First photo is from today. I don’t know exactly why, but when some thunders started, but it was still sunny, I decided that it is a time for a short ride on my giraffe. Maybe just because they say that high, pointy objects attract the lightning Don’t worry nothing really happend as thunderstorm passed to the side.
Second photo is for a story from a few days ago. I got an UPD at over 20km/h (23 if I should guess). I was riding fast on a bike path and when I was just about to enter the crossroads a lady with a stroller came out on my left. I successfully dodged her, but I was not fully in control and some uneven part of the crossroad made me fly forward. My uni stopped on one lane, I passed another one doing some giant leaps and seriously considering rolling onto the pavement, when finally I stopped sliding my shoes on the pavement. First hit was so hard on my leg that both heel and hip hurt me. Heel stopped in a moment, but hip continued for two days with a similar feeling as I would have fallen onto it directly. I was so shaked that I haven’t noticed what happend to my uni until some maintenance yesterday. As you can see on the photo brake handle was bent and cracked on the bend.
I’m fairly proud of this. Rode up to the Frary peak trail head on Antelope Island. It’s steepr than hell, and I did have to stop a few times from loss of momentum. However, I didn’t walk a single section, and rode the entire thing. It was tough on 114’s, but I’m ordering some 150’s soon.
I feel like the sign says it all. Not quite Aspen Mike or Bungee Joe status, but a personal achievement.
Had my first long ride on the new Titan this morning. Went 21 miles on the Katy Trail in Missouri. It took just over 3 hours. I had 9 UPDs, but no real crashes.
A couple things I learned:
Road camber has greater effect on 36" than smaller wheels, and the direction of pull is (counter-intuitively) up-grade.
The biggest limiting factor was crotch discomfort–late in the ride I had to dismount about every mile because of this. (Naomi Impact saddle should be delivered Monday, so hopefully that’ll help.)
Other riders were almost unanimously excited to see me and were very complementary (especially the “serious” bikers wearing kits, who I guess must appreciate it more than casual riders).
Due to fatigue, mounting becomes harder as the ride progresses. And if I missed the first attempt, it’d get up in my head and the odds of missing the 2nd attempt would increase.
Edit to add one more: Mad props to the guys who do centuries.
Taking a short rest at an interesting rock feature:
A small town in wine country:
This was a planned crotch break on an old truss railroad bridge:
I was all excited this morning to have a couple hours free to ride my 36. The first time I had time to ride that wasn’t a lunch hour. I just have to be back by 9 so we can go to a parade.
I wake up at 6, grab a quick breakfast and head out on the Eastern Trail that runs by our house. My plan was to only free mount the beast so it becomes second nature. After a few attempts the bugs start nipping at me. This makes success even harder so I mount using my car and head off. This new Coker rides great. Very smooth. The next thing I notice is how easy it cruises up the small hill onto the bridge across the river. Both my 29 and 36 have 150’s on them and it is much easier on the 36 to climb this little hill. Coming back I made it up the hill on the other side of the bridge. It is a little steeper and I had never made it on my 29.
So I am cruising along thinking about how nice the ride is and keeping one hand on my handlebar. I notice I have to lean to the right. I am thinking it is road camber. Then I start one of those forward falls you have to ‘run’ out. I start to ‘run’ it out then I realize I am going much faster than I like, but still not even close. Wham, into the ground. A good helmet smacking moderate speed crash. I get up. Love those pads. Just some bloody scrapes under my KH leg armor. My seat and handle bar are all askew. That is when I realize it is loose. I can move it back in place with my hands. Now I think that is why I was leaning to the right. The seat was slowly moving out of alignment. I try to tighten it but I could not get it tight enough. So as I ride the seat slowly moves, but more so when I take turns. So I head back to the car with several more slow speed UPD’s. I end up having to walk distances after the UPD’s as my free mounts really throw the seat out of alignment.
I end up getting home late for the parade. It was a frustrating ride and short ride (4 miles). I do like the speed. I almost passed some bikers until they saw me coming.
I am replacing my Coker seat post clamp with my Nimbus clamp to see if that works.
The photo is my 36 after attempting a pedal grab on the top railing of the bridge. The back ground is Scarborough Marsh, the largest salt Marsh in Maine, and the Eastern Trail. The Eastern trail is an off road section of a trail that runs from Kittery to South Portland,Maine (65 miles). Ok, the pedal grab might be a bit of an exaggeration.
I envy you, Jigywigy, living so close to the Eastern Trail. I wanted to try the trail last week when I was visiting family in Portland, but all I had time for was a couple times around the 3.5-mile Back Cove Trail loop, a brief but fun ride.
Fun 36er ride at Huntington beach today with old riding buddy Jim. We stopped at the world famous “Wedge” in Newport beach to check out the HUGE breakers, and were not disappointed! We’re planning to do a century together later this month. It will be Jim’s 1st and I think my 4th.
Closeup of wave above! Check out the body surfer to see how big that wave was!
What a surprise! Next time you are up let me know. I frequently ride Back Bay during my lunch from work. I am sure some people thought ‘There goes that unicyclist again’. Two would be awesome.
pics 1 & 2: Getting familiar with the KH Slim saddle for long distance riding - its curved and its hard
Pic 3: What, me use skin lubricant! Na, that’s for the boys. Oops what’s that hanging out of my Camelbak :o
Saturday morning, June 8, 2013, picture for the Bellingham Muni Weekend. One more unicyclist caught up with us on the trail. 19 unicycles completed the morning ride.
Just wanted to say THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT! Had some FANTASTIC riders here this weekend. EVERYONE won a special place in my heart. Hated to say good by to any of you that came out to ride. YOU ALL MADE IT WORTH WHILE. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Don’t worry nothing really happend as thunderstorm passed to the side.
