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21 Mile Burke Gilman Cruz

Taking advantage of the good weather on Saturday, I packed up my Coker and headed to Redmond. All week I used the weather (rain) as an excuse to not unicycle. So yesterday I was ready to go. I start next to Redmond City Hall. This allows me to avoid parking fees at Marymoor Park.

I like the BG because of the crowd that travels along it. Every type of person uses this trail. There is the single cyclist who is going for speed. They seem to move as if the pedals offer no resistence to their pumping legs. There are groups of cyclists. Their objective is to remain togeather and have fun. Some of these have matching jersies, indicating some form of organizational instinct among the group. There is the family, sometimes just a mom or dad plus kids, sometimes the whole family. There is the boy-girl group. I usually try to speculate on how they decided to go for a ride.

Interacting with these groups as they pass by, makes for an interesting ride.

The single unicyclist is usually absent. Saturday I was there to fill that role. It is a good role to fill, since it usually elicits genuine responses from the other groups.

The BG is also flat, so the single speed machine I use fits right in. I tried to fit in to the single cyclist going for speed group. Usually I was passed by other cyclists, those having two wheels. Although I had a rare moment where I was boxed in by a group of guys as they struggled to go up the rare hill. They had started to pass me just as the hill began. But I kept up with them, and had to slow down a little as we went up the hill. That was good for my ego. Another rare moment of ego boost came on the return trip. The wind was gusting to 25mph and steady at about 20. A boy-girl group passed me, and the boy says to the girl, "I don't think I'd have enought balance for that...". Then they just stalled out. They remained about fifty feet ahead of me for a while. Then I decide to take them. As I passed the guy, I said "hey!". No response. They eventually passed me again, but I stayed ahead of them for a mile or so.

A moment of reality hit me at another point where it took me longer than I thought it should to pass two five year olds on scooters. After I had passed them by a good way, one of them exclaimed "wow!" This is the age where most of us loose the ability to express emotion. Although some of us regain the desire to try once we obtain custody of our own children. It is possible that riding a unicycle will maintain the emotion expressing ability throughout life, if only because the unicyclist experiences the emotion in others more often than most normals.

Stats for the ride:

  • Distance: 34.03km (21.1miles)
  • Average Speed: 17.3km/hr (10.73mph)
  • Ride Time: 1:57:49
  • Max Speed: 21.5km/hr (13.33mph)

After finishing the ride, I notice an sign for the Redmond National Bank. The sign had a graphic of a Penny Farthing. Check the Mini-Album for the photo.

Posted Sunday, May 30, 2004 (PermaLink)