Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Carolyn Carter, left, and her husband, Steve take a minute to pose for a photograph outside of Kimball last Friday. The Carters are on a highwheel trek that will take them from San Francisco to Boston. Carolyn posted on her Facebook page, Carolyn Crosscountryride, that the Western Nebraska Observer in Kimball was the first newspaper to interview her since leaving on this adventure.
Carolyn Carter and her husband, Steve, traveled through Kimball last Friday, June 17, during a two-month journey.
Carolyn is attempting to become the first 'Woman Highwheel Rider' in the United States. The couple's journey started on Monday, May 30, in San Francisco, Calif., and they are hoping to reach Boston, Mass., by August 1.
The Carters are a part of The Wheelmen, which is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to keeping alive the heritage of American cycling, promoting the restoration and riding of early cycles manufactured prior to 1918, and encouraging cycling as part of modern living. Members are intent on learning lost skills, retelling lost stories, researching and writing of the golden era of cycling.
The couple, spotted traveling east on Highway 30 west of Kimball, were on original 1880's models of bicycles, and explained that in The Wheelman organization they have been involved in helping with the restoration of several bicycles over the years of their memberships.
Members of the organization, founded in the 1960s in Delaware and included men from the Philadelphia area, enjoy strutting around on the restored pieces of American history while riding through parades, tours and demonstrations and holding rides, as well as an occasional record breaking journey, such as the one they are now on.
Membership for The Wheelmen is for those who own an antique bicycle, or not. The cycling craze happened in our nation's history in the 1880's and 1890's.
Other cycles included in the craze, in addition to the high wheeled bike, were tricycles, tandem bikes and safety bikes.
The couple stated that they share information on their current trip through states on Carolyn's Facebook page titled "Carolyn Crosscountryride". During their trip through our Kimball County, they posted a couple of pictures of the Maginnis Irrigation Flume located on Highway 30 west of Kimball.
Steve said that he is along for the ride not only for company for Carolyn, but encouragement as well.
The couple stayed a night in Kimball on Friday, then continued on to Sidney the next day. When their mission is complete, they will have traveled over 3,000 for Carolyn to reach her goal – gaining the title "First Woman Highwheel Rider."
