The STP is this Saturday and Sunday: July 9,10 2011. I picked up my Registration Packet yesterday at the Seattle REI Store. I trained harder this year and participated in more events to this point than the last 2 STPs. I feel ready but, it is a very long way to go in a day and a half on a unicycle. 204 miles this year. I will need to ride my unicycle just over 100 miles Saturday and just over 100 miles by Sunday evening.
Bruce Dawson who did the 2005 STP because he did something that amazed me and resonated at a time in my life when just walking was incredibly painful and the toll from radiation therapy had stripped any hope that I would ever function well again or hope to attempt something as epic as riding the STP on a unicycle.
The story Dawson posted and the images were seared into my mind and remain iconic still. Incrementally I allowed myself to hope that I could work toward making the STP on a unicycle a possibility. I was inspired enough after reading Dawson’s 2005 STP On a Unicycle story that I projected some faith that I might be able to do more than I had ever thought possible with so much less than I ever actually had. At that point in my life that small amount of hope was one of the most valuable things I had ever possessed
Joe Meyers because he helped me with every aspect of distance riding with things he had learned from doing the STP and other challenges. He climbs hills on a 36” unicycle like a terminator, which is inspiring. Anyone that rides with Joe Meyers can count themselves fortunate. Having Lana Meyers on your UNI team is a good advantage also.
When I crossed over the finish line of the 2010 STP I drafted Bruce Dawson and Joe Meyers. Hopefully I will cross over the 2011 STP on a unicycle again.
Thanks for the good thoughts everyone, I will need some luck (all I can get , actually). A lot can happen in the crush at intersections, and crossings, bridges.
I don’t do the PSV thing, so hopefully the Unicycle treats me good another year.
The plan is to “have fun”, yet remain laminar, stay focused and mission specific, then cross over.
Here is a link on YouTube where I think I am doing those things pretty good while climbing the steepest “Hill” on the STP: I appear at 2 minutes 20 seconds into the video.
Steve: I roll out both days @3 am, you will pass me at some point on Saturday early on and maybe even Sunday. Maybe take a picture for me, those are nice to get back for some day when get too old. I will PM my cell #
Really looking forward to the good weather and the ride, especially the section of bike trail near Yelm, hopefully the finish line in Portland comes much too soon.
Kevin, you will dust this one. Train that hard, and know that it will carry you through. Very inspiring…I’ve done a lot of distance riding, but have never seriously considered being able to do that one. Taught you well, Obie-Joe has.
Donation made and will match from my company. Do it!
I hear the MS-150 is harder than the STP, and you did really well event wise and the fundraising you put together was top tier.
I have yet to meet you in person Tom, but I hear about you at different events, like the MS-150. You were one of the very top fundraisers also which is not a small accomplishment, 6-8 thousand dollars raised is really good for one guy.
I enjoyed the write up from last years MS-150. It was one of the best written unicycle stories yet. I’m not sure it translates really well to everyone, but I understood it and the humor.
Thanks you again for the support and hopefully we can all ride together on IHD (International Harper Day) We should be careful not to make too many “Star Wars” references around Harper. We may encounter a “Balrog” in the deep tunnel on the Iron Horse Trail and it may be nice to have our own version of Gandalf to deal with trouble of that magnitude.
If you guys remember Mike Clark at all from the DVD Defect he did the STP on his bike. He took off in the 2nd heat (15mins after the first) and came in to the finish line 7th overall… 10 hours. he may have been the fastest rider!
This year’s STP was everything I had hoped it would be, the weather, the people. Just everything was more than I could have asked for on this STP.
It’s not easy to pedal anything 204 miles and I liked riding with the other 10,000 cyclists with Cascade Bicycle Club. I have yet to hear a single negative comment from any cyclist at the STP.
Saturday, I got up rode a couple miles to warm up, did some stretching and left UW on Saturday 3:10 am and rolled into Centralia Community College 3:25 pm.
The first 100 miles took 12 hours and 15 minutes.
Sunday I left a little after 3:30 am and crossed over @5:50 pm.
The second 100+ miles took 14 hours and 20 minutes.
The STP finished off via a different route into the city this year and I’m glad I didn’t know how hard that was going to be. Spectacular bridge crossing but it took some resolve I did’nt know I had to get it done and finish.
The fundraising for Children’s Hospital went well too. The link is up until Oct 10. 2011.
I will post more pics later in the week if/when I get some.
