 Types of Spanish Peasants, Tolosa 66 Stream Crossing the Highway and a Shepherd 69 Types of Spanish Peasants in this Section 70 [ix] LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Caravan on the Road to Guadalajara 73 Desert between Tudela and Zaeagoza 74 View froji the Summit of the Sierra de la Muela 77 View from the Summit of the Sierra de la Virgen 78 Bull Fight in Madrid. Sunday, March 28, 1909 81 Bull Fight in Madrid. Sunday, March 28, 1909 82 Bull Fight in Madrid. Sunday, March 28, 1909 83 Bull Fight in Madrid. Sunday, March 28, 1909 84 The Town Square. Badajoz '. 87 Fertile Plains between Badajoz and Los Santos 88 Crossing the Sierra de Tudia 91 Crossing the Sierra de Tudia 92 Type of Villages between Los Santos and Seville 95 Type of Villages between Utrera and Jerez de la Frontera . . 96 Cathedral at Seville 99 Government Building, Seville 100 Main Street of Utrera 101 ViLLAFRANCA ShOWING DRAINING DiTCH AND CaCTUS HeDGES . . . 102 Map of Tour through Europe in 1909 104 Views in Amsterdam 113 Views near Rotterdam 114 Town Hall. Veek 117 Typical Hungarian Village 123 Town Square. Feuchtewangen 124 Street in Rothenbeeg 127 Small Farm House near Munich 128 Wasserburg 131 Road between Vienna and Budapest 132 Castle at Harbueg-LSchwaben 135 Budapest 139 Small Village on the Danube, 60 Kilometers from Budapest . . . 140 A Scene in Venice from the Grand Canal 143 A Scene in Venice from the Grand Canal 144 Road Skirting the Mediterranean between Genoa and Monte Carlo 147 Street Scene in Village on Road between Genoa and Monte Carlo . 148 Map op Tour through Spain and Portugal 154 Canal du Midi 157 Car used on Trip 158 Planter's Home and Vineyards Surrounding it 159 Narbonne 160 In the Pyrenees, just before Reaching the Spanish Frontier . , . 163 In the Pyrenees, just before Reaching the Spanish Frontier . . . 164 Fort de Salses, 15 Kilometers from Perpignan 167 Old Castle, about 20 Kilometers from Barcelona 168 Road near Figueras 169 Gerona. From the Bridge over the River Ter 170 Crossing the Fluvia River 173 [x] LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE View of Country 20 Kilometers from Barcelona 173 Road and Scenery 30 Kilometers from Barcelona 174 Village op Itafulla, near Tarragona 174 Morella Mountains, 29 Kilometers from Barcelona 175 View of Village of Villanueva. between Barcelona and Tarragona 176 Roman Arch on Road between Barcelona and Tarragona .... 179 Old Roman Relic on Road to Tarragona 180 Street in Tarragona 181 Church at Benicarlo 182 Old Lady. Taken near Castellon 185 Near Castellon. View from Top of Mountain 186 Road-keeper's House near Castellon 187 Two Men and a Boy. Taken near the Summit of the Mountain at Castellon 188 Picking Oranges, near Valencia 188 Old Fortifications Surrounding the Town of Sagunto 191 Monastery just outside of Valencia 192 Where the Road and Railroad Run Close to Each Other .... 193 Church .\t Villareal 193 Hotel in Tarragona 194 Road Traversed after Leaving Guadix 194 Condition of Road Entering Valencia 197 Orange Groves near Valencia 198 Some Fine Orange Trees 199 View in Valenci--^. 200 View in Valencia 203 Market at Valencia 204 Market at Valencia 205 One of the Finest Churches in Valencia 206 On the Road to Valencia 209 Climbing the Pass on the Road to Alcoy 210 View of Plain, on the Road to Alcoy 211 Descent during Afternoon's Run 212 Plain Crossed during Afternoon's Run 215 CuLLAR DE Baza 216 Cullar de Baza 217 CuLLAR de Baza 218 "Top of the World " — Summit of Pass between Guadix and Granada 221 The Car at the Spot Where We Lunched 222 Crossing a Dry River-bed after Leaving Guadix 223 Street Scene in a Typical Village of Southern Spain 224 View .\t Granada 227 The Alhambra at Granada 228 Walls of the Alhambra, Granada 229 Palace of Charles V, Showing Easterly Facade 230 That Part of Granad.a. Situated on the Hill 233 Approach to a Private Villa at Granada 234 [Xi] LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Phivate Garden at Granada 235 Village just outside of Granada 236 Monastery at Granada 239 Old Man. Photographed on the Road to Cordoba, near Cabra . 240 Priego 241 Street Life and Typical Houses, Priego 242 Fountain at Cordoba 243 Cathedral at Cordoba 244 Country 30 Kilometers South of Cordoba 245 View of Country. Stork on Farther Side of Pond 246 La Carlota 249 A Street in Cordoba 250 The Cathedral at Seville 251 The Cathedral at Seville 252 The Alcazar Gardens, Seville 253 W. K. v., Jr., in the Alcazar at Seville 254 A House in Seville 257 Roman Ruins near Seville 258 Roman Ruins near Seville 259 Stork's Nest on Dome of Cathedral at Frejenal 260 Cemetery near Frejenal 263 A Village near Estremoz 264 On the Road to Badajoz, near Seville 265 Cathedral at Badajoz 266 Scenery near Elvas 269 Roman Relics at Elvas 270 Type of Village near Elvas 271 Some Peasants 272 Fine Example of Wall Architecture 275 Traveler on his Mule 276 On the Way to Coimbra 279 COIMBRA 280 Hotel Bussaco 281 Hotel Bussaco from the Summit of the Mountain behind the Hotel . 282 View from Hotel Bussaco 285 Bussaco. Part op the Monastery 286 On the Road to Porto 287 Village Scene on the Road to Porto 288 Woman and Two Young Girls. Photographed on the Road to Porto 291 Two Fine Heads 292 Bridge Crossed just before Entering the Tovstst of Porto .... 293 Fishermen's Quarters. Vigo 294 Waterfront at Vigo, Showing Custom House and Harbor Facilities 297 Type op Houses at Vigo 298 Street Scene. Vigo 299 One of the Squares. Vigo 300 Bridge near Tuy 303 [Xii] LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Some of the Inhabitants of Vigo 304 Street Scene in Vigo 305 Port of Vigo 306 Country near Santiago 309 Laredo. Between Santunder and Bilbao 317 Elgdibar, near Deva, on the way to San Sebastian 323 Bayonne 327 Cathedral in Bayonne 328 The Square op a French Village on the Road to Bordeaux ... 331 Twenty Kilometers from Bordeaux. The River Dordogne in the Distance 322 [ xiii ] TRIP LIVERPOOL TO LONDON LONDON TO PARIS PARIS TO FRANKFURT THROUGH THE AUSTRIAN TYROLS TO LUCERNE AND AIX-LES-BAINS AIX-LES-BAINS TO MONTE CARLO MONTE CARLO TO LYONS 1908 LIVERPOOL TO LONDON JUNE 30, 1908 E arrived at Liverpool at 10 o'clock this morn- ing, on board the new turbine steamer "Mauretania." As it was our intention to motor to London, our first thought on leav- ing the ship was to proceed to the hotel for lunch. After partaking of a good meal, we sought the garage, where my specially built 35-H. P. Renault car awaited our arrival. It took some time to procure the necessary police license, but by 1.45 p. m. we were under way for London. On leaving Liverpool, it is necessary to ferry across the Mersey River, the time required for the journey being 15 minutes, but by 2.20 we had reached Chester, the first large town, 18 miles distant. The country in the neighborhood of Liverpool is flat and uninteresting. The road surface wfes good, and had been tarred. There was very little traffic encountered, but bicyclists swarmed all over the highway like bees. Nantwich, Stone and Stafford were reached in due time. At the latter place, we punctured a tire. The clock pointed to 4.10 when repairs were begun, but 15 minutes later we were once more under way, the detachable rims making the repair operation very easy. [3] LOG OF MY MOTOR The country now began to assume a hilly aspect, and many fine estates and beautiful trees were to be seen on all sides. The villages are very picturesque, and if we only had had time, naany a good picture could have been taken. Lichfield, 84.5 miles from Liverpool, was reached at 4.45 p. M. Here we stopped at the George Hotel for tea. We also filled up with gasoline and oil, and at 5.05 were once again on our way. Coventry, Daventry and Stratford, all interesting towns, were passed in rapid succession. At 8.00 p. M., we entered the small town of Dunstable, dis- tant 172.5 miles from Liverpool, and while passing through the main street, punctured another rear tire. Repairs were made, and at the same time more gasoline and oil taken on board. Darkness rapidly coming on, we lit the lamps. Dunstable was left behind at 8.30 and we passed through St. x\lbans and Barnet. Just before reaching St. Albans we punctured another rear tire, and owing to having used up our extra supply, we were compelled to run the remain- ing 30 miles on the rim. Nevertheless, 10.10 p. m. found us safe and sound at the Hotel Ritz, London, having covered the distance of 206.9 miles from Liverpool in 7 hours and 25 minutes. The surface of the road along the entire distance was found to be perfect and free from dust, owing to the layer of tar which had been applied. The car worked to perfec- tion, and apart from the three punctures, we experienced no mishaps. Speed was not considered, and we never exceeded 45 miles an hour. The cyclometer on leaving Liverpool stood at 1,631 miles. The weather conditions were fine. [4] '■^■'■r-^'-s'. H ID Q « ^ LOG OF MY MOTOR TUESDAY, JULY 21, 1908 Left London this morning by train for Paris, arriving at my destination at 5.00 p. M. As I had promised to be in Frankfnrt on Wednesday evening, I calculated it would be necessary to leave Paris to-night, and therefore 6.20 found us in the 35-H. P. Renault car, en route for Chalons-sur-Marne. We left the eastern extremity of Paris at 7.00 p. m., took the road to Noisy and Lagny, and reached the latter town at 7.25. This route avoids the cobble stones that are found on the Route National between Paris and Meaux, and although narrow, has been lately tarred, and was in splen- did condition the entire way. From Lagny we shaped our course for Meaux and here rejoined the Route National. Montmirail, 113 kilometers from Paris, hove in sight at 8.10 p. M. Here we stopped, at the Hotel Vertgallant, for dinner. Food poor, and hotel dirty. After dinner the lights being lit and tanks replenished with gasoline and oil, we left at 9.00 p. M. for Chalons, 63 kilo- meters distant. One of France's finest highways was now under us. At Thebie we punctured a rear tire, but with the help of one of the side lamps, the change was made in 8 minutes, Chalons being reached at 9.55 p. M. A very quick run, considering it was night, the 63 kilometers being covered in 55 minutes. The day's run was 176 kilometers, in 2 hours and 38 minutes. Stopped for the night at Hotel Haute-Mere-Dieu, where we were made comfortable, and were recompensed the next morning for any inconvenience that we suffered by the bill amoxuiting but to 15 francs, which included charges for two [11] LOG OF MY MOTOR bedrooms, breakfast, and all other items of expense for auto- mobile, etc., something quite extraordinary nowadays where automobile travel is frequent. WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1908 On descending from our rooms at the hotel, we found we had a fine day before us for our run to Frankfurt. Chalons was left behind at 9.40 a. m. St. Menehould was reached at 10.05, distance 41 kilometers. The road was uninteresting but in fine shape. The cyclometer at this point stood at 2,540.7 miles. Distance from Hotel Ritz, 135 miles. We filled the tanks with gasoline and oil, and at 10.15 were under way again, arriving at Verdun at 11.00 a. m. The road between St. Menehould and Verdun is rather hilly, and crosses the railroad at numerous points, and as it is also full of turns, high speed could not be attained in this section. Distance, St. Menehould to Verdun, 42 kilometers. Verdun is a pretty little town, the streets of which are always crowded. It is well fortified, and is one of France's most strongly garrisoned towns bordering the German frontier. We passed the Hotel des Trois Morts, which looked as dirty as ever, and emerged a few minutes afterwards at the eastern end of the town. Took the road to Etain, 20 kilo- meters from Verdun, and then followed the road to Chalons, 20 kilometers distant. Between the two latter places are situated the French and German douanes. We arrived at the French douane at 11.20. Our papers being correct, we were delayed but five minutes. The German frontier was reached at 11.45. It is quite a problem to enter this country nowadays. In years gone by, all that was necessary for the automobilist was to salute [12] CASTLE OF KING OF BAVARIA, NEAR FUSSEN LOG OF MY MOTOR the officer, and pass on. Now we were loaded up with a trunkful of documents. All had to be verified, stamped and punched, and my certificate as a driver also came in for its share of inscriptions. At last, after receiving number 8,837 and other papers, we were allowed to proceed at 12.05, and arrived at Metz, over a very picturesque, well-fortified route, at 12.25. Metz, as usual, was crowded, and the German officers and troops presented a great contrast to those we had just left behind on French soil. We stopped for lunch at the Grand Hotel, which had been entirely renovated, and now presented a most respectable appearance. During our morning's run of 2 hours and 10 minutes we had covered 151 kilometers. Gasoline, water and oil were put in the car, and at 3.05, German time, we were once more on the way for Frank- furt. Before leaving, we examined the cyclometer, and found that we were 68 miles from St. Menehould, or 203 miles from the Hotel Ritz in Paris. The following is the route we took to Frankfurt: Kil. Metz to Fouligny 25 Fouligny to St. Avoid 17 St. Avoid to Sarrebruck 28 Sarrebruck to Homburg 29 Homburg to Landstuhl 19 Landstuhl to Kaiserlautern 16 Kaiserlautern to Grunstadtz 35 Grunstadtz to Worms 17 Worms to Bensheim 21 Bensheim to Darmstadt 23 Darmstadt to Frankfurt 28 Total 258 [15] LOG OF MY MOTOR We found the road the entire distance in good condition; and the country, as far as Worms, which we reached at 7.30, picturesque. The villages are most attractive and clean. From Worms, the route lay along the valley of the River Rhine. After crossing a very imposing bridge, we entered a flat, uninteresting country. Bensheim was reached by 8.00 p. M. Distance from Metz, 137 miles. Stopped for gasoline, and changed one of the rear tires which we had punctured, causing a delay of 6 minutes. The road north of Bensheim was being repaired and caused us considerable trouble and delay in finding a route circumventing this section. Nevertheless, 8.20 saw Bensheina behind us, and at 9.20 Frankfurt was reached. As usual the town was celebrating some anniversary, and the streets were dec- orated with bunting from end to end. We were now 170 miles from Metz, or 373 miles from the Hotel Ritz, Paris. On entering the town of Frankfurt we punctured another rear tire, the third since leaving the French capital. Stopped at the Frankfurter-Hof, which is first class in every way, but for prices it exceeded anything that we had ever encountered before. [16] 1-1 o < Pi H Eh W cft <: O Q < 03 < W K K ->; H > < m o fa o M o h-I z h-; i^ H fa o o ^ Ph o S5 w ^ ffi H ■< s pH o o fa ^ w M H-l <: > H tf w ffi H O 7^ < THROUGH THE AUSTRIAN TYROLS TO LUCERNE AND AIX-LES-BAINS THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1908 #^H^tJ. ^■'''m:!:!!^''''-/:! E got under way, with the Renault, at 1.10 after having partaken of kmch. Before leaving Frankfurt I had the car looked over, and replenished my stock of z?T^^^^/^.^ zzzMj tires, so that we were in good shape in every respect. We had, however, scarcely gone 20 kilometers, when we punctured another rear tire. The following route was taken: Kil. Frankfurt to Seligenstadt 25 Seligenstadt to Obernburg 27 Obernburg to Amorbach 30 Amorbach to Mudau 14 Mudau to Mosbach 24 Mosbach to Heilbronn 35 Heilbronn to Ludwigsburg 34 Ludwigsburg to Stuttgart 15 Total 204 Found the road from Frankfurt to Obernburg uninterest- ing. At the latter point we joined the River Main, which [19] LOG OF MY MOTOR flows through a rather picturesque valley. We paralleled this river as far as Heubach, where, on turning to the right, we joined the swift-flowing Muldau. From Buch, where the Muldau was crossed by an old stone bridge, we followed the route to Mosbach. At Gum- delsheim, a very attractive little village, which was also celebrating an anniversary of some sort, we came across my mother's car with a punctured tire. While repairs were being made, we visited the town church. Heilbronn, the next place of importance, proved to be a busy spot. Stuttgart was reached at 6.35 p. m. Stopped for the night at the Hotel Marquardt, where rooms had been reserved. On examining the cyclometer, we found that it registered 2,905.2 miles. FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1908 Another beautiful day greeted us, and we decided to leave Stuttgart for Fussen, a little town situated at the foot of the Austrian Tyrol. At 9.20 both cars were under way for Ulm. Route taken: Kil. Stuttgart to Esslingen 11 Esslingen to Coppingen 25 Coppingen to Geislingen 16 Geislingen to Ulm 30 Total 82 We found the road in good condition, but as the entire distance lies through a broad valley, there is nothing much to keep up the interest of the traveler. The towns are all modern, and factories are to be found in abundance in all directions. [20] ENTRANCE TO TOWN OF MUMURRIGEN CATHEDRAL AT ULM LOG OF MY MOTOR Ulm, which we reached at 11.50 A. M., is another modern town, laid out with big boulevards. It possesses some fine government buildings. Its one attraction, the cathedral, is very fine. We stopped for lunch at the Russischer Hof, just opposite the railway station. Clean and up-to-date. Took on gasoline and oil, and after lunch, proceeded to visit the cathedral and take some photographs. The exte- rior and interior of the cathedral are considered the finest examples of German Gothic in the empire. At 1.25 p. M. left Ulm for Fussen by way of Kil. Ulm to Kellmunz 35 Kellmunz to Memmingen 14 Memmingen to Kempten 35 Kempten to Nesselwang 20 Nesselwang to Fussen 17 Total 121 The road from Ulm to Kempten is through a flat country, well cultivated, but uninteresting. At 2.30, we stopped for 15 minutes at the entrance gate to the town of Mumurrigen and took a photograph. Fussen was reached at 4.45 p. M. — 81.5 miles for the afternoon's run. Total for day, 138.5 miles. From Kempten to Fussen, the country becomes very hilly; and from Nesselwang on, it strongly resembles that of Switzerland. Weissen See, which was passed just before reaching Fus- sen, is a very picturesque lake, along the northern borders of which runs the road. Fussen is a quaint old town, but rarely visited by strangers. The hotel is best compared to a country boarding-house, but the proprietor did all in his power to make us comfortable, and sacrificed everything in his efforts. We visited an old castle belonging to the [23] LOG OF MY MOTOR Ponicken family. Rather interesting. Owing to the death of the head of the house a few days previously, the place had taken on a very gloomy appearance. We dined in the garden surrounding the hotel, and had fourteen singers and dancers play for us that evening. They made a very at- tractive picture in their native costume, and their dances and music proved to be quite original. SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1908 Another beautiful day. At 8.20 a. m., we were under way to visit the Mad King of Bavaria's Castle. The castle is situated within 5 kilometers of Fussen, on top of a moun- tain, in the most inaccessible of positions. On arriving at the foot of the hill, we were informed that automobiles could not proceed further. We therefore stopped the two cars and made arrangements for a landau to drive us to the summit. After waiting a considerable time, and the landau not putting in an appearance, we decided that we would abandon our visit to the castle, and proceed on our route to Bregenz. Not wishing to return to Fussen, we took a short cut leading to the town of Vils, and much to our astonishment, after half a mile's run, we saw the entrance to the castle suddenly loom up in front of us. We were all agreeably surprised, and the entire party visited the imposing structure. We found the gentleman in charge a most charming guide. The view from the windows is superb, but the castle itself rather uninteresting, being massive in construction, and furnished in extremely bad taste. Three-quarters of an hour's visit gave us ample time in which to take in the surroundings, and after having thanked our courier we began our return journey to Fussen. Half-way back we were stopped by the police and placed [24] 2; ►-1 o oi Pi w J H CO c« B ta P4 O O 1-1 h-l M l-H a ffi w 1 B H h O O O ?: Ph o o a H << s U-, o O ^ fe5 w W ►— 1 -*1 > EH « w ffi H o 2; <1 LOG OF MY MOTOR under arrest. The road proved to be private and not open to automobile traffic, and the one leading to Vils was for the personal use of the King only. On arriving at the police headquarters at Fussen, I ex- plained to the Mayor of the town the error we had made, and that we very much regretted it. The officials all proved to be most affable, and after a fifteen-minute delay, and the deposit of 50 marks, we were allowed to proceed on our way at 9.50 A. M. At 10 o'clock, 3 kilometers from -Fussen, the German frontier was reached. Our papers being correct, we were delayed but a couple of minutes, so that by 10.20 we had arrived at the Austrian frontier. Here we had some incon- venience in making the necessary deposit. The Touring Club of France had not yet completed its arrangements with the Austrian Government for a triptiJc, and as a conse- quence we suffered a twenty-minute delay. The Austrian frontier was left at 10.50. At Reutte, the ascent of the first pass began. The road was in splendid condition, but very winding. Numerous lakes were passed, the waters of which reflected an unusual turquoise color. The timber all through this section of the country is superb, and the mountains towered above us 10,000 to 12,000 feet. It was a wonderful sight. The day was clear so that we could easily observe the grandeur of the scenery. At the little town of Wangle the summit was reached, and a steep winding descent begun to the village of Leermoos, from which point the route is practically level as far as Imst. At Imst we arrived at 12.30, and stopped at the quaint Hotel Post for lunch, an old building with walls six to eight feet thick. Morning's run, 49.5 miles from Fussen. No mishaps on the way except one punctured tire to the [27] LOG OF MY MOTOR Mercedes car. Filled up with gasoline and oil, and under way again, at 2.00 p. m. A few kilometers from the town, the narrow valley in which Innsbruck lies, appeared far below, and winding up through this valley we beheld an express train running in our direction. As we reached the stream flowing at the bottom of the valley, we found ourselves running parallel with the train. It is only fair to state that we kept up with it, and after descending the other side of the Arlberg Pass, arrived at the exit of the tunnel just as the train was coming out. We reached St. Anton, a small village with a good hotel, at 3.00 P.M. At, this point begins the ascent of the Arl- berg, and an 18 per cent grade with a 5,400-foot climb stared us in the face. At the village of Langen, at the foot of the Pass, we once more emerged into sunlight, and at Bludenz came again into contact with the dusty roads. Here a broad valley is entered through which our route leads, and the Upper Rhine, one of the most noted rivers of the world, is paral- leled the entire distance to Bregenz. Stopped at Bregenz at the Osterreichischer Hof. Total day's run, 109.5 miles. SUNDAY, JULY 26, 1908 Another superb day. At 10.15 we left Bregenz for Lu- cerne and passed through the following towns: Kil. Bregenz to Rheineck 20 Rheineck to Rorschach 13 Rorschach to St. Gallen 15 St. Gallen to Waldstadt 4 Waldstadt to Lichtensteig 21 Lichtensteig to Utznach 16 *& [28] ARLBERG PASS — THE RENAULT CAR LOG OF MY MOTOR Kil. Utznach to Lachen 12 Lachen to Feusisberg 12 Feusisberg to Schonenberg 14 Sclionenberg to Menzingen 13 Menzingen to Baar 4 Baar to Zug 4 Zug to Lucerne 13 Total .189 The Austrian frontier, situated at Hochst, was reached at 10.45. Stopped on the way to reprimand a boy who turned a hose on the occupants of both cars. We had some trouble in getting back our deposit, but at 11.05 were under way again, the Rhine being crossed by means of a very fine and massive old wooden bridge, both sides and top of which were covered, and the interior hung with shields. At the western terminus of the bridge, we reached the Swiss douane. Owing to my triptik, it was only a matter of a few minutes to pass my car; but we were somewhat delayed, so that it was 11.15 before we were on our way for Utznach. At Rorschach, Lake Constance was left behind, and the ascent to the town of St. Gallen begun. The towns and villages proved uninteresting. We could hardly believe we were traveling through Switzerland; they were, most of them, modern and well laid out, with boulevards and fine stone buildings. The roads were confusing and ran in all directions. Signs were erected at intervals only, and it was with difficulty we reached Utznach by 1.15 p. m., stop- ping for lunch at a dirty little inn named the Falken Hotel. The road from St. Gallen on is rather picturesque. At [31] LOG OF MY MOTOR Riken, rain had fallen, which abated the dust nuisance; but owing to the lack of rain for many weeks it had become transformed into a slippery grease, and our descent into Utznach from Lichtensteig was tedious, slow and dangerous. A very fine view of Lake Zurich is obtained about 8 kilo- meters from Utznach before the descent is commenced. One can also see for miles up the Glarus Valley. According to the cyclometer, we had run 56 miles or 89 kilometers from Bregenz to Utznach. At 2.20 p. M., having eaten hardly anything, we got under way for Lucerne. A few kilometers out of Utznach, the rain was left behind, and we once more encountered dust. The road as far as Lachen is practically straight, with the exception of two turns. At Feusisberg, the Lake of Zurich is left behind, and the road ascends the mountains to the village of Menzingen. The route chosen was a short cut, and not one of the national highways; although in good repair, it is extremely narrow and not built for speed. Curves are sharp, and but few villages are passed through. Baar and Zug are modern towns, and from the latter to Lucerne, which was reached at 4.25 p. M., the road is uninteresting. Stopped at the Grand Hotel National. TUESDAY, JULY 28, 1908 Another cloudless day. Mrs. Vanderbilt having left for Paris, I got under way at 8.45 a. m. for Aix-les-Bains. The route taken was through Langnau, Fribourg, Lausanne, Geneva and Aix-les-Bains. The road to Langnau as far as the town of Belp is interest- ing, lying in a valley. It passes through village after vil- lage, all absolute models of Swiss architecture. The people also wear their peasant costume, but unfortunately they are [32] G < Pi CO O W c« 12; w H o I — I Pi <1 w < PP I W 1-1 I o K > w LOG OF MY MOTOR rather "down" on the automobihst. Knowing this, I pro- ceeded slowly, as it was not my intention to irritate anyone. At the little town of Schaehen, I took a cut-off over a small pass, and descended into the village of Entlebuch. I would not advise anyone to take this route. The road is in bad condition and dangerous. It is wiser to proceed to Wonlhusen. This route, although increasing the distance by 12 kilometers, does not take a much longer time be- cause of the good condition of the road. At Rubig, the main route to Berne is left, and the road to Belp and Thunnen taken. At the latter town, I swung west and up into the hills to the village of Schwarzenburg, then down through a canyon to the village of Fribourg. Romont was the next town of importance, and Lausanne was reached at 12.50, a non-stop run from Lucerne. The time occupied was 4 hours and 5 minutes, and the distance covered 117 miles. The road was fair most of the way. The car worked well, and I had but one experience on the entire route. An old man near the village of Langnau, driving a horse in a four-wheeled cart, became very much frightened at my sudden appearance, and began jerking the animal, who evi- dently was taking no interest in the car, but being hauled around with its driver's force, broke one of the shafts. I stopped my motor at about 200 feet from the wagon, and descending, ran to the assistance of the old fellow. He seemed to be in a terrible state, but as the horse had shown no signs of fear during the whole proceeding, I thought some kind of a game was being played. The old gentleman was jabbering something as I helped him unhitch his horse, and then we found the left-hand shaft broken. It broke while I was looking at it and on closer examination I found that both shafts had been broken before, thin strips of wood having been nailed to either side to hold them together. It was clearly a put-up job, and I so expressed myself; but not [35] LOG OF MY MOTOR wishing to be troubled, I handed the old man 20 francs and resumed my journey. Took lunch at Lausanne, at the same time refilling the gasoline tank, and at 2.10 p. m. was once more under way for Aix. The road to Geneva had been put in splendid condition, having been widened the entire way and tarred, although it was necessary to run slowly through many vil- lages. Geneva, 62 kilometers distant, was reached at 3.05, and the Swiss frontier at 3.25. Stopped two minutes to have my papers examined and then proceeded to the French frontier, arriving at 4.00 p. m. Ten minutes later, after having my passavmit examined, I was once more on the way for Aix, and at 4.55, German time, found myself in front of the Villa Victoria. Having traveled west all day, I had gained one hour, and to my sur- prise found that bj^ French time it was only 3.55. The distance from Geneva to Aix-les-Bains is 75 kilo- meters. The total day's run was 206 miles, covered in 6 hours and 38 minutes. [36] Q Z < N H o "^ l-H < I I i:. .^\ »;•-/■.• w :^ o >jmSsH 1— ( ' fl^HS Q 'Iffl Q ..oH| 55 ^ ^ O Pi .:^i: ^>#^>#^#4*^'4>^«$>^*#*4»*H>^l^^3>^>4"S>*S>#*s»^»''»4*^l*4>4»'S^*€»^^H^H^H|H^*^^^*^^^M|^*3*c|^■^H^3^ ■»:-fe>^J^;M5^i TRIP THROUGH SPAIN SUNDAY, MARCH -^l, 1909 VER a rain-bespattered road, Mr. Paj^ie and I left Paris this evening for a tour through Spain. The car we used was a 55-H. P., 1909 Mercedes, with a Hght tonneau attached. A baggage rack, which enabled us to carry from 500 to 600 pounds of luggage, had also been adjusted to the rear end of the body, with the result that we traveled with every comfort due the motorist. The car was also equipped with four anti-skid Michelin racing tires, size 935 by 135. The two headlights, the rays of which threw forth 10,000 candle power, illuminated the road for fully half a kilometer. Gas was furnished by Prestolite tanks. I called for Mr. Payne at his residence in the Avenue des Champs Ely sees at 7.00 p. m., and half an hour later the gates of Paris were left behind. A run of twenty minutes brought us to Versailles, where we dined, leaving again at 9.30 for Chartres, which town was reached, after a very disagreeable ride, at 11.00 p. M. Day's run, 94 kilometers, in 1 hour and 50 minutes. Stopped for the night at the Hotel Grand Monarque, now passable, having been renovated during the past twelve months. [57] LOG OF MY MOTOR MONDAY, MARCH 22, 1909 The day opened cloudy, with showers every few minutes during the morning. At 8.45 a. m., we were under way. The road is uninteresting, and the surface, owing to heavy rains, was greasy and wet. We were much inconvenienced by pebbles thrown into our faces by the front wheels ow- ing to the anti-skid tires with which they were equipped. At 10.50 A. M., we passed through the town of Tours and shaped our course for Chattellerault, where we intended to lunch. At 11.45 the town hove in sight, and at 11.55 the Hotel Moderne was reached. Enjoyed a good lunch and found the hotel clean and fairlj^ comfortable. The tanks were replenished with 80 liters of gasoline, and the oilers were also filled. At 1.45 sharp, the motor was again set in motion. A steady downpour now accompanied us, but with the hood up, little inconvenience was felt. Angouleme was reached at 3.50, and Bordeaux, our rest- ing place for the night, at 6.07 p. m. The last 100 kilometers were over a rather hilly and winding route. Stopped for the night at the Hotel Chapon-Fin. Very good and comfortable. Day's run, 480 kilometers, in 7 hours and 32 minutes. Average speed, Paris to Bordeaux, 63 kilometers an hour. Three stops. So far no mishaps, and everything working satisfactorily. We refilled the tank at Bordeaux with 75 liters of gasoline. TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 1909 ShowerJ^ At 10.00 a. m., we left Bordeaux. Owing to the breaking of a chain, 3 kilometers out of town, and finding repairs impossible, we returned to Bordeaux for lunch and telegraphed Paris-Automobile to send a man that night with four new chains to St. Sebastian, to meet us there the [.58] I— ( < O S O Q W D W Q W a o Q PS -l Eh LOG OF MY MOTOR We put in 30 liters of gasoline, refilled the oil tanks, and added as a reserve supply one 5-liter can of gasoline, and two 2-liter cans of oil, which were placed on the bag- gage rack. This precaution proved our salvation two days later. The Royal Automobile Club of Spain has begun to estab- lish, at frequent points throughout the country, sign posts indicating the roads, caniveaux and railroad crossings; but these warnings cannot as yet be depended upon, and the motorist should disregard them. There is an official guide issued by the Royal Automobile Club of Spain, which is a great help in touring the country. The touring club has also published a map, indicating the good roads. But best of all is a small pocket edition entitled "Mapa de Espana y Portugal con indice, Extracto del Atlas manual de Stieler." The run from Irum to Vitoria is as follows: KU. Irum to St. Sebastian 20 St. Sebastian to Tolosa 26 Tolosa to Villafranca 16 Villafranca to Alsasua 51 Alsasua to Vitoria 43 Total 156 After lunch we visited the cathedral, which is not very interesting. The town is clean, healthy and thriving. Its population is given as 26,000. With regard to places of in- terest, there are none. It was here that the battle of Vitoria between the British and French forces was fought in 1813, which eventually led to the complete defeat of the latter, and their expulsion from Spain. At 2.15 p. M., we started for Logrono. At Arminon, 24 kilometers from Vitoria, the main road leading to Madrid [CT] LOG OF MY MOTOR was forsaken, and we turned to the left at the junction of two roads, which has for a sign post a huge monument of stone standing approximately 15 feet in height. The route is rather uninteresting for the first 40 kilo- meters. After the River Ebro is skirted, however, the landscape changes. The country is hilly, and in appearance very like that of northern Africa. The village of Labaslida is a small dilapidated town. We passed through it without stopping. From the numerous coats of arms on many of the houses, I judged it to have been at one time the home of the Dons. Laguardia, 16 kilometers from Logrono, is rather a pic- turesque town, well fortified, situated on the summit of a small hill, and commanding a fine view of the surrounding country. The approach to the town is up a 20 per cent grade. On reaching the summit, we stopped to take a photograph of some of the inhabitants. The villages in this district are difficult to distinguish from the surrounding country. The stone used in the construction of the houses and the tiles covering the roofs are of the dark brown clay of the country itself. At 4.00 p. M., we arrived at Logrono. Finding the artillery drilling on the outskirts of the town, we stopped for a few minutes to watch the maneuvers. Logrono is situated on the south side of the River Ebro, which we crossed on a modern steel structure. The town is well laid out and clean, and lies in the middle of a fertile valley producing a heavy wine called Vino de la Rioja. It has a population of about 14,000. No points of interest, except an old stone bridge crossing the Ebro, which was built in 1138, situated about a quarter of a mile from the new steel span. We stopped at the Hotel de Commerce, but the accommodations proved so bad that we decided to make Soria for the night, and at 4.20 were once more under way. [68] Q Pi K W K Q O H O I — I CO O o H O Vi I — I X H Pi < o o <; a < H-l '■A ■-^ ■■A ■n ■A LOG OF MY MOTOR hours and 15 minutes' running time. Stopped at the Grand Hotel de I'Europe. Very good hoteL We put in 45 Hters of gasoKne. The country throughout the day's run was uninteresting, being mostly flat and desert-like in appearance. Sometimes we could see no dwellings for 30 kilometers in all directions. The road as far as the town of Mallen is good, but from there on it is very bad, and we were compelled to reduce speed to 25 kilometers an hour. Just after passing Fontellas, 100 kilometers from Logrono, we struck a "thank-you-ma'am," while going at full speed, which very nearly brought the trip to an abrupt end. We passed over three piles of broken stone before again landing on terra firma, and missed cutting down a telegraph pole by a couple of inches. On returning to the spot, we could find no trace of the wheels on the road for a distance of 33 feet, but on a close examination of the car we found that no harm had been done, not even a punctured tire. The route taken was as follows: Kil. Logrono to Agoncillo 13 Agoncillo to Calahorra 37 Calahorra to Alfaro 21 Alfaro to Tudela 18 Tudela to Mallen 24 Mallen to Alagon 32 Alagon to Zaragoza 24 Total 169 Zaragoza has a population of about 87,000, and is a fine town, very interesting to the tourist. There are many churches of note to be visited, and two cathedrals. La Seo and Del Pilar, which are as fine as any in Spain. [75] LOG OF MY MOTOR FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 1909 Fine during the morning; rain during the afternoon and evening. Left Zaragoza at 10.30 a. m. for Madrid. The distance, 321 kilometers, was covered in 7 hours and 45 minutes, 1 hour and 30 minutes of which were spent in lunching and putting in gasoline. La Almunia, 47 kilometers from Zaragoza, was reached at 11.30 A. M., and Calatayud, 34 kilometers farther, at 12.35. At the latter town, we stopped and bought some lunch. To our great delight, we found two large cans of gasoline, which we immediately purchased. There being no hotel, and the populace that surrounded the car being mostly blind and decrepit, we decided to take our lunch with us into the country. Therefore, after purchasing a bottle of wine, bread, and some hard-boiled eggs, we de- parted once more into the desert. During the morning's run we had crossed some extra- ordinary country, and as for the scenery, I have never seen its equal. The eye ranges over the plains for a distance of certainly 75 miles, if not more, in all directions. The tourist is much impressed by the barren aspect of the unproductive country. Once in a while, olive trees may be seen with a few houses nestling amongst them; but on the whole, the landscape is so unforbidding that one wonders how the people scrape together a living in that region. The Sierra de la Muela and Sierra de la Virgen were crossed, both mountain ranges beautiful to behold, without a tree or trace of any vegetation on their barren slopes. The surface of the road was good, but numerous caniveaux were encountered, so that we were compelled to advance with great caution. Indeed, many streams of considerable depth have to be crossed and no bridges span them. Ateca, 14 kilometers from Calatayud, was the next town [76] < W Q <; « I— ( K O D o [in > -J M LOG OF MY MOTOR of importance. It is really only a small village containing 500 or 600 inhabitants. From here on for 72 kilometers, to the town of Medinaceli, the road is full of caniveaiix, and four streams were crossed. Nevertheless, the scenery is grand, and we passed through mountain gorges, over small passes, and through uninhabited plains. The Sierra Ministra Pass was climbed, and an altitude of 3,500 feet attained. At Algora, 37 kilometers from Medinaceli, we traversed a broad plateau, absolutely barren and most uninteresting. The road at this point runs in a continuous straight line for many miles, and no villages or signs of habitation are visible in any direction. Owing to the rain, we were compelled to run rather slowly, and Guadalajara, 58 kilometers from Algora, was reached just as it was getting dark. As we still had 58 kilometers before reaching Madrid, we lit the lamps and proceeded through a more fertile country, over a rather bad road, to our destination. At 7.45 p. M. we descended at the Hotel de la Paix, tired and dirty to a degree. The car had worked to perfection since leaving Paris. Out of gratitude we determined to give it a bath — its first wash since starting the trip. During the day's run we encountered one caniveau that was so deep that it tore off the pet cocks on the bottom of the oil reservoir and water tanks, the contents of which were scattered along the road. It was here that our extra four liters of oil canie in handy, and saved the day, since without them we should never have been able to reach Madrid. The total amount of gasoline consumed on the run be- tween Zaragoza and Madrid was 70 liters. [79] LOG OF MY MOTOR SATURDAY, MARCH 27, 1909 AND SUNDAY, MARCH 28, 1909 Both days were spent at Madrid sight-seeing and enjoy- ing a bull fight. MONDAY, MARCH 29, 1909 It being a clear day, we decided to leave at 8.15 a. m. for Seville. The road, on leaving Madrid, ascends to a plateau about 1,000 feet above the level of the town. Here it as- sumes a level aspect for the next 40 miles; but it is rather uninteresting and desert-like in appearance. The Sierra de Gredos and Sierra de Guadarrama are plainly visible to the north, looming up to a great height, with their peaks covered with snow. As we doubted our ability to accomplish the journey to Seville in one day, we laid our course for the town of Caceres, where we hoped to find a fairly comfortable hotel for the night. We stopped on several occasions so that I might take a shot with a revolver at some big birds that looked like large cranes or storks. None was killed, owing either to my bad shooting or the long range. Mr. Payne stuck to the first reason obstinately. At 12.10 p. m., after a tedious morning's run, we stopped for lunch in the open air, and enjoyed the scanty repast we had brought with us from Madrid. At 1.00 p. M., our journey was resumed. We crossed the Tajo River over a fine old stone bridge. Then we pro- ceeded to ascend the Sierra de Guadalupe, a rather haz- ardous task, in view of the facts that our foot brakes were entirely worn and that but little remained of the emergency brake. Nevertheless, Trujillo was safely reached at 3.00 p. m., and finding a garage established in an old church, we stopped [80] o o 05 00 X o Pi < Q D O h-1 D Gi O 05 o Q Q O P3 o X < Q CD < 1-1 D PQ o O Pi Q D Q <=1 K D LOG OF MY MOTOR to replenish our supply of gasoline and oil. We took on 72 liters of the former, and 6 liters of the latter. A cursory ramble through the village proved it to be small and uninteresting, and half an hour later we had re- sumed our journey. The garage just spoken of is the repair and terminal station of a stagecoach line running between Trujillo and Carceres. To our surprise we found three German mechanics in the shop, who informed us that the best road to Seville was by way of Carceres and Merida, instead of by the main road, by way of Miajadas and Merida. At 3.30 we were off again, over a rather hilly route to Carceres, 48 kilometers distant. Arrived at the latter town at 4.30 p. M. Rather interesting, and situated on a hill, commanding a fine view of the surrounding country. At the outskirts, we stopped to inquire the way to the Hotel du Commerce. We had no sooner slowed down than the entire population offered themselves as guides. Choosing one, and followed by the rest, we entered the town looking more like a circus procession than a couple of ordinary tourists. The hotel proved to be a dirty place, situated on a small street just off a big square. The car took up the entire street, covering both road and sidewalk. On inquiring for rooms (as we had decided not to go farther that day), we were informed that the hotel was full. After a short council of war, we decided to move on to Badajoz for the night. The country now took on a more fertile appearance, and one could understand how the farmer here could scrape together a living, a proposition no one in his wildest dreams could imagine possible in any part of the last 800 kilometers of the country we had traversed. Merida soon hove in sight, the last stretch of the road hav- ing been traversed at great speed, although Mr. Payne, who was sitting in the back seat, complained seriously of the shocks he was receiving from the many deep holes encountered. He [85] LOG OF MY MOTOR implied that several parts of his body had been seriously distorted, and it was a question in his mind whether, on descending from the car, he would ever again be able to walk. From Merida to Badajoz, we skirted the River Guadiana, a large stream flowing through a very fertile country, and finally at 7.30 p. m., just as it was getting dark, passed through a series of fortifications into the town of Badajoz. Stopped for the night at the Hotel Garrido, bad but pos- sessing, much to our surprise, quite a fine dining-room. The food, nevertheless, proved unpalatable; as usual, it had been cooked in oil. Badajoz is situated on the Portuguese frontier, and can boast of nothing in the way of antiquities, but is simply a typical Spanish town. It possesses a small bomb-proof cathedral situated on the Campo de San Juan. On this square are also to be found the hotel, theater and town hall. The day's run, of 431 kilometers, took 9 hours and 55 minutes. Consumed 117 liters of gasoline. The road taken from Madrid was as follows, the entire route being fairly good, and part of it even excellent: Kil. Madrid to Navalcarnero 32 Navalcarnero to Magueda 36 Magueda to Talavera 48 Talavera to Navalmoral ........ 64 Navalmoral to Jaraicejo 46 Jaraicejo to Trujillo 27 Trujillo to Caceres 48 Caceres to Merida 69 Merida to Lobon 28 Lobon to Talavera 14 Talavera to Badajoz 19 Total 431 [86] \ -^m ^ .A m L.;- Jt . ^ ^# -^CSbPI . '^ .^kL.^^^^^^^^H^H^t ij^^H ■'II III l::^|^^^t^«^ ^ "■ ^^^^B i'lg^S^SSr '*- 4'! ^^^ " 1 r-ji ^ 't'^:$i^^^^^ te- w ^ ^L 1 r K [ ii!'^^^' 1 •i ^9^^^^^^^^H 1 L - '^^ -^^^^^MKM 1 .jHhI O < Q m D O H W X m O H < 1X1 O Q <1 SI O Q < m H FP :^ I— ( w in Q Z <5 cc O CO c« o 13 W m o O I— ( Q H-i I— I m Eh w > o o w D o Eh W H CO O Q W 1X1 O < o a < o 12; < Q o I— I o (XI <: o TOUR THROUGH EUROPE DECEMBER 15 TO JANUARY 22 1909-1910 ^K|«^t^H^4^^"§>4>^>4>4>^>^^^4"6>4"J^S'^?4'4"S>4"?>*&*»*'& ^>^«Jt^-^$H$rtjH|v o O D K O O « D O H TOUR THROUGH EUROPE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1909 i.|.|.|.|.|.|.|.|.|.i.i.i.i-i-i-i OLD but clear. Mr. Payne and I had set this day for starting out on our extended motor trip through Europe. It was our in- tention to visit the following cities: Brussels, Bruges, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Munich, Vienna, Budapest, Trieste, Venice, Genoa and Nice. The trip being a long one, the car was necessarily heavily loaded with baggage and extra tires, so that there was but little room for the mechanic in the tonneau. It is worth noting that the wheels were equipped with the tires used on the Paris to Cadiz run the previous year, the front ones having made the entire journey, and were still in first-class condition. The rear tires, although in very good shape, had been changed in northern Spain. We left the gates of Paris behind us at 2.30 p. M., and shaped our course for Reims, where we intended to stop for the night. We chose a somewhat different route to Mont- mirail, to avoid the "pave in the town of Meaux. The fol- lowing villages were passed through: Kil. from Paris Villiers 12 Croissy 24 [105] LOG OF MY MOTOR Kil. from Paris Crecy 45 La Ferte 64 Montmirail 98 Montmirail was reached at 4.30 p. m., when a stop was made at the Hotel de Vart-Galant for chocolate and eggs. An hour and fifteen minutes later, having thoroughly rested ourselves, the headlights were lit, and a start made on the last section of the run to Reims, by way of Epernay, One hour and thirty minutes later we drew up in front of the hotel. The aspect of the country between Montmirail and Reims is rolling and picturesque. On leaving Epernay, a steep grade is encountered, and for 15 kilometers the road passes through a fine forest. Over the last 10 kilometers to Reims, the road descends to the plain in the middle of which the town is situated. Distance, Montmirail to Epernay, 39 kilometers. Epernay to Reims, 25 kilometers, making the total day's run 162 kilo- meters, covered in three hours and a half running time, with- out a mishap. We stopped at the Hotel de Lion d'Or, an excellent hotel in every particular. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1909 Before leaving Reims we visited the cathedral just op- posite the hotel. It is one of the finest in France. Taking the road to Rethel, 36 kilometers distant, we left Reims behind us at 8.15 a. m. The country is rolling and free from trees. We found we were driving over the very site of the aviation meet held in August. [106] ^&"^ LOG OF MY MOTOR Kil. from Reims Rethel 26 Signy 58 Rocroi 87 All these towns are clean and prosperous. We passed through them without anything worthy of note happening and reached the latter town at 10.00 a. m. x\.t La Gue, 5 kilometers farther, a halt was made at the French douane, and to our disgust, we were politely in- formed by the official in charge, that the customs on the Belgian frontier, some distance beyond, would not accept automobiles entering Belgium. It would, therefore, be neces- sary to return to Rocroi and take the road to Regniowez, where the customs would accept entry of the car. Eleven a. m. found us at the Regniowez, some 10 kilo- meters west of Rocroi, and 30 minutes later, our papers having been made out, we began our journey through Bel- gium by way of Kil. from Reims Baileux 110 Couvin 120 Phillippeville 138 Fosse 165 The road was in good condition and is picturesque. Fruit trees bedecked the sides of houses and were of extraordinary shapes and sizes. I have never seen such remarkable speci- mens in any part of Europe. Namur, 185 kilometers distant from Reims, a thriving town, well worth visiting, was reached at 1.05 p. m. We stopped for lunch at the Hotel d'Harscamp, which proved to be excellent in every way. We had much enjoyed our morning's run of 195 kilometers, covered in 3 hours and 20 [107] LOG OF MY MOTOR minutes, and were surprised to find the roads in such good condition at this time of the year. At 3.30, the beautiful town of Namur was left behind. Owing to lack of time, we did not stop to visit the various places of interest in it. Brussels, 63 kilometers distant, was our objective. A cobbled road, in good shape, bordered by tremendous trees impressed us very much during the after- noon's run. Many interesting villages were also passed through, and in order that we might the better enjoy our surroundings, the car was driven at a moderate speed. Finally, at 4.30 p. M., Brussels loomed up in the dusk, and 15 minutes later the Hotel Bellevue at the Flandre was reached. Brussels, the Paris of imposing Belgium, impressed us considerably. Its location, its fine boulevards and its build- ings and gardens afford the tourist ample opportunities for spending many a delightful day within its walls. The whole town was much shocked a few hours after our arrival by the news of the death of King Leopold, whom few sus- pected even of being ill. Day's run, 258 kilometers. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1909 Cloudy and showery. By twelve, we managed to get under way for Gaunt. The road is cobbled the entire distance and in poor shape. Nevertheless, we bumped along over the stones in a most uncomfortable manner, finally bursting one of the rear tires. It required 45 minutes to make the necessary repairs, with the result that our lunch hour was delayed to 2.00 p. M., at which time we reached the Hotel Royale, a clean and up-to-date hostelry. The morning's run of 50 kilometers was covered in 1 hour and 15 minutes' running time. [108] LOG OF MY MOTOR The aspect of the country is flat and uninteresting. The villages are clean and attractive, and the trees, all carefully pruned, show signs of great care. The fields also are rich in their cultivated condition. After lunch we visited the cathedral, which is very fine. At 4.00 p. M., having lit the lamps, we left in a heavy down- pour for Bruges, arriving at the first-class Hotel de Flandre at 5.15 p. M. Distance, 45 kilometers. Road paved, as usual, the entire way, but in fairly good condition. Day's run, 95 kilometers, covered in 2 hours and 30 minutes. Mishaps, one punctured tire. The country during the afternoon's run of 45 kilometers had the same appearance as that passed through on the morn- ing's run. The town of Bruges is most picturesque and the architecture of the houses very fine. There are some won- derful old buildings and interesting museums to be visited. The town hall and several churches are also worthy of a visit. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1909 Rain. Visited the cathedral and church of Notre Dame. Saw the collection of Metlinger pictures at the museum in the rear of the hospital. It is worth a trip to Bruges just to see these paintings, which, in my opinion, have no equal. The cathedral contains several Rubens and many other paintings by well-known masters. Visited the Chateau du Conte de Flandre, built in 1411. The Gothic museum in this building is rather interesting and there are many fine old mantels. [109] LOG OF MY MOTOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1909 A dense fog enveloped the city, but the rain had stopped, and we were able to get under way by 8.45 a. m. for Anvers (Antwerp) . We took the same road as on the previous day as far as Gaunt, passing through that city at 9.45. We did not stop, but followed the route by way of Lokeren and St. Nicolas, to Anvers (Antwerp), arriving on the banks of the river at 11.15 A. M. A small steamer ferried us across, and the hotel was reached at 11.45. Day's run, 98 kilometers, covered in 2 hours and 30 min- utes. The drive, owing to the stone-surfaced road, shook us up considerably. We found the villages in this section of Belgium attrac- tive. The houses, one story high, are painted white with a bluish tint and have red tiled roofs ; they are most picturesque to look at. Hotels at Antwerp are good and numerous. The Terminus, at the station, and the Hotel de Saint-Antoine are both excellent, but there are others quite equal to them. The town boasts of several beautiful churches and one or two museums. The river, full of shipping, is the home port of many a transatlantic liner. The streets are clean and laid out in big boulevards, bordering some of which are fine theaters and a zoological garden. We visited St. Paul's Cathedral and saw Rembrandt's "The Scourging of Christ." Outside the church in the cloister are to be seen Mount Calvary and Christ's Grave, as well as many fine statues. The church is rich in old carv- ings executed by the monks. The Cathedral of Notre Dame has Rubens' great master- piece the "Descent from the Cross." It contains also many other objects of interest. Unfortunately, nineteen years ago, [110] LOG OF MY MOTOR a powder explosion in the harbor broke all the old stained glass windows. The "Steen," or the Spanish prison used during the In- quisition, is also worthy of a visit. It is now used for a museum. The town hall has a fine ceiling. MONDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1909 Owing to my being laid up, a week was spent in Antwerp; but on December 27, Payne and I found ourselves in the back seat of the car on our way to Rotterdam. At 10.45 a. m., Antwerp was left behind. The road was wet and slippery, which made progress slow, and a cold wind added to our discomfort. The Belgian frontier at Putten was reached at 11.15, and a half hour's delay was caused preparing our papers to enter Holland. The customs houses of the two countries are situated across the street from each other. At 11.45, we were under way again, and to our joy the sun now peeped out through the clouds. It was really its first appearance since we had left Paris, and advantage was taken to capture, by means of it, a picture of one of Holland's old windmills, many of which are to be seen on all sides. The country is picturesque, full of canals and dikes, and extremely fertile; the houses are quaint, attractive and clean. The road, although winding, has a good surface, but little speed could be made owing to the sharp turns. We noticed that carts, drawn by dogs harnessed five and six in number, were not so frequently seen in this country. They are being replaced by vehicles drawn by horses. The trees are very fine and planted in long rows. The fruit trees, especially, are magnificent. Williansted was reached at 1.15, — a clean little town on the banks of the River Rhine. We found that the ferry which [111] LOG OF MY MOTOR was to take us across would not return from the other side until 3.00 p. M. We, therefore, repaired to a quaint little inn for lunch, which unfortunately produced tasteless food. The morning's run of 63 kilometers was covered in 2 hours. The steamer, a small affair, arrived at 3.15. It was barely the size of a New York harbor tug, so that we had all kinds of trouble getting the motor aboard. Indeed, for some moments, I questioned whether the feat Avould be accom- plished at all. Finally, after heroic efforts on the part of the crew and some villagers who aided, the machine was placed on deck, leaving, unfortunately, but little room for the pas- sengers, who could be heard growling on all sides. We had a pleasant half hour's run across and found the disembarkation easy. From the river to Rotterdam we lost our way, and owing to the darkness had an uncom- fortable time of it, finally reaching the city at 5.00 p. m. Dis- tance, 28 kilometers. We must have gone 10 kilometers more owing to our mistaking the road, which runs on top of a levee almost the entire way. We had traversed a very interesting country. Quaint houses and attractive villages are everywhere to be seen, giving the impression that Holland is most prosperous. jT ± 1 [ Hotel Weimar. Very good Hotel de la Meuse. Good TUESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1909 A strong wind blowing from the north, accompanied by heavy rain squalls, made the prospects for a pleasant day's run look very remote. We left for Amsterdam at 11.30 a. m., arriving at Leyde at 12.55 p. M. Stopped at the Hotel du Lion d'Or for lunch. Found it very clean and up-to-date. The streets [112] VIEWS IN AMSTERDAM VIEWS NEAR ROTTERDAM LOG OF MY MOTOR of this town bear a great resemblance to the streets in the small towns in England. Off again at 2.15 for Haarlem, where we arrived at 3.15. The road pro^'ed very interesting. Beautiful villas and fine estates border it on both sides. Visited the church, which is uninteresting, but contains a fine organ. Unfortunately, as our luck would have it, it was not played on this day. The museum had also closed fifteen minutes prior to our arrival in the town. We purchased a few little nick-nacks at some of the stores, and departed at 3.55 for Amsterdam. The road is one long tangent, paralleled by a canal on one side, and a railroad on the other. x\t 4.30 p. m., we arrived at the hotel in Amsterdam. A most interesting place, canals everywhere, with fine boulevards and superb villas. The two best hotels are the Amstel and Brack's-Doelen. The day's run, in spite of the poor weather, was most interesting. Thousands of windmills are to be seen on all sides. Beautiful canals are crossed and re-crossed, and charming villages constantly vary the scenery and keep up the interest of the traveler. It was amusing to see the canal boats with their extra- ordinary colors, dragged by horses, mules, dogs, or even by a single man. Some of them were fitted with gasoline engines and made progress rapidly, while others, in the strong breeze, were making good headway with curiously cut sails. The people are all well-to-do. The boys are full of play and give the motorist many a sensation. Their chief amuse- ment is to make faces, yell, and throw stones when one passes by. The country is rich to a degree and in summer time must be a paradise of vegetation. The soil, as far as the eye can see, is highlv cultivated, as is to be seen in no other country. [ 115 ] LOG OF MY MOTOR The roads are paved with small bricks, which make riding easy, and need little care from a maintenance point of view. Day's run, 86 kilometers, in 4 hours. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1909 At Amsterdam. Visited the museum and saw all the Rembrandts and other paintings. We also passed through the Palace, which is furnished in the Empire period. With the exception of the large throne room, it is not worth going to see. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1909 Cloudy, but rainless and warm. Left Amsterdam at 8.45 A. M. for Diisseldorf, by way of Utrecht, which town was reached at 9.45. Road good and rather interesting, paralleling a canal the entire way. The villages with their houses now begin to assume a dif- ferent aspect, seeming in appearance like those of southern France, intermingled with a touch of German architecture. Utrecht is interesting, but owing to lack of time we passed through without stopping. Ziest, 10 kilometers distant, a summer resort full of villas and hotels, has an attractive appearance. At this point, to our great joy, we entered a rolling country, and the flats that we had been traversing for days were gradually left behind . Arnhem was reached at 11.15. A pretty little town, with a very good hotel, the Hotel du Soleil, where we stopped for lunch. Morning's run, 95 kilometers. Time, 2 hours and 30 minutes. Left for the frontier at 12.45. At Nimegue, 16 kilometers distant, the Rhine was crossed on a ferry propelled by the bow being swung out against the swiftly moving current [116] TOWN HALL. VEEK LOG OF MY MOTOR which, catching the side of the boat, pushed it sideways, while a rope, lying on the bottom of the river, and fastened to the boat by a pulley on which it travels, gives the necessary resistance. In this way the boat slides over to the landing stage on the other side. For once we arrived just in time to catch the boat. What a miracle! At 1.15 p. M., the little village of Veek, on the Dutch frontier, was passed. Fifteen minutes were required to get our deposit back, during which time I took a photograph of the town hall and custom house. Fifty yards farther on, we were held up by the German customs officials. Luckily for us, a most courteous official did all in his power to get us through the formalities as quickly as possible. Never- theless it took three-quarters of an hour's hard work for three men to prepare the papers, and then a load of docu- ments was deposited in my pocket-book. The official in charge told me confidentially that he had three hours' work before him for his entire staff before the entry of my car into Germany would be satisfactorily accomplished, as it was necessary for him to send notices of the entry of the car all over Germany. At 2.50, we were ofif again. Two kilometers beyond the frontier, cobbled roads were left and the old macadam was once more under us. Great speed was made, and Cleve, Xanten and Mors were soon left behind. Dlisseldorf was reached at 4.20, just as it was getting dark. The road is good the entire way, many tangents being encountered. The towns, as is usual in Germany, are clean and prosperous looking. Dlisseldorf is an up-to-date place, with large boulevards, fine buildings and splendid hotels, the Park and Palast Hotels being the best. Afternoon's run, 134 kilometers, in 3 hours and 35 minutes. Day's run, 229 kilometers, in 5 hours and 5 minutes. [119] LOG OF MY MOTOR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1909 At Diisseldorf. As our usual luck had it, it rained all day. SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 1910 More rain. Left Diisseldorf at 9.15 for Frankfurt. The road to Cologne is uninteresting. This town was reached at 10.05, and it being New Year's day, we stopped in front of the cathedral to attend Mass and see the church. The cathedral is Gothic, and very fine. At Cologne, crossed the Rhine on a magnificent old bridge. At 10.15, off again for Coblence, where we arrived at 12.15. Stopped for lunch at the Hotel Belle-Vue. Poor and dirty. The town itself is situated on the Rhine, and has a rather interesting appearance. Morning's run, 120 kilometers in 2 hours and 50 minutes. From Bonn on, the road becomes interesting. Old castles are to be seen and many fine vil- lages passed. The mountains which skirt the banks on either side of the Rhine are very grand and imposing. Just before entering Coblence, we crossed the Moselle River, a beautiful stream, to which I have already referred in my trips from Paris to Frankfurt. At 2.05, after a poor meal, Coblence was left behind. We took the road to Frankfurt by way of Ems, Schwalbach and Weisbaden, through an interesting country, which at this time of the year is far less attractive than it was on my last visit during the summer months. Snow was encountered on the tops of the hills, but gave us no inconvenience. At Frankfurt, the Fiirsten-Hof Palast Hotel, Frankfurter- Hof and English er-Hof are the best hotels. Run during the afternoon, 117 kilometers. Total distance for day, 237 kilometers, covered in 5 hours and 20 minutes. It is rather curious that during the entire run of 237 [120] LOG OF MY MOTOR kilometers only one carriage was passed on the road outside the town limits. I account for this by the fact that it was New Year's day. SUNDAY, JANUARY 2, 1910 Cloudy weather. Owing to Mr. Payne being compelled to return to Paris for a couple of days, I decided to take the train that evening and let the mechanic proceed with the car from here to the factory at Unterturkheim, 10 kilo- meters outside of Stuttgart, where the engine was to be overhauled. At 1.30 p. M., the car was on the road for Pforzheim, 152 kilometers distant. The latter town was reached at 5.30, or in four hours' running time. The road is flat and un- interesting, lying along the valley of the Rhine. MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 1910 Fine. The mechanic left Pforzheim at 8.20 for Stuttgart, arriving without any mishap at 9.40 over a good road, traversing a rolling country. Day's run, 67 kilometers, covered in 1 hour and 20 minutes. TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1910, AND WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1910 Car at factory. THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1910 Mr. Payne and I arrived from Paris on the Orient Ex- press at 6.40 A. M. We had breakfast at the Marquardt Hotel, and by 8.30 were under way in the car for Nurem- berg, by way of Gaildorf, Feuchtewangen and Ansbach. Distance, 183 kilometers, covered in 5 hours and 5 minutes [121] LOG OF MY MOTOR over a wet road, the surface of which, although slippery, was good. Rain, as usual, was encountered. We stopped at Feuchtewangen at the Hotel de la Poste, for lunch, at 12.05 p. m. Very poor. The town itself is rather attractive and quaint in appearance, and the architecture of the houses interesting. Our morning's run of 115 kilometers took us through a superb country. Several small mountains were crossed and a number of small forests traversed. The route resembles a drive through a well-kept park more than an ordinary highway. At 1.20, after lunch, we left for Nuremberg. The country resembles that traversed during the morning, although the villages, as Nuremberg is approached, become more pic- turesque and the architecture of the houses very interesting. At 2.50 the gates of the town were reached. We had covered the last 68 kilometers in 1 hour and 30 minutes. There are several hotels, but the Grand is the best. FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 1910 No rain to-day, but our usual luck being with us we had instead such a thick fog that it was impossible to see the tops of the buildings. As the roofs are the most interesting objects in the town, we were much disappointed at not see- ing them. Visited the museum, which contains the finest Gothic collection in the world; also the "Bierstube," the first saloon, an invention or discovery which, could it have been patented, would have made its inventors rich. We saw the picturesque hunting lodge of Baron Tucherhaus, and drove around the town to look at the city walls, which are finer than any I have ever seen. The color scheme of the houses and their quaintness are most pleasing. The architecture in general dates back to [ 122 ] < 1-1 ►-1 I— ( in < Q D <: w w m Q O P^ LOG OF MY MOTOR road to Salzburg, 6 kilometers distant. At 5.08, we drew up in front of the hotel. There are two good hotels in the town, the Hotel Bristol and the Hotel de I'Europe. Salzburg at this time of the year is a deserted place. The town is clean and has several theaters, and one or two boulevards. It is beautifully situated at the foot of the Tyrolean Alps. The day's run of 134 kilometers was covered in 3 hours and 8 minutes. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1910 At 9.25 A. M., our car was pointed north towards the town of Linz. During the night a severe frost had turned the highwaj^ into a veritable skating rink, and for a few minutes after leaving Salzburg we slid about in a most dangerous way. We finally managed to stop, and adjusted the chains to the tires on the back wheels. This improved the running somewhat, and added much to the safety of the car and its occupants. The view now of the fast disappearing moun- tains was grand. Owing to some strange oversight on the part of the clerk of the weather, we were blessed with another beautiful day. We encountered considerable snow over the first few miles, and at one point of the road ran into a drift, from which it took us ten minutes to clear the car. The route is rather interesting, being mountainous at first, with a gradual descent to a plain, which is entered just be- fore reaching the town of Lambach. The villages are rather ordinary in appearance, possessing little of picturesque in- terest to the traveler. Bocklaruck, Schwanenstach and Lambach were all en- tered and left by arched gateways. The general lay-out of the towns is as follows: one large main street, entered [ 133 ] LOG OF MY MOTOR through an archway, broadening towards the center of the town, and tapering down again to the exit on the other side, at which point one leaves through another arch. At the widest point, in the middle, there is a fountain, usually rather interesting architecturally. In all these towns the inhabitants seem to have been endeavoring to improve the houses, by adding to their tops a fake story in which windows and blinds are inserted. Lambach, 60 kilometers from Salzburg, was reached at 11.45. Passed through without stopping, and much to our joy, found a fairly good road to Linz, free of snow, but muddy. The next place of importance en route was the town of Wels, and then came Linz, situated on the banks of the River Danube. The latter town, which is 65 kilometers from Lambach, was reached at 1.00 p. m. We stopped for lunch at the Hotel Erzherzog Karl, the best in the town. The town, clean and up-to-date, contains little by way of interest to the tourist. The museum, and second-hand curiosity shops, where numerous small articles can be pur- chased at extraordinary low prices, are perhaps the only places to visit. The usual trying weather conditions prevailed in the after- noon, that is to say, the rain came down in such quantities that it was found necessary to delay our departure from Linz until the following morning. Total day's run, 125 kilometers, in 3 hours and 35 minutes. THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 1910 At 9.25 A. M., the sky having cleared, and the prospects being good for an enjoyable day's run to Vienna, we departed for the town of St. Polten, where we stopped for lunch at [134] < o CO I I— ( I O D m « K CO LOG OF MY MOTOR 12.35. The morning's run of 126 kilometers was covered in 3 hours and 10 minutes. The country traversed is a rich farming country, rolling in appearance, and now and then permitting the motorist to obtain fine views of the mountains to the north and south. At the town of Melp, 2 kilometers before reaching St. Polten, a wide plain is entered, through which the road runs until within about 30 kilometers of Vienna. The villages through this section of the country are unin- teresting. I took a photograph of one, the reproduction of which gives a fairly good idea of the general architecture of the houses in this vicinity. St. Polten, a queer little place, and rather attractive in appearance, was left behind at 1.50. We now began the last part of our day's run to Vienna, 63 kilometers distant. When within 30 kilometers of the capital of Austria, we left behind the level plain we had been traversing since leaving the town of Melp, and began the highest climb of the day, which, I judge, must have been about 2,500 feet. Many fine views of the surrounding country are here to be obtained. At the summit, owing to ice and snow, we found it again necessary to put chains on the wheels. Then, without any further delay, we made the descent into the beautiful city of Vienna, reaching the hotel at 3.10 p. m. A week can easily be spent here. The picture galleries, theaters, restaurants, museums, boulevards and fine drives have not their equal in any other city in the world. The day's run of 189 kilometers was covered in 4 hours and 30 minutes. FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1910 Spent sight-seeing. [137] LOG OF MY MOTOR SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 1910 As usual, rain and snow. As we had now become accus- tomed to this kind of weather, we left at 9.25 A. M. for Budapest. A nasty, wet road with the surface in poor condition. The party that left Vienna was not a very cheerful one. We shaped our course for the town of Raab, and passed through an uninteresting country, reminding us of the west- ern prairies of the United States. Little to be seen for miles in any direction, and villages are few and far apart, the country not being adapted to farming. At 12.00 sharp, we arrived at the Hotel Royale, in the town of Raab, where, much to our surprise, we found good food and clean rooms awaiting us. The morning's run, of 125 kilometers, was covered in 2 hours and 35 minutes. We were now in "beautiful Hun- gary," but as we had seen nothing so far in the way of beauty of scenery, our expectations were entirely disappointed. We had always heard of the natural wonders of this little Empire. Raab was left behind at 2.00 p. M., and the run of 132 kilometers separating us from the town of Budapest begun. At 5.50, or 3 hours and 50 minutes later, we drew up in front of the hotel. The route proved more interesting than the morning's run, but the road in places was very bad. In one place where the highway was being raised on a ten or eleven-foot fill, we had to take to the field for three or four kilometers, as no other road is available for the traveler, who is here left to pick his way over the surrounding country, to the best of his ability. Sixty kilometers from Budapest, the mountains again appeared, and at 40 kilometers, we started to climb. We soon ran into snow, and as it was getting dark, we stopped [138] H ^ V3 W J Pi a B < O Q ti: D Q W H ^ ^ O « Ph < Q D § O Pi Pi w H § O h-l I— ( o to m ^ :2 Q w o o Pi LOG OF MY MOTOR once more under way, no damage having occurred to the car, the only loss being three hundred francs from my pocket- book, to replace the old man's wagon and some of his harness. From Trets on, the route is most picturesque. A canyon is followed for some of the distance, and although the road is tortuous for the last 40 kilometers, I believe it to be the most feasible route for approaching Marseilles from Nice. The surface is good, and the traffic not as dense as on the other main roads. We drew up in front of the hotel at 5.45, having accom- plished the afternoon's run in 3 hours and 5 minutes. Total for day, 4 hours and 40 minutes. Distance, 222 kilometers. Marseilles. Hotels < Grand Hotel du Louvre et de la Paix Regina Hotel Hotel de Noailles et Metropole Hotel de Russie et d'iVngleterre SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1911 A dismal day with much rain greeted us on rising. Nevertheless, we braved the weather, and at 9.45 set out for Aries, 88 kilometers distant, where it was our intention to lunch. We chose the route by Rognac and Salon and obtained several fine views of the Mediterranean, skirting, for several kilometers, the Etang de Berre, which is a large enclosed lake surrounded by olive trees and fairly good vineyards. At Salon, the plain is entered, and for 39 kilometers a road with only one slight curve is traversed, so that the traveler is glad when Aries comes in sight, which it did in our case at 11.50, after a morning's run of 2 hours and 5 minutes. We stopped at the Hotel de Forum, which had been much improved in the last few veai's, and enjoyed a fairly good '[ 161 ] LOG OF MY MOTOR lunch. After lunch, we hired a landau and although the rain was coming down in torrents, we visited the Roman amphitheater, the old graveyard, the museum and several churches. We were once again under way by 2.50 p. M. The River Rhone was crossed on the outskirts of the town, and we made a course for St. Gilles, 18 kilometers distant from Aries. From here we hoped to reach Lunel and Montpellier, where we expected to stop for the night. At St. Gilles, however, owing to the rain and our haste, we took the wrong road, and found ourselves, after a run of some 20 kilometers, in the town of Nimes. The route from Aries had been winding, but the surface is good, the country flat and full of vineyards. There was some mud on the surface, which made the going hard, but by 3.50 p. M. we were in front of the old Roman amphi- theater at Nimes, which we would have been glad to visit had the rain kept off. At 4.00 p. M., we headed for Montpellier over the Route National. We passed through Lunel at 4.30, 27 kilometers from Nimes, and promptly at 5.00 drew up at Montpellier, where we stayed the night. Distance covered for the day, 171 kilometers, in 4 hours and 5 minutes. Tv^ , ,,. TT . 1 J Grand Hotel. Good Montpelher. Hotels i tt i i i i.*^ i -^ i [ Hotel de la Metropole. Good MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1911 Left the hotel at 10.15 a. m., and at 10.25 were on our way for Narbonne, where we intended to lunch. As far as Gigean the road is hilly, and many fine views of the sur- rounding country are to be obtained. I took a photograph showing a planter's home and the vineyards surrounding it. [ 162 ] < w H O < •Pi O en LOG OF MY MOTOR From Gigean to Neze, the Etang de Thau is skirted, another large, interior lake, separated from the Mediter- ranean by a narrow sand-bank only. The little town of Cette was plainly visible on the opposite shore of the lake, situated on the solitary bluff rising from this sand-bank. From Meze to Adge we once more obtained some good views of the Etang de Thau, and traveled through a country mostly flat and fairly fertile. From Adge to Beziers we skirted the Canal du INIidi. We stopped here to take another picture. Beziers was entered at l^.SO. On the occasion of my previous passage through this village, I had taken a photo- graph of the ramparts from the bridge. These ramparts are rather fine. The town with its parks and several boule- vards has the appearance of being a prosperous place. Narbonne, 26 kilometers from Beziers, came next. A rather hilly country separates the two towns, and it was from the top of one of these hills that we obtained our first glimpse of the Pyrenees. At 12.55 we were installed at the Grand Hotel for lunch. (Fair.) Morning's run, 2 hours and 30 minutes. Distance covered, 100 kilometers. At 2.50, after having taken a picture of the street in front of the hotel, we left for Per- pignan. For the first twenty kilometers, the same hilly country was encountered, and another large, interior lake, called the Etang de Bages, was skirted. From Sigean, the road is flat, although on our right low hills are in close proximity. Port de la Nouvelle, situated on the shores of the Mediter- ranean, came next. It has all the appearance of a bathing resort. At Les Cabanes, the Etang de Lucate, another large, interior lake, was skirted for some fifteen kilometers, and here the aspect of the country is wild and barren. Fifteen kilometers from Perpignan, an abandoned fort, [165] LOG OF MY MOTOR called Fort de Salses, was seen to our right. We turned off down one of the small by-ways and took several photo- graphs of the old edifice, which is worth looking at. From this point on, a large, well-cultivated plain stretches before the motorist, and vine.yards are to be seen in all directions. Perpignan was reached at 4.25, after an after- noon's run of 1 hour and 35 minutes, during which time we covered 71 kilometers, making a total for the day's run of 171 kilometers, in 4 hours and 5 minutes. Perpignan is a cjuaint town of narrow streets and full of bustle. There are several old buildings to be seen, and the Porte Notre Dame is a relic well worth looking at. T, . TT , ; f Grand Hotel. Good Perpignan. Hotels 1 tt . i i ^ x [ Hotel de la Loge TUESDAY, FEBRUARY U, 1911 At 9.00 sharp, we were raising the dust on the Route Na- tional, along which we quickly drove in the direction of the foot-hills of the snow-capped Pyrenees. Mt. Alveras, with its peak covered by deep snow, rose high directly in front, a splendid sight. Then, before we realized it, we were climbing the pass that separated us from Spain. To our surprise its altitude was low, only several thousand feet, I should say, leading through a winding gorge, wild, and bare of timber. It was 9.50, and behold the French douane! Our pass- avant was soon prepared, and then half a kilometer farther, a very courteous official of the Spanish customs proceeded to extract from us 1,800 francs in gold, this being the necessary deposit recjuired by law for the admittance of a motor car into Spain. At 10.50, we were free, and we quickly slid down the western side of the mountain. [166] < o 1—1 Pi Oh Pi 'A O en <; K Q O <; ^. o h-i w o « <=1 o w O >— I o O o G o ^J1 < o C3 Q < O c4 LOG OF MY MOTOR The road to Figueras proved good, except for a stretch of five kilometers wliich was being repaired. Several streams were forded, and at 11.30 we were overtaken by a shower. At Figueras we entered a fertile plain, and here, at 11.50, we stopped ten kilometers south of the town and proceeded to attack our lunch basket. This basket was destined to save us from much hardship before the end of our trip, and we soon came to look upon it as one of our most valuable assets. By 12.40 we were once more under way, crunching the stones under our wheels. And what stones! Littering the road in every direction, their points sharp and vigly, it was only by great good fortvme that we escaped puncturing many tires. Suddenly the Fluvia River appeared. We gazed at it in anxiety, for there was no bridge spanning it. What kind of bottom, soft or hard, and how deep the water, we were at a loss to tell; but it was ford or turn back, so with a speed of 30 kilometers an hour we entered the east- ern side. A bow wave rose high over the radiator, giving us somewhat of a shower bath, but luck was with us, and except for a ducking we experienced no mishap. The water reached a depth of about four feet, and in some places mud was encountered. I have since been told that after a hard rain it is impossible to ford any of these streams in south- ern Spain with cars, their rise being very rapid, frequently causing a depth of from six to eight feet. We were now rising rapidly, and the valley was soon left far below us. At Gerona we crossed the River Ter. After taking a photograph showing the general aspect of the houses along the banks of the stream, we entered on what might be termed our final dash for the sea, which we skirted from Malgrat on to Barcelona. Up, up, into the hills we went, with grand views of the Sierra de Moseny Mountains on [171] LOG OF MY MOTOR our right, and on several occasions glimpses of the Med- iterranean. In our course we forded many streams; I should say twenty small ones and at least five of substan- tial size. "Thank-you-ma'ams," planned to a nicety by the engineers and suddenly appearing in the most impos- sible places, were constantly giving us cold chills; but luck was with us, and Malgrat was safely reached. A clean whitewashed town is Malgrat. In fact, all the towns between here and Barcelona seem prosperous and cleanlj^; far more so than those of the interior. The people also are cjuite imposing to look upon. iVpparently they obtain a livelihood from the catch of the sea. Cactus now appeared for the first time, and an agreeable change in the weather was vouchsafed. We were hoping now to enjoy the remainder of the day's run in idly skirting the shores of the Mediterranean. Unfortunately, this was not to be. We were rudely awakened from our dreams bj^ a road the surface of which, for the remainder of the dis- tance, plainly spoke of years of neglect. At 4.45 p. M., we drew up in front of the Grand Hotel, a first-class hostelry, to be recommended to the traveler. The day's run was as follows: Morning 1 hr. 50 min. Afternoon 4 " 5 " Total 5 hr. 55 min. Distance, 193 kilometers. Car working well, and no mishaps. Barcelona, the commercial city of Spain, and with a popu- lation of 605,000 inhabitants, is the capital of the province of the same name. It has many fine boulcA'ards which radiate in every direction. Its streets are alive with people, its theaters and cafes interesting. The shows in some are [172] CROSSING THE FLUVIA R H' E It VIEW OF COUNTRY 20 KILOMETERS FRO.M BARCELONA ROAD AND SCENERY 30 KILOMETERS FROM BARCELONA VILLAGE OF ITAFULLA, NEAR TARRAGONA o h-1 w o o Pi Pi o Z D O O -^...| < o -1 FP W W > D O w o <: o LOG OF MY MOTOR quite original, reminding one more of eastern cities. From an architectural point of view, except for the cathedral, there is little of note to be seen. The history of the place dates back to the time of the Carthaginians, since it was founded about 237 b. c. It prosj^ered later under Roman rule, but in a. d. 713 it fell a prey to the Moors, who in turn were ousted in 801 by Charlemagne. During the reign of Ferdinand of Aragon, it became a part of the Kingdom of Spain. During the twelfth century the city was a rival to Genoa and Venice, and its growth and prosperity have increased ever since, until to-day it is the largest and most prosperous city of Spain; its harbor is alive with commerce, and the city itself abounds in industrial concerns. Cotton, silk and wool appear to be the chief products. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1911 Another fine day. Spent in sight-seeing. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1911 A cloudless sky greeted us as we sallied forth at 9.20, full of hope and cheer. But had any of our friends seen us half an hour later, they would have laughed at us. We were bumping along an indescribably bad road, stretching over a fertile valley, covered with truck gardens, orange groves and grape vineyards. For eleven long kilometers we ran over this rut-worn, dilapidated route, extending almost in a straight line. Then, unexpectedly, a change occurred, and we found ourselves rolling along a good surface, on a road much resembling France's best highways. We heaved a sigh of relief. It took us just one whole hour in which to cover these eleven kilometers. The Lobregat River was now crossed, and nine kilometers [177] LOG OF MY MOTOR farther we skirted an old feudal castle, perched on a hill. Before us lay the Morella Mountains, rising out of the sea to a height of 1,800 feet, and it was not long before we were ascending their easterly slope on a well-graded road. At 11 o'clock, we stopped for lunch. The spot chosen was ideal, on the edge of a cliff skirting the sea, where the sun poured down on us, and 500 feet below us a long swell was beating itself to pieces on rocks that showed it no mercy. What a difference between our situation and that of our friends in New York who were just then probably in the act of digging themselves out of some blizzard! At 12 o'clock, the old car was again set in motion. Villa- nueva-y-Celtra, located some distance back from the sea, on a plain whose border was flanked by high mountains, was the next village passed. The road was under repair in many places, and those awful stones, the sharp edges of which cut large gashes in our tires, were constantly under us. The country is abundant in olive trees, but otherwise is not very rich. Suddenly a fine old Roman arch rose before us. Solemn and grand it stood, the sole remaining relic of some Roman emperor's rule. Ten kilometers from Tarragona, another old Roman monu- ment was passed, also alone and seemingly abandoned in the field, the one thing in sight that time had not destroyed. At 2.25 p. M., we drew up in front of the hotel, in the town of Tarragona. Day's run, 95 kilometers, in 3 hours and 50 minutes. Tarragona. Hotels "b Hotel Continental. Good Hotel del Centro. Fair Tarragona, situated on a high hill, towering above the sea, is well worth a visit. Its streets, although deserted and badly paved, are full of interest. The harbor, now no [178] ■< ■z o o < < H Q <1 CD LOG OF MY MOTOR Next came the little town of Benicarlo. Here we took a photograph of the church, and then proceeded to climb the Atalayas de Alcala Mountains. At Alcala, a goat fastened to a tree near a house took fright at our sudden appear- ance and tried to climb the wall of the building, taking his first leap from a chair. Unfortunately, he was not equipped with an aeroplane, and fell heavily, smashing the chair to splinters. This was to prove a sad day for goats. A few kilometers farther on, we met another of these animals, whose lariat had been carefully tied to the tail of a mule. The mule took fright at our car, and the goat had a most uncomfortable ride across a field at a forty-mile an hour clip, striking on its way, as they say in the "auto world," only the high spots. x4.t 11.55, we stopped for lunch, 39 kilometers north of Castellon, and 174 kilometers distant from Tarragona. Dur- ing the meal we enjoyed the rays from the torrid sun, and were loath to move from our picnic-ground when the set time for our departure (12.45) came. At 1.20, the carburetor, by several back fires, let us know that it required attention. We, therefore, stopped at the top of Mt. Mayar to adjust it, and also took advantage of the delay to photograph a road-keeper's house, called, in Spanish, Peones Cammerdos. These buildings are erected at intervals of five kilometers throughout Spain and all resemble each other in color and architectural appearance. To the southwest another plain was visible, the descent to which was made along a winding road, whose surface was fairly good, but, as usual, full of large broken stones. After a delay of ten minutes, the carburetor having been ad- justed, we proceeded once more, and at 2.00 p. m. entered Castellon de la Plana, 213 kilometers from Tarragona. Castellon de la Plana is a typical Spanish town of these regions, but with this difference, that its main street is paved. [189] LOG OF MY MOTOR It is picturesquely situated, with the Desierto-de-las-Palmas Mountains as a background. We now entered the plain we had seen from the top of the mountain, and for the remainder of the day's run to Valencia, passed through the orange-producing country which largely supplies the European markets with that fruit. It was a fine sight, and for miles in all directions, groves of these trees, heavily loaded with fruit, enchanted the eye. At Villareal we crossed the Myares River, and took a photograph of the church and also of a street scene. At Sangunto we crossed the Palancia River. Here are to be seen the ruins of an old Roman amphitheater. Owing to the lateness of the hour, however, we did not stop, although we "kodaked" the old fortifications surrounding the town and also took photographs of some of the inhabitants who were driving by in a donkey cart. Fifteen kilometers from Valencia we passed a monastery where superb trees are to be seen topping the high wall that surrounds the building. As we were about to end a most tiresome day's run, the road became almost impassable. Carts, wagons and even donkej^s were mired. With our usual luck, we managed to pass through this inferno. When we finally arrived at the gates of Valencia, which we did at 4.15 p. M., we were utterly tired and worn out. Day's run, 278 kilometers, in 7 hours and 30 minutes, divided up as follows: Morning 4 hr. 25 min. Afternoon 3 " 5 Total 7 hr. 30 min. Valencia. Hotel, Grand Hotel. Good [190] o ^; D o < o :z ^. o a ^; Q O « O CO CO o O Q O u -A < o w Q I — I H o CHURCH AT VILLAREAL '•■^v?"^ WHERE THE ROAD AND RAILROAD RUN CLOSE TO EACH OTHER HOTEL IN TARRAGONA ROAD TRAVERSED AFTER LEAVING GUADIX LOG OF MY MOTOR SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1911 The day was spent visiting the town. Whatever Valencia may have been in the past, it is at present a somewhat uninteresting city. It is situated three miles back from the sea, on a small stream known as the Rio Taria. The old walls and the aqueducts have survived the centuries and are in practically the same condition in which they were left by the Romans and the Moors. Of its churches, the cathedral, called La Seo, is probably the most interesting. The modern building, erected in the year 1262, rests on the site of an old mosque. The archi- tecture of the exterior is Early Gothic, but the interior is of various periods. The Church of San Juan contains some fine paintings on the ceiling, and a beautiful altar. The market place, circular in shape, is well worth visiting, especially during the morning hours when it is a very lively place and offers much amusement to the stranger. Valencia possesses a museum, but the pictures are poor. There are, however, two small rooms containing a Gothic collection, which is very fine. The street life is most animated. Peasants and business men mingle and parade together during the afternoon hours along the boulevards. And among the human beings which jostle each other up and down the crowded streets, goats scurry about and charge the crowd, knocking off their feet those who are not agile enough to jump out of their way. Several pretty walks and parks beautify the town, and five kilometers to the south of Valencia there is an underground village inhabited by the poor workingmen of the city. I was compelled to essay the native language during the day and was greatly pleased at the progress I was making as a Spanish linguist, being made aware of my proficiency [195] LOG OF MY MOTOR in a book store where I was endeavoring to purchase some road maps. After infinite gesticulation and sign making, the gentleman who was waiting on me explained by these means that he thoroughly understood what I wanted, and departed to dig out of the shelves, as I thought, the map that I required. After a delay of fifteen minutes, he returned with an automatic multiplication table. My dignity was not a little disturbed. HISTORY Valencia is situated in the middle of a large, flat plain, covered with orange and lemon groves, palm trees, mulberry bushes and carob trees. The town dates back many years before the Christian era. It was destroyed by Pompey, only to be rebuilt by Sertorius. The name "Valencia" means strength. In the year a. d. 413, the Goths took possession of it, and in 1020, Abel Azis made it into an independent kingdom. From this period on, it passed several times from the hands of the Moors to the Christians, until in 1238 it was taken by Jayme el Conquistador, who added it to the Kingdom of Aragon. During the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, it became part of the Spanish Kingdom. From 1609 to 1843 the city was in a state of constant turmoil, and fighting in it occurred at frequent intervals for most of that period. In the latter year, Navaez was raised to Grandeza, with the title of Duke of Valencia, and from this time on quiet has reigned. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1911 Somewhat cloudy during the morning, but by 12 o'clock the sun once more shone down upon us. We left Valencia behind at 8.15, and for the first 62 kilometers encountered [196] o '^ h-1 > 1— ( PS W Q < O o o p 12; o o z w < > z; en > o o fa O ^; o w w o ^; o o /5 LOG OF MY MOTOR a road almost impossible to negotiate. Ruts from two to three feet deep, bumps that jarred us terribly, and mud that covered us continually, met us at every revolution of the machine's wheels. At the 60 kilometers mile-stone, we turned abruptly to our left, taking the road to Alcoy, 64 kilometers distant. We now began to ascend higher ground, and, as usual, found the surface of the road much improved. The plain we had just traversed is exceedingly beautiful, and rich to a degree in all kinds of fruit-bearing trees. But our condition, after an uncomfortable ride of three hours, made us wish we had never seen it. With accelerated speed the car now approached the mountains, and a few minutes only elapsed before we were climbing the easterly slope, over a winding i-oad, whose surface was in good condition. During the ascent we stopped and took a photograph of both road and plain. At 11.45. Ontenente, a beautiful town, was skirted, but we noticed here, as in the other villages in this section of the country, that the streets were in abominably wretched con- dition, making driving through them almost impossible. In addition to the bad state of the streets, thousands of chil- dren swarmed around the car like flies, and impeded prog- ress. The nuisance of the dogs is worse here than it is even in Constantinople. I could not believe, had I not had this experience, that there were so many of these animals on the surface of the earth. Their constant barking while running after the car makes it impossible to ask for information as to the direction to take. Indeed, the noise is so deafening that we could scarce hear what we tried to say to each other. The Sierra Enguera Mountains we were now traversing are barren and rocky. Nevertheless they have a charm of their own. At 12.05, just after crossing the summit of the second pass encountered during the morning's run, we [201] LOG OF MY MOTOR stopped for lunch. Here we took a photograph of the car, and a view of the descent we were about to undertake at the termination of our meal. A third photograph was also "snapped" of the distant plain we were to cross during part of the afternoon's run. The pictures show fairly well the condition of the country. It can readily be seen how hard it must be for a farmer to make a living on these hills, since there is practically no top soil to be found. The morning's run of 117 kilometers had been covered in 3 hours and 50 minutes. This was pretty slow time, but considering the terrible condition of the first 60 kilometers of road encountered, we reckoned we had made very good progress. At 12.50, we were once more running southwest. It was not long before we entered the plain above referred to; but we enjoyed only ten kilometers of level road before we were back into the mountains again. Alcoy now met our view, though separated from us by a big canyon, which was crossed by a bridge at the north- westerly extremity of the town, to reach which a big detour was necessary. We secured a good photograph of this place, which is clean and presents rather an interesting appear- ance. I believe it would not be a bad place in which to stop for the night, especially as the run to Murcie, where we did put up, is a much too long journey for one day, in this part of the world. Alicante, where we had hoped to stay for the night, possesses a hotel that I would advise no one to stop at. Immediately on leaving Alcoy, we ascended a mountain, from the top of which we obtained a view of country as fine as any we had yet seen. The engineers, in crossing these St. Carraquera Mountains, had little choice as to route, their summit being unbroken; so that it mattered little which way the crest was reached. The descent on the west [202 ] -/^ w < > < <; <1 o w > 'J} o o H O o LOG OF MY MOTOR side is very fine. The road, from an engineer's point of view, is a marvel, and the view alone is well worth the trip. At 2.50 p. M., while endeavoring to make up for lost time over a fairly good road, we punctured our first rear tire. Owing to the bad tear in the outer shoe, we found it neces- sary to change both shoe and tube. After laboring at the repairs like beavers, we were ready to start again at 3.10; but the motor now refused to work. Something had evi- dently gone wrong with its mechanism. After a further delay of 40 minutes, in which everything was taken apart and put back again, the car finally made up its mind to start. We had found, to our surprise, that nothing was out of order, and could not account for the motor's first failure. Alicante, bordering on the Mediterranean, was entered at 4.00 p. M. The large promenade which borders the sea was blocked owing to a bicycle race, and we were hustled into a side street for the time being. This, with our delay of an hour for the repair to the motor, added to our anxiety, as we wished to get to Murcie that evening. And Murcie was still 82 kilometers distant. We finally found a small back street which led around the crowded boulevard, and after questioning a gendarme as to the route to be taken, we carefully departed on the wrong road. Luckily the occu- pants of a diligence, advancing in our direction, told us of our error, and we returned to Alicante, which we left once more at 4.30, this time by the main highway. From Alicante, of which we carried away a very poor impression, the road is practically flat and uninteresting. It skirts several mountains, but does not attempt to climb them. Its surface is fair, and it was owing to this that we were able to make time. But our troubles were by no means over. In fact, they had only just begun. Our carburetor began to give us trouble. Twice it was [207] LOG OF MY MOTOR taken apart. Once we found water, another time it was clogged with dirt; and then, to add to our troubles, dark- ness fell on us when we were still 39 kilometers from Murcie. In any other country this would have been a matter for amusement, but not in Spain, especially southern Spain, a country almost untraveled by the tourist. But we hoped for the best, and lit our lamps just before entering the town of Orihuela. The street of the village was dark and narrow, and on reaching the church situated in a small central square, we were again waved aside and our progress stopped by a procession, the like of which I had never before seen. Exactly five hundred women, in a double line, holding lighted candles, were marching solemnly in the dusk. They seemed to be walking as slowly as possible to the accompani- ment of a band of music. In the midst of the procession an image of their patron saint was carried on the shoulders of half a dozen men. Numerous banners and several crosses were also to be seen. We were held up here for half an hour before we found it possible to proceed once more. When we did make a start we found to our horror that the Presto- lite tank, for the first time in its history, refused to keep the lights burning. Somehow or other gasoline was leaking from the pet cock where the gas should have come, and every time we lit the lamps a flame from five to six feet high rose, instead of the bright and steady light. There was nothing else for it but to rush through the darkness with our two small side lights, which we did, arriving finally, at 7.20 p. M., at the Hotel Universal at Murcie. Here the rooms were decent, but the food wretched. Nevertheless, we managed to choke down a dinner cooked in oil and garlic, and ten minutes after eating it we were both fast asleep, so tired out that we did not even remove our clothes. The day's run was 245 kilometers, which was covered in 8 hours and 50 minutes. [ 208 ] o < > o H P o W Eh O o u < o Q O si O <: Oh W Eh O ►-1 1 o o < Q O Pi w o <: 1-1 Cm >/■• • 'T.1. t: : LOG OF MY MOTOR Distances between towns as follows: Kil. Valencia to Alcoy 117 Alcoy to Alicante 46 Alicante to Murcie 82 Total 245 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1911 We experienced some difficulty in procuring gasoline. It took us an hour's search, ere any of this precious fluid was located. The tanks being filled and a goodly supply of oil taken on, we found ourselves underway again at 8.10 a. m. Took the following route from Murcie to Puerto: KU. Alhama 43 Totana 8 Lorca 12 Puerto 18 Total 81 A plain, fairly well cultivated and irrigated by the San- gonera River, is traversed over the whole distance. To the north are to be seen the Sierra de Espuna, and to the south the Sierra de Almenara Mountains. At Puerto, we turned abruptly to our right just before crossing the River Vixnaya, and began to ascend the Sierra de las Estancias range. The scenery is fine, unusually wild and barren. Mountains rise on both sides to a considerable height. Rice is cultivated here, but hardly a tree is to be seen in a landscape of red- colored soil. The road surface is good. Donkeys and mules are the animals most in use in this section of the country for getting from place to place; and [213] LOG OF MY MOTOR as these beasts are not accustomed to meet with automobiles, many amusing incidents occurred on our journey. On one occasion a donkey stood perfectly still to look at us, while the man on his back, out of sheer fright, fell oft" into the gutter. At Velez Rubio, our course once more changed to the west and we passed over a large plateau which was bordered on the north by the Sierra de Maria and on the south by the Sierra de las Estancias, the range of hills we had just crossed. It was a desert-like country, with scarce any vegetation, trees or inhabitants. Nothing could be seen but the long road stretching before us mile after mile, on which no traffic was met. Finally, the CuUar de Baza, 75 kilometers from Puerto, was "seen below us. My expression, "below us," will be better understood by examining the photographs. In this section of the country, the gypsies live underground, and in many cases the highways run over the roofs of their houses, which are on the side of an embankment; so that the villages in that neighborhood are descried by means of the smoking chimneys that are passed on the right and left. We had been driving along at an elevation of about 3,000 feet for the last 75 kilometers, and the air being clear, the eye could range over immense dis- tances. We stopped for a moment at the Cullar de Baza to take a photograph. Twenty-two kilometers beyond Cullar de Baza, the town of Baza itself is passed. Here we proceeded to climb, over a bad road, the foot-hills of the Sierra de Baza Mountains, while to the south the Sierra Nevada range, with its snow-capped peaks, shone brightly in the sun. We stopped for lunch at 12.45, — 186 kilometers from Murcie. The meal was partaken of hurriedly, on a desert, in which not a tree could be seen. We departed again at 1.15. [214] ^5 D 1/3 o o J5 w <5 O 25 Pi Q Q W CO Cfi O r 'v w^ ly^rr-j^awgwcvaKT-- < Q <: D o LOG OF MY MOTOR At 2.00 p. M., the town of Guadix, 4-8 kilometers from Baza, hove in sight. A short cut-off aUo-ived us to avoid the town. The road now became very bad. "Thank-you- ma'ams" of an extraordinary depth were encountered, and rivers were forded. Finally we arrived on the banks of the Guadiana River. On looking across to the other side, however, we could see no tracks emerging. We accosted a chance traveling native to know if we were on the right road. He instructed us to proceed up the middle of the river-bed for about half a mile, where we would find wagon tracks leading off to the right. As we were by now fairly accustomed to this kind of travel, we did not hesitate, but rushed the river, which, owing to the lack of rain, was not over two feet in depth. It was an exciting run, and for a time the motor looked more like a boat than an automobile. A slight bend, and we saw the tracks referred to, before us. We emerged safely on to the other side. Now began the ascent of the Sierra Harana, and for seven kilometers we put on first speed, climbing a grade that was surely never intended for automobile use. What magnificent scenery met our view! And what an opportunity for the geologist! Undoubtedly he must have felt himself in the seventh heaven of delight, could he have been there to revel in the abundance of curious strata and rich mineral deposits. We took photographs which show the wild aspect of the road. The pictures bear witness to the possibility of the place for a brigand's lair. Were any in the neighborhood, the traveler would stand no chance at all against attack. After "snapping" another picture of the motor crossing a river-bed which at this time was dry, we proceeded on our way again. Forty-odd kilometers still separated us from Granada. Words cannot describe the beauty of the surrounding [ 219 ] LOG OF MY MOTOR country. We stopped on the summit of the Sierra Harana Mountains and photographed the road we had just ascended. It was named by us "The Top of the World." The view was extraordinarily grand and no photograph can give an idea of the magnificent distance and perspective from this point. I should say that the eye can range for a hundred miles in any direction. At the point where we stopj^ed was a house, and quite a number of the peasantry gathered around us. All were amiably disposed. The road varied, being continuously up and down terrific grades. Its condition also differed at every kilometer, now good and now bad. We forded many streams, so many, indeed, that we took this method of crossing rivers for granted and were much surprised if we found a bridge. In some cases we passed alongside some tumbled-down old bridge erected in the time of the Romans, but now, owing to lack of maintenance, abandoned and ruined. One small stream we passed through was rather deeper than the average, and the bow wave we threw up would have aroused the envy of any torpedo boat. The inhabitants are well set-up and fine-looking men and women. All were agreeable, and received us with smiles, much to our surprise, after the stories we had heard at Murcie. The dogs were numerous, and not being accus- tomed to motor cars, were constantly getting in our way. We killed five, but made no attempt to stop to apologize to their owners, deeming flight to be our wisest course. Train service between Murcie and Granada is not of the best. The unfortunate traveler, on leaving Murcie at say 9 o'clock of a Monday morning, arrives at Baza at 5 in the evening. He spends the night in a far from comfortable hotel, and on the next morning, Tuesday, he is off again at 7 to arrive in Granada at 3 in the afternoon. Traveling is done mostly by horses, and the tourist can [220] < D O ?', 'SI < O < Q O Q O Cm O H Q o O W K H H Pi < K H 'A I— ( Q < w Pi W H P^ <(5 Q cq I W > t>^ c5 Q I — I If} O It < si O xi o o < h-1' h-1 < o V— t Cm ?5 •/3 LOG OF MY MOTOR hire a horse at one hotel, or fonda, and proceed to the next village, or stage, to which the horse is permitted to go. Here he changes his mount and continues on his way. The horse remains where the last rider has left it until some other traveler happens along going in the other direc- tion, when it is returned to its proper owner. When within 20 kilometers of Granada, we encountered some terrific grades, worse even than the one out of Guadix, and on two occasions our motor was stalled. It is a con- stant series of rises and falls, from mountain tops to valleys, with sharp turns and "thank-you-ma'ams." Yet all the way beautiful views and superb country alleviate the weari- ness of the traveler. At 4.30 p. M., after a run of 7 hours and 50 minutes with- out mishaps, except for carburetor trouble from accumu- lated water and dirt, we found ourselves at Granada. Distance covered, 280 kilometers. This completed our eighth day's running from Nice, from which we were now 1,655 kilometers, a distance made in 46 hours and 45 minutes' running time, with only one mishap — a punctured tire on the seventh day. Granada. Hotels Washington Irving. Good Hotel Siete Suelos Hotel de la Alameda GRANADA Granada the beautiful, situated at an altitude of 2,445 feet, with a population of 66,000 souls, is one of the loveliest spots in Spain. Good hotels, superb drives, and many splendid buildings of interest, both ancient and modern, are to be found here. These with the fine even climate afford the tourist many hours of pleasure. It is a place in [225] LOG OF MY MOTOR which to obtain a truer knowledge of old Spanish customs than any other town in the peninsula. The town is situated on a steep slope or side of a hill, the crest of which is surmounted by the Alhambra. A plain, fertile and extensive, extends in a northerly direc- tion, and to the south the Sierra Nevada, with their snow- capped summits, glisten in the sunlight. Mt. Mulhacen, 11,703 feet high, the most lofty peak in Spain, may easily be seen. In the town, the cathedral should be visited. Erected in 1529, it is built on the site of an ancient mosque. Its pro- portions are good, its columns massive and imposing. To the rear of the church is the Chapel Royal, and here lie the remains of Ferdinand and Isabella, King and Queen of Spain, who reigned from 1474 to 1504. Among the relics are some fine old Gothic paintings and a jewel case belonging to the Queen herself, from which she sold sufficient gems to allow Columbus to fit out his three ships that took him to the discovery of the western continent. Some fine old embroideries, worked by the hands of Isabella herself, are also on view here. The streets are, most of them, uninteresting, with the ex- ception of the old Moorish street, still intact, and adjacent to one of Granada's chief business thoroughfares. On the outskirts of the town, the suppressed convent of La Granada should also be visited. A cross finely painted on a wall in one of the rooms looks exactly as if it were made of wood. The story as told is that birds, of which many fly around the room, often try to perch upon it, only to drop to the floor. A dozen or more repelling paintings, depicting the persecution of the Monks by the English are to be seen in the cloister. The Chapel of Sts. Peter and Paul is also open for the inspection of the tourist. Returning to town, we visited a private museum, con- [ 226 ] <; Q < Q <1 iz, <1 Pi O H < < Pi m K H ? ■'^^^^p < < Pi O < m w Eh h-l w H Pi < <; o hj by Emir Jusuf, only to be transformed under St. Ferdinand into a cathedral. In the early part of the fifteenth century the entire building was destroyed, and plans for a new one were at once drawn. It is probably the finest example of Gothic architecture to be seen in Spain. The columns are massive in size and the interior most impressive. Some old Moorish relics are on exhibition there. Here lie the remains of Christo- pher Columbus, brought over from the church at Santo Domingo, in the West Indies, in the year 1902, on a Spanish man-of-war. The Alcazar, the old Moorish palace, another building of great interest, dates back to 1181. Under Charles V several stories were added, but in a different style of archi- tecture, which somewhat detracts from the beauty of the present building. The history of this edifice is absorbingly interesting, and well worth studying. [255] LOG OF MY MOTOR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY SI, 1911 This day we spent sight-seeing, and during the afternoon we took a run out of Seville to see the Roman amphi- theater, 2,000 years old, located some 15 kilometers from the town. Partially destroyed by an earthquake, it is still extrenielj^ interesting. The GoA-ernment has appropriated 15,000 pesos for excavation work, and many old relies are expected to be recovered. The building commemorates the birth of three Roman emperors. Many rich copper mines are located just north of Seville; the ore trains carrying the supply down from the moun- tains over their own right-of-way, descend on a fairly well- constructed railway. These mines are controlled by Eng- lish capital, and a handsome return is shown. We passed, on this run, cjuite a number of large factories of pottery, also controlled by English capitalists. The day, as usual of late, was a beautiful one. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1911 It was "all aboard" at 9.15 for Badajoz, and the fine weather which still continued encouraged us to look for- ward with pleasure to the day's run. The route for the first 23 kilometers, which two years previously we found in such frightful condition, had been extensively repaired. Work was still in progress, and by the end of the season I believe it will be in fairly good shape for motoring. The Sierra de xA.racena Mountains were first encountered, but good roads were found as we rose from the plain. The houses in the villages are, as usual, whitewashed. In this section of the country, from three to four coats are given each year. The streets are wide, the houses are low and stand well back from the road. At Saint Olalla, we left the route [256] h-I 1-1 y, O X K w 1-1 1-1 > 1/3 w :^ <; w SI :^ w o -^ 1-1 H-l )— I > H-l >— I- > < O Q < FP O O o <1 Q < 1-1 < Q H < O ►-1 o > 1-1 W < o < h-i o H , /. I 'J Eh < < O » •» LOG OF MY MOTOR we managed, with no knowledge of a word of I lie language, to pass through llie enlire country wilhoul once getting off the right road. The houses are strange, low and witiiout windows, and in most cases whitewashed. In some instances, red and brown paint is used to trim around the windows and near the ground. A red tile of fine color is used, and the chimneys, long and narrow, are different from those seen in any other part of the world. Near Estremoz, in the Sierra de Ossa Mountains, a heavy fog bank was sighted, and the (hy atmosphere })revailing throughout Si)ain was left behind. Fogs and vapor-laden air nmst be frefjuent in Portugal, at any rate in this part of it, since moss hung in great cjuantities from all the trees. Estremoz was also fortified. It is a pretty little town, situated on the side of a hill. Ninety kilometers from the frontier, or at 11.10 a.m., we stopped under a lone tree in the middle of a large plain, for lunch. It was exceedingly hot, and as the trees afforded little shade, we were far from comfortable during the forty-five mintrtes spent ovrv onv re])ast . It is interesting to note the c(jnstruclion of culverts and the retaining walls and bridges ;Uong the route. They are built of brick and cement, and alxn'e the roadway have the shape of a long bench, affording the traveler a comfort- able seat, should he be in need of rest. We i)asse(l, during the morning's run, some xvvy iine examples of wall architecture. A photograph of one of these is here reproduced. A j)icture is also given of a trav- eler on his mule, and of several of the native peasants and shepherds. The costume of the men throughout Portugal is rather interesting, especially their trousers. ""I'lie material ;i round the legs is so tightly fitting that it must 1 [ 27;j ] LOG OF MY MOTOR subway puzzle to get into them. A gay red sash, and a shirt of variegated colors, surmounted by a broad brimmed black hat, completes the costume. Under such a hat and in such a costume is to be found, in nine cases out of ten, a black-whiskered Portuguese. The women, owing to the brilliant coloring of their dresses, look more like parrots than anything else I can think of. It was all so different from what we had seen, and one and all were very pleasant to look upon. Having eaten, we started once more on our final stage. The Divor River was soon crossed, and the next town, Arraiollos, was passed through a few minutes later. The country now traversed is covered with long-leaved pine, cork trees and sand-dunes. We ran along slowly on a good road, taking photos now and then, and on several occasions stopped in the shade of some trees to rest and smoke. It was certainly hot; but the mists and vapors of the earlier part of the day had been left behind. The road seemed to run along without any definite pur- pose. First it went east, then north, and then south. Evi- dently the engineers who built it thought to take in all the villages and houses in this section of the country. The country continued flat and uninteresting for about 70 kilometers, until we reached Setubal, at 2.30. Here we obtained our first view of the Atlantic Ocean. It is necessary to cross the peninsula from the Sado Bay to the Tejo River, in order to reach Lisbon, which is situated on the opposite side. This peninsula is rather hilly and fertile. Its southerly extremity is surmounted by the Sierra de Arrabida Mountains. Setubal is somewhat of a summer resort, and boasts of many fine buildings. Here our troubles began, for it took us two hours and a half to reach Almada, only 27 kilometers distant. [ 274 ] w Ph H O w -! ^-1 W Ph I — I x; 1 — I X 7--, O > Eh LOG OF MY MOTOR First we got on the wrong road, and a poor one at that, and landed in the town of Barreiro, where, as it proved to be market day and carnival time combined, a roaring, seeth- ing mob svu'rounded us, firing confetti at us, and laughing and jeering at our dejected apiaearance. Finally, after sitting in the car at the end of a pier for half an hour, unable to stand it any longer, with Lisbon only a couple of miles across the bay, we decided to move on to some other village, and try our luck there to catch a ferry, which e^•idently did not exist in this locality. A start was therefore made for Almada, where we fortunately found a large pier with a railroad and several boats in readiness to take passengers across the Tejo. ^Ye were in luck, and just in time to catch the 4.30 p. m. boat. But the motor could not be taken on it, and it was necessary for the mechanic to drive the car some few kilo- meters farther to the town of Trafaria, where a ferry finally landed him in Lisbon at 7.30. I do not envj^ any motorist on his ride from Setubal to Lisbon. The villages and their inhabitants are a hostile lot — dirty, disagreeable and disorderly. Our trip across to Lisbon on the ferry lasted but a few minutes, but it aft'orded us the opportunity of seeing a magnificent harbor, bordered by a very attractive city. The day's run, of 260 kilometers, was covered in 7 hours and 35 minutes. The roads varied from good to poor, but generally speaking they are better than those in Spain. Arriving at Lisbon, we proceeded to charter a hack, and advanced as quickly as the hack could go to the hotel. NOTES It was necessary to change the left-hand front and rear tires, as they were worn down to the canvas. They had [ 277 ] LOG OF MY MOTOR done wonderful work, however, as they had brought us through from Nice. We still had on, and in fairly good con- dition, our original front right-hand tire. LISBON The capital of Portugal contains a population of 310,000. Hotels Avenida Palace I wag. Hotel Braganca. Good Hotel Central Durand's Hotel I Run by the Compagnie des I Wagons-Lits. Excellent The town is laid out in fine big boulevards, and has some palatial squares, three or four gardens, a menagerie, and several large public buildings. The water front is pictm-esque, the docks and arsenal im- posing. Some of the streets in the older part of the town are winding, and most of them are dirty and badly paved, containing, in many cases, evidence of Moorish regime. Ulysses is claimed to have been the founder of the city; but under the Romans, who captured the place under Julius Caesar, it was of little importance. Porto, in the northern part of Portugal, was, at that time, the chief city. Prior to 1147, when again in the hands of the Moors, Alphonso Henriciues captured it, and in 1394 it became the seat of an Archbishopric. In 1775, the city was visited by a terrific earthquake, causing the deaths of over eighty thou- sand inhabitants, and the loss of several hundred millions in damage to property. Since that time practically noth- ing of importance has occurred within its walls. From an architectural point of view, Lisbon is not very interesting, and the tourist, after a stay of twenty-four hours, is not loth to depart. [278] o o o K Eh Z o o '•J m - V 1 ^ o < D pq 1-1 w O A CO D o E-i o 1^ W O W W H Q 2 w O O < CO CO D ?q O LOG OF MY MOTOR The cathedral, called La Se, is probably the finest of all the buildings, but it is not of much importance. Cintra, situated a few miles from Lisbon, is worth a visit. It is the Newport of Portugal. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1911, AND TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1911 We stopped over at Lisbon to visit the town and re- cuperate from our long journey. The weather was fine on both days. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 1911 A beautiful day with a clear sky. At 8.40 a. m., we left for Bussaco, by the following route: Kil. Santarem 78 Torres-Novas 40 Thomar 24 Coimbra 71 Bussaco 25 Total 238 The roads for the first 50 kilometers from Lisbon, skirting the Tejo River, are poor; indeed, I may say they are bad. Numerous villages are passed, and one and all are dirty and uninteresting. The houses are poorly kept. The scenery along the route is "flat, stale and unprofitable." On our left, was a low-lying hill, and the mud flats of the Bay of Lisbon extended themselves to the right for several miles. At Santarem, an uninteresting place, the scenery begins to change; the hills appear and the route grows more pictur- esque as we advance. At 12.30, we stopped for lunch in a large forest. Cork trees were in abundance in all directions. The country we [ 283 ] LOG OF MY MOTOR had been passing through foi" the hxst three days provides Europe with most of this product. Our morning's run, of 132 kilometers, had been traversed in 3 hours and 50 minutes, with little of interest to record. While lunching, a band of gypsies, over twentj'' in number, came around a bend in the road, and caused us some dis- comfort, by their curiosity and seeming lack of cordiality. Nevertheless none of them made any remarks, and they passed onward with no unpleasant occurrence having taken place. At 1.10, we were again off, and this time over a hilly road. Ten kilometers and the town of Thomar loomed up, an interesting old place, with a fine monastery surmounting a hill on its outskirts. Fifty kilometers south of Coimbra, we encountered the mountains. The route now became tortuous, winding in and out among the hills and mountain tops. The scenery, however, was superb. Finally, after crossing the Mondego River, a clear flowing stream, we entered the town of Coimbra at 4.00 p. m. Twenty thousand people inhabit this settlement, the foundation of which dates back to the time of the Moors. In 1064, it was captured by Don Fernando the Great. At one time it was the capital of the Kingdom. It was near here that the Duke of Wellington, at the head of forty thousand men, fought the celebrated battle of Bussaco. The university is one of the finest in southern Europe. The streets are narrow and not well paved. The main one, however, is in fairly good shape, and clean. The houses are interesting, and although we only passed through, to make Bussaco for the night, we should have been glad to stay over here had we not been pressed for time. TT . 1 / Hotel Continental. On the river front. Passable Hotels { ^^ , _, Hotel Braganca [284] Pi w Ft < O K O E-t O o < 1X1 D m o O Ph O H Q <: o H O X O w ^; w o o -| O H Q :« -^ O ^ o o o ■v. *. o o I— I > < CO O o PL, -^t«|WW>>il» W] i|»i|l>W>| i » ..H' ii W i « ' W,' i ^ i ^ Bl wi i '.irTi i K o o o o < o W Pi in o o o o LOG OF MY MOTOR KU. Ancora 85 Caniinha . 95 Villa Nova de Cerveira 107 Valenca de Mino 122 Tuy 124 Porrino 137 Vigo 153 SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 1911 Spent in sight-seeing and resting. Vigo is a town of 23,000 inhabitants. It is picturesquely situated on the baj^ of the same name. During certain periods of the year, it is the headquarters of the Spanish fleet. It was here that the Duke of Ormond, in 1702, de- stroyed the French and Spanish ships. In 1809 it was taken by the French, but a few months later was re-taken by the inhabitants themselves. The town is fairly interesting, with boulevards that are clean and with shops that are attractive. The climate is healthful. The quarters set aside for the fishermen, skirting the old harbor, are attractive. We took several good photo- graphs of them. The fish market is worth visiting. It sup- plies fish to the city of Madrid. ^j. jT i 1 \ Hotel Continental. Excellent 1 Hotel Central. Good SUNDAY. MARCH 5, 1911 Cloudy. Kt 9.10, we were under way for La Coruna, situated on the Bay of Biscay, a point which is the north- western extremity of the Iberian Peninsula. The coast line from Vigo to the north is much broken, being a con- [307] LOG OF MY MOTOR tinuous series of beautiful bays and harbors. The moun- tains bordering these indentations are high, and rather barren of vegetation. For the first twenty-odd kilometers, we skirted the Bay of Vigo and obtained many a fine glimpse of the interior country. The road is good. The villages scattered on the mountain sides are uninteresting, and the population poor in aspect. The horses, oxen and other animals appear to be ill fed and badly taken care of. A note of interest is the corn cribs in this section of the country. They are made of stone and surmounted by a cross. Many chapels, called calvaires, are scattered along the route, attesting to the deeply religious nature of the inhabitants. Pontevedra, containing 21,000 inhabitants, is a clean town, situated in a valley. It boasts of the ruins of the Church of Santo Domingo. From here on, with the excep- tion of the last 15 kilometers, we ran through a superb country, over good roads to Santiago, which town we reached at 11.45. Here we stopped for lunch at the dilapidated little Hotel de I'Europe. A poor place in which to spend the night but passable for lunch. Santiago is a dull city, situated on the summit of a small hill, and surrounded by fairly high mountains. In olden days it used to be a great resort for pilgrims. The streets are narrow and dirty, and if it were not for the cathedral, the hospital and some fine old houses which tell of by-gone pomp and glory, the place would hardly be worth visiting. The cathedral, erected in the year 1082, is very fine. Owing to numerous repairs, it is not easy to distinguish the various styles of architecture. The interior is Byzantine and impresses the observer greatly. The choir stalls are hand- some, the cloisters superb and the largest in Spain. The hospital, known as the Hospito de los Reyes, was erected by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella for the pil- [ 308 ] o o < I— t < Pi < Pi Z ;^ o o LOG OF MY MOTOR grims, in the year 1504. A number of fine tapestries are to be seen here. The Convent of San Martin, a large, fine edifice, is also worthy of attention. At 1.30, having seen all that was to be visited, we headed our car to the north for the afternoon's journey. We found a splendid road during the entire run. The first section, as far as the Tambre River, is mountainous. Here the aspect of the country changes, and the rolling, barren section of the Province of Coruna is entered. We saw but little top soil that a farmer could till. The houses are poor in appear- ance and built of field-stone, held together by cement. In many instances the outsides had not even been finished and it was rarely that a whitewashed building was to be seen. Some of the houses have balconies ranging along the entire front on the second floor. These are built of wood and, to a certain extent, resemble those of our own southern states. The inhabitants, nevertheless, are agreeable, though not over-burdened with brains. They seem to attain a ripe old age, for half the population seemed, in appearance at any rate, to be centenarians. An automobile diligence runs between Coruna and San- tiago, making the trip in a fairly short time. With the good roads, it affords the tourist a splendid opportunity to get an idea of the general lay of the land. We had been running along at a great altitude without realizing it, for when within 25 kilometers of La Coruna we encountered a long steep grade for 10 kilometers at the foot of which is the Bay of Biscay. By 3.00 p. M., we were within the limits of the town, com- pleting the day's run of 166 kilometers in 3 hours and 55 minutes. The morning's run of 103 kilometers had been covered in 2 hours and 25 minutes; the afternoon's run of 63 kilometers in 1 hour and 30 minutes. [311] LOG OF MY MOTOR The following was the route taken : Kil. Vigo to Pontevedra 33 Pontevedra to Caldas 24 Caldas to Santiago 46 Santiago to La Coruna 63 Total 166 The distance from Nice, 3,116 kilometers, had been covered in 88 hours and 15 minutes, with only one mishap, a punctured tire. During the day many severe showers passed near us, but our usual luck seemed to be with us on this journey, and we managed to escape them all. The town of La Coruna, which contains 42,000 inhabi- tants, possesses some good hotels. The best are the Francia and the Hotel Europa. It is an amusing place. The houses from the first floor upwards are enclosed in glass piazzas, and during the afternoon promenade the population turns out in force, the males strolling along the streets, the females lining the verandas. Several theaters and cafes are worth visiting. The port is open to shipping during all weathers. The history of the town dates back to the time of the Phoenicians. In 693 it was occupied by the Romans. Here, in 1588, the Armada was refitted. In 1809 the Battle of La Coruna was fought in this neighborhood. The town has no place of interest from an architectural point of view. It differs in few respects from any other modern seaport. MONDAY, MARCH 6, 1911 Rain accompanied our start. This was extremely un- fortunate, as we had 325 kilometers to cover ere the day's journey was to terminate at Gijon. We were under way [312] LOG OF MY MOTOR by 8.20. It was necessary, owing to the poor condition of the road by the sea route, to take the inland route over the St. de la Loba range, descending and joining the coast again at Ribadeo. The route to Villalba, by Otero-de-Rey, is good, but very mountainous. Fine views were continually being spread before our eyes. When within ten kilometers of Ribadeo, the sea is skirted and the flat lands are reached. An interesting country to pass through. The towns are small and might be termed "dead ones." The villages are dirty and bear no resemblance to each other. The houses are modern, and built in any kind of style and fashion. A stage line, composed of gasoline motors, runs along this road. No rails are laid through this section of the coun- try, and the only other means of communication is either by sail along the coast or on horseback through the mountains. The climb up the Sierra de la Loba Mountains is fine, as is also the descent. The town of Villalba is rather clean in appearance. Here we rose again over the Sierra de Lonen- zana range only to descend abruptly on the other side, arriving at 12 o'clock at the town of Ribadeo, situated on the Bay of Biscay. At the hotel, which is very poor, food was refused us unless we stayed over until the time for serving the regular meal. With the long run before us, we decided, however, to move on. We therefore took on, instead, 30 liters of gasoline with which to replenish our tanks. We had, as usual, our lunch basket well provisioned, so that 1.10 p. M. found us in a sheltered spot on the side of a hill partaking of a hasty meal. A howling wind with continuous gusts of rain blew and beat around us. From Ribadeo the route runs to the southward around the bay of the same name for some fifteen kilometers. Then to the northward again to the opposite bank, only about a quarter of a mile distant from the town. During the after- noon the weather cleared somewhat, and every now and [313] LOG OF MY MOTOR then the sun would peep out from behind the clouds. Fifty minutes for lunch, and at 2.00 p. m. we were again off. Our route now skirted the ocean. The contour of the land is peculiar, very rough and much broken by valleys of considerable depth. We were rising and falling continu- ally, and had it not been for the good surface of the road, the constant labor of putting on the brakes and changing speed would have tired us out. The Cordillera Cantabria Mountains, the backbone of northern Spain, raised their snow-capped peaks to a tre- mendous height to the south. The Sierra de Ranadoiro Mountains were also traversed when near Cape de Busto. Many fine bridges have been built in this section, and the upkeep of roads, bridges, viaducts, etc., is not better attended to even in France. At 90 kilometers from Ovieda, just after passing over a steel bridge, we turned sharply to the left. This is the short and most direct way to the town of Gijon. Several fine streams were crossed, the larger being the Navia, Canero and Malon. Thirty kilometers from Gijon, the road became suddenly very bad. Large holes made the riding almost impossible, so that when we reached our destination at 6.00 p. m., we were almost in an exhausted condition. The Hotel Malet, located in the port and in full view of the docks, is a clean and well- kept place. Good food is obtainable here. The street on which we entered Gijon was almost im- passable, and owing to the rain and high winds which we had encountered all day, we were covered from head to foot with mud and dirt. It was blowing so hard that the harbor was a mass of broken water, and people could hardly stand on their legs against the terrific force of the gale. Nevertheless, we had had an enjoyable ride, and had made the run without a mishap. The country passed through [314] LOG OF MY MOTOR is covered with small white pine. During the earlier part of the run, we found the country to possess a fair top soil good for farming purposes, of which the peasant has taken advantage and tilled almost every inch of ground. In many cases the woods had been cleared and fields culti- vated to the summits of the low-lying mountains. In the latter part of the day's run, conditions were differ- ent. A shelf or plateau extends from the foot of the moun- tains for a mile or so to the sea, then it drops off abruptly to the water's edge, over a sheer cliff some three to four hundred feet in depth. On this plateau or tableland are the only villages that are to be found in this section of the country. Back in the mountains it is wild to a degree. The houses here are of an architecture of their own. They are raised from the ground some six to eight feet on stone pillars, the framework of the building being placed on top of these columns so that none of the buildings has either foundation or cellar. It is interesting to note how feed bags for the oxen are carried. These are jammed in between the steers' horns and covered with a large sheep skin which in most cases slips down so low over their heads that the poor animals can hardly see. Our day's run of 325 kilometers was covered in 8 hours and 50 minutes. The route to be taken is as follows: KU. La Coruna to Villalba 104 Villalba to Ribadeo 69 Ribadeo to Luarca 71 Luarca to Cudillero 30 Cudillero to Aviles 25 Aviles to Gijon 26 Total 325 [315] LOG OF MY MOTOR TUESDAY, march;?, 1911 Rain and high winds. Stopped over and visited the town. Nothing of interest to be seen except the shipping in the small harbor. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 1911 Rain during the morning; clear in the afternoon. We left Gijon at 8.10. For the first 10 kilometers we found a poor road, but after that it was good during the entire run to within 10 kilometers of Bilbao. Owing to the rain we were somewhat disheartened with the day's prospects, as 292 kilometers of unknown country lay before us. Rain accompanied us as far as Llanes, 95 kilometers from Gijon. The route much resembled the latter part of the previous day's run. Tortuous ruts were encountered every few minutes, prohibiting any kind of speed, especially as the surface of the road was wet and slippery. Several small mountains were crossed from which good views of the sur- rounding country are to be obtained. The old Cordillera Cantabria range still extended itself to the south of us, and its summits loomed up to dizzy heights. At Llanes good food can be procured at the station restau- rant. From here on to Torrelavega, 169 kilometers from Gijon, the route is even more mountainous. Of course we had a splendid opportunity of seeing the surrounding coun- try, but as we had been in the hills all this time, we prayed that some flat land might appear. The country is rich to a degree and the people prosperous. The houses are roofed with a peculiar red tile, blending well with the color of the surrounding country. The dress of the people calls for little comment. The wooden shoes they wear have supports under them, raising the wearer some [316] c < pq m Q z H < ■Sl w w H cq o" Q LOG OF MY MOTOR three or four inches from the ground. It is amusing to see the people walking with this clumsy foot-gear, the object of which is to keep the soles of the feet free from damp. At Torrelavega, to avoid running into the town of San- tunder, the following road, on which a good surface is to be found, was taken. From the town of Torrelavega, which is a small summer resort, the main road leading to San- tunder is in the middle of the town where you turn to the left as shown on a sign board. Do not take this. Continue straight on and at the end of the street at the foot of a hill you cross tracks and take the first turning to the left. Fol- low this route over a small mountain, and down to a valley on a long straight stretch, crossing the Besaya River on a small temporary wooden bridge. Two kilometers farther, after passing a railroad station, you will join the Route National, leading from Madrid to Burgos and Santunder, at the kilometer stone marked "14 kilometers to Santunder." Here turn to the left. Arrived here, we had covered 12 kilo- meters between this place and the point from which began the detour at Torrelavega. We continued on the national highway to within 6 kilo- meters of Santunder, where, at the junction of this road with a trolley running on the Bilbao route, we turned to the right and followed the route to Laredo. For a few kilo- meters the surface of the road is poor, but when the trolley is left behind conditions at once improve. The town of Santona is now seen on the left. Situated at the foot of the mountain, it rises majestically out of the Bay of Ria de Marron, somewhat resembling the Rock of Gibraltar. Laredo, the next town of importance, has a fine old square with very ancient buildings. As we were pressed for time, we passed quickly on, and immediately after leaving the town began to ascend a moun- tain. The climb affords a good view of the town of Laredo, [ 319 ] LOG OF MY MOTOR and the country we were now entering was grand and wild to a degree. We ascended a fifteen per cent grade and were much surprised at the dangerous condition of the road. There is no parapet wall, and sheer drops of from one to two thousand feet were constantly yawning up before us. Occasional glimpses of the sea are obtained, as well as superb views of the mountains, covered with many feet of snow. Indeed, these views alone make a trip through this section of country well worth taking. At Ponta de Sonabia, we re- joined the sea and skirted it for the rest of the run. Many mines are being worked here, the hills producing a good quality of ore. Finally, when within 23 kilometers of Bilbao, at the mouth of the Bilbao River, we entered a built-up section alive with children, making it almost impossible to advance, owing to their pranks. Happily, 1 was able to get even with them on several occasions. In many places the road con- tained large puddles of water, so that when a j'oungster would rush out and make a face, throw his cap in the air, or fire stones, sticks or any other thing he found handy, a quick move with the front wheel into one of these puddles would be sufficient to cover him from head to foot with dirty water. We took great pleasure in thus serving out the little rascals, and their surprise and astonishment at receiving the contents of the puddles added to our amusement. x4s we continued to advance, matters became even worse. People literally swarmed o^^er the streets, and refused to get out of our way. Life along this river front must be far from uninterest- ing. Factories cover the ground the entire distance, giving the district an appearance like that of Pittsburgh. x\fter our experience of Spain, to come upon this little commer- cial wonder, it was not difficult for us to realize the fact that the town of Bilbao is second to Barcelona in commer- cial importance. [320] LOG OF MY MOTOR The Viznaya Hotel, where we stopped for the night, is good and clean. We drew up in front of it, none the worse for our tough ride, at 5.40 p. m. The day's run was as follows: Left Gijon 8.10 a. m. Arrived Villalba 11.40 a.m. Lunch Left Villalba ; . . 12.40 p. m. Arrived Bilbao 5.40 p. m. Morning's run, 3 hours and 30 minutes. Afternoon's, 5 hours. The following is the route taken: Kil. Villaviciosa .... 28 Venta del Puerto 36 Colunga 46 Car a via 53 Ribadesella .... 67 Nueva 78 Bricia 85 Posada 86 Llanes .... ^h _ 95 Bao ■! H 115 Unquera 118 Pesues 121 Prelleso 126 San Vincente de la Barquera 130 Lamadrid 137 Kil. Vallines 140 Treceno 144 Cabezon de la Sal . . 150 Hontoria 151 Periedo 155 Carranceja 156 Barcenaciones .... 157 Quijas 159 Valles 161 Helguera 162 Torres 165 Torrelavega 169 Guarnaza 192 Baruna de Cicei'o . . 223 Laredo Bilbao 69 Total distance so far since leaving Nice, 3,733 kilometers, covered in 105 hours and 35 minutes. [321] LOG OF MY MOTOR THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 1911 Rain, Stopped at Bilbao. The town is modern and up- to-date in every respect. It has nothing of interest in the way of architecture, resembhng, as it does, some well-to-do English manufacturing city. It is picturesquely situated on the river of the same name, surrounded by high moun- tains, which gives it a moist and not very healthful climate. It has many fine hotels, theaters, boulevards and shops. FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 1911 A beautiful morning greeted us for our last day's run through the Iberian Peninsula. We left Bilbao at 9.50, and took the short route to Deva over the inland drive. Durango, 57 kilometers distant, is the first town of importance on the way. The road is described in guide books as being in poor condition. As a matter of fact, it was the best we had en- countered in Spain; smooth as a billiard table the entire way, with work gangs, two steam rollers and other para- phernalia constantly repairing the worn parts. Our way now wound itself through a mountainous coun- try. Some of the peaks are crested with snow, and trees are few and far apart. The houses resemble Swiss chalets. The towns are clean and the inhabitants well-to-do. At 10.50, just after passing through Eermua, a pass of con- siderable altitude lay before us. The scenery here is very fine. At 11.10, we passed through Elgdibar, and then dropped for the next few kilometers into a valley where a swift-flow- ing stream is skirted to the town of Deva, located on the Bay of Biscay. At Deva the scenery changes, the high, wild mountains of the interior being no longer a characteristic. The town itself has one or two second-class hotels and several small [322] w • o ^ H o O .:« B3 W W O W >H Eh LOCx OF MY MOTOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1911 We left Chatellerault at 8.15 a. m. The sky was clear as far as Tours, but here a severe snow storm overtook us. We had made good time, in spite of the fact that the road was clogged with peasants driving to market; the 72 kilometers separating the towns having been- traversed in just one hour. At Tours we once more diverged from the regular route to Paris, and followed the River Loire through Blois to Orleans. Snow kept us company most of the way, and it was hard work, at times, to make out one's route. We passed through Blois at 10.40, having skirted the chateaux of Amboise and Chaumont on our way. The combination of bad weather and lack of time made us rush on without stopping for the usual visit. At 11.35, the streets of Orleans were entered, and a few minutes later we were partaking of lunch at the Hotel Ter- minus, a clean and decent-looking place. The morning's run of 182 kilometers had been traversed in 3 hours and 20 minutes. One hundred and twenty kilo- meters still separated us from Paris, the last stage of our long journey. At 12.50, we were on the Route National. Artenay, Etampes and Longjumeau were all passed in rapid succes- sion, and 2.40 found us at the gates of the old city. The road is fine the entire way. Cobbles, which in the past I have always avoided, I found here smooth and well laid. W^e skirted several snow storms on the way, but in some marvelous way escaped them all. The day's run of 302 kilometers was covered in 5 hours and 10 minutes. Our total trip from Nice of 4,703 kilometers was covered in 123 hours, with but three mishaps — two punctured tires and one set of broken springs. [ 333 ] DEC 23 ^S11 'A: '-' U" ^^■^ "'t. >% %. v^'" V« C^ , ■& 6* A c^ \A O " , ^ ■>■ .(> -^*^'';^% "^-^^ '•°' '/» ^Ki<5-^ ;3^ ^ ^^?te' .N"^ r^ » 3 K ^ ^#" ■^ tt a^ ^^ v^^ - ^v 'r^ " ■'^ o"^ ,0 5 -^.^' : = c^-^ : ^^^ v^' .^-^ ^^. ^-^ ^^ y\ ^.H « , > .'^- .' ^^ % -^v. 1 ' " » '; '^ "bo^ ^>. v*^ #'^ .■i -^ ' %=" .^-> "^^ "-^^ V^^ f ft- ^0O, o~l -r.. ,• " ^ ' * -^^ .-^^ ^.^ '!''»■. 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