Dave Lowell hopped up 10 stairs today!

HardcoreCokerRider said:

* it's an inspiration for us old guys. *

What's the definition of old guy? I hope I'm not there yet. I refuse
to consider myself old at this point.

I'm more experienced, and I can't jump as well as the young guys, but
I'm not old. 😄

--
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john_childs said:

*What's the definition of old guy?*

Well I'm 35 and Dave's 39... which isn't too old, but compared to the
riders who are in their teens, we are old! We're doing pretty good,
though... I know I'm still beating myself up as if I were a teenager!

--
HardcoreCokerRider - Skateparks, MTB & Urban Insanity
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Speaking of riding like or with teenagers, I just got back from a stay
in Manhattan. too bad we couldn't ride together.

Great work on the ten set! Once you can do ten there's basically no
skill limit, like the difference between riding 70yds to 200yds.

--
gerblefranklin - Trials Unicyclist

http://gallery.unicyclist.com/Trials-Muni

"Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by
understanding."-Albert Einstein
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Alright Dave! The first beer is on me 🙂

--
Brian MacKenzie - LAN Solo

Forthcoming DVD
TRAINING WHEEL NOT REQUIRED:
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'Unicycle Product Reviews'
(http://londonunicyclingclub.ca/unicycleReviews.aspx)
*113* reviews on *75* products, never make an uninformed purchase again!

TWNR US Release Party Feb 19 in Cleveland at
'Ray's Indoor Mountainbike Park' (http://www.raysmtb.com)! Click 'here'
(http://tinyurl.com/5qnwb) for more info
YOU NEED TO BE ON THE LIST I SUBMIT ON JAN 30 IN ORDER TO COME, PLEASE
EMAIL ME AT BRIANANDLEEANNE (AT) SYMPATICO.CA

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I'm right between you and Dave (I'm 37). I refuse to get old. It's
impossible to get old when you ride a unicycle. 🙂

--
john_childs - Guinness Mojo

john_childs (at) hotmail (dot) com
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niiiiiiice, how's the riding stairs coming dave? also which uni was that
on, 20"?

--
zach_jucha - tell your sister i said hi

-Don't ask me why I said it, because I already forgot.-

- Homestar

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- John Foss

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Great progress on the 10 stair hop up.

'It seems almost like yesterday' (http://tinyurl.com/4jym3) Mr. Lowell
had rigged up his 'practice rail'
(http://gallery.unicyclist.com/albun94/aaa).

Next thing you know he'll be riding the top of the rail.

Regarding old: Harper is older than me and he's not old. Therefore, I'm
not old either at 44 (Although my wife just informed me that I'm middle
aged :mad🙂.

--
UniBrier - Its Time to Ride

Steve

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. - C.
S. Lewis

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john_childs said:

*I'm right between you and Dave (I'm 37). I refuse to get old.
It's impossible to get old when you ride a unicycle. 🙂 *

You must ride more than me. I'm not yet 37 (it's coming soon) but I
feel older.

Gotta get out and ride more.

-mg

--
mgrant - Ever hoping for the best!

The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older, shorter of
breath, and one day closer to death.
michael_j_grant (at) yahoo (dot) com
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There seem to be lots of us middle aged men about, riding unicycles,
trying to recapture our youth! I don't feel old either when I'm sitting
down, but when I try to jump, there's just not as much sproing as there
used to be, and it can be maddening. It also hurts a bit more when I
fall, but i never let on.😄 (41 yrs.)

Oh, and I've seen several of these guys ride, and they're good.

--
elmer - uniimpaired

"At 40 life begins...to show."
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zach_jucha said:

*niiiiiiice, how's the riding stairs coming dave? also which uni was
that on, 20"? *

Hi, Zach! Long time no see, my friend! (I think I forgot to return
your last PM). Hey, come out to NYC again!

I'm doing the stairs on my MUni now (the last time Zach and I met, I was
beginning to ride my Coker down four steps -- and made it a few times --
but I stopped because I hurt my ankle while trying).

I can ride down the four steps reliably and without fear now. And hop
up and down full flights of stairs now. And a while ago, I rode down
eight or nine steps (made it too, but just barely, and just one
attempt). All this on the MUni. I'm getting real comfortable riding
down the four steps, so now I'm ready to ride down the full flight of
steps again (over and over until there is no fear -- and until it
becomes easy).

--
Dave Lowell - _

member of the 'new york unicycle club' (http://www.newyorkunicycle.com)

-\"you like this friend of yours, which is why you shove him/her into
the mud puddle.\"- - james_potter, describing the true meaning of
friendship

come to brian mackenzie's 'twnr: us release/ride party'
(http://tinyurl.com/6tvvt) at 'ray's mtb' (http://www.raysmtb.com) on
feb 19. 'twnr us release: updated info' (http://tinyurl.com/5tjpj)
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HardcoreCokerRider said:

*The New York Unicycle Club meets twice a month. At today's meeting, I
watched Dave Lowell (D5) hop up a flight of ten stairs. To be honest,
I wasn't sure that he was going to make it all the way to the top, but
he pulled it off splendidly and deserves much congratulations. The
last club meeting was the first time Dave had succesfully hopped up
the smaller (4 stair) flight and now he's alreeady doing 10 stairs!
Dave has been working hard at developing his skills and it's great to
watch his amazing progress... it's an inspiration for us old guys. *

Wow, I made the headline news! Thanks, Andrew. I'm a bit shy and
wouldn't have posted this! But it's fun to announce my progress to the
world and get such nice comments from my friends here. Thanks
everybody.

I've been riding for two years and two months. All my skills seem to be
coming together now. Finally! (hey, I'm almost old -- and a slow
learner). It's a really exciting time for me. I think I will be able
to hop higher soon (more height). And sometimes when hopping down
steps, I hop off the second step instead of the bottom step. I'll work
up to the third and fourth step. And I see idling (hey, I never really
practiced it) and one foot riding in my near future too, I think. My
core riding skills (basic riding, better control, basic MUni, and basic
hopping) have improved and solidified such that I think I will continue
to progress rapidly for a while. Also, my confidence level has gone way
up. So, I'm trying more things. And I find that some of those things
are in the realm of possibility!

I've had many excellent teachers along the way. Not to make this like
an Academy Award speech (especially since my riding certainly isn't
going to win any awards soon), but...

I'd like to thank the following people for their unicycling pointers and
encouragement...

Jeff Prosa, Brian Maw, Joe Merrill, Dave Stockton, David Stone, (and for
a short time...) Zach Jucha, and jediunicyclist (Edwin).

And in a category all their own (these people inspire me to "go for it"
-- although I will never have their level of skill or fearlessness -- at
least not on a Coker)...

Brian MacKenzie and Andrew (HCR).

And thanks Evan (total uni) for his 'cool, fun, and educational video'
(http://tinyurl.com/3plvy). Not only is it fun to watch, but all the
slow-motion parts ended up being educational for me (the pre-hop, the
suicide mount, etc).

Note: the only -bad- thing about buying a Dave Stockton custom Coker
dream machine... it's such a thing of beauty that it's addicting. I
actually stopped working on my MUni skills while I put 450 miles on my
Coker. But now I've found balance. I'm doing Coker, MUni, -and-
trials. And maybe I'll even throw in some Coker MUni.

Okay everybody, I'll give my next status report in two months. See you
then. (and expect an awesome video from me some time)

--
Dave Lowell - _

member of the 'new york unicycle club' (http://www.newyorkunicycle.com)

-\"you like this friend of yours, which is why you shove him/her into
the mud puddle.\"- - james_potter, describing the true meaning of
friendship

come to brian mackenzie's 'twnr: us release/ride party'
(http://tinyurl.com/6tvvt) at 'ray's mtb' (http://www.raysmtb.com) on
feb 19. 'twnr us release: updated info' (http://tinyurl.com/5tjpj)
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Dave Lowell said:

*.
I've been riding for two years and two months. All my skills seem to
be coming together now. Finally! (hey, I'm almost old -- and a slow
learner).
B *

Congrats Dave!!!!!!!
I'm at that same stage of the game. It's also been about 2 years for
me since the first time I decided to throw a leg over a unicycle. The
longest stair set that I've hopped up has been about 7 steps. I did my
first 2' drop yesterday. As I get a little older (almost 52), I find
myself contemplating the potential for injury before I attempt certain
things 😄 😉

--
Krashin'Kenny - Crash Tested

If you ain't crashing, you ain't going fast enough!!!!!!!!!!!

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Way to go, Dave. I guess you're about 3/4 of my age so you've got a ways
to go to really get those skills developed. I think my longest
successful, continous flight hopping up was 32 in Lively, Ontario and I
rode down it a couple of times. I rode down a flight of about fifty in
Vancouver, BC a couple of weeks ago. I should have counted them. It
might have been 52, my age. Riding your age is an important factor. They
were VERY poorly spaced stairs with two curves in the flight, too.

--
harper - Riding a Fat

-Greg Harper

B L U E S H I F T

"You go through life and you choose." - Greg Harper

"Sometimes you choose wrong." - Greg Harper

"People who quote themselves are lame." - David Lowell

"I think I just broke my leg." - Greg Harper, 10/9/2004

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Krashin'Kenny said:

*I find myself contemplating the potential for injury before I attempt
certain things 😄 😉 *

Same here. I am not sure it has only to to with the number of years you
have trodden your path, it is perhaps also a matter of experience. At 50
I know a lot more about my body than when I was a teenager. I have had
my share of accidents and they have all contributed to my intrinsic
knowledge. This experience or knowledge can sometimes make me hesitate
when I want to try something new. I have for instance been making a lot
of fuzz over the jump mount before I finally (yesterday) landed my
first. I think it is important to listen to what both your body and mind
tells you but on the same time challenge this 'voice' from time to time
in order to keep developing yourself.

Well done, Dave!

--
goldenchicken - .
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Hey Dave,
This is great news. You know I am a big fan of trials and finding lines
involving hopping so this is real exciting news. I hope to ride again
with you real soon. Practice sticking your landings and avoid extra
hops and so much more opens up for you to play on during our rides.
Bringing up your skill level is a great thing but anyone would agree you
are just a blast to be around. I just said yesterday that I missed your
sense of humor. Keep up the progress!

--
brianmaw
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harper said:

*Way to go, Dave. I guess you're about 3/4 of my age so you've got a
ways to go to really get those skills developed. I think my longest
successful, continous flight hopping up was 32 in Lively, Ontario and
I rode down it a couple of times. I rode down a flight of about fifty
in Vancouver, BC a couple of weeks ago. I should have counted them. It
might have been 52, my age. Riding your age is an important factor.
They were VERY poorly spaced stairs with two curves in the flight,
too. *

im confused did he hop up all the stairs in one hop? 😕 or all
of them hopping up then one at a time? cause if he did either CONGRATS
😄

--
drewation - S'toons finest 🙂

why take the bus when you can uni? 🙂

http://www.sunic.s5.com/ - finnaly are site is made 😄

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Good job!
next thing you know youll be hopping up two at a time,then 3,or
somthing.
My dad is 49,and he doesnt practice much at all,even though he taught
me.I should get him to read this!

--
forrestunifreak - Im Lame!

I cant help it if my sig. line is stupid.Its just the nature of my
sig.
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Brian MacKenzie said:

*Alright Dave! The first beer is on me 🙂

edit: I mean first fancy coffee *

Thanks! I'll take you up on that in Cleveland, if they have any fancy
coffee, that is. (sorry, poor attempt at a Cleveland joke)

drewation said:

*im confused did he hop up all the stairs in one hop? 😕 or
all of them hopping up then one at a time? cause if he did either
CONGRATS 😄 *

One at a time! But I understand your confusion. You have to take it in
the correct context...

What I did was nothing special. For many, many riders, it's easy. But
for -me-, it was a major accomplishment. People were praising my
progress and just being all-around nice and encouraging. While I've
been able to hop for a long time, I've always had big trouble hopping
-onto- things. Now I can do it.

brianmaw said:

*Hey Dave,
This is great news. You know I am a big fan of trials and finding
lines involving hopping so this is real exciting news. I hope to ride
again with you real soon. Practice sticking your landings and avoid
extra hops and so much more opens up for you to play on during our
rides. Bringing up your skill level is a great thing but anyone would
agree you are just a blast to be around. I just said yesterday that I
missed your sense of humor. Keep up the progress! *

Thanks, B! You and Jeff are good teachers and I love going on your MUni
rides. When I was at 'Ray's MTB' (http://www.raysmtb.com) hopping
through the rock garden I was a cradling maniac. Thanks for teaching me
that! Also, doing the rocks gives me practice hopping on uneven
surfaces (a feature mostly lacking in urban trials). How about a ride
on Sunday, Jan 16th? It's my 40th birthday. And then I'm off to Ray's
MTB for a week.

UniBrier said:

*Great progress on the 10 stair hop up.

'It seems almost like yesterday' (http://tinyurl.com/4jym3) Mr. Lowell
had rigged up his 'practice rail'
(http://gallery.unicyclist.com/albun94/aaa).*

Aw, you remembered. I'm flattered. Thanks, Steve!

forrestunifreak said:

*Good job!
next thing you know youll be hopping up two at a time,then 3,or
somthing. *

Yes, I'll try two soon. Once I can get that kind of height, then I know
I'm doing something right. (my hopping is not great right now... it's
just good enough to get me up and down stairs!)

--
Dave Lowell - _

member of the 'new york unicycle club' (http://www.newyorkunicycle.com)

-\"you like this friend of yours, which is why you shove him/her into
the mud puddle.\"- - james_potter, describing the true meaning of
friendship

come to brian mackenzie's 'twnr: us release/ride party'
(http://tinyurl.com/6tvvt) at 'ray's mtb' (http://www.raysmtb.com) on
feb 19. 'twnr us release: updated info' (http://tinyurl.com/5tjpj)
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