Pictures of your latest ride continued

Looks amazing. Most if the time I rode with an Even FR Trail backpack.

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So the goal was to do my first century on my 29", do a final or second last overnight trip of the year, and beat my record of 75km as my longest uni ride. I’ve got a stealth camping spot fairly close to home that was going to be home for the night followed by a pick up from my wife and lovely breakfast together at a local restaurant.

I set off from one end of the city and snaked through many of the parks and natural areas in my city, we’re lucky to have forest and plenty of greenspace within a close riding distance.

Sadly the day ended after 70km and I’m back home as I post this now. I had my saddle height a bit too high or not the right fit and started getting a massive pain in my left knee joint. As someone who’s got a history of overuse injuries from cycling, I don’t mess around with it and took the bus home instead of just powering through the last 30km.

I got to see many new to me trails today and it made many of the trails in the northern end of my metro area more accessible to me.

I’ve been dialing in my overnight kit for Unipacking and bikepacking and have it down to 23lbs with food and water. It was very nice to ride with today and I’m happy with what I got even if not what I planned

For you viewing entertainment, Ottawa Canada as the fall colours slowly come in:









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Great pictures! This is my favorite time of year, so nice to be out in it. 70k on 29er is pretty impressive (especially hauling your pack), how long did that take?

I’m surprised you don’t use a handlebar? Seems like everyone uses one, especially for crushing road miles.

Sorry you didn’t get your goal.

Getting a handlebar is in the works right now I’ve gotten Good at leading forward using the bumper and can average about 15 km an hour with the pack and 16 to 18 without it. I did have a handlebar previously but I sold it because I didn’t find a lot of benefit to it but I’m looking at getting one now because I feel like I’m finally at the skill level where I can make proper use of it after 2.5 years of riding.

This ride took me four and a half hours moving time, and 7 hours total as I was taking lots of breaks to admire the pretty scenery.

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I got a good lesson today that feels almost 10 years late (how long I’ve been uni riding).

I was getting really cross with my lack of skill on my G26er. Partly due to the shift from G36er and also my tendency to snap UPD when nervous.

I then said in frustration:

“Keep F****** Pedalling!”

Excuse my French :wink:

I then set off and kept that plan in mind.

It’s pretty basic and essential for all unicycling. But for geared I think this was the switch I needed to flip.

I rode past the moments where I’d be making myself UPD (is that a Planned Unplanned Dismount!?!)

It’s funny when the anger helps you shift up a gear, both physically and metaphorically :gear::grin:

Also. Love my G26er :heart:

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Thanks :grin:

A couple pics of today’s ride. (I did NOT clear the roots in the first photo.) :grin:


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Riding the Javelina Trail north of Prescott. There is a well developed trail system built specifically for Mountain bikes. With all the off-camber turns and loopy path, I find this dovetails in with Muni riding. The Javelina trail, which is the old Peavine Railroad bed, is the backbone of the system, so many options are open to explore the forest.

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That was one heck of a UPD in the first photo…That must of hurt!!

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You bet it was!
I imagine there are some riders out there that could wiggle out of that though.

My oldest, most generic, least inspiring unicycle. Yet somehow the one I find myself reaching for the most these days…

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Spent the long weekend with a stay at Campbelltown NSW Australia… Quest hotel…the hotel accepts dogs (in the room with us - me, my wife and two sons) so good!..

Anyways across the road is the Leumeah Skate Park and Pump Track - really good fun on the KH29 with 127mm crank setting.

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Fifteen miler today - all in high gear. Only one UPD.

From Bath to Warmley Waiting Room and back. Great day, nice and sunny but cool weather, and being a Monday not as busy as at the weekend. It was challenging but never overly so :gear:


I have got to say I am so in love with the schlumpf ride feel - it’s just sooo different — and my legs now feel like they’ve climbed a super high mountain :mountain_snow: :muscle:

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I’m back in Greyton with my peeps for a week and it was great to get out for an early morning ride and meet some locals…

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A lovely two hour early morning ride around the village

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Back in 2017, yesterday was only a dream.

But yesterday, I completed the longest and most fun Muni/off-road ride yet and with my favorite riding partner.

My son and I went to a local nature preserve https://www.trailforks.com/region/rowlett-creek-preserve-19612/ that is home to 16 miles of mountain bike trails. We road 5 miles, and had a great time.

He rode my 27.5” Oracle, and I road my 24” Muni with 160mm cranks. To say he was/is faster than me is an understatement. He can spin the wheel really quickly, and hits smaller roots like they aren’t there. My hat goes off to those of you that think to stop, smell the roses, and take photos or video along the way. The attached photo shows us at the very start of the trail system, and one of the features we encountered during the ride. My son hit the feature at speed, made it right up the front side, and then down the steep backside, without any issues at all. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. At the beginning of the ride, he was treating the Oracle like a pogo stick and getting the wheel 18 inches off the ground.

When we got back to the car, my shirt was soaked with sweat all the way to my waist. His shirt was dry on the front, and had a small strip that was wet between his shoulder blades.

Lastly, I am starting to wonder if it might be safer (for everyone) if I/we ride in the opposite direction of the mountain bikers when on trails such as this. That would technically mean that we would travel in the designated “hiker/backpacker” direction, but it would allow me to see mountain bikers coming so that I can move out of the way. Currently, I have to listen for the bikers, and it is not always obvious to them that a unicycle will be in their way once they round the upcoming curve.

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This is where a small red flasher on the back would help them recognize you.

I thought about that, but the vegetation is so thick that they don’t see us, and we (I. I apparently have “old man ears”) don’t hear them, until they are 20 yards/meters away. Nothing dangerous, but they do have to slow down.

I will definitely try the red flashing light, like I use at night, especially when I ride there by myself in the future. My son can hear them coming, and calls out to me, “Bike, Bike!”.

I’m not deaf, but I apparently can’t hear the frequency that mountain bike freewheel hubs click at. :laughing:

Totally agree on bikes coming up behind you. Some dh trails near me are both ways but even still the trail runs too fast for me to feel comfortable going down at uni speed. Maybe I need another set of eyes round back