Intro - Learning to ride

Hi all,

Today, for the first time, I rode my 20" Torker 200 feet unassisted. It
was a 3 hour session altogether, and I had quite a few shorter runs (50
to 100 feet) and also started practicing free-mounting.

Here's my history - I had somewhere around 8 or 10 hours of assisted
riding practice before today. I had become quite accomplished at riding
around a parking lot holding my boyfriend's hand while he ran along
beside me. But my learning curve plateaued there; I couldn't progress.
He finally suggested I try launching myself off of a stationary object.
So today I took his advice, and made huge progress. Before today, the
furthest I'd gone unassisted was about 30 feet. I went WAY further
today, and was WAY more consistent in my efforts.

I'm very excited, and can't wait to get back out there later this
weekend to see if I can do it again. I've lurked here a bit for a couple
of months, but was waiting until I could actually say 'I can ride'
before joining.

OK, I've got a long ways to go (being able to turn - intentionally-
would be a plus), but I'm certainly closer to being a rider than I was
this morning. Glad to join this forum, lots of inspiration here.

Cheers,
Araz


--
zuni
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Congratulations zuni!

It is great to hear that you have conquered z uni! Good luck and happy
wheeling.

(great username!)


--
Chrashing

Regards,
Chrashing
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Congratulations Araz!

I know the feeling--I could not believe my first 200 feet, it felt like
the greatest thing in the world! Then again, so did my first 100 feet,
my first 50 feet, first 30 feet, first 10 feet, first foot! Unicycling
is so totally rewarding, even if progress is slow, there is nothing like
the UNIcycle's own UNIque set of accomplishments...

For example, I can now ride around pretty well, I can make wide turns
and I only stop when I decide to--however, I could never freemount, I
was always using streetlamps, fences, etc to launch from.

Until today! Finally, I freemounted! Only once, but wow, was it an
excellent feeling! I can't wait to do it again!

Like yourself, I too am now certainly closer to being a rider than I was
this morning. A great feeling!

Cheers, and lots of luck with your continuing progress!

Steve


--
dogbowl - Level 0.75--still can't freemount

"Got an urge, got a surge, and it's out of control now. Uncontrollable
urge I want to tell you all about it." --DEVO
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welcome!

To be honest, I wish I could unlearn all my years of unicycling just so
I could repeat that feeling of jumping from 30 feet to 300. Its simply
fantastic. Congrats on the progress, I'm sure your boyfriend will be sad
that you don't need to lean on him anymore

Keep us posted on how you're doing, the forum loves getting beginners to
join.

-grant


--
tennisgh22 - Haha you fool

The word gullible is written above my avatar!
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Congratulations!! What a great feeling that is,I remember it well. I've
been riding alot of years,but until recently have just never tried to
further my skills,mainly because I don't know anyone else who rides so I
have been on my own since day one. I just started trying to ride
backwards and idle this weekend. So hopefully I'll get to experience
that feeling of accomplishment again. I just ordered a uni for my son
who will turn 10 on Wed. He's been wanting to try for a while,so he'll
get his chance soon. I can't wait to see his face when he gets the uni
and then when he gets those first few unassisted pedals in.
Mike


--
Mike Rojas
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Grant,
That is a great signature!


--
Mike Rojas
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Mike Rojas wrote:
*Grant,
That is a great signature! *


thanks, you're the first one to compliment me on it. its amazing how
creative you can be at 3:45 in the morning when you decide you need a
new signature...

-grant


--
tennisgh22 - Haha you fool

The word gullible is written above my avatar!
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awesome! Hey, if yer tryin' to turn, i would suggest turning yer upper
body, and letting yer lower body follow, or or just doing lots of little
twists (this method would work better on gravel, tho)


--
gasmaster - level 4 unicyclist

Real men only need 1 wheel.
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Zuni-

How did it feel to ride 100 meters today unassisted? How's your
freemounting coming along? I heard your boyfriend was showing off and
tried to jump over your unicycle but landed on the rim and tacoed the
wheel for you. Does riding a wonky wheel interfere with the learning
process? I would make the boyfriend buy you a brand new unicycle if he
turned yours into a POS.

Weight on the seat, breathe, look forward, round pedal strokes, don't
chicken out, fall off. The next goal you reach will be the one at 1/4
mile where you have to get off because your legs give out. You're a
rider. I'm surprised Klaas Bil isn't clamoring for your statistics.

Say hi to Ned for me if you see him this week.


--
harper - Fountainhead

-Greg Harper

B L U E S H I F T

"You go through life and you choose." - Greg Harper

"Find weak people and take stuff from them" - Greg Harper
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zuni wrote:
*Today, for the first time, I rode my 20" Torker 200 feet unassisted.*
that's one more of us and one less of them
tennisgh22 wrote:
*To be honest, I wish I could unlearn all my years of unicycling just
so I could repeat that feeling of jumping from 30 feet to 300. Its
simply fantastic. *
very true
it's a hypothetical question but how many riders would?
(semi-seriously)


--
GILD - Waffle-tosser (ocfopgm)

If you can't say anything good about someone, sit right here by me.
-- Alice Roosevelt Longworth
'[image: http://www.addis-welt.de/smilie/smilie/sp/84255.gif]'
(http://tinyurl.com/ywxgb)
Namaste!
Dave
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