This isn’t about nailing 1080 unispins or doing trials at Moab. No, this is the topic celebrating the Small Awesome (a proper noun) that comes with being an everyday unicyclist.
How do you incorporate being a unicyclist into the more mundane parts of your life? What boring facets of the day do you bring some one-wheeled spice to?
For me, during the month that aren’t covered in snow, I tend to throw a 20" in the passenger seat of my car and bring it to work with me. Lately I’ve been going to lunch at a place a few blocks away, which gives me an excuse to ride around a bit in the middle of the day. They’re starting to recognize me as “the unicycle guy” and I’m ok with that.
I wish I could do that. I live 30 miles from my office. I guess I could just leave really early…
I have run errands around town on my 36" before, including grocery shopping and going through the drive-thru at my bank. They seemed to really enjoy it.
I’m ashamed to say that on the windier days I’ve ridden my 2-wheeler, but I’d say 90% of my commuting is done by uni! Absolutely love it, it never gets boring
There is no shame is biking, I actually take the bus most of the time but have been pretty good at commuting about twice a week by unicycle for the last month of so. It’s only about 5km but a nice little workout when you are a bit out of practice and in high gear.
As a runner, I needed something to do on my rest days. Enter the Uni. Averaging about 20km weekly and definitely enjoy it more than the running these days. Teaches good focus skills and so much fun you forget you are exercising.
Trying to learn to free mount up a hill on Saturday on tired legs…well the doc put 10 stitches in my shin an hour later. Shin guards bought and raring to go again!
Nearly spat my morning tea across my computer from the unexpected laugh. That was an unexpected answer. Please post a video!
For me it is running. I find running sooooo boring. My speed on a unicycle is close to running speed. Some people choose to run to stay fit, I choose to unicycle.
The bus isn’t an option for me - My job is one of those places where it’s fairly close geographically but to get there on a bus would need at least two buses and still require a good half-mile walk. I could probably walk to work in the time it’d take me to take a bus Even cycling there requires a slightly out-the-way route (If I could ride as the crow flies I’d probably do half the distance…)
The bike is mostly reserved for when the wind is so bad it’s simply not safe to unicycle. Sometimes when the rain is really bad I’ll grab it too, as it has mudguards and I can wear my SPD’s with fancy rain shoe covers - Because I’m biking in such crap weather I still feel as hardcore as if I’d uni’d it!
working.
That may look strange but it’s exact: I muni along the trails and part of my mind thinks about my projects and tries to find new ideas (or very simple things in my ‘todo’ list) - that’s also why I have strange UPDs for no apparent reason … my mind has been wandering too much.
I’m the same way, also with running. I tend to do a lot of creative activities and when I’m zoning out running or riding a unicycle I have amazing ideas.
And that’s exactly when I tend to hit the pavement.
My workshop is in a small estate full of other units. They all share a toilet block at the far side. The uni is perfect for toilet trips or getting supplies from the other units.
Also where i live is incredibly flat so the mountain biking is boring. Doing the same trails on a uni certainly make things harder
(I mentioned this in another thread.) Walking the dog is nice while unicycling. I thought it would be difficult, but it’s actually not too hard and much more fun than on foot.
I also occasionally talk on the phone (but never when riding in the street).
I also like to chat with my good friend, who is the only other unicycle rider I know. I’m not sure our conversations while not riding are exactly mundane, but it’s certainly more fun to ride and chat.
Got that right! Good folks are very hard to find these days! Sadly, I’m reminded of that all the time, even this very day regarding an incident with a very close friend. Sad stuff!
