Hey, Our unicycle club/group is going the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City. There will be about 56 riders riding giraffes. Its pretty cool to be in this parade I guess since its pretty big. The day after the parade (Friday?) I will be in NYC. I might be able to bring my trials or Muni if anyone wants to go on a ride that day. There is also a chance that we will be on the Today show. One of the hosts might try to ride a uni, maybe. So tell me if you think you can ride or are going to be at the parade!
i dont live near there, but that is really awesome man. ill watch it on tv. do you know about where you are in the parade so i know where to look? are you more at the beginning or end?
Congratulations on being in the “Macy’s Day Parade!” It’s something I always wanted to do, but our little club never organized itself enough to round up a video of us parading, which the Macy’s organization required for new entries.
I’m not sure how it works today, but in the past there have kind of been two Macy’s Parades. There’s the one that’s a parade, that was usually televised locally from the Columbus Circle area, and the “TV Special” that comes from the street outside the big Macy’s store. The difference between those “two” parades is that one looks like a parade (with big balloons), and the other one is filled with celebrity appearances and broadway show numbers. Most of that is only at the Macy’s location, but not in the whole parade. I’m not sure how much of the “real” parade gets shown on TV outside the NY metropolitan area.
Are you a member of the Gym Dandies, and is that the group that will be performing? 56 is a huge number of giraffes, so it should look really cool!
Riding in those big parades is fun Especially on a giraffe in the snow!
Ya we are not sure if we will be on TV or not, we hope so though. There is like a star thing that is the preforming area and we have a little routine to do there.
Yep my brother and I are in the Gym Dandies. We have done parades with ~90 giraffes, but you have to be 12 or older to be in the parade so that cut down on the numbers and a lot of people couldn’t do it because they were going on vacations.
The production company I work for produces teh television coverage of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and has for the past 12 years. It’s not anything I work on but i know that we sent out releases to all the bands and groups that will be shown on television, have you and your group signed releases? If not your chances of being on the show are zero.
I’ll ask around on monday though, and see if you’re in the script
Here are some pics. from today’s practice:
http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=162827&g2_page=1
Nice!
What is a group of giraffes called? Is it a heard, or do we call them a wobble as well?
I noticed that everyone has helmets, kneepads and elbowpads. Is this required for your club or the parade or both? No gloves or maybe I just missed them…
You look great.
Cathy
…Surely it would be called a neck of giraffes?
D.
Ya. They buy you all your pads:elbowpads, kneepads, helmet, wristguards.
I don’t wear them unless they force me to. Like during parades and at this practice they were filming for the news.
So ya only a few more days till the parade. I am still interested in meeting up with some unicyclist after the parade. I especially want to try The Harper/Holm/HCR uber coker. (HRC please PM me)
Around here we have been on the news a lot lately. Here are 3 or 4 separate newscast edited into one video:
http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=163519
In the shot where the guy asks how you get on them I am the person in back behind Matt when we mount them . I have the orange helmet on.
P.S. you might need the DivX codex to view this video.
i think it should be called a smack
personally, i’d think it’d be easier to just call a group of UNICYCLISTS in general a wobble.
We are leaving tommrow at 5, Try to watch for us on TV it think its on NBC. 
The parade is on wednsday?
No we are leaving today and sleeping in a Hotel tonight, The Parade is Thursday.
Awesome - I will be looking for you all on Thursday
-Eric
There was an article in yesterday’s Portland Press Herald. I posted it here.
Good luck and have a great time. I’ll be watching from the warmth of my living room. 