On Friday March 5, 1914 I decided to take advantage of the bright moon-light nights and spend a week-end at Mount Hamilton and Lick Observatory. I planned to start at one o-clock but about that time the preacher, Dr. Thos. M. Patterson called and insisted that I do some duplicating and typewriting for him in preparation for a musical program to be held the following Sunday night. This work took me until two:thirty o-clock and by the time I got packed up and had purchased a new tire for my wheel it was nearly five o-clock. I therefore decided to ride my wheel all the way from Sunnyvale, rather than to wait for a local train as far as San Jose.

My baggage consisted of an oil-cloth tent and a poncho sleeping bag of similar material, a large overcoat to wear nights in lieu of combersome army blanket, a small pillow, a hair rope, two gunny sacks to act as an insulator in connection with the rubber blanket, a pair of woolen socks, and several other articles all of which I put into my white canvas duck clothing bag. My culinary department was placed in a leather hand satchel and consisted of an improvised broiler, a frying pan, a kettle, granite pan, knife, fork, spoon, cup, salt and pepper shakes together with the following provisions, six potatoes, some bacon, butter, bread, cookies, graham crackers, tin of nabisco, can of sardines, half dozen oranges, sack of walnuts and almonds, also some milk chocolate, which proved to be more than a sufficiency.

I arrived at San Jose at six o-clock and after purchasing a pack of films for my camera started for the climb. I found after 15 minutes that the road was so steep that I could not ride wheel, so had to lead it. I thus walked in the moon-light steadily until mid-night. Being fatigued by the continous seven hour exertion I decided to camp for the night near a small streamlet at one of the three hundred sixty-five turns in the road. I found upon consulting my guide book that I had traveled twenty-six miles from Sunnyvale and still had nine miles before me if I followed the road to the summit. During all of this mountain climb I found that I had the complete right of way with the exception of one auto and one wagon which passed me during the evening. Rather of a quiet moon-light stroll, to be sure.

After eating a hearty mid-night lunch I went to bed in my tent and did not get up until seven o'clock the next morning, and was surprised at the beautiful panorama view of the valley below me. While I was cooking breakfast two boys who said they were from Los Gatos passed my camp. They admired my equipment and thought it could scarcely be improved upon. They said they saw me pass their camp during the night. They simply used blankets laid on the ground. They also had well fitted knap-sacks strapped to their shoulders. They said they would see me at the observatory later in the day.

I resumed my journey about 9:45 A. M. and arrived at Smith's Creek Hotel an hour later. Had lunch at this hostelry, and after a short rest "hit the trail" for the summit. I saved about four miles by following the telephone poles instead of following the road. The weather was hot, thermometer registered 85 degrees, and the trail was steep, and was therefore the hardest mountain climb I had ever attempted. During that two miles I climbed from an altitude of 2100 feet to that of 4209 feet so about 3:30 P. M. when I reached the summit I was mighty glad. The janitor of the observatory saw me when I arrived and took my picture as I touched the building.

The janitor was very kind and showed me the grounds and explained the nature of the different views obtained in every direction. The weather was clear so that the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains were plainly visible. He showed me the location of the entrance to the Yosemite Valley. Our own Santa Clara Valley looked like a relief map, with San Jose about four inches square. I could not decide the exact location of Sunnyvale.

About 7:30 in the evening all the visitors were permitted to look through the telescopes. The twelve inch telescope gave us a splendid view of a section of the moon, while the large thirty-six inch telescope was focused on the planet Saturn and its rings. All was explained in an interesting manner by the Proffessors. One said that if we were to look at moon through the largest telescope it would bring it to within sixty miles of the earth. This is scarcely believeable.

As visitors are not allowed to remain in the vicinity of the observatory reservation, it was necessary for me to return to Smith Creek for the night. I again followed the trail and ran nearly the whole distance reached the hotel in practically the same time as the autos which went around the road. I camped on a high bank overlooking the creek and hotel.

Was disturbed in the morning by the pop pop pop of motorcycles. It was 4:30 and from that time until noon there was a continuous procession of machines all bound for the summit of Mt. Hamilton. The run was made under the auspices of the motor clubs of San Francisco, San Jose, Stockton, Sacramento and Oakland, and the procession thus formed was thirty miles in length.

As I had to be home by evening to assist in the musical program at the church, I reluctantly left my beautiful surroundings at Smith Creek and in three hours was at San Jose. It was almost a continuous coast for the whole distance, and was quite exciting. Only took two headers resulting in slight bruises. The weather again broke the record of many years for excessive heat for the time of year, never-the-less it was a delightful experience. Hope I can go on a similar excursion soon.