giraffe record

[Jack Halpern]

Daniel Whalen wrote:
|> Does anybody know the record for the tallest giraffe free-mount? I'm still
|> trying to get up on my 6 footer unassisted! Take care,
|>

When Sem Abrahams stayed in my house I think he told me he mounted a 9-footer?
I think heard abiut mounting a 10 or higher one too. There is an article about
this in a very early issue of OOW. Some people use a step that locks the wheel
which makes it much easier. I free mounted a seven footer long ago but can't
do it now.

John Foss should know all about this...

Regards, Jack Halpern

[Ruizb@aol.com]

Daniel Whalen asks:
>Does anybody know the record for the tallest giraffe free-mount?

I guess you must first define free-mount. Mel Hall always was credited for
free-mounting a 10 footer. I once met his daughter who explained that he had a
step that would trigger a locking mechanism on the wheel. That was quite an
accomplishment, but as far as I am concerned, it is not really free-mount.

My son, Javier, free mounts a 9 footer, which really is 8' 9" as he rides it.
You must not only be an excellent rider, but also be long legged and very
flexible. I bet John Foss has been able to free mount some tall unicycles.

Another shortcoming on free-mounting high unicycles is that as a difficult
skill, you must practice a lot before you accomplish it. Because of the height,
it will be very tough on your feet.

Alberto Ruiz Ruizb@aol.com

[DanielW751]

Does anyone know the record for the tallest giraffe free-mount? I'm still trying
to get up on a 6 footer unassisted! Take care, Dan

[Unicycle@aol.com]

>Daniel Whalen asks:
>>Does anybody know the record for the tallest giraffe free-mount?

Alberto Ruiz replied:
>I guess you must first define free-mount. Mel Hall always was credited for
>free-mounting a 10 footer. I once met his daughter who explained that he had a
>step that would trigger a locking mechanism on the wheel.

Mel Hall also rode an inverted 9 footer, which he reportedly free mounted and
rode upside-down, with his shoulders supported and his hands pedaling! This was
in a movie called "Sensations of 1945." Along with this, I have no problem
believing he free mounted a normal giraffe of at least 10' height.

>That was quite an accomplishment, but as far as I am concerned, it is not
>really free-mount.

I beg to differ with you. If a wheel-stopper invalidates the free mount, than I
contend, so does stopping the wheel by stepping on the pedal. I see no
difference. In either case, the unicycle is unsupported, and will fall over
unless the rider gets to the seat and pedals in time.

>My son, Javier, free mounts a 9 footer, which really is 8' 9" as he rides
it.
>You must not only be an excellent rider, but also be long legged and very
>flexible. I bet John Foss has been able to free mount some tall unicycles.

Yes, I happen to have a giraffe of the same size as Javier's, with what I call
an "articulated step" mechanism; a spring-loaded step that presses down on the
tire as you stan on it. I have free mounted it in parades, once in front of
thousands of people in the middle of Broadway in Manhattan! I never took the
time to master the mount 100%. As you say below, the higher you go, the more
stress gets put on your feet & legs when you land, and the heavier the unicycle
gets, especially if it's made by Tom Miller!

>Another shortcoming on free-mounting high unicycles is that as a difficult
>skill, you must practice a lot before you accomplish it. Because of the height,
>it will be very tough on your feet.

The known record (semi-official?) for consecutive free mounting of giraffes was
set in 1981 at the Redford Mini Meet in Livonia, Michigan. I was on my Schwinn
Giraffe, (6') and Carol Bahorich was on her Penguin (about 4 1/2'). We both got
up to 129 official mounts, and then quit because people were dying of boredom
(we weren't dying - - until the next day . . . .).

John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone unicycle@aol.com