#482550 - 28/10/05 08:52 AM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: hexagonic]
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with added berries
Registered: 07/03/05
Loc: Manchester
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Yes, definately got the seat the right height, things out of the way etc, I know a lot of very experienced unicyclists. I'm fine if I have someone walking alongside me (just one person), holding their hand, but as soon as I try to launch myself off the wall, I can sometimes get a couple of pedals in before falling off. I even went through a period of practicing every day for an hour, and still made no progress. I think part of the problem is I'm too scared. I know I'm going to land on my feet and not hurt myself, but I still have that barrier. If I'm riding alongside a wall, I can do it perfectly smoothly (according to said experienced unicyclists), and sometimes can even let go for significant distances before reaching the end of the room, but I've been at this stage for a loooooong time. Like say I think its more of a physcological barrier, but i can't see myself overcoming it anytime soon, despite the fact I've really tried. Plus its very fustrating for newbies to come to the juggling club, get on the unicycle for the first time and by the end of the night, be able to ride it. It's got to the point of being embarrasing.
_________________________
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and hula hoop like wiggling will save the world.
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Ralph Waldo Emerson
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#482551 - 28/10/05 10:21 AM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: pricklyleaf]
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Carpal \'Tunnel
Registered: 28/08/02
Loc: sheffield
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Pricklyleaf- stop using the wall, and stop using a friend to hold your hand. These are good initial practices, but, as you yourself say, you've mastered that stage now. All you're doing by using support, is to improve your 'riding with assistance' skills, and they're good enough already; you need to focus now on your 'riding without assistance' skills. You need to move on, and focus on launching yourself 'into the void'. You will fall, and i'll be honest here- your assumption that you won't hurt yourself is not true- it's entirely possible to hurt yourself, which is why, when I was teaching youngsters to unicycle, I insisted they wear a minimum of helmet and wrist guards (I also myself, despite being a very good rider, continue to wear wrist guards on all rides, and, if I'm anywhere near the edge of my abilities, will wear a helmet as well). However, bad falls are rare, and the chances are that, like most people, your falls will not be bad ones (I mention it only because I think that wrist guards are good things to have when learning). I can relate to your experience- many, many years ago, well before getting into off-road-unicycling, my learning took place with once-a-week sessons at the local juggling hall. After the initial supported/wall riding, I started pointing the unicycleoutwards from the wall, and launching off. Like you, a couple of pedal revs later I was off the unicycle- then it was back to the wall to try again. It took weeks, but eventually I was getting a bit further. Then, one day, i launched off, and, the best way to describe what happened, is to say that I forgot to fall- I got right the way across the hall before remembering that I couldn't ride  And that was it for me, I spent the entire session on a kind of high- it's an amazing feeling when you start to be able to stay on. Don't compare yourself to others Pricklyleaf- there's no point, everyone learns at different rates. I've read your post, and I'm not going to bullshit you- when it comes to unicycling, you're obviously a slow learner. But that's not a bad thing- when it comes to skills like this, it's often those who find it hard to learn, those who take a long time to master the basics, who end up excelling. Often they end up overtaking those to whom the basics came easily; possibly because, having had to put in real effort, they value the skill more. (Many martial arts teachers say the same thing- people to whom it comes easy tend to drop out- it's the ones who have to work at it, who are not blessed with innate flexibility or skill, who ultimately stick with it and get to black belt and beyond). My advice is to stick with it- if falling bothers you, get some wrist guards or whatever protective equipment you feel the need for. Try to practise every day or couple of days, preferably for short periods. most of all, stop wasting your time riding with support, and get to work pushing off from the wall and learning to ride without support. I'd be genuinely surprised if, by doing that, in a months time, your riding ability hasn't gone through the roof.
_________________________
"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."
--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32
Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!
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#482552 - 28/10/05 11:25 AM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: onewheeldave]
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Carpal \'Tunnel
Registered: 05/11/01
Loc: Europe,Scotland,Both
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yo, and for me, I find it really hard to start from a wall behind me, you start leaning back already, instead of forward, I fid it much easier if im in between two supports to start, that way I can find my tipping point and get the pedals into the power position before pushing off. good post dave, but now I feel bad cos Im never gonna excell at anything...    T 
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This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti
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#482553 - 05/11/05 01:25 AM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: [Nx?]]
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member
Registered: 22/10/05
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Hi I have been Unicycling for a few years now, there is no magical way to get on a unicycle and start riding, it takes practice, keep at it and you'll get there in the end.
Do any other riders get teased and or mocked from BMX riders, today I was at the local scate park and i dropped in on the quarter pipe and some retard threw an empty glass bottle at the quarter pipe and told me to get a real bike.
Edited by Walrus (05/11/05 01:27 AM)
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#482554 - 10/11/05 10:40 PM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: Walrus]
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coming to a country near you
Registered: 09/03/04
Loc: home of the tiney toothy bear
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suggest he try to ride it, then laugh when he makes himself look like a retard infront of everyone (actually anyone that breaks glass in a skatepark is obviously an idiot anyway)
alternatively, take the front wheel/handlebars of an actual bike, then ride around holding it infront of you like a real bike!
_________________________
"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"
jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley
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#482555 - 13/11/05 07:10 AM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: pricklyleaf]
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newbie
Registered: 30/03/05
Loc: Prestatyn
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Written by: pricklyleaf
Yes, definately got the seat the right height, things out of the way etc, I know a lot of very experienced unicyclists. I'm fine if I have someone walking alongside me (just one person), holding their hand, but as soon as I try to launch myself off the wall, I can sometimes get a couple of pedals in before falling off. I even went through a period of practicing every day for an hour, and still made no progress. I think part of the problem is I'm too scared. I know I'm going to land on my feet and not hurt myself, but I still have that barrier. If I'm riding alongside a wall, I can do it perfectly smoothly (according to said experienced unicyclists), and sometimes can even let go for significant distances before reaching the end of the room, but I've been at this stage for a loooooong time. Like say I think its more of a physcological barrier, but i can't see myself overcoming it anytime soon, despite the fact I've really tried. Plus its very fustrating for newbies to come to the juggling club, get on the unicycle for the first time and by the end of the night, be able to ride it. It's got to the point of being embarrasing.
I was scared too so I share your pain. Also I was slow to learn.
One thing to try is to get protection - make sure you have wrist guards, shin pads etc. But most importantly - you have to believe you can do it.
I also found it easier to line up two chairs (with me between them) and try to ride a short distance - say one wheel rotation but have something to cling onto at the end. I could no more launch myself into 'space' than I could fly. I had to believe I could ride to the end and go for it. Sometimes I did it and sometimes I hurt my hands but it was the only way I could overcome the fear. Once I could ride that distance with confidence I moved the chairs back. Once I could do 2 rotations I turned around and headed out into space. But knowing initially that I would ride and then eventually fall to the ground made me too afraid to do it.
By the way now, 8 months later I regularly ride 6 miles on my 29er, i can idle consistently, I can jump and I am learning to ride backwards.
It's worth persisting. It's a fantastic hobb
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Don't mistake my anal retentiveness for affection.
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#482557 - 29/01/06 11:18 PM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: Mint Sauce]
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Pirate Pixie Crew Captain
Registered: 12/08/04
Loc: Wales
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Minty, my sister is almost up and running now. She is however still having to hold onto wall/fences/doorframes to mount the uni and she can't work out how to do turns. Any hints on turning would be gratefully received It seems you inspired her. She comes home from her main job, dashes over to the park behind her house, uni's for 1/2 hour then she comes back to dash off to her evening job  Ahhhh bless! She is going to be able to enter the uni gladiators at Play if she carries on like this. I'm so proud of her :wipestearawayfromeye:
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Feed me Chocolate!!! Feed me NOW!
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#482558 - 30/01/06 08:34 AM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: Skulduggery]
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Carpal \'Tunnel
Registered: 05/11/01
Loc: Europe,Scotland,Both
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turning is hard, at first i could only go left, you point your sholders in the direction you want to go in then twist your body round underneith to match. Mint... gotta keep up the practice! T
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This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti
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#482559 - 04/02/06 02:29 AM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: [Nx?]]
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Pirate Pixie Crew Captain
Registered: 12/08/04
Loc: Wales
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Cath is getting better all the time. She can all but mount without the aid of a wall/fence/doorframe now and can cycle 100mts-ish without falling off. Turning is still a bit of a problem and is usually the moment that she falls off but she is getting better.
Thank you so much Minty for letting her play on your uni for so long at Play. I think it really gave her the bug.
_________________________
Feed me Chocolate!!! Feed me NOW!
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#482560 - 06/02/06 01:56 AM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: Skulduggery]
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Groovy ga watashi no namae desu!
Registered: 05/08/04
Loc: Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
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ooooh my.........ooooooh my, unicycling is soooo damn fun when you can actually do it
gave up in the summer after a few days of annoyance, but i've been back on it recently and in about two days i could just about ride it, i'm now going around the exeter city centre with mostly no trouble apart from the odd prick saying where's the other half etc lol
ooh and nearly getting free mounts solid aswell with about 1 or 2 out of 5ish with me actually going somewhere after getting on it
oooooh whats next.....rocking backwards and forwards....i think so lol
how's everybody else getting on?
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#482561 - 06/02/06 09:04 AM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: PK_]
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veteran
Registered: 07/09/03
Loc: Lancs England
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Im just at the beginning of level 4
I can
ride backward for 10 meters
idle with right foot down 25 times
Written by: pk_
Level 1
mount unicycle unassisted
ride 50 meters
dismount gracefully with unicycle in front
Level 2
mount with left foot
mount with right foot
ride 10 meters between two parallel lines 30 cm apart
ride a figure eight with circle diameters smaller than 3 meters
ride down a 15 cm vertical drop
make a 90 degree turn to the left inside a 1 meter circle
make a 90 degree turn to the right inside a 1 meter circle
Level 3
demonstrate 3 types of mounts
ride a figure eight with circle diameters smaller than 1.5 meters
come to a stop, pedal half a revolution backward and continue forward
ride with the stomach on the seat for 10 meters
make a 180 degree turn to the left within a 1 meter circle
make a 180 degree turn to the right within a 1 meter circle
hop 5 times
ride or hop over a 10 x 10 cm. obstacle
Level 4
demonstrate 4 types of mounts
ride backward for 10 meters
ride one footed for 10 meters
idle with left foot down 25 times
idle with right foot down 25 times
ride with seat out in front for 10 meters
ride with the seat out in back for 10 meters
make a 360 degree turn to the left inside a 1 meter circle
make a 360 degree turn to the right inside a 1 meter circle
Level 5
demonstrate 5 types of mounts
ride backward in a circle
ride one footed in a figure eight
idle one footed with the left foot 25 times
idle one footed with the right foot 25 times
ride with seat out in front in a circle
ride with the seat out in back in a circle
ride with the seat on the side in a circle
hop-twist 90 degrees to the left
hop-twist 90 degrees to the right
walk the wheel for 10 meters
Level 6
demonstrate 6 types of mounts
ride backward in a figure eight
ride with the seat out in front in a figure eight
ride with the seat out in back in a figure eight
ride backward with the seat out in front for 10 meters
hop standing on wheel 5 times
ride with the seat on the side in a circle to the left
ride with the seat on the side in a circle to the right
ride one footed with the left foot for 10 meters
ride one footed with the right foot for 10 meters
backspin
frontspin
spin
Level 7
demonstrate 7 types of mounts
ride backward with the seat out in front in a circle
ride one footed with the left foot in a circle
ride one footed with the right foot in a circle
walk the wheel in a circle
walk the wheel one footed for 10 meters
hop-twist 180 degrees to the left
hop-twist 180 degrees to the right
ride backward with the seat out in back for 10 meters
spin to the left
spin to the right
Level 8
demonstrate 8 types of mounts
ride one footed with the left foot in a figure eight
ride one footed with the right foot in a figure eight
walk the wheel in a figure eight
walk the wheel one footed in a circle
ride backward one footed for 10 meters
glide for 10 meters
hand wheel walk for 10 meters
pirouette
backward spin
Level 9
demonstrate 9 types of mounts
walk the wheel one footed in a figure eight
ride backward one footed in a circle
ride backward with the seat out in front in a figure eight
ride backward with the seat out in back in a circle
walk the wheel one footed with the left foot for 10 meters
walk the wheel one footed with the right foot for 10 meters
walk the wheel backward for 10 meters
drag seat in front for 10 meters
drag seat in back for 10 meters
ride backward one footed with the left foot for 10 meters
ride backward one footed with the right foot for 10 meters
one footed with the seat out in front for 10 meters
backward pirouette
Level 10
demonstrate 10 types of mounts
ride backward with the seat out in back in a figure eight
ride backward one footed in a figure eight
walk the wheel one footed with the left foot in a circle
walk the wheel one footed with the right foot in a circle
walk the wheel backward in a circle
180 uni spin
sideways wheel walk for 10 meters
coast for 10 meters
side ride for 10 meters
walk the wheel one footed backward for 10 meters
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#482562 - 07/02/06 12:26 PM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: Mint Sauce]
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Groovy ga watashi no namae desu!
Registered: 05/08/04
Loc: Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
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thats awsome, you've got that far......and you can do all the leve 3 stufff?? bloody hell, you know how to make someone feel rubbish lol
just come back from a ride with a friend of mine and i reckon i can just pass level one, with free mounts being quite sketchy still though
there's no way that i could do any of that figure of eight stuff yet though
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#482565 - 09/02/06 11:46 AM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: joepublic]
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Carpal \'Tunnel
Registered: 05/11/01
Loc: Europe,Scotland,Both
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i learnt to idle a bit! thoes german 16yo's are a bit much! T
_________________________
This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti
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#482567 - 12/02/06 03:36 PM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: _FSA_]
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Groovy ga watashi no namae desu!
Registered: 05/08/04
Loc: Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
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i've been riding mine to college every day for about 5 days now and thats about 1-2 miles, yesturday me and a friend whent for a few rides around torquay racked up around 10-12ish miles, now i'm ffooken knackered lol
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I like Languages. Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug.gif" alt="" />
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#482568 - 12/02/06 07:53 PM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: PK_]
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Radioactive Member
Registered: 12/02/06
Loc: Calgary, Alberta
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OMG!!! Unicycles are fun! I've done it a few times, but not mastered. Can't offer any help. Lol. TEACH ME!
_________________________
I'm gonna cut you up so bad, you gonna wish I ain't cut you up so bad.
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#482569 - 07/03/06 01:15 PM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: Daiz]
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Groovy ga watashi no namae desu!
Registered: 05/08/04
Loc: Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
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anyone got anything cool, new and exciting to tell?
this thread has died lol
_________________________
I like Languages. Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug.gif" alt="" />
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#482570 - 07/03/06 01:44 PM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: Nate]
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Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
Registered: 27/06/01
Loc: Auckland
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Yes well, since my son was born, I'm hardly even riding to work any more like I used to.
Latest skill I've learned, is to hang off pax (ie on their shoulder) when performing oustide on the unicyle and talk and joke with people for most of the time.
It turns a 2 hour unicycle gig into great fun for all involved, and ends up with me not being so hot and exhausted that I have to change my clothes all the time...
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* Is it the Truth?
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#482571 - 07/03/06 05:47 PM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: Charles]
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veteran
Registered: 07/09/03
Loc: Lancs England
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iv lent mine to peat i mis her
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before i met those lot i thought they'd be a bunch of dreadlocked hippies that smoked, set things on fire ,and drank a lot of tea but then when i met them....oh wait (PyroWill)
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#482572 - 08/03/06 01:04 AM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: Mint Sauce]
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Groovy ga watashi no namae desu!
Registered: 05/08/04
Loc: Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
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how could you do such a thing??.....tut tut tut, i mean really, lending your uni
you're far too nice to this peat fellow lol
i reckon i'm level three now, can do all of level two but my mounting with right foot still rubbish, i can demonstrate three types of mounts easily, i can hop, do all the turning things..i think
its quite hard to know what some of this means
i just cant wait till falmouth 6 now, or any other spinny type event
_________________________
I like Languages. Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug.gif" alt="" />
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#482575 - 05/04/06 01:25 AM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: Mint Sauce]
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old hand
Registered: 01/07/05
Loc: London
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I juts brought myself a unicycle, and I love it!!. Just learning to balance on it at the moment but im getting the hang of it  Its so much fun
_________________________
Q:"How many Jugglers Does it take to change a light bulb?"
A:"One, but another 99 others saying,'I could do that if I only practised more'"
Gate Keeper to Shocked_Prawn. None may pass.
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#482576 - 21/04/06 06:02 AM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: Just_Another_Clown]
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member
Registered: 13/01/06
Loc: none
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Just got myself a unicycle!! woo! so much fun (and its yellow!!) but its so hard!! can ride it so long as i don't let go of the fence!! All this stuff in this thread sounds very impressive and, for me, totally imposible!!
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#482577 - 24/04/06 01:50 AM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: nonenonenone]
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coming to a country near you
Registered: 09/03/04
Loc: home of the tiney toothy bear
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its just practice, something which i really should do more of!
_________________________
"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"
jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley
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#482578 - 24/04/06 07:33 AM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: Mr Majestik]
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officially expelled from BYU
Registered: 21/02/05
Loc: Southern California
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I started giving unicycle lessons, adn I've loaned out my uni to my student for the week...i'm kind of anxietous about it.
I miss my unicycle ;_;
_________________________
"So Miss, I think you win the prize... A mormon egyptologist in a firespinning chat room... that's gotta be a record of some kind"
-NYC
Thanks, NYC,but I quit mormonism now XD
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#482579 - 16/05/06 10:44 AM
Re: Unicycle progression
[Re: MissEgyptology]
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*Tickles pretty strangers*
Registered: 14/07/04
Loc: Australia
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just got my unicycle fixed!! I can start practicing again! Weee! hehe Its fushia pink
_________________________
What if I should fall right through the centre of the Earth and come out the other side where people walk upside-down?!
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lol)
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