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Another interminable write up of a ride



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 28th 04, 10:20 PM
Mikefule
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Default Another interminable write up of a ride


Four nights of fencing, one night of dancing, and a tough session on the
U/W this week, but the weather was good, the day was free, and a
unicycle ride was compulsory. The legs would have to dig deep one more
time.

I don't think I've had the MUni out since my chin-splitting accident
around New Year time, as the 28 has tended to be my uni of choice for
the last few months.

I lovingly throw the still-muddy Pashley into the back of the car and I
set off to Sherwood Forest, where Robin Hood made Marian.

I park in Deer Dale, the theory being that this will save the local
halfwits the trouble of moving my car before torching it, then I leap
onto the MUni and wobble off. How humiliating! He who did once be-ride
the narrow wood like a colossus can hardly balance, let alone steer!
The unfamiliar 150 mm cranks and the wide soft tyre combine to make me
weave like a freighter dodging U-boats.

At the first opportunity, I turn off onto a narrow woodland trail, and
soon become red faced and breathless - the forest floor is deep in
leaves and undergrowth, and I'm having to read the trail in Braille.
Soon I come to a dead end, try to turn, and UPD ingloriously. I UPD
twice more in the short ride back to the main trail.

From there, I decide to ride some easy stuff for a bit in an attempt to
get back into riding the 26. It seems to be pulling to the left all the
time, and I can't keep my hand on the handle for long. This is
embarrassing! I turn onto another side track and ride for a short
distance before UPD number 4 - and so far I've not met anything that
looked like an obstacle!

I decide to check the pressure in my tyre. It does seem a bit soft.
Hmmm. I put in 50 pumps worth of air. It still feels a bit soft. 25
more pumps and the tyre feels a bit more like it. I mount and ride away
as straight as a thing with no bends, kinks or curves on it.

Say what you like about tyre pressure and hopping, I have always found
that a tyre you can only just squeeze a bit with thumb and forefinger is
about right. You may lose some cushioning on drops (I seldom drop) but
you protect your rim, and the uni handles better.

So, from here, I wander at will through the forest, alternating between
wide hard packed tracks and narrow slimy single track. I suddenly find
myself at the "off road course" where local mountain bikers have dug or
built earth ramps and obstacles. I ride confidently up to the first
obstacle and promptly UPD. On a second attempt, I make it to the top,
then fall off the side. On a third attempt, I make it to the top and
pick my way elegantly over the three small humps before descending the
steepish ramp down to the forest floor.

Most of the obstacles are either too high or too steep for me to ride
up, but I manage to find a small circuit with three or four technically
challenging bits that I can ride with a bit of determination. I look
round to see that a mountain biker has arrived and is watching me. With
commendable nonchalance, I ride a complete circuit of all the difficult
bits that I think I can ride, and I manage them all without a stumble.
I cruise to a halt next to the mountain biker to be rewarded with the
comment that I must be fit to ride one of those things.

The mountain biker seems weak on conversation, and I'm out of breath, so
I do a couple more obstacles then sit down to rehydrate - or "have a
drink of water", as we used to call it in the old days. The mountain
biker sets off and rides over the more difficult obstacles. There he
is, with about 96 gears, disc brakes, suspension front and rear, and
more technology than a small motorbike, and he's doing stuff that I'd
attempt on my granny's bike - in fact, I've attempted most of it on my
unicycle.

From there, I follow the track into what I think of as the "cresta run"
- a narrow winding path, with only a few humps and hollows, but with
vegetation crowding in from both sides. The track is so deepl;y rutted
that it's like riding at the bottom of a U shaped ditch, so
concentration is required. I make it with only one UPD.

Then I pop out onto the main trail and see the start of the "Off road
cycle trail, difficult terrain" and ride past a bemused mountain biker
who looks like he'd be happier in a beige cardigan, who says, "You'll
break your neck on that thing down there."

So, of course, I ride the whole length of the course without a UPD.
This is particularly important because three mountain bikers (who look
like they'd be happier eating bananas and sitting in a tree) follow me,
singing a poor rendition of Fucek's "Entry of the Gladiators". (You
know: dit dit diddle-iddle dit dit da da...). I end up riding a
sequence of obstacles harder than I've ever managed before, without a
single UPD.

The bikers overtake me. One says, "Respect for that." One says, "He's
lost a wheel." The other says, "He must have had a really strange dream
one night."

I carry on and get to one of the ascents I normally find difficult. It
is packed mud, topped with pine needles, and with a difficult turn half
way up. I once stalled half way up, but managed to crest the hill at
the third attempt. This time, I make it quite easily. I allow myself a
Tim Henman-style clenched fist and a little yelp of "Yes!".

By now my legs are well on the way out. I'm dripping with sweat. I
need a coffee and some calories. I find my way to the Surprise Cafe,
fitting in one more difficult section (showing off to a group of
mountain bikers who were resting by the trail). I stop for coffee and a
Mars Bar. It's cold when you stop. It's still March, and few places are
as bleak as the English Midlands on a bleak day.

Recharged and invigorated, I set off in an unusual direction from the
cafe, and follow a variety of trails before finding myself on a horrible
one.

I have a theory that trails have a cadence. I don't know what causes
it, but most paths have ups and downs and curves which seem to fit a
particular rhythm. It could be the spacing of the trees, and the
position of their roots; it could be the firmness of the soil; it could
be my imagination. However, experience tells me that some narrow
winding undulating paths DO fit a unicycle, and others DON'T. This one
doesn't. Every root is in just the wrong place for the power stroke of
the pedal. Every turn coincindes with a sudden change of gradient.
Every hollow is of almost exactly the same radius as the wheel, so that
it's easy to stall. It's horrible.

Gentle reader, I confess I resorted to foul and inappropriate language.
Forgive me.

As I sit and regain my composure, my phone rings. A friend is lost and
needs directions. I do what I can to help, then promise to ring her
again when I get back to the car and have a road atlas. I leap aboard
the unicycle and ride about a mile and a half back to the car at
enormous speed - I could never let down a damsel in distress, even if
she does have her husband and two kids with her.

In fact, this long fast ride back to the car is some of the best riding
I've done all day, fast and smooth, over varied and difficult terrain.
I end a hard and challenging ride on a high note - except that there's
no road atlas in the car, and when I ring my friend, she's found the
place she's looking for anyway.

8.44 miles. Not the longest ride ever, but I rode some stuff I've never
ridden before, and astounded some bikers, so it was a good ride. Chin
intact and no stitches required. ;0)


--
Mikefule - Roland Hope School of Unicycling

So many pedestrians tell me I've lost a wheel.
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  #2  
Old March 29th 04, 12:06 AM
brian.slater
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Default Another interminable write up of a ride


Once again the only thing better than Mikes ride is the way he tells its
story, obviously a good ride and a -great- read!


--
brian.slater - Nellfurtiti, the Wonder Cat

Brian C. Slater
AKA: Snoopy

Ok, I am now officially in my normal state of -advanced- confusion.
Don't try to confuse me, it won't make any difference.

"To not decide is to decide" - undecided
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  #3  
Old March 29th 04, 03:51 AM
hopeful
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Default Another interminable write up of a ride


What a great story! And a fantastic ride! I wish I had great riding
stories like that, but I rarely encounter ANYONE while riding.

thanks.

matt.


--
hopeful - revelling in the glory of 700c

a sawzall...!? why not just use an axe. -- Jagur

Long live the Lotus -- Mojoe
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  #4  
Old March 29th 04, 05:42 AM
tennisgh22
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Default Another interminable write up of a ride


if only i had trails like that near me. there are zero fun obstacles
where i live. the irony of the situation is that i live in a town called
Rockville.


--
tennisgh22 - Learning to muni

Atheism is a non-prophet organization.
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  #5  
Old March 29th 04, 12:28 PM
GILD
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Default Another interminable write up of a ride


u know it's going to be a good day when u log onto the forums and see -Mikefule's thread title -
*Another interminable write up of a ride*




how's the UW coming along, btw?


--
GILD - Waffle-tosser (ocfopgm)

'They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.-- Benjamin Franklin,
HistoricalReview of Pennsylvania, 1759
' (http://www.soaw.org/new/newswire_detail.php?id=413)'[image:
http://www.addis-welt.de/smilie/smilie/sp/84255.gif]'
(http://tinyurl.com/ywxgb)'what's this?'
(http://www.outwar.com/page.php?x=2055415)



Namaste!
Dave
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  #6  
Old March 29th 04, 02:11 PM
Krashin'Kenny
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Default Another interminable write up of a ride


Great write-up Mike!!!! The little bit of riding that I've done lately
has been exclusively on the Coker. I wonder how much trouble I'll have
readjusting to the 24x3 MUni????


--
Krashin'Kenny - Crash Tested

If you ain't crashing, you ain't going fast enough!!!!!!!!!!!

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  #7  
Old March 29th 04, 07:52 PM
Mikefule
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Default Another interminable write up of a ride


Readjusting should be fairly easy. I went from hard riding on a 26
yesterday to varied riding on the Coker toay without a problem. Write
up follows bath.


--
Mikefule - Roland Hope School of Unicycling

So many pedestrians tell me I've lost a wheel.
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  #8  
Old March 30th 04, 02:41 AM
KJ-52
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Default Another interminable write up of a ride


yeah, good story, I love a happy ending.

I didn't have a ride today, but I did have someone trying to ride my uni
for awhile, he was pretty determined. I'd say he got a good 10 feet one
time, he was taking off from holding on to something. I had to get my
shorter seat post, which I got cause mines usually too long for other
people. I rode it at his height which was a lot of bending the knees,
but it was possible. Anyways, Dave enjoyed his lesson and I hope he'll
wanna do it again if I see him around.

Andrew


--
KJ-52 - unicycler

Originally posted by Logan_A.
Note this e-mail is baKsed oJn -a sto5ry a2nd mIay bSe fictKional oEr
conWtain fictiLonal elements. This should also not have been read by any
younger riders.

Can you find the hidden message?

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  #9  
Old March 31st 04, 08:20 PM
Matt.P.Herbert
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Default Another interminable write up of a ride


Mikefule wrote:
*

There he is, with about 96 gears, disc brakes, suspension front and
rear, and more technology than a small motorbike, and he's doing stuff
that I'd attempt on my granny's bike - in fact, I've attempted most of
it on my unicycle.

;0) *



WOW! 96 gears, these Shimano derailleurs really are coming on.


--
Matt.P.Herbert - Muni Hungry Newbie
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  #10  
Old April 1st 04, 05:15 AM
Klaas Bil
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Default Another interminable write up of a ride

On Wed, 31 Mar 2004 13:20:44 -0600, "Matt.P.Herbert" wrote:

WOW! 96 gears, these Shimano derailleurs really are coming on.


3 blades in front, a 7-blade cassette at the derailleur and an
5-speed-internal hub, minus a few doubles (i.e., same ratio achievable
on different combinations). Crazyness really.

Klaas Bil - Newsgroup Addict
--
I think profile should make some stronger 145mm cranks - Ryan Atkins

 




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