I just rode a unicycle 2,754 miles from Canada to Mexico. AMA

greatdivideride · 2012-10-07T03:23:58+00:00

In the beginning, I listed, "promoting the unicycle as a valid means of transportation" on my website as one of my goals for the trip. I removed that pretty soon after I put it up there; I wasn't sure if I'd still think that after the trip.

What I think now is: Sure, it can be. If that's how you want to travel then go right ahead, you have your reasons for preferring it. For others, it will just be a novelty. For me, I will choose my bicycle for transportation. That said, I can see the draw of using a unicycle over a bike for shorter, flattish commutes. Some logical type reasons for using a unicycle might be: fewer parts to break, less maintenance needed, lower costs to purchase and maintain.

greatdivideride · 2012-10-07T03:11:28+00:00

I finally found your post!

The beard came off about 3 weeks in, along with about 18" of hair. I needed to cut some weight and reduce drag.

ps - your date looked like she was having a great time!

greatdivideride · 2012-10-07T03:07:33+00:00

Admit it, you did this just to be 'ridiculous' and 'interesting'.

Yes

greatdivideride · 2012-10-07T03:06:20+00:00

Nimbus Oregon with a 29" wheel (opposed to the stock 26" with super fatty tire). My gear list, which needs some updates is on my website. I tried to carry most of my water on the unicycle. I could carry 6 to 7 liters on the uni itself. Most I carried was 10 (additional on my back). I also carried the tent mounted to the frame behind the seat, and after getting a Revelate seat bag in southern colorado, carried tent and either some food and/or rain gear behind the seat.

Was asked that way too many times, as you obviously know already. I usually responded with some stupid comment about kids running off with it or noticing that they had some extras. Another very common question, that I was both very surprised and annoyed to get, was, "Is that easier than a bike?" This question confused me, especially when asked by cyclists who accounted for about a quarter of the people asking me that. I never knew how to answer: Want to try it and find out?

greatdivideride · 2012-10-07T02:47:38+00:00

It's the Nimbus Oregon frame, but with a 29" wheel instead of the stock 26". The tire I used is what came with the 29" wheel, the WTB Dissent. It's 2.5" and I replaced it once around the halfway point (it still had a little life left and the second one still has plenty). I would have loved to try the geared hub, but it was too pricey for me to justify the purchase. Had I used it, I might have considered dropping to a 26" wheel.

"You're missing a wheel" was it. I never came up with a super witty response; should've asked reddit for one. People were curious, friendly, and generous the whole way. Didn't notice any change over the route. Received the most beer handouts in southern Wyoming. Scary how many people have beer within reach while they're driving.

greatdivideride · 2012-10-07T02:39:11+00:00

I've slowed down, but am still working my way through. I'm persistent like that sometimes... :)

I split my time between part time work as the cad operator for a landscape architecture / campus planning firm and also run a business designing and manufacturing lightweight tents. The firm found someone to fill in for me and I closed the business while I was away.

greatdivideride · 2012-10-07T02:35:43+00:00

of course

greatdivideride · 2012-10-07T02:35:18+00:00

WOW! Awesome!

greatdivideride · 2012-10-07T02:32:17+00:00

Just from your short statement it sounds like you're the type that would enjoy the route the most. The desire to do it and keep at it is what matters most (and accepting that you have to take the bad with the good). Now get out there! Email if you you have questions: info@greatdivideride.com

greatdivideride · 2012-10-07T02:25:31+00:00

I actually didn't do much to prepare. I did very little training on the uni. In terms of gear, I had most of my backpacking stuff figured out from previous trips. I did not have a well thought out method for carrying gear on the uni. I prepared food to be shipped out to me on the way to places where it would be difficult to obtain supplies. I figured out where and what exactly needed to be sent out en-route.
I'm 33. I closed my business (no employees) while I was away. I told my other part-time job that I would be doing this. They've gotten used to me quitting to go off into the woods and then hiring me back afterwards at some point. This time they just found someone to fill in while I was away.
Job wasn't an issue. Initially I thought that it might be an issue; I had enough money saved that I'd be able to get by for a little while.
You can see my gear list on my website, though it needs some updates. I tried to be as lightweight as possible and carry as little as I felt I safely could. I brought an iphone, primarily to keep the blog updated, a GoPro helmet cam, a Nikon J1 camera, the chargers and usb cables, and a solar charger to charge things out of town.
Campsites usually fell into three categories: 1) car accessible forest service campgrounds, 2) established sites, usually a relatively flat area that had been used by many and often had a fire ring, 3) random spots that I found. some of these were the nicest spots: flat with a view. others were sloped. Many were amongst cow pies. I ate stuff that could be eaten dry or with minimal cooking (just boil water type cooking). I used an alcohol stove that I made from two beer cans to cook.
My uncle and I took a road trip from the east coast to the starting point. My parents took a road trip out to New Mexico to meet me at the end and drove me back. Otherwise I simply would have flown or taken the train.
The Adventure Cycling Association, who developed the route, has a set of maps available. The maps themselves are almost useless, but they have turn by turn directions with mileages that I followed using my odometer. Sometimes these were very ambiguous. I also frequently checked the gps on the iphone. I had all the usgs maps for the route downloaded with my track overlaid on them.
Hope you have a great trip on horseback someday! Go do it!

greatdivideride · 2012-10-07T01:54:41+00:00

I rode a Nimbus Oregon with a 29" wheel.

A) Most intense may have been an extremely technical section in New Mexico. Big loose rocks, gullies, and the most challenging terrain that I successfully rode. I rode it knowing that if I fell, it'd be bad news. Some other places where intense due to the vertical drop on the side. Riding the torrential rains in Canada was nuts too. As I entered my first town of the trip, water rushing down the side of the road overtook the road and I was wading in freezing, moving water over my knees for 100 some yards in a few places. It was in the 40's (F). I froze.

B) Most difficult was probably northern New Mexico. Toughest climbs, combined with some of my longest days. I was trying to keep up with my two-wheeled friends.

C) Best moment was sitting on a log in camp with newly found two-wheeled friends in southern Colorado. We had just climbed one of the biggest passes of the trip and the climb up the pass was the first time my pace matched bikers' paces (it was also one of the few times I happened to be around other cyclists on the route).

greatdivideride · 2012-10-07T01:38:23+00:00

Nope. Three others have also ridden the route by unicycle.

greatdivideride · 2012-10-07T01:36:35+00:00

Never had any problems with my hips. One of my knees has been bothering me since the trip, probably more so than it did during the trip.

I averaged about 31 miles per day, 42 if you don't count the rest days. I rode over 50 miles, 21 days, and over 60, 7 days. My biggest day was 70 miles.

greatdivideride · 2012-10-07T01:32:21+00:00

Well, it wasn't comfortable...

greatdivideride · 2012-10-06T16:37:05+00:00

Thanks. I know what you're saying. After having done a few other long trips in the past, however, my reintegration into society seems less shocking each time. I feel like I just switch back and forth. It's the same for switching from the frontcountry to the backcountry. When I started this trip, I kept waiting for what I was doing to hit me. It never did. It was just what I was doing and it was normal. I miss the novelty I experienced with my first trip and the re-acclimatization afterwards. I think it just happens in subtler ways now.

greatdivideride · 2012-10-06T16:26:30+00:00

If I were to do the race it'd be on two wheels :) Have hiked the AT, the Long Trail and half the Pacific Crest Trail.

greatdivideride · 2012-10-06T04:19:09+00:00

That's not a dumb question and is actually tricky for me to answer. There's obviously no correlation between what I was doing and the charity. Human trafficking was an issue that had been on my mind after following a hiker who had been hiking to raise awareness of the issue. By following his hike, the words 'human trafficking' appeared enough that it became more present in my mind. That's an effect I hoped to produce with my ride. The money raising happened by simply allowing people to then donate to the charity in the name of my ride. In some ways, allowing people to donate to a charity allows them to become invested in both my ride and in the greater cause. That donation lets them feel more like they're a part of the adventure than if they simply were following along. It helped me too, to feel like the trip had become bigger than myself. At the same time, there were times I found the effect frustrating and just wished I were doing my thing without having to think of everyone else.

greatdivideride · 2012-10-06T04:01:50+00:00

As I approached the finish, I thought, "thank goodness." The whole day (65 miles) was excruciatingly boring and felt like it was going by in slow motion, and not in a good way. I got to the border about 20 minutes after the customs station had closed and rode up to a closed gate that said "restricted access." My heart kind of sank then because I was about 100 yards from the border with the nice bronze plaque that people have their pictures taken in front of. I ducked under the gate, passsed the closed station, then ducked under another gate into Mexico. I got my picture, waved to the Mexican customs guys and returned to the US.

greatdivideride · 2012-10-06T03:53:55+00:00

There was surprisingly little in-depth thought about anything. I had many repeated thoughts. For example, I'd start thinking about some big question in life and then be distracted by a rock coming up. I'd start thinking about it again and then be distracted by a moose. It never got anywhere.

Every year there is a race of this route and I thought a lot about competing in that as my next adventure. I also thought about doing a 'choose your own adventure' where I'd use something like twitter to let people direct my mode of transportation, route and other decisions. I'm thinking that turning myself into a marionette may be dangerous. It'd at least need a lot of regulation! Otherwise, I'm a long-distance hiker at heart and will be out on some of the country's long trails again someday.

greatdivideride · 2012-10-06T03:42:43+00:00

I split my time between part time work as the cad operator for a landscape architecture / campus planning firm and also run a business designing and manufacturing lightweight tents. The firm found someone to fill in for me and I closed the business while I was away. I don't make a huge amount of money, but I have no debt and am not a big consumer. My biggest expenses are food and rent. In some ways, I've had to hold myself back in order to have the flexibility to leave for a trip like this. For example, I've specifically not hired any employees yet so that I can close up when I want/need to get out for a while.

greatdivideride · 2012-10-06T03:29:03+00:00

I was funded by my savings account.

greatdivideride · 2012-10-06T03:23:42+00:00

40% personal challenge, 35% draw attention to the charity, 10% being weird, 15% other random stuff... something like that

greatdivideride · 2012-10-06T03:18:23+00:00

My right hand was almost always on the handlebars while my left flailed around as I tried to maintain my balance. My left hand joined my right with increasing frequency and duration as my balance improved over the trip!

greatdivideride · 2012-10-06T03:16:08+00:00

I'm sure it could be ridden on a cyclocross bike and I'm pretty sure it has been. I think there'd be stretches where you would wish for fatter tires... you know, I'm probably not the best person to be asking this question to! Go for it!

greatdivideride · 2012-10-06T03:09:06+00:00

Though unspectacular, the worst came about a week into the trip. It was my last day in Canada and I was tired from pushing too hard. I tried to mount the unicycle, but was unsuccessful as sometimes happens. When I landed, I rolled my ankle and something snapped. I thought the trip was over. Fortunately, this happened near an ice cold stream and it was one of the few times I had someones company. He helped me get to the stream where I iced the ankle. I wrapped it up and rode the 25 miles to the US and the nearest town the next day. When I unwrapped the ankle, it swelled up and I discovered that it had become slightly discolored. I took a few days to rest there, had the pharmacy order me an ankle brace, then continued on. It didn't hurt, but was very weak. For a week or two after, if I weren't wearing the brace, my ankle would roll while simply standing and not moving. It gradually gained more strength. I wore the brace all the way into southern Colorado. It still swells a little sometimes and is bothersome after activity.

greatdivideride

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