I haven’t thrown my uni “yet”, but I can’t say that the thought hasn’t crossed my mind
Seriously, unicycling IS impossible, so how much should we sweat the little stuff. I feel no lessening of my manhood when I walk something.
And about that heat, it is a definite “killer” when it comes to endurance and performance. We have it bad out in the Southeast this time of year, 90f+ temps and 70-80%, not something to laugh at, makes me want to hide in the house and wait until Fall.
Go riding first thing on Sunday morning, 7/8am, it’ll be so much cooler and that little bit of humididty will feel nice.
+1
Doesn’t get too humid here but it can get over 105 F.
I get out as early as I can, but I’m not much of a morning person. Ideally I’d get to the trail, hike up and get to the top as soon as I could see where I’m going, right now, that’d be ~ 6am. Usually I can only get up early enough to get to the top of the trail by 8 or 9.
I have found a couple of days off has a really positive effect when I do get back on. It could be that my body is telling me I need to rest, if only to come back stronger and refreshed
i havent ridden in a few weeks due to work and side hobbies, and the heat and bad rides. i rode a few days ago and it kicked my ass rode 4 miles and was fried i felt like crap and still do.
Alright, first off, thanks everyone for their thoughts. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one to go into a slump.
Went out today and had overcast skies and cooler temps to deal with.
The good news is that I’m back! Today was definitely an up day, and I was able to ride everything. Checked out a new trail system, and had a blast. Planning to head back up tomorrow for some more fun.
@Alucard: Often when I ride hard stuff (and especially long climbs) I am totally pants too – as in I can’t catch my breath!
@Killian: Glad to hear you’re over the slump and back on your game.
Like many have already said, some days it’s easy and other days it’s hard. On those days when muni is especially hard for me, I walk the really tough stuff that I can often ride on the easy days. I still find joy riding the easier stuff, knowing that I have ridden the tough stuff in the past, and will do it again – when I’m having a good day. I think it’s best to not push things too hard when things are not coming together. Better to walk than crash and break something (muni or me).
And on the tough days I focus on enjoying the flow while zipping along the easier parts.
BTW, where’s this new trail system to which you refer? Even though you have 10x the stamina of me, due to me having 3x the years of you – I’d like to head North and ride with you again this Fall, once the Utah weather cools a bit more.
The trail system is up around Snowbasin. It’s new to me, not the area. It’s midmountain so already a bit cooler than in the valley, yesterday was great.
Just enough rain this morning though to make me wonder if going back up is a good idea. Don’t wanna get there and end up swamped in mud…
Rode today for the first time at an actual bike park. They built this thing up a year or two ago and looking at their facebook page, it looked SICK! Some awesome dirt jumps, a pump track, berms.
I got up there though, and when I tried their green line, I couldn’t keep my act together long enough to get a good run. I must have ate shit like 30 times, and all in front of some really good riders.
It has been the single most demoralizing day of Muni I’ve had since I was very first starting out.
Sometimes I don’t know why the hell I even do it…
Not looking for pity or anything, just saying that some days, I really hate this sport, even though I can’t live without it.
I have rides like these often. For me the wind is the biggest spoiler. I am on a 36" with short cranks. When starting out it seems like a good day only to find that there is too much wind so the steering is difficult. To top it off, after a fall i got ridiculed by an elderly couple on electric bikes .
Sometimes those downs, keep me from riding for a few days, or even weeks. Then I get out there, and ride again. Then I remember why I started this in the first place…cause it is just flat awesome! We get to ride a UNICYCLE!!! Other poor souls have crappy days without the pleasure of being blessed to do what we do!
I visited the local skate park a month ago. It was a frustrating experience: I was lacking many of the skills necessary to utilize the various features of the park. There were these skater dudes there who were acting like they owned the place, and I felt like I was crashing their party. The skating surfaces were slippery, which didn’t help. Most of the drops were outside my comfort level. I think it was the context that created my frustration, not because I was failing to progress or that I was a lousy unicyclist.
Killian, it sounds like you are trying a bunch of new stuff, and some of it is making you feel frustrated…which is better than trying the ‘same’ stuff and getting bored. As long as you’re not bored, everything is all right.
I guess you have to keep uni in context. Clearly, even hardcore muni will never really have its place in a MTB park (they’re there for speed, which we can’t achieve). So it’s probably better to do it in places where it makes sense. Take a MTB on a formula one strip, that’s going to be super frustrating too!
Funny, there is an entire sequence about that in Dan Eaton’s Revolution One.
Killian and others… actually, it is nice to hear about the emotions that you all have learning this difficult skill. It reminds me that everyone has difficulties. It makes this whole uni thing bearable because, to tell you the truth, I’ve contemplated hanging it up at times. I was out in the driveway the other day wondering what the hell I was doing… it was getting dark and cold… and I couldn’t hit anything. Then all those thoughts came into my head like, “I’m too old for this” … “it’s a waste of time” … “too difficult.”
When I shared this with my oldest (who is quite good) he reminded me of how far I had come in such a short time — from clutching the side of the car hanging on for dear life to riding backwards, jumps, etc.
So…thanks for sharing… it helps to know we’re all in the same boat.
After many months on a 24 inch I have recently started riding a 26.
The 24 is nimble, responsive and fun to ride. The 26 is quite different with a wider rim and bigger tyre. I like going that bit faster and being able to roll over the rough but it takes a lot more concentration especially on the downhills with that extra momentum in the wheel.
There are places I can’t even ride it that were originally quite challenging on the 24 but I had eventually conquered them. It isn’t fun having to dismount and walk but I have already had a couple of falls and it has affected my confidence a bit.
Sometimes I think I should just give up and just stay on the 24.
But then I remember how I struggled to ride those places before and how uni is supposed to be a challenge. I’m determined to keep at it.
The difference between a good day and a bad day could be a few factors. Having fresh legs, warming up properly, uncluttered mind, and not a full stomach just right after. Especially true when learning somthing new, like climbing my herbivore beast. IM done with that beast today. My mind is wondering off to the other beast out in the wooded trees.
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