An Early Morning Ride

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From: "Naomi" naomi_sajeri [at] hotmail.com
Newsgroups: rec.sport.unicycling
Subject: An Early Morning Ride
Lines: 73
Date: Sun, 30 May 2004 01:18:27 +0100

I awake early this morning, rather too early really for the evening's
drinks
to have properly dispersed. The open window has allowed the noise to
disturb
me. An itinerant thrush has landed too near the ivy in the old apple
tree
and the blackbird that I know to be nesting there, vociferously chases
away
the thrush, along with what remains of my sleep.
......
I pick up the muni, and after locking the door I traverse the patio,
and
have surprisingly little trouble with the 5 steps that take me down to
the
rough path past the goldfishpond, and then up along the narrow pathway
up
the side of the garage. The frogs, as always are looking up, heads
sticking
out of the surface weed, a huge amphibious starry gazy pie. My progress
as I
brush past the japanese maple tree causes most of them to retreat below
the
surface. Only the tadpoles and pond skaters remain, gently rippling
the
water near the odd remnant of floating fish pellet that the goldfish
missed.
By the garage I negotiate the garden gate, closing it neatly behind me
and
after a few yards reach the smooth newly tarmaced pavement. Time to get
on
the unicycle/

My first problem: I lean against the gatepost to mount the unicycle,
having
long since given up any idea of freemounting the damn thing. The
curtains in
the flats across the road twitch again, as I knew they would, the old
lady
is on guard duty as usual ready to harangue those passers by who are
too
loud, or who drop litter near her bit of the tarmac. Slowly I push
off,
always a slightly tense moment, but I usually manage this without
falling
off these days, and I ride my way slowly down towards the railway. The
GPS
tells me I am going SSWest at about 4mph. It is quite fast enough for
me.
After some 150 yards I rest against the wall, not quite panting with
exhaustion, not quite ready to move on. The corner leading to the
path
alongside the railway is tight and I know I will have to carefully jerk
the
unicycle around it if I am not to UPD. I manage it quite well and
steer
down the narrow path trying to avoid the dog excrement and the slugs
and
snails that appear to view it as an excellent breakfast. A pair of
great
tits watch as, trying to avoid the last couple of slugs, I
unceremoniously
UPD, nearly demolishing the rotting fence on my right. But I land on my
feet
and am undamaged.

My first UPD of the day, and the GPS tells me I have already covered
close
on 250 yards. I suspect this is a crow flies measurement and so the
reality
will be more like 350 yards. One of the slugs looks to be past help
and I
lean sadly against the metallic green fence and briefly watch a fox on
the
railway embankment until the Virgin Express train scares it off.
Nothing
usually puts the slugs off their meal, except perhaps dry weather.
During
the winter this secluded pathway attracts the fly tippers, who throw
anything from mattresses to half eaten Macdonalds over onto the
embankment.
At this time of year though the luxurious growth of grasses, shrubs
and
ferns covers most of that which has been dumped, nature doing its best
to at
least hide, if not to repair the damage.


It is easy riding now, along the path by the railway, perfectly smooth
tarmac except for one tree root and a couple of manhole covers. I
steer
inexpertly but effectively round them and progress for some 300 yards
before
needing another rest. Then I ride another short stretch, but I am as
ever
too tired to reach the station and instead elect to walk home along the
bus
route. The postman gives me an odd look as I pass him by but otherwise
makes
no comment.
I again have no problems with the gate, the front gate this time, so
I
walk up the drive and back inside the house. I park the uni in the
hall
near to the juggling clubs, and wander back upstairs, contented and
tired,
to resume my sleep.


A good ride, slightly less than 1/2 a mile, with only one UPD


Naomi ;-) with a small apology to Mikefule.

--
Mill's Mess NEEDS gravity, it is probably what Newton invented it for.
But why, oh why, did he have to give us quite so much of it?

And a reply rescued from the Ether.

=========================================

From: "Carney Carney Kilian" carney_k [at] yahoo.com
Newsgroups: rec.sport.unicycling
References: YK9uc.329$5z1.317@newsfe6-win
Subject: An Early Morning Ride
Date: Sat, 29 May 2004 21:34:50 -0400


Great little story! It reminded me of when I wasn't trapped in the
the
Urban jungle of Toronto! Seems like you have a great place to do some
riding... although anything that isn't concrete and constantly full of
the
noise of traffic looks fantastic to me right now! Fortunately in 2
weeks
I'll be out of the city for a few months and living in a provincial park
in
Northern Ontario. Then I'll have some nice quiet areas, and beautiful
trails to advance my MUni skills. I hope you're learning continues to
progress... all the best.

Carney


--
john_childs - Guinness Mojo

john_childs (at) hotmail (dot) com
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And we can't forget Klaas' reply.

===========================================

From: (Klaas Bil)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.unicycling
Subject: An Early Morning Ride
Date: Mon, 31 May 2004 07:47:57 GMT

On Sun, 30 May 2004 01:18:27 +0100, "Naomi" wrote:

the GPS tells me I have already covered close
on 250 yards. I suspect this is a crow flies measurement and so the
reality
will be more like 350 yards.

Nice read. Sorry to disappoint you about the distance but it is
usually along track, because if this quote "A good ride, slightly less
than 1/2 a mile" was also based on the GPS reading when you were back
at the starting point, it would be 0 miles "as the crow flies".

Klaas Bil - Newsgroup Addict
--
be sure to remove the saddle and simply sit on the seat post. this is
far more comfortable - tennisgh22 on the comfort of Savage unis


--
john_childs - Guinness Mojo

john_childs (at) hotmail (dot) com
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