Cross Country Unicyclist

I did a search and saw no reference to this fellow, Patrick Thomas. He
is riding cross country from San Francisco to New York. I posted the
story in the articles thread, but thought someone riding 3,000 miles
alone deserved their own thread.

[edit]Apologies to the other 5,700,000,000 or so people on the planet. I
meant, of course, US cross country unicyclist.[/edit]

Cheers,
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ

Cory Farley - Opinion

Cory Farley
Staff
489 words
25 June 2004
Reno Gazette-Journal
1
English
(c) Copyright 2004, Reno Gazette-Journal. All Rights Reserved.

Could you pick a worse ride?

This Space never meant to become the Reno Gazette-Journal's
Weird-Vehicle-Across-The-Country Reporter. Yet whenever anybody comes
through town bound for Boston in a birchbark canoe, I wind up with the
story.

Take Patrick Thomas, who stopped this week en route from San Francisco
to New York. Thomas is traveling not on two wings, nor on four wheels,
nor two.

He's on a unicycle. One wheel, and it's even less suited to the task
than you're thinking:

o There are no brakes.

o There are no gears. One turn of the pedals equals one revolution of
the wheel.

o There's no coasting. The foot bone's connected to the pedal bone, the
pedal bone's connected to the wheel. If the unicycle is moving, so are
Thomas' feet.

o The only luggage space is a backpack. Where would you attach a rack?
He set out with four changes of clothing, but has mailed three home to
save weight.

o Whatever water Thomas needs for the desert has to go in the backpack,
too.

o It's slooooow. A reasonably fit bicyclist might average 15 miles per
hour. Thomas can maintain "eight or nine" on a short ride, but on longer
trips he shoots for six.

"It's just something I've always wanted to do," the San Francisco
elementary school teacher said. "A unicycle is my main mode of
transportation around the city."

You can't have an adventure without a cause these days, and Thomas has
two: America's Second Harvest, a Chicago-based organization that feeds
the needy, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, in
honor of his mother, who has survived two bouts with cancer and "is on
her third life."

He isn't accepting donations personally. He intends to make it on his
own, about 3,000 miles in 65 days. His Web site describes how to
contribute to the two organizations.

It also explains his route and tracks his progress, which so far has
been disappointing to him, though impressive to the unicycle-challenged.
As of Monday, he was four days, about 175 miles, behind. But he said he
has no doubt he'll finish.

From Reno, Thomas was scheduled to head for Fallon, then spend the next
six or seven days crossing Nevada. Salt Lake City should come two days
later; he'll continue through Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa,
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania, reaching New York in late
August.

Along the way, he'll hit up the media for stories. His goal is to
average $1 in donations from everyone who hears about his trip, feed
some hungry children and ease the lives of some people with cancer.
Learn more at pedalthewaves.org.

Cory Farley can be reached at (775) 788-6340 or .


--
JJuggle - Last of the Dogmato-Revisionists

Faith's understanding is first and foremost not achievement, but
sympathy, empathy, care, concern, kindness -- in a word, compassion. -
Lars Clausen, -One Wheel - Many Spokes-, page 58
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I wonder what size wheel he's using.


--
ChangingLINKS.com - member

Wishing you Happiness, Joy and Laughter,
Drew Brown
http://www.ChangingLINKS.com
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ChangingLINKS.com wrote:
*I wonder what size wheel he's using. *

Looks like a 20" or a 24". Someone ought to lend him a more suitable
ride...


--
cyberbellum - Level 1.0 rider!

I was standing in the park wondering why frisbees get bigger as they get
closer. Then it hit me.
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From the pictures on his site, I think I'm seeing an old style 24"
Schwinn. With the old (1983 or earler) seat! Ouch! In one of the
pictures, his unicycle appears to have lolipop bearings. But I think he
just has the one.

My guess would be that he is not connected to (many) other unicyclists,
and he may not have much knowledge about who has done similar rides
before, or even his equipment and comfort options.

Making the ride unsupported is really tough, especially on a 24". He
won't be the first to do it, but many of the cross country riders have
either had faster cycles, or support vehicles.

Let's all wish him luck. And if you want to "be a part" of his ride, be
sure to make a donation to one or both of his charities.

Go Cory! You might not know about us, but now we know about you!


--
johnfoss - Walkin' on the edge

John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone
"jfoss" at "unicycling.com"
www.unicycling.com

"Beer me." -- Scot Cooper, at the end of a group ride all the way up and
all the way down Mt. Diablo (3300'), a 20 mile round trip of road and
trail.
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johnfoss wrote:
*Go Cory! You might not know about us, but now we know about you! *
The fellow is actually Patrick Thomas. Cory is the condescending
columnist.

Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ


--
JJuggle - Last of the Dogmato-Revisionists

Faith's understanding is first and foremost not achievement, but
sympathy, empathy, care, concern, kindness -- in a word, compassion. -
Lars Clausen, -One Wheel - Many Spokes-, page 58
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What a challenge! It would be cool if some experienced (or
unexperienced!) unicyclistsin the US could give him a helping hand,
maybe doing short sections of his ride with him. Then maybe some local
fundraising could happen and raise the total by a lot!

Or if anyone has a more suitable unicycle, wheel or even saddle they are
willing to lend or even donate (charity people!) that would be really
nice.

If I sit on my Miyata saddle after riding a KH or air seat and my God it
hurts! I can't imagine riding several miles on anything less than a KH
and wouldn't think of going thousands on less than a 12"deep
air/gel/bean bag seat.

Make the guy feel part of the unicycling community!


--
one wheeled stallion - Guerilla Unicyclist

OWS

"...there's nothing I can't manage if I grunt loudly enough" -Mikefule
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I hope to hook up with Patrick over Rabbit Ears Pass, Steamboat Springs
area. His pre-trip schedule has him in that area during NAUCC, so I'm
not sure if it will work. Does anyone know how to get in touch with him
besides his email? I will bring a KH saddle and post with me.


--
aspenmike - unicycling albino
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Too bad he didn't know about this site before embarking upon this
journey. Knowing this group he could have been able to get a
considerable amount of support. I am sure now that those of you in his
path know about this you will be offering it up.


--
bugman - Survivor 2004 Wolfman Duathalon
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bugman wrote:
*Too bad he didn't know about this site before embarking upon this
journey. Knowing this group he could have been able to get a
considerable amount of support. I am sure now that those of you in
his path know about this you will be offering it up. *
I sent him an email with a link to the Reno Gazette article as well as
this site. I suggested that if he kept his blog up-to-date and/or posted
here he might find many friendly faces to ride with along the way. I
hope he does.

Hopefully he gets to check his email, at least on his rest days.

Cheers,
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ


--
JJuggle - Last of the Dogmato-Revisionists

One monkey don't stop the show.
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Patrick has updated his 'blog' (http://pedalthewaves.org/v-web/b2/). He
is on a 24".

Cheers,
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ


--
JJuggle - Last of the Dogmato-Revisionists

Beware of the devil my child. Beware of his charming ways.
You'll fall under an evil spell just looking at his beautiful face.
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