Season 1 Episode 2 Ghostly Commands
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Malcolm, we ghosts command that you do more than create a historical website. You must found an authentic, Montreal Bicycle Club, following the same rituals and covenants that we created.
Malcolm, we ghosts command that you do more than create a historical website. You must found an authentic, Montreal Bicycle Club, following the same rituals and covenants that we created.
Montreal Bicycle Club founding 2 Dec 1878
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Montreal Bicycle Club re-founding 21 March 2017
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Our rides were called “Fixtures”, yes that is right, Fixtures! F.I.X.T.U.R.E.S., so the living club you create must use that term as well. We held 3-4 rides a week so to be worthy of our name you must do the same!
Montreal Bicycle Club Minute Book 17 June 1886
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When I started the website I was unaware that this ghostly club also had a mania for symbols, uniforms, medals, and keeping minutes meeting of every ride! I did all I could to appease these ghosts, organizing rides, slaving away on my website, but they are never satisfied with me.
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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. Now it is so forgotten that even its location within the city of Verdun has become a matter of debate."
Louis Rubenstein, in Montreal Bicycle Club uniform, 1891
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29 August 2019, Minnesota cycling tourists at the Louis Rubenstein memorial water fountain
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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?”.
The Canaian Wheelman, July 1887
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Bertie Lane 1885, the first person to cycle up Cote des Neiges hill
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I needed help, telling the story of these phantoms kept raising more and more questions to be answered.
- Explain why these ghosts had ranks and wore military style 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 have 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 the Canadian Urban Transit Association has a national lifetime achievement award named after him.
- Explain why these ghosts had ranks and wore military style 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 have 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 the Canadian Urban Transit Association has a national lifetime achievement award named after him.
W. G. Ross, Montreal Bicycle Club, 1885
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4 June 2019, W.G. Ross was director of the Montreal Street Railway
2019 WG Ross Lifetime Achievement Award winners
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I even learned that some of these cycling souls had later become tempted by the dark side. Dr. Perry Doolittle, a quaint early cycling cherub was the first person to drive a car across Canada. He is now known as the Father of the Trans Canada Highway.
Dr Perry Doolittle
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The Model T that Dr. Doolittle drove from Halifax to Vancouver in 1925.
Trans Canada Highway, Montreal
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These cycling ghosts are demanding, yet fair. The cause they represent is right for our times. This journey began as simply posting a few old photographs on a website. However, once you start seeing ghosts, there is no turning back!
Montreal Bicycle Club