Yep, it’s me again, Chirokid, with two more crashes. Many of you read about my pedal injury yesterday. Well, today I decided to do an 11 mile loop ride.
I remembered to add air to my Moto-Raptor, and off I went. LITERALLY! I guess I made the tire a little too hard, because I got launched.
Not bragging, but unless I am Muni riding, I remember very few falls in the last 30 years. Now, I have three in 30 hours. All with blood for the proof. Maybe I can’t ride a unicycle after all.
This 11 mile loop is in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is a one-way narrow road that runs around the edge of a huge valley up in the mountains.
The first crash happened at about the 2.0 mile mark. Two families had just taken my picutre and told me how good I looked. Just as I rounded the next corner, thinking of how wonderful I really am, I was brought abruptly back to reality. And reality in this case was the Asphalt. I had no time to run, hitting on my knees, wrists and then trumbling over my Hydration system. (the dried fruit survived, so all is well) This spill left a bloody left knee. It nicely matches it’s calf from yesterday, and two bruised hands. Only one palm bleed, I had to pick the little tiny gravel from under the skin. But the good news is, the blood helped push the gravel to the surface. The other palm just had little red punch marks.
I proceeded on my way to about the 8 mile mark. I could hear a long line of cars behind me. Eventhough I stay within 6 to 8 inches of the side of the road at all times, some folks just will not pass. I try to wave them around, but then realise that I am probably their entertainment. Many times they don’t want to pass, they just ride along and watch me ride.
Well, this SUV had been behind me for a long time, so I decide to hop off onto the gravel shoulder of the road and give him some extra room to pass. He still stays behind me. Turns out the SUV is full of a whole family from St. Louis, Missouri. You learn these kind of details when you try to die right in front of their vehicle.
So, out of nowhere, I hammer a 3" invisible rock and down I go again. This time, I land on my right shin, resulting in a nice hunk of road-rash and jam my right wrist much worse. NOTE: Harbinger Wrist Guards do not work effectively, especially while hanging in your garage. This family is like 5 feet behind and to my right when this happens. I jump right to my feet, grab my unicycle and say, “Did you’all get a picutre of that?” They laughed, then were very concerned that I was OK. I told them I was fine, I lied! They asked again. Again I lied and said, “Yea, I’m fine!”
Next words out of the guys mouth, no joke, were these. “Let me ask you this, are those (pointing to my SHJag29er) hard to ride?” I point to the spot I just tried to kill myself and say, “It was right there!” We chat for another 30 seconds and depart.
I hop back on my wild stallion and take off down the road. I gently roll and palpate my right wrist to feel for fractures, all the while sucking some H20 from my pack to clean my shin. This nice family continues to follow me for several 100 meters (thats for all you Europeans) then pass me. They pull over and wait for me at the next pull-off. They ask to take my picture. Then we talk for little while. The man says he has watched unicycle riders on TV doing all kinds of tricks and asks if I know what he’s talking about. I do several 360 hops, different mounts, backward ride and tell them I can hop off small porches, etc. Thankfully, they didn’t ask to see that, as I was still concerned If I could actually ride on a flat road at that moment. About 20 people had assembled for this little show so I decided I better get on my way.
The rest of the ride was awesome. I saw two mother Sow Black Bears and 4 cubs during this ride, as well as numerous deer, and about 20 crows. I figured the crows were smelling my blood and were anticipating my next crash. I think I looked like their next meal. Carrion for a week!
What a day. Three uni-crashes and six black bears in 30 hours. I think I’ll leave my unicycles at home tomorrow.
Sincerely, a very sore, aching and scab covered, almost crow chow, --chirokid–
