Monday, May 3, 2010

Uni-fied Friday

Although I had a busy weekend full of two-wheeled goodness, it didn’t start out that way. Even though I mentioned that I might head on over to the U.S. National Whitewater Center to ride a few laps on The Big O, my plans changed. I also told you I might take the mountain uni over to Sherman Branch, and that’s just what I did.



As I got ready to hit the trail, I got some pretty strange looks. People were staring like I was some kind of circus freak, which was understandable since I was about to go ride a unicycle. Maybe next time I’ll start juggling to complete the look. Anyway, I hopped on my one-wheel monster, made sure the trail was clear, and took off. This was gonna be so much fun.


I took off slowly, navigating the bumps, roots, and rocks with ease (at first.) It’s been a while since I’ve dedicated a whole ride to the uni, and I was quickly reminded of that after about five minutes on it. I was beat tired already, and my heart was racing like it does during the start of the Summer Series. This was gonna be a good workout, since I haven’t really had much uni-practice over the winter.


I didn’t do too bad, keeping a decent pace and not falling off too much. Falls are commonplace (or at least they are with me), so I was happy to be moving along. I did stop quite a bit to catch my breath though; which gave me time to let the two-wheeled crowd pass me by. Most of the time they would give the usual statements, like “Hey, that looks crazy!” and other assorted unoriginal comments. I would usually reply back with, “Wanna race?” or “Hey, do you wanna try it?” No one took me up on my offer. Too bad.



I realize that this may not sound too interesting to the non-uni crowd, but I really enjoy it. The peace and tranquility I get riding on one wheel through the woods can’t be beat. It’s a great way to clear your head, not to mention the exceptional workout that goes with it. Riding a uni is probably three times harder than riding a bike on the same trail, so I thought that this might be a better way to wear my legs out. I was right. I’m still hurting from it, but it’s all good.


If you don’t ride a uni, then that’s too bad. If you like other bicycle crap and nonsense, then come back tomorrow to see what kind of “other” adventures I got into over the weekend. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. Well, you might, but that can be fixed. Just lower your standards. It works for me.

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