Foreshore recuperation

::*WARNING:* :: ::*Long, boring post*::

Today I awoke and my ankle was feeling better than it has since last
Tuesday, when I sprained it. The weather outside looked OK, so I took my
Wilder 24x3" Unicycle out for a spin, around 10am. I went to Polytech to
get a free Newspaper, and returned through Pukekura park. It was pretty
sloshy and wet from the stormy weather lately, and I was glad to find my
ankle was behaving itself on the easy offroad tracks. I only started
wearing shoes again yesterday, since the swelling has subsided somewhat.
I stopped in to see James on my way home, and suggested we go out on a
ride, after reading his post about how he wants to ride 10km. I tried to
convince him to leave his car at home, but he insisted because he wanted
to appreciate how clean it is.

We drove to Kawaroa, and I purchased two Slayer CDs on the way. We
headed towards the Port, which is not too far, but upon going up a small
hill without warming up first, James suffered an athsma attack, and
experienced saddle soreness from his long ride the day before. He was
having a bit of trouble riding, and after reaching the start of the
Breakwater we headed back to his car at Kawaroa. James went home and
gave me a raincheck on the ride, since he wasn't feeling so good. I
decided to continue since the weather looked fine.

I rode along the foreshore, because it is relatively flat, and there
isn't much chance of crashing and injuring myself further. I stopped in
town to get a glass of water from the new bar, The Grumpy Mole. The
bouncers refused to let me come in, claiming my dress was too casual. I
doubt any of their other customers dressed up too fancy considering this
was still morning. I started to leave, thanking them sarcastically for
being so nice. They claimed I am inconsiderate myself for riding on the
footpath, and one of the timid bouncers said I almost ran him over one
time. I argued with them a bit, saying I could ride on the footpath
without running people down, and they retorted unpleasantly, making
references to my mother. That was the only negative feedback I got all
day, and I found it amusing how the bouncer was so feeble as to be
scared of my MUni. I went to another bar where they are happy to hydrate
me.

I continued down the foreshore, until the paving ran out. I rode down
Waiwhakaiho beach until I reached the river, getting a decent view of
the Mountain as a reward. Along the way I exchanged pleasantries with
many other beach and walkway users, none of whom seemed concerned about
the prospect of me running them over. The tide seemed to be coming in,
but there was enough semi-hard sand for the beach journey to be
enjoyable on the Gazzaloddi.

I uneventfully rode back to the port, at least 8km, and next to a
building I found a tap who quenched my thirst without judging me on my
appearance. I went to the main breakwater and saw a sign saying "No
unauthorised people shall pass, unless with permission from the security
officer". So I visited the security office, with the help of directions.
I asked if it would be ok for me to ride there, and he said it had been
closed off, and pointed out the window to waves crashing over the
breakwater. Apparently a few people have been swept off there lately, so
I was grateful that he warned me against going there. He suggested the
lee breakwater, and told me to "Be safe" as we parted.

I rode down the lee breakwater, which was not being pounded quite as
violently as the main one. Along the way an old man commented "Where's
the other wheel", to which I replied "It's at home". At the end of the
breakwater I talked with another old man, who had just arrived there on
his bike. He rode along beside me, and told me I was going 15kph. I put
on a spurt of speed, and told him I could do 20 (and did). I explained
how I wasn't really pushing myself, in order to prevent damaging my
ankle again, and how bigger wheels/shorter cranks allow Unicycles to
travel faster. He followed me a lot of the way, past the wind wand, and
took off when I rested at the top of a hill.

I reached the turn off at Te Henui where I planned to go home, but
remembering the threads about epic journeys and long rides, I decided to
continue further. I rode down to the beach, which was mostly covered in
sea-water since the tide had continued rising all afternoon. This time
was harder to ride on since the sand was softer. I had a close encounter
with the surf, as it came underneath my wheel, but I continued riding
without falling off. I should have paid heed to the prevoius wave,
because a bit further down another one came and swept underneath me. It
came almost to my knees, and I dropped my unicycle in the water,
favouring my ankle as I UPDed. I picked it up and kept riding, taking
half the beach with me trapped in my airseat, lucky that the CDs in my
cargo pockets did not get saturated. It was a battle going through the
soft sand, retreating further up the beach after being caught out. At
the end there was another good view of the Mountain, but being wet I
didn't stay long to appreciate it.

The way home was an even tougher battle, through the soft sand and into
a headwind. I caught up to (and passed) a runner who was walking more
than he was running, he claimed he would pass me soon but I didn't let
that happen. I sat and rested for a moment near the skatepark, and a
small child was interested in my unicycle and was enquiring about it. I
told her it doesn't have handlebars like a bike does, and she pointed at
the Reeder handle and said "But you can hang onto this". By this time I
was knackered and I rode home via Te Henui walkway.

Once home, I just wanted to lie down and put my feet up, but I
endeavoured to take my unicycle to peices to wash all the sand and salt
water out of it. The loctited maincap bearing holder bolts were
stubborn, but I pulled it all to bits apart from taking the cranks off
(I'll do that tomorrow). The sand was throughout the airseat, remind me
not to go Uni-surfing again in a hurry. I blasted everything with the
hose, and finally got to sit down and relax. I reckon I went between 35
and 40km today, which I think is not a bad effort considering I was
using 170mm cranks and it's my first decent ride since my 'sore ankle'
(http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/Injuries).

I am so glad to be on the mend and able to ride again, albeit
cautiously, so I couldn't help but share the good news with anyone who
might be interested. I had an awesome time, and the sea-soaking my
Unicycle got just means it will get a bit of extra attention and tending
to.

That'll be all for now, I'm going out.
See ya.


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--
Rowan - •·.·´¯`·.·•
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Long yes, boring no. Nice description! What part of NZ is this? North
Island or South Island?

Out riding the other day on my little 20"er I was getting glowers from
some big muscular guy with a shaved head the other day. Since my
physical appearance is somewhat less than intimidating, I figured that
he thought that a) he thought that he could never ride a unicycle, and
b) that therefore all his muscles were ineffective against my "attack"
on his masculinity, and so c) I was a threat to his world.

It's a pain to wash off the uni that way, but that salt water will tear
into it _really_ fast. Nice job!


--
U-Turn - Mounting a Revolution

Weep in the dojo... laugh in the battlefield.

'Strongest Coker Wheel in the World'
(http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/albup39)

-- Dave Stockton
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Hey that's cool. We hiked up Taranaki and stayed in a nearby
campground. There was snow in the crater.


--
U-Turn - Mounting a Revolution

Weep in the dojo... laugh in the battlefield.

'Strongest Coker Wheel in the World'
(http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/albup39)

-- Dave Stockton
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Rowan wrote:
*Is salt water hard on Aluminium? I know it's good at rusting steel,
but there are hardly any parts on my Unicycle made of steel.*


Nah, it'll just make a few billion pits and then dissolve the whole
thing, nothing really serious and it'll make your cycle lighter, too.
Washing salt water off aluminum is a really -good- thing, even
if it 's been anodized, do it as soon as you can, the pitting starts as
soon as the water gets on the aluminum.


--
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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It's been two weeks since the mishap, and now I am gladly walking
without limping (much). I empathise for those who's broken bones will
take longer to heal. I'm waiting to hear back from 'Coastal Fasteners'
(http://www.coastalfasteners.co.nz/) to find out about getting some
Titanium fastenings imported from Australia for my Airseat, and my
pedals are in the shop being tended to. I have my broken KH saddle on my
MUni, and some plastic pedals. It really sucks riding with a cracked KH
saddle, so try not to let it happen to you if you've got one.

So was no one stupid enough to get footage of themselves Unicycling in
hurricane Isabel? Or did none survive to tell the tale? John, I'll let
you off since it was a hurricane rather than a cyclone, otherwise...
[image: http://www.addis-welt.de/smilie/smilie/mix/Tornado.gif]


--
Rowan - •·.·´¯`·.·•
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