# The transcontinental ride of Norma Jean Belloff.



## cyclingday (Dec 19, 2016)

While researching another thread posted about, Clarence "Crazy Horse" Wagners transcontinental ride, I came across these photos of Norma Jean Belloffs ride on what looks like a 1947 Schwinn DX.
Apparently, when she got to New York, she picked up a nice light sports tourer, and set the women's transcontinental record on the way home.
Quite the transformation from someone with the crazy idea to ride a balloon tire Schwinn across the country and the athlete that returned to where she started from.
My cycling fantasy has been to do it on a Cycle Truck. Lol!


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## rollfaster (Dec 19, 2016)

That's extremely cool Marty!


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## Joe Buffardi (Dec 19, 2016)

Wow!!!


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## bulldog1935 (Dec 19, 2016)

her face looks like she may have leaned out a bit on that ride


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## stoney (Dec 19, 2016)

That lighter tourer had to make the pedaling that trip a heck of a lot easier.


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## None (Dec 19, 2016)

This is so awesome!!


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## Princeton (Dec 19, 2016)

bulldog1935 said:


> her face looks like she may have leaned out a bit on that ride



     ..nice thing to say.....


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## bulldog1935 (Dec 19, 2016)

she's probably not offended

40 mi is an extra day's worth of calories, and you'd have to eat a lot to maintain your starting weight


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## New Mexico Brant (Dec 19, 2016)

What a fabulous post Marty!  Thanks for posting.  Is the book a good read?


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## cyclingday (Dec 19, 2016)

Thanks, Brant.
Although, I haven't read the book.
I did find some excerpts, and unfortunately, Norma Jean Belloffs life didn't end well.
Her transcontinental cycling record earned her a small level of fame and notority, but she suffered from mental illness later in life and committed suicide.
That discovery was very heart breaking.


New Mexico Brant said:


> What a fabulous post Marty!  Thanks for posting.  Is the book a good read?


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## dfa242 (Dec 20, 2016)

Wow.


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## New Mexico Brant (Dec 20, 2016)

I ordered a copy of the book off Amazon. It'll be interesting to read this over the winter; this is what we do when you Cali peeps are still out riding!  She sounds like the Amelia Earhart of the bicycle world; too bad she didn't live longer...


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## markivpedalpusher (Dec 20, 2016)

Wow and I thought SF to So. Cal was a long ride...Very cool!


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## cyclingday (Dec 20, 2016)

New Mexico Brant said:


> I ordered a copy of the book off Amazon. It'll be interesting to read this over the winter; this is what we do when you Cali peeps are still out riding!  She sounds like the Amelia Earhart of the bicycle world; too bad she didn't live longer...



I did the same, Brant.
I ordered mine off eBay. It only cost $17.00 shipped.
After reading the excerpt, and looking at the pictures a little closer, im thinking the bike she made her return on was a Schwinn Tourist Paramount model very similar to the 1950 model that I picked up this year.
That must have been a huge improvement over the balloon tire DX model Schwinn that she started with.


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## nycet3 (Dec 20, 2016)

Just ordered a copy. Thanks a lot for the tip.


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## jimbo53 (Dec 28, 2016)

I got my used off Ebay for $1.00 + $3.75 shipping. Upon opening it, I discovered it was signed by the author, Norma Jean Belloff's daughter, Iris Paris!
Got lucky!


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## cyclingday (Dec 28, 2016)

My copy just arrived in the mail.
I think this will be an interesting read.


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## None (Dec 28, 2016)

Can't wait for mine!


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## cds2323 (Dec 28, 2016)

I think I'll have to find a copy too.


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## New Mexico Brant (Dec 28, 2016)

Wow!  My copy arrived today too.  I bought it on Amazon for 1 cent plus $3.99 shipping.  It is signed by Iris Paris as well!!


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## New Mexico Brant (Dec 28, 2016)

jimbo53 said:


> I got my used off Ebay for $1.00 + $3.75 shipping. Upon opening it, I discovered it was signed by the author, Norma Jean Belloff's daughter, Iris Paris!
> Got lucky!




At least two of us got lucky!  The one I bought is #39 so it seems there maybe a few more in the world she signed and gifted to friends.  What a cool thread, thank you Marty for introducing us all to this book!


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## nycet3 (Dec 28, 2016)

Mine showed up today. read a good chunk. Not what I was expecting.


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## cyclingday (Dec 30, 2016)

I just finished reading Once Upon a Chariot.
It was an interesting peek in to a 19 year old girls diary as she pedaled a balloon tire Schwinn DX across the United States, in search of herself and what was 1947 America.
I think she found what she was looking for, and then some.
Unfortunately, it was never enough, and she couldn't quite cope with the changes that life brings as we grow old.
My personal thoughts are that she shouldn't have given up on the bicycle.
That interesting little mechanized vehicle for personal transportation, is the only thing that truly brought peace, love, and happiness to Norma Jean Belloff.

Great ride, Norma!


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## nycet3 (Dec 30, 2016)

Am I wrong or is the book written by Norma's daughter based on Norma's diary?


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## cyclingday (Dec 30, 2016)

You got it!
Iris Paris is Norma Jean Belloffs daughter and the author of Once Upon a Chariot.
It is based on the diary that Norma kept as she pedaled across America in 1947.
The interesting thing, is that Norma's daughter didn't have a clue that her mom had been an avid cyclist.
Her mom died when she was 19 years old, and the only clue was an old racing bike that had been abandoned to collect dust in a corner of the garage.
She didn't even know about her moms accomplishments until her grandmother died in 1989, and she received several trunk loads of her moms belongings.
The diary, photographs and her 3rd place trophy from the national championships were in those trunks.
That's when she started to get to know her mom.
I can only imagine what that would be like.
To feel as though you didn't really know your mother at all.
I enjoyed reading the book. It's written simply and can be read quick.
I learned a few things that I had not known about.
The Texas City industrial accident was something that I had not heard about before.
It was the worst industrial accident in US history and the largest non nuclear, man made explosion on earth.
 Second only to the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki.
If she hadn't stopped for work to raise some traveling money, she would have been there about the time of the blast.
Then there was the hurricane off the Florida coast.
Not a great time to be cycling un supported in Florida. Lol!


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## cyclingday (Dec 30, 2016)




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## None (Dec 30, 2016)

cyclingday said:


> I just finished reading Once Upon a Chariot.
> It was an interesting peek in to a 19 year old girls diary as she pedaled a balloon tire Schwinn DX across the United States, in search of herself and what was 1947 America.
> I think she found what she was looking for, and then some.
> Unfortunately, it was never enough, and she couldn't quite cope with the changes that life brings as we grow old.
> ...




This makes sense to me!! Perhaps I need to travel from SD to NY by balloon tire. Wouldn't that be somethin'? Unfortunately times have changed and I doubt it'd be safe.


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## cyclingday (Dec 30, 2016)

Unfortunately, I'd have to agree with you, Desiree.
That was one of the things I found most interesting, is how open, honest and hospitable her encounters were with the people she met on her way.
I doubt you'd find many people willing to open their homes and hearts to a total stranger who suddenly appeared outside their door on a bicycle.
Maybe ignorance is bliss. Nobody knew any better back then, a woman cycling cross country alone or remote home owner allowing a total stranger to sleep in their living room to ride out the storm.


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## None (Jan 4, 2017)

It's going to be a great evening.


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## New Mexico Brant (Jan 4, 2017)

Desireé said:


> It's going to be a great evening.



Nice!  Enjoy, I am to about page 70...


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## nycet3 (Jan 5, 2017)

I'm a ways into the book. It's pretty cool, and I respect the daughter's efforts to learn about  her mother through writing about her. 

From a purely historical perspective, it would be great to read the actual diary entries at some point, though I doubt that would be possible. And perhaps the diary entries weren't super detailed. 

Maybe I ought to contact Iris. Hmmm...


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## None (Jan 5, 2017)

nycet3 said:


> I'm a ways into the book. It's pretty cool, and I respect the daughter's efforts to learn about  her mother through writing about her.
> 
> From a purely historical perspective, it would be great to read the actual diary entries at some point, though I doubt that would be possible. And perhaps the diary entries weren't super detailed.
> 
> Maybe I ought to contact Iris. Hmmm...




Great idea! if you do, I'm definitely interested in what you find.


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## New Mexico Brant (Jan 5, 2017)

Maybe she has Chariot III!


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## cyclingday (Sep 15, 2020)

Update;
@gms0707 posted this old newspaper clipping on another thread, and I thought it should be archived here with this thread.


Thanks!


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## rollfaster (Sep 16, 2020)

I often wonder whatever became of her two very historical and important bicycles? It’s a shame she took her own life and at such a young age.


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## Goldenrod (Sep 16, 2020)

I ordered a book and I am inspired to add another story that I found.  Her trip must have been the high light of her life.  She was alright when she was alone and focused on a project.  Her daughter didn't have demons?  These contributions are why we are daily sucked back to the CABE website.


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## JLF (Sep 16, 2020)

Wait... a cycling record set without doping?!  No EPO?  Just kidding of course.  

The 26” ride across must have been training for the record run back.  Awesome!  The light weight had to have been at least 10 pounds lighter?  More aero too.  

I am actually envious


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## troy boy (Sep 16, 2020)

cyclingday said:


> View attachment 398853 View attachment 398857 View attachment 398859 View attachment 398860 View attachment 398849
> 
> I did the same, Brant.
> I ordered mine off eBay. It only cost $17.00 shipped.
> ...



HI Marty ,What is the serial #on the blue tourist? did you end up with the red one from  minnesota ?Thanks Brian


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## cyclingday (Sep 16, 2020)

Regretfully, I sold that blue bike a few years ago, before I realized how much I love these Sports Tourist models.
So, I don’t have access to the serial number anymore.
I didn’t get the bike in Minnesota, either, because the seller was reluctant to ship the bike as a whole.
But, I was able to get some of the parts that my bike was missing, when it was found.
After looking at this thread again, I realize, that it looks like the bike Norma Jean rode back from New York, was a Continental Sports Tourist model.
Look closely at that photograph of her and Otto Eisele, and it looks like he is riding a first generation Paramount Racer.
Pretty cool picture.
Loving life to its fullest right there.


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