I didn’t think you were from Memphis. 
However, your parade report sounded very similar to ours so thought I would ask. You could have been riding in the shadows somewhere. 
Bugman,
Have not seen you hanging around the forum much in a while. Welcome back. When are we going to have another regional MUni/uni rendezvous?
WR
Wheel Rider
It’s just that for some reason people always think of Memphis when they think of Tennessee.
Are you a member of the Memphis Unicycle Club?
How did your parade go?
I try not to lurk in the shadows…too much.
Burnerdave
I don’t know many people in Chattanooga. I live a way from Chattanooga, but is easiest to say I am from there since most towns around that area are very small and most people have never heard of them. Let me know about them anyway…you never know.
I made it to 49 yesterday. I’m sitting here with an ice pack on my heel. It’s damaged where the tendon attaches to the heel. I believe my heel tried to dislodge a rock on the trail, but not sure. Its healing (pun intended) very, very slowly. Still riding though…
Got it!
I posted a link to my unicycle learning experience in another thread, but I thought I’d put it here too, to share with my own age group! Anyway, it took me 12 hours of practice between October 18 and Dec 10.
The crutches are a nice touch, you must have been a Boy Scout. Liked your enthusiasm, rushing back for another try. Your a fast learner. Nice rollin!
Dave, you’ve inspired me.
I turned 45 a little over a week ago and I have to admit the transition kicked the air out of me. This didn’t happen to me at 40 but I think it was a combination of a number of different things testing me lately. I’m now trying to re-focus and get on with doing the things I aspire to do and accomplish. Your [documented] effort and your attitude is refreshing. Thanks and keep on riding!
T-Square
Re your comment “I turned 45 a little over a week ago and I have to admit the transition kicked the air out of me.”
I still can’t believe I’m 54. I still feel 17. I STILL don’t know what I want to do with my life if I grow up!
BurnerDave, I really enjoyed the video. Did your girlfriend do all the filming?
What does she think?
Before long, you’ll be on a coker (if not already)!
oldfatboy
My girlfriend filmed the last segment we did in the parking garage. When I first got the uni she just watched me once in a while during the first few hours I was learning. She tried the uni once, fell onto her butt and never got on it again. Now that I can ride it, she thinks I’m a god! Argh, argh.
I put the camera on a tripod for all the stuff in the basement but I had to move it around because I came close to bumping into it a few times. I ended up with it safely deep inside a dresser with the drawer removed.
Yup, I’d love to get a coker eventually. I figure I’ll need a unicycle (OK, I’ll want one!) in almost every size and style. I never had so much fun!
Yeah, I feel the same way but for some weird reason(s) it got me in a funk. Perhaps I just turned 18? 
My wife gave me my first unicycle for my 54th birthday a month ago. I’ve been slowly learning to ride it, but progress has been good; last night I was able to ride several hundred yards down the street, make a U-turn without falling off and ride almost all the way back to my house (with my legs turned to quivering jelly) . I can so relate to BurnerDave’s learning-to-ride u-tube movie - that could be me!
I’ve been trying to get in at least a few minutes practice at least every other day; which is tough during the week since I go for work in the dark in the morning and get home after dark in the evening. So I have to turn on the outside lights and unicycle around the neighborhood at night for a while, letting the neighbors think I’m some kind of weirdo.
For many years, just about my favorite sport has been mountain biking on dirt trails - climbing the steepest hills, seeing the beautiful scenery, scaring up wildlife like deer and bobcat and rattlesnakes on the mountain just south of my town. I’m hoping that by next summer I’ll have worked my way up to where I can unicycle over at least the easy trails.
As you gain confidence and learn to relax, you will put your weight on the seat instead of your legs and the quivering jelly effect will go away. Put your weight on the seat. Then it is just a matter of sitting on the seat and turning the wheel. The seat becomes the next problem after you ride non-stop for 15 to 20 minutes. Then you start looking for a more comfortable seat or cycling shorts. Then you start looking for the perfect unicycle(s). It never ends …
Welcome to unicycling. What a great sport!!
I think a lot of us muni-ers are former mountain bikers. What I love about muni is that it gives all those mountain bike trails a completely fresh perspective–you ride them more slowly, see more about the trail, find different lines, etc. Plus you get a totally a$$-kicking workout in a quarter of the distance of a bike ride.
When I started to muni, I never thought I’d be able to ride the same trails I took on my full-suspension bike. But there’s not a trail in town (I live in Chico, CA, which has some world-class mountain-biking terrain) that I haven’t ridden on my muni now! It’ll come sooner than you think.
I loved your little jump of joy, as you RAN back for another go, shortly after getting the Bedford and managing the first few yards on it. Excellent.
Nao
Thanks for sharing the video
Brought back memories of learning.
Welcome to the community.
I’ll second that!
DAve - I finally watched your vid. You’re hopelessly hooked, buddy. Welcome to our madness!
Dave, I enjoyed watching your video. It really brought back (sometimes painful) memories of my early learning experiences. It’s only been 3 years now but I feel like I’ve been riding forever.
I’ve been away from this forum for a few weeks due to other, busy stuff in my life. I was kinda surprised to see this thread still near the top and up to 14 pages now. Geezers rock.