Ok, so I decide to venture out in the village on my uni for the first time tonight. First off - rehearsals for our new play (practise figure of eight for level 2 in the hall - hey! I can turn right after all!).
Then down to the pub for a beer or several. I was interested to find out if several beers could discover the inner unicyclist in me and release all that latent balance and style.
They didn’t. I couldn’t even freemount.
Has anyone else suddenly found they could ride better with a beer or two used as relaxants? Or is it don’t drink and drive on one wheel?
I walked my uni home. (didn’t even get a good night kiss…)
This is one of those questions I think about a whole lot. In fact, I am very determined to get my freemounting down simply to enjoy riding the uni over to the bar and downing a few.
Unfortunetly, this may be a long way off–anytime I had more than a couple, I discovered that I was doing the UPD song and dance far more than I would have liked.
Tonight, I had 2 glasses of wine, went out for a bit of uni practice, and rode like crap. OK, I did not fall or UPD, but I was wobbly and I kept stopping myself because my balance felt wierd.–It’s like drinking then swimming, it was just slightly fucked up…
Maybe because much of unicycling has to do with balance (and we know that there is a reason the cops will ask you to walk the white line if they stop you while driving and you look like you’re drunk)that it’s one of those activities that does better with a clear straight edge. Perhaps the more experienced unicyclers out there will tell you that with more miles, you can eventually drink and ride. I hope so–beers and MUni seem like an excellent combination, but maybe it’s foolish.
Now caffine–that’s a whole other story! If I’m properly caffinated (where is Jolt Cola when you need it!)I feel at one with the wheel! I feel like Doc Oct from spiderman2, with a unicycle attached to my spine instead of those tentecles.
Well, when you don’t add in my consistent freemount failures, that is…
Thoses experiences are pretty similar to mine. A couple of drinks, and it’s just easier to walk.
There was one time that stands out in my memory though. The poster formerly known as Sofa was over, and we had a few. That seemed to have no effect on his abilities, or at least from what I could see.
i’ve only once been too drunk to ride. In that instance walking was also difficult. I still gave it a try though and quickly found myself on the ground. Here’s a post with more info on that incident. http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=22656
I learned to ride with Brian aka Sofa and the first few times we went to practice there was alcohol involved. Not much mind you just a few beers but it was there none the less. Beer definetly does not hinder Brains ability to ride. At least on roads.
I was tempted to drink and ride last monday night (Natural Sciences Wine and Cheese… free cheese… and wine!) But I had a 1.5 mile ride home afterwards, uphill the whole way, with a laptop in my backpack… I skipped the wine. But not the cheese.
i can still ride my uni when I’m preddy pissed, i just really have to concentrate and bring myself down mentaly. but if i was wrecked bad then no way could i ride it. I guess I need more practice drinking and riding then.
I feel I can speak with some authority on the drinking and riding topic. I used to work in a bar which is about a 10 minute ride from my house. And at the end of each evening it was customary to imbibe a drinky poo or several. I usually found riding ok, if a little zig zaggey. If you don’t mind the occasional unexpected upd then it’s lots of fun. If you happen to find yourseld in an inebriated state on a unicycle my best advce would be to make it into a game in your head, relish the challenge of the whole situation. I used to encounter loads of scallies on my little wobbly jaunts which was wicked. As before I started riding my uni to and from work they would try and start fights etc. Or tell me to get a hair cut (I have quite long dreds). However when a unicycle enters the equation they seem to lose their aggressive streak and want to have a go on the uni. Which is fine by me, as they were usually in a similar state to me and when they tried to ride they would invariably land flat on their buttywocks. Or twat their shins on my nice spikey pedals…Much to my amusement. Riding home from the pub whilst eating a kebab also comes highly reccomended. Anyway enough talk of drunken antics. Farewell.
kit
All ye who need more practise combining unicycling and drinking you need to come to a few Uk weekend uni events, we specialise in the uni pub crawl, the uni chelidh with bar or bring your own and the lets all nip off to the pub for the evening. Lots of chance to practise.
Sarah
Yeah, I can ride my uni when I’m tanked. After a good chunk of alcohol (I don’t even remember most of the night, I sorta’ remember the unicycling), I decided to run for my unicycle and I just started riding away on this grassy field. I had to stop though when a friend decided that unicycling and drinking was a bad idea, and he tackled me to the ground to stop me from getting hurt.
ah man, i should drink more this thread reminds me of the old times, when every weekend wasa good ol adventure, and the time at my cottage. that’s it I’m goin drinkin.
I wouldnt ride a giraffe after more then 2 or 3 but a 24", no problem. When I was younger I always wanted to get pulled over and walk the line and I would do the cop something better and ride the uni. Luckily it never happened, punk ass kid I was. On another Definitely not PC note(kids dont try this at home) - but I been hangin and riding motorcycles with some friends and a typical warm summer night is riding to different bars for 1 or 2 at each place and I do not drink soda…really bad idea but nothing like doin 70 on 2 wheels on deserted streets by the water…
Last time I was tipsy enough to have my walking impaired, I rode 5 blocks home impeccably. It was easier than walking.
The best thing is that, if you need it to be, it’ll end up being an instantaneous sobriety test … “Officer, how could I be drunk? I’m riding a unicycle!”
What a great thread. Drinking and unicycling. I love it and only dream of the day I can ride well enough to do the pub crawl on my uni. Presently however, I have discovered a fine line. One beer and I loosen up just enough to ride much better than usual. Two beers and I can’t go 10 feet without a UPD. Practice, practice, practice.
I’ve read all the posts following my OP with great interest, and like almost any other thread asking for tips on how to pull off a particular move, the common denominator seems to be practice. So now I’m off to practice drinking.
