Hey so today I was working on riding the 10ft giraffe unicycle at circus training. I’m pretty confident on the 5ft giraffe there and feel ready to move up. I know ideally I would be riding a 7ft or even 6ft and slowly work my way up but unfortunately I do not think I have access to one in working condition. The method for learning we went with was having someone with a crash mat ready to go a few revolutions away from my support, my goal was to ride to them before dropping whilst they threw the crash mat beneath me. For all intensive purposes it worked. I only took about 2 falls to the cement and being young I didn’t sustain any serious injury’s. However it still feels reasonably sketchy and I would like to be able to train this somewhat regularly without being severely injured. I was wondering if anyone knows the method used by people riding the big 13ft 14ft and beyond unicycles? How do they train safely and sustainably? do they just not fall? or is there a technique or facility to make it safer?
Thank you, any ideas to improve my safety when training are appreciated, or even just any tips from the experienced giraffe riders out there.
I have a single time riding a giraffe. Not tips from me. Just a warm welcome to the forum.
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Do you happen to be acquainted to a crane operator…?
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Welcome to the forum. I do believe there are some giraffe riders here. I once, at a uni event sat on a giraffe. Not very tall, but still a giraffe. I found it to scary to push off from the wall. Big respect riding such tall machines!
cheers, they are good fun once your up there mostly for the reactions. People are amazed by everything you do up there even if its as simple as a few revolutions backwards. I have found the hardest part is getting used to the idea of leaning less but once you understand the difference it is rather easy to ride.
Thanks for the ideas.
sounds like we are at a similar level of riding on 5ft/6ft, I can juggle up there but never learned to free mount.
I will try and think off where I could rig up a line to hold 
, for now the mat seems to be working and I can ride in a straight line for a while. The current goal is to be able to ride away from the support then turn around (either riding in a circle or idling to rotate) and make it back to the support.
I would recommend learning the giraffe on a planet with much less gravity. 
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yeah I can ride backwards and juggle (clubs) in an idle on the 5ft, I think pirouettes would be awesome up there soon just gotta figure out how to go from a tight spin into a full pirouette on my normal height uni first. wish you the best of luck with your knee. I will say I live life to the limits cause I know one day my body won’t be able to put up with what it used to. I hope you can live vicariously through us young daredevils 
Taking drops from the 10ft unicycle to cement just feels like years being taken away from my knees and ankles down the track. part of why I’m so keen to come up with a safer way to ride.
I really hope u find a fun pass time for the summer. its winter down here in Australia right now, I’m looking forward to warmer less wet days ahead
Nasa: “We’re sending a giraffe and a unicyclist to the moon!”
People: “Pretty random, and wouldn’t the giraffe not fit on the spacecraft?”
Unicyclist: “It will fit, and I will give it my seatbelt, and bring a ton of spare parts, and not let it out of my sight, and hold it the entire time.”
People: “Spare parts, like prosthetic limbs? And how will you carry it?”
Unicyclist: “Giraffes don’t have limbs. And it is easy to carry! Only weighs about 20 pounds!”
People: “Of course giraffes have limbs! And they weigh over 200 pounds!”
Unicyclist: “Then prove it! What does the giraffe have to say?”
Giraffe (What unicyclist sees): roll roll
Giraffe (What people see): munching on leaves
People and Unicyclist: “See, I was right!”
Nasa: 
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