I found that unicycling during the winter monthes was a fun challenge.
While attending University of Wisconsin-Madison I would ride to all
my classes on my uni. There would be only one or two days a year in
which the snow was too deep for me ride through it. Usually I would
not fall off the uni, no matter how much ice or snow. The best part
was that my feet always stayed dry and since I didn't go fast enough
to get that stripe down my back, I stayed clean. I never had a problem
with parking my uni either, I would take it in with me and put it in
the back of the classroom. Unfortunatly this year I haven't had much
of a chance to ride my uni in the snow since I'm done with college and
my job is far enough away where I have to take a 4 wheeled uni.
I did get a little snow riding tonight, on my 8-foot. Here in Minnesota we
just had our Winter Torch Light parade. The parade starts at 7 pm and
all the units in the parade are supposed to light up somehow. We put
lights in our spokes and along our legs. We had a good turnout from
our club, about 15 people. All in lights. The temperature was hovering
around 5 F. Being that cold we were bundeled up like Eskimo's.
Since the roads where in 'good' condition we decided to
let tall ones ride in the parade. The middle of the street was dry
so that where Jamie (he also rode an 8 footer) and I stayed. At one
point the parade the pavement switched to brick. The brick was very
slippery from the snow. Both of us were just trying to stay on and
not do a nasty wipe out. Also, the brick had ups and downs in them
that were hard to see from the 8'. Being night time didn't help any
either. About 3/4 the way through I took a tumble. Of course
everybody thinks I'm hurt, since I rolled on the ground, but I get
up right away. After trying to figure out what made me fall I
start looking for a place to get back on but all the light posts
(or other good posts to mount a 8' uni) have snow and ice around them.
I wasn't about to brave ice and snow on a 8'. So we had a few people
hold the uni in the middle of the street and I climbed up. After
carefully getting on the seat, I yell for the people to scatter and
I start to pedal. I'm still nervous about getting on that way for the 8'.
But it worked and the crowd went nuts. The rest of the parade went
fine with no further mishaps. And to be true Minnestians from
the frozen tundra, we stopped and had ice cream after the parade was done.
Happy winter unicycling.
__________________________________________________________________________
Andy B. Cotter | cotter.cae.wisc.edu | Will work for food! |
This e-mail is a natural product. The slight variations in spelling and
grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and in no way are to
be considered flaws or defects.