Quote of the day (from non-riders)

General
9189

I didn’t really know where to put this so I put this here.
I visited a GP this morning and she wanted me to get my blood collected for testing so she wrote a referral for me.
She noted that the nearest pathology clinic was at the other side of the train line but I didn’t know where the clinic was, and so I pulled out my phone to google it to find the location.

Trying to assist, she said to me, “Did you come here by car?” I said, “No, I came here by Unicycle.”
I’m pretty sure she would not have expected that as my response!

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9190

The other day, I was doing standup Koosh Koosh, and one of the guys walking by said “Have my kids”. It took me a minute, but that one cracked me up.

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9191

I cycled past this guy on a bike, and in his surprise and muddle of trying to express two thoughts said,

“ you’re missing half a wheel”

I laughed so much…quietly

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9192

Kind of long but a bit funny. we have a new employee here that just moved here from California, he is a long-time skateboarder, we were talking today, and he commented that he has watched me a few times when I ride at lunch, he said he was impressed with some of the moves I was doing. I told him that mostly when I stay right there I am just doing some balance maneuvers to help me in the trails, then he said and I Quote
Hey with all do respect I think your pretty dam good but aren’t you a little old to be doing that kind of stuff. I bout fell over laughing :laughing:

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9193

Pot and kettle!!

9194

The other day someone saw me on my UW and asked me, “Can you really ride that thing?” I’ve heard this twice now in my life, and both times I was too dumbfounded to respond with the appropriate sarcasm. Some people think about how they could’ve won arguments differently in the shower, I think about how I could’ve quipped at random people on the street. :pensive:

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9195

Give 'em an “Anyone can!”.

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9196

No, I haven’t. I can freemount (spelling?) now. I can get in the seat, and get both feet on the pedals. However, it starts falling forwards before I can start pedaling.

I have overcome my fear of falling off the unicycle. That was a big accomplishment for me. Unfortunately, due to my enability to ride my unicycle, I have become discouraged, and the unicycle has been mothballed. :frowning:

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9197

Heyyyy haven’t seen you in a while. Good to see you again.

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9198

Thanks. :blush:

9199

A reported conversation, rather than something I heard myself…
A lady from the church where I’m the minister told me she was in a café when someone came in and said, “I’ve just seen a man fall off a unicycle”. “Oh, that’s the vicar”, says the church lady - with total confidence and such enthusiasm!
Not sure I want to be known as ‘the guy who falls off unicycles’, and I wish I could have told her she was wrong, but I know exactly when it must have been, and I did go right over. Taught me not to ride a 36" with a laptop in a shoulder bag that slips down - I tried to adjust it on the move and lost balance. Fortunately thanks to knee pads and gloves only my pride was damaged.

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9200

Sorry to hear that. I had a look at your profile and it looks like you are learning on a 26" uni. May I suggest getting a 20" uni if you haven’t got one already. They are much lower to the ground, and are much slower to ride, so it’s beginner friendly. You’ll probably start riding really soon!
Also I made a load of progress as a beginner in 1 session when I went to a flat place with a long railing and paved ground where I could slide my hand along the top of the railing and ride right next to it (it was right by a ferry wharf). I was able to make a huge amount of progress by riding there and I felt completely safe and supported too. Got lots of positive comments too by people at the ferry wharf! :slight_smile:

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9201

Thanks for the advice. :slightly_smiling_face: Unfortunately, I have already done all of that. Sometimes, I can go a wobbly few feet without support, but it doesn’t last long at all. Even on my 20 inch wheel. :disappointed_face:

The shocking part has been, that the public seems to be blown away with the fact that I tried. One lady even said, “Even if that’s all you’re able to do, that alone is impressive.”. Still… I would love to be able to ride. My unicycle was supposed to be my solution to combat my sedentary lifestyle.

9202

Hmm. No real other advice here sorry. I assume there is nothing wrong with the unis you have, the crank lengths are suitable for a learner etc.

I think most people can ride a uni if they apply themselves. It takes some people a while longer to learn than others, and some other people are just really good at balance exercises and need next to no time at all to learn.

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9203

be patient! it took me two months to just be able to ride 10 meters :smirk:

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9204

I guess this isn’t really a quote from non-riders as my wife Terez does ride one wheels.

But while she follows my unicycle obsession with interest, she didn’t quite hear the terms used right it transpired, as she mentioned in conversation:

“So when you take your cardboard rimmed unicycle to unicorn…”

Needless to say the conjured up a funny image

:package: :unicorn:

:joy:

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9205

And it does, even if you don’t master unicycling as well as you’d like.

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9206

Well, you have all convinced me to get back on the unicycle. Showing signs of improvement already, but it is still too soon to know if it goes anywhere.

At least I am excited about trying again. :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

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9207

That makes me happy, Ravenkeep!

I was hoping you would make that decision.

Now, I can pass along one piece of advice/wisdom that was given to me by my 16-year old son on a day when I kept bailing after 20 feet. I felt like I just wasn’t ever going to “get it”.

He let me know that I wasn’t allowing myself to get it. He said, “You are the one keeping yourself from learning. You’re just scared.” (This cut deeper than I think he realized.). “You can do it! But, you need to want to!”

Then, he walked away, picked up his unicycle, mounted and rode down the street to the stop sign, turned right, and didn’t stop.

He left me to figure it out on my own, after he had given me every pointer he had.

The next day, I rode 100 yards for the first time.

That is why my profile name is Uni2ONE2. (Say it out loud, with the emphasis on the ONE).

I’m looking forward to reading your post in the “Today I Brag” thread.

By the way, I learned to ride a unicycle in 2018 in my late 40’s, after a spinal cord injury and two spine surgeries that required me to go to physical therapy to learn to walk correctly again, and gain back my proprioception (your brain knows where your body parts are, and can adjust accordingly).

I realize I don’t know your history, so I am really hoping I didn’t step over the line too far and do the “If I can learn, then everyone can.” thing.

I, and many others on this site I am sure, am hoping to hear successful updates from you in the future!

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9208

Thanks for the encouragement. :slightly_smiling_face: Oh, if I can finally ride my unicycle with confidence, you will see a new topic with the video footage of it. Several people in my area want video proof that I can ride. LOL :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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