A few days ago I was riding through the back streets of North Fitzroy (an inner city suburb in Melbourne, Australia).
A couple of rednecks (we have them down here as well) drove up next to me and went through the usual litany … where’s the other wheel? etc. then, onto ‘can you do that with no hands ?’ - answer is smile and wave both hands. They then threw me by offering me a beer if I’d drink it while riding.
I’m still laughing.
Phil from Melbourne
gaudiem per insolentiam
You took them up on it didn’t you?
Nope, I’m a wimp. I don’t drink and ride (increases my already unsteady wobble too much).
I can handle a sugar rush from a coke and that’s about it when I ride.
Later on is another matter altogether (and I have the profile to prove it!)
Phil from Melbourne
Booze doesn’t seem to increase one’s ability in a balance-driven sport such as unicycling.
Go figure!
Although…any level 2 skills make you feel like a level 5 rider after a pint or two. Hmmm
‘Feeling’ like level 5 is good enough for me!
Beer affects one adversely in any sport, but uh, oddly enough, I do actually shoot pool better after a couple of beers.
And I’m actually much more attractive
That’s odd…
Yeah?
How can you tell?
Alcohol, when in a limited quanity, can help to relax you and help improve your skill. I’m just working on getting this limited quanity thing down…
Accord is right, after a beer or 2 your body relaxes and releases muscle tension, then gives it more movement and stability. But after a few more beers or any alchahol your brain loses the reaction time necasary to peak your skill level. But I don’t think you should drink(anyone.)
On a kind of different note:
The other day a boy('bout 10 or 11) walked up to me with a soda, shook it up as feircely as he could and asked me to ride my unicycle and open and drink the soda at the same time. I took the soda can got on my uni and carefuly opened a small part of the can letting it make a pffffffffffft sound then i rode off and drank it ever sooo merrily (to the childs dismay no soda was spilt, at all). The sprite was 10x better because i had got it for free, and from a kid that wanted to get soda on me.
-Eric:D
Hmmmm…
Sounds somewhat more like a cure for constipation than a tonic to improve one’s unicycling.
I have never known alcohol to improve my response times or reflexes (OK, OK! Yeah, the gag reflex was enhanced, but it didn’t help my balance.)…
I suspect that alcohol does enhance one’s ability to bullshit oneself into thinkin’ one is doin’ real good…
WOOPS!
Owww!
Re: Odd (but friendly) encounter
gluteous maximus wrote:
> I have never known alcohol to improve my response times or reflexes
Me neither, but I know that Richard Loxley only ever tries to juggle 5 balls
after a couple of drinks, because that’s when he finds he’s relaxed enough
to get somewhere with it.
–
Danny Colyer (remove safety to reply) ( http://www.juggler.net/danny )
Recumbent cycle page: http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/recumbents/
“He who dares not offend cannot be honest.” - Thomas Paine
Re: Re: Odd (but friendly) encounter
I’m just the same. I’d never try to juggle five balls when I was sober.
I’ve also noticed how drivers gain the confidence and relaxation to perform faster and more complex overtaking manoeuvres after a couple of drinks. 