Full Text of "Haunted Malcolm of Montreal", check out the links as well.....
A few years ago, I decided to create a website devoted to the historic Montreal Bicycle Club. Soon after going down this path I started to see ghosts, and has been no turning back!
These ghosts amuse themselves by scaring tourists. No, these cycling spirits who choose haunt me have very different motives.
I work with a group of cycling advocates, like minded people who want to fight climate change, and make Montreal a safer, more livable city. From that work I slowly became aware of a ghostly club that lived here, in Montreal, long before there were any cars.
Back then, they were well known, respected, first users of a new technology with dreams of changing the world. However the 20th century was not kind to these ghosts. They were forgotten! Contrary to what they had predicted, the new century started with electric trolleys, rather than bicycles, dominating this city’s streets.
Then, in mid-century, they watched, as this city, removed its trolley system and was transformed to accommodate the car.
These ghosts watch over us, they know that Montreal may soon be ranked among the best bicycle cities in the world. They celebrate every time a new cycling path is created. They hear our debates about climate change, road rage, even social distancing.
I was a perfect mark for their plans. They sought me out, forcing me to be their spokesperson, to tell everyone how cycling and Montreal have long been linked.
First, they commanded that I must do much more than create a historical website. I had to re-found an authentic Montreal Bicycle Club, following the same rituals and covenants that they had created.
First, they commanded that I must do much more than create a historical website. I had to re-found an authentic Montreal Bicycle Club, following the same rituals and covenants that they had created.
These phantoms had called their rides “Fixtures”, yes Fixtures! F.I.X.T.U.R.E.S., so the living club must use that term as well. The Spirits demanded that a club worthy of their name must have 3 to 4 Fixture rides a week!
When I started the website I was unaware that this ghostly club also had a mania for keeping minutes of each meeting . Every ride had to be documented in the Minute book! I did all I could to appease these ghosts, organizing rides, slaving away on my website, but they are never satisfied with me.
One ghost, Louis Rubenstein, would complain to me “Why do so few people today know who I was?”. Thousands came to see the cycling world championships that I brought to Montreal. It was held on a specially built outdoor velodrome encompassing multiple city blocks. It was so forgotten that even its location within the city of Verdun became a matter of debate.
These spirits, like Louis Rubenstein, directed me to study club legends long forgotten. I had to learn obscure trivia like, Who was the first person to cycle up Cote des Neiges hill?”.
Bertie Lane!!! I love obsure Trivia!!!
With the help of ghosts like Bertie, my website has become the central depository of everything known about this club. Now, during the midst of the Covid Crisis, an old Notman photograph of the club was discovered and brought to my attention. These ghosts had me spend my isolation time finding where this photo was taken, in LaSalle, and identifying the people within it.
I needed help, these ghosts keep demanding more and more changes to the website
- Explain why these ghosts had ranks and wore military looking uniforms?]
- Did they allow women to join?
- Why did the club suddenly disappear after hosting the world championship?
Living club members are now telling me how they too had heard voices from cycling spirits demanding their life stories be updated on my website
One of them, W.G. Ross, I knew only as a racing cyclist with an obsession for covering his chest with medals. A living club member informed me that Canada now has a national lifetime achievement award named after him.
- Explain why these ghosts had ranks and wore military looking uniforms?]
- Did they allow women to join?
- Why did the club suddenly disappear after hosting the world championship?
Living club members are now telling me how they too had heard voices from cycling spirits demanding their life stories be updated on my website
One of them, W.G. Ross, I knew only as a racing cyclist with an obsession for covering his chest with medals. A living club member informed me that Canada now has a national lifetime achievement award named after him.
I even learned that some of these cycling souls had even become tempted by the dark side. Dr. Perry Doolittle, a quaint early cycling cherub later became the first person to drive a car across Canada. He is now known as the Father of the Trans Canada Highway.
Fellow Toastmasters, These cycling ghosts are demanding, yet fair. Their cause is right for our times. Out of nowhere, people ask me questions about this club, or ask me what I think of the bicycle paths around Montreal. Could there have been some ghostly help involved?
This path began as a simple exercise of posting a few old historic pictures on a website. However, once you start seeing ghosts, there is no turning back!