>Several weeks ago I posted that I’d bought a unicycle and needed help learning
>to ride it. I was contacted by a local unicyclist who reads this list and we
>got together. He watched/helped me practice for about an hour and a half one
>Saturday, and went as far as 25 feet before falling, but I’ve been on my own
>since then.
>
>Well, I seem to be getting there. Yesterday in Piedmont Park I set a new
>distance record (for myself) of about 75 meters. In many of the shorter rides I
>was able to stay on top even while negotiating such hazards as an uneven
>sidewalk, angry dogs and trash cans. I can’t freemount yet, but I’m sure I’ll
>learn to soon and I’m starting to believe the claim that “anyone can unicycle.”
>
>I appreciate all the support and advice I’ve found, both here and on the
>Unicycling Home Page.
>
>Now, a question. Okay, anybody can unicycle. But can anybody walk on a
>tightrope, or does that require extra, rare acrobatic talent?
>
>And if anybody can do that, then can anybody ride a unicycle on a
>tightrope?
>
Glenn,
Now that is a very interesting subject you brought up... and ofcourse it
reminds me of a story :-)... About 10 years ago I was riding on this
fairly busy street when this gentleman in his 50s stopped me and asked
if he could try my uni??!!! I was a little surprised and very curious so
I let him.. He hopped on and wobbled around with it.. He didn't ride for
close to 20 years and proclaimed how much he missed it.. We started
talking and he told me about his earlier days when he performed on a
tightrope. He said that it WASN'T that hard to get used to as long as
the tightrope was taught.. Now ofcourse they remove the tires BUT what I
didn't know is that they put in a special liner to cover the spoke ends
and make for a very smooth ride.. Secondly they usually have a balance
bar so the only balance motion they have to make is the forward and
backward one.. Ofcourse I'm not proclaiming to know anything but I think
that people used unis in much more creative ways in the past then they
use today.. for example you can see old circus pictures of the weirdest
looking unis you have ever seen.. (finding a round wheel is actually
quite uncommon!) And I believe there used to be one man.. who
continuously attempted to ride higher and higher unicylces until he
reached some ludicrously high goal.. (I believe it was somewhere around
200 feet!! not a typo.. not a joke)