Today we share a thrilling throwback news article about about a motorcycle race in 1913, featuring brother Edward Kegel.
SKIDS INTO ROCK RIVER
Edward Kegel Has Rather Disconcerting Adventure on Sunday.
ON ENDURANCE RUN
Machine Fished out and Kegel Continues Run --- But One Perfect Score.
The Freeport Motorcycle club held its first annual endurance run yesterday, covering a distance of 133.6 miles over roads that in some places were almost impassable. From Freeport to Rockford the roads were dry but extremely rough, while from Rockford to Grand De Tour, a distance of 35 miles, the riders were obliged to ride mud that in some places reached the chank cases of their enginees.
Skids Into River.
While in the worst part of the road which ran along the Rock river, one of the riders was given a present which was not called for in the endurance run rules. Edward Kegel riding a twin "Pope" at about a ten mile an hour clip, skidded off the road and into the river, and when overtaken by other riders al that could be seen of the machine was the handle bars and seat. However he was able to continue the run. Several others had narrow escaped at this point of the run.
But One Perfect Score.
The condition of the roads can well be determined, there being but one perfect score out of thirteen entries, that being secured by V.L. Younger, riding a 5 h.p. Pope. Much credit is due to the riders for the manner in which they handled their machines, through the mud and sand, so it was this alone that enabled them to make the scores they did, as most of the penalizations were due to riders being late at controls, and breaking or bending various parts of machines when riding in mud, the worst of which was encountered around Oregon, Ill., along the Rock rvier.
The Scores.
The various scores were as follows:
Rider. Machine. Score.
V.L. Younger - Pope 5 - 1000
A. Cole - Excelsior 7 - 995
R. Mensenkamp - Excelsior 6 - 990
Jos. Kegel - Harley 7 - 965
R. Wheat - Indian 4 - 945
D. Cole - Harley 6 - 925
W. Oswalt - Harley 4 - 895
H. Kuhlemeyer - Harley 7 - 835
E. Kegeel - Pope 7 - 630
E. Smith - Harley 4 - 500
H. Burchell - Jefferson 7 - 485
Julius Kegel - Excelsior 7 - Dis.
Clarence Rutter - Harley 5 - Dis.
Last two riders disqualified because of not finishing the run.
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