The paradox at the heart of unicycling.

Mike--

I still think you're outsmarting ourself by holding fast to a sematical
construct of "easy." Use your curiosity to investigate that construct,
as opposed to clutching it like a koan.

Imagine this: The trail remains the same, and if there was an objective
rating sysem like we have in rock climbing, the trail wouldn't get
"easier" by virtue of us swapping out this Muni for that one.

Bottom line--I can ride with more control and try and sometimes do
increasingly difficult Muni runs as I slowly get my gear dialed in. The
whole point is to go harder--not to do the selfsame trail with increased
ease--and if I need to upgrade my gear to go the next step, I do.

JL


--
vivalargo - Santa Barbara Unicycle Club
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Memphis Mud wrote:
*I'll give 'er a go.

I don't think its necessarily the difficulty that attracts us. I think
its the accomplishment. ........ For me, Its accomplishment more
than difficulty. And the two are closely linked. *


Right on Memphis Mud! The difficulty part only helps improve my
coordination, build muscle and lose weight as a secondary bonuses. It's
the sense of accomplishment that keeps me rolling on.

I have to admit that my accomplishments have become more subtle lately
and that bothers me a bit.


--
Chrashing - Unicycles are flying machines!

Regards,
Ken
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I didn't read the whole thread but I'll give it a shot anyway. I like
riding unicycles. All kinds of unicycles. I think I know where Mikefule
is coming from when I ride trails with my 3" Gazz, and remember how much
more challenging they were back on my old 1.75" Miyata. The fatter tire
has made the same trail a lot easier.

But that fat tire has also made other trails enjoyable, as opposed to
being ride-a-hike experiences. So I welcome the fatter tire.

Also I enjoy the KH seat that enables me to ride the entire Downieville
trail with minimal saddle soreness. No regrets there!

And I like having unicycles that won't break.

The core value for me, I think, is the common denominator of riding on a
single wheel; whatever way I might be doing that.


--
johnfoss - More Moab Fun

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

"Read the rules!" -- 'IUF Rulebook'
(http://www.unicycling.org/iuf/rulebook/) -- 'USA Rulebook'
(http://www.unicycling.org/usa/competition/)
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Brian MacKenzie wrote:
*I can't hop as high, and I cannot (quite) get to rubber from a pedal
grab, but it is still trials, and it's really fun.*

Back to golf:

Your second shot on that long par 5 calls for your 3-iron. But maybe you
left it in the trunk (or the lake on hole #6). Regardless, you have to
use your pitching wedge...

Instead of hitting the ball 220 yards up to the green, you hit a perfect
wedge shot of 95 yards. It was perfect, but not as satisfying as it
could have been.

You can run a marathon wearing penny loafers. It will be difficult and
it'll really be an accomplishment if you finish the run. But you'll
optimize your performance in running shoes. (An argument could be made
that you'd further enhance your performance if you wore the excellerator
of a Red Ferrari on your feet. I think that's over-tweaking your
equipment.)

When MUCsters meet, typically our trunks and trailers are jammed with
all sorts of configurations. Grinding up that big hill today? 24 MUni
with 170s. The riders on 24 MUnis with 150s have fun...but don't make it
as far up that big ole hill.

I agree with Brian that its fun no matter what uni riding I'm doing. But
its not maximum fun when we set off on a 20 mile road ride and my
buddies are all on Cokers and I'm on a 20-inch trials. I'll have fun,
but I'll be lonely.

Besides, I'm an old fart...I need all the help I can get.


--
Memphis Mud - Student of GrandMaster 2T

"winter in peanut butter comes turquoise" -Greg Harper
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i dont know about anyone else but i unicycle to be different and putting
bigger tires on a unicycle makes it different, and such.
i have never heard anyone say they unicycle for the challange but mostly
on these forums to be different


--
habbywall

It takes twice the man to ride half the bike.
mac g4 10.4, 20 gb ipod 3rd gen with linux

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habbywall wrote:
*i dont know about anyone else but i unicycle to be different and
putting bigger tires on a unicycle makes it different, and such.
i have never heard anyone say they unicycle for the challange but
mostly on these forums to be different *
I unicycle for the challenge.


--
U-Turn - Cool water for the flame

Weep in the dojo... laugh on the battlefield.
'LiveWire Unicycles' (http://www.livewireunicycles.com)
'Strongest Coker Wheel in the World'
(http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/albup39)
'29er Tire Study' (http://u-turn.unicyclist.com/29erTireStudy/)
'New York Unicycle Club' (http://www.newyorkunicycle.com)
-- Dave Stockton
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habbywall wrote:
*i dont know about anyone else but I unicycle to be different [snip] I
have never heard anyone say they unicycle for the challenge but mostly
on these forums to be different *


Paraphrase: "I unicycle to be different, and in support of the fact
that I am different, I direct the jury's attention to all these people
who are the same as me."

I have a friend who is 17 and wears goth clothes etc., and once accused
her of complying with all of the conventions of teenage rebellion. How
she laughed.

I don't unicycle "to be" different. I unicycle because "I am"
different. It is my privilege and my doom to be different. It would be
so much easier to play 5 a side football or do pub quizzes, but I have a
natural aversion to following the herd. Even within unicycling, I
follow my own demons.

I don't unicycle "because" it's difficult, and I don't use difficulty as
the main criterion for assessing a ride or a skill. However, I suspect
that all of us, presented with write ups of 25 mile rides, one on a
Coker, one on a 20, would be more impressed by the one done on the 20.
(Other things being equal.)


--
Mikefule - Roland Hope School of Unicycling

Competing with yesterday to hold off tomorrow.
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