All Wheels on Deck

 "The crew of the battleship Iowa [Iowa BB 4, not the more recent incarnation of the Iowa moored at Long Beach] has an organized, uniformed bicycle club of thirty-five members which is the only organization of its kind in the navy. There are several record men among them, and it is said the club presents a fine appearance when out in force."

Who would have thought a single battleship in the year 1900 would have enough bicyclists among the crew to form its own bicycle club. Considering how widespread the use of bicycles for transportation was at the time, it is probably not as surprising as one might initially think. Then again, what was the impetus? One day, did someone come up with the idea and say, "hey, let's form a wheelman's club," and enough other sailors thought, "that's a good idea. Let's do it." Did an officer, thinking it would be good for morale, suggest it? Or was it someone from a battery crew? Or a cook? I have to imagine they only got together to ride when the ship was in port; there surely must have been all kind of regulations against riding on deck. But what if they could circle the superstructure - bow to port, stern, around starboard and back to bow? That would be one thing in calm seas, but if those ocean swells started to roll... that would be an obstacle not even a modern city cross race could duplicate.

That short paragraph (and all the questions it brings up) leading off this post was found in the Los Angeles Times, Monday, 12 March 1900. The photo shows some of the Iowa's Marines along with the forward battery crew, photographed by William H. Rau, c. August 1898.