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HAPPY TRAILS ; REFLECTIONS ON THE BEATING HEART OF AUSTIN

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
4,250 words
10 November 2005
Austin American-Statesman
18
English
© 2005 Austin American Statesman. Provided by ProQuest Information and
Learning. All Rights Reserved.

We see it, but we don't. We walk it, hike it, bike it, jog it, stroll
it, but we haven't come close to exploring all of it. We routinely
regard the Town Lake hike-and-bike trail as our town square, but when
was the last time we really paid attention? Outstripping even Sixth
Street and Longhorn sports, the trail is the No. 1 single entertainment
option in Austin. Every day, thousands ply its byways from the Longhorn
Dam to the east to the Roberta Crenshaw Pedestrian Bridge to the west.


So one sunny fall afternoon, we dispatched 18 intrepid St. Edward's
University students to different points along the trail. Not
surprisingly, they came up with 18 miscellaneous reflections on our
leafy and lovable town square.

........

One wheel rolling

by the river

Across the street from the YMCA on the hike-and-bike trail, a unicycle
lurches past my field of vision. At the risk of injuring both of us, I
chase down the one-wheeled man. Steve the Unicyclist, who withholds his
real name to protect his mild-mannered alter ego, deftly dismounts and
agrees to tell me more about his hobby. He haphazardly sweeps the black
shaggy hair sticking out from under his helmet out of his eyes.
"Without handle bars to steady yourself, you have to use your stomach
and back muscles to stay balanced, so it's a great workout," Steve
explains. (Let the record show that his lime green bike suit reveals an
impressive six-pack.)

Steve's unicycle is no flimsy clown creation; the wheel is a 26- inch
mountain bike tire made exclusively for off-roading. He promises me
it's not dangerous, since you only move as fast as you can pedal,
whereas bicycles can coast at high speeds.

Still, I share my concerns about the bumpier parts of the trail, so
Steve demonstrates how he avoids obstacles. He jumps onto the cycle and
begins pedaling toward a big rock. As I'm trying to remember the
location of the nearest emergency call box, he grabs the seat with both
hands and turns the cycle into a pogo stick, hopping easily over the
rock. As my jaw wags in the breeze, Steve the Unicylist turns back and
waves as he heads back off on the trail.

......


--
JJuggle

Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ

Me and you, that makes two, with four left feet.
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