Participants in the Kansas Short Grass Motorcycle Club's annual tour are preparing to leave Larned in this photograph made on July 15, 1913. Larned was the first overnight stop on the 1913 tour, which originated in Hutchinson the day before. Approximately 100 motorcyclists came from eleven states to make the nine-day journey to Denver, host city for the 1913 national convention of the Federation of American Motorcyclists.
The Short Grass tour followed a detailed itinerary, with events scheduled at designated points along the way. In Larned, the group's stay featured a series of six professional and amateur motorcycle races at the fairgrounds. Evening events included a band concert and a social gathering.
Other overnight stops on the 1913 tour included Dodge City and the following cities in Colorado: Holly, Las Animas, Pueblo, Canon City, and Colorado Springs.
The Kansas Short Grass Motorcycle Club was founded in Rexford in 1910 under the leadership of Dr. Benjamin J. Patterson. It achieved national attention and acclaim, largely because of its well-publicized, long-distance motorcycle tours into Colorado and Wyoming. The Short Grass club was most active between 1910 and 1915, sponsoring tours each year except 1914. During its heyday, the club described itself as "the most famous motorcycle club in the world."
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