unifoss@CERF.NET
1994-12-20, 08:01 AM
This is an article for an upcoming issue of ON ONE WHEEL. In the process
of sending the copy to editor Constance Cotter, I thought you folks
might find it interesting. Not good, just interesting. What you miss out
on is the picture, which must be sent by cruder means (I know that
electronically I can send a cruder version of the picture, but not good
enough for publishing. Also, I don't have the equipment to scan it in,
so sign up for your own copy of ON ONE WHEEL!). Imagine a tropical beach
scene; blue sky, bright sand, and palm trees. A balding, skinny man with
no tan is inside an 8 foot tall, inflatable hamster wheel. It's shaped
like a ladder bent all the way into a circle. In the picture, he looks
like he knows what he's doing.
THINGS NOT TO DO ON A UNICYCLE
#11: Riding a hamster unicycle on water
In December, John Foss was in Singapore, doing 21 shows with the New
York based National Circus Project. Between shows he got into mischief.
At the beach on Sentosa Island, a place for tourists, they had water
vehicles. They had "tricycles," with three huge fat wheels and two
seats. They had "bicycles," with two pontoons and one seat. These both
had pedals. Then they had the "Wonderwheel," with one giant wheel and no
seat! For $18 Singapore, John tried it, along with Susan and David
Lange, juggler/acrobats from Florida, for one hour. Soft water is a
great place to learn this thing. To walk on it requires a combination of
climbing a giant, slippery ladder, and thinking like a hamster. A wet
hamster. The straps you see are there to help hold the round shape. They
are not attached to the "rider." With practice, they were able to stay
up for a while, but never going in a straight line. The wheel must have
needed truing!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: THINGS NOT TO DO #10 MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED. IF IT WASN'T,
IT WILL BE ALONG IN A FUTURE ISSUE. THE STORY THERE WAS "RIDING A UNICYCLE IN
TIANNANMEN SQUARE, CHINA." FOSS AND HALPERN WERE ALMOST ARRESTED, BUT WE WILL
SAVE THAT STORY FOR ANOTHER TIME.
John Foss, President International Unicycling Federation unifoss@cerfnet.com
of sending the copy to editor Constance Cotter, I thought you folks
might find it interesting. Not good, just interesting. What you miss out
on is the picture, which must be sent by cruder means (I know that
electronically I can send a cruder version of the picture, but not good
enough for publishing. Also, I don't have the equipment to scan it in,
so sign up for your own copy of ON ONE WHEEL!). Imagine a tropical beach
scene; blue sky, bright sand, and palm trees. A balding, skinny man with
no tan is inside an 8 foot tall, inflatable hamster wheel. It's shaped
like a ladder bent all the way into a circle. In the picture, he looks
like he knows what he's doing.
THINGS NOT TO DO ON A UNICYCLE
#11: Riding a hamster unicycle on water
In December, John Foss was in Singapore, doing 21 shows with the New
York based National Circus Project. Between shows he got into mischief.
At the beach on Sentosa Island, a place for tourists, they had water
vehicles. They had "tricycles," with three huge fat wheels and two
seats. They had "bicycles," with two pontoons and one seat. These both
had pedals. Then they had the "Wonderwheel," with one giant wheel and no
seat! For $18 Singapore, John tried it, along with Susan and David
Lange, juggler/acrobats from Florida, for one hour. Soft water is a
great place to learn this thing. To walk on it requires a combination of
climbing a giant, slippery ladder, and thinking like a hamster. A wet
hamster. The straps you see are there to help hold the round shape. They
are not attached to the "rider." With practice, they were able to stay
up for a while, but never going in a straight line. The wheel must have
needed truing!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: THINGS NOT TO DO #10 MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED. IF IT WASN'T,
IT WILL BE ALONG IN A FUTURE ISSUE. THE STORY THERE WAS "RIDING A UNICYCLE IN
TIANNANMEN SQUARE, CHINA." FOSS AND HALPERN WERE ALMOST ARRESTED, BUT WE WILL
SAVE THAT STORY FOR ANOTHER TIME.
John Foss, President International Unicycling Federation unifoss@cerfnet.com