Unicycling skill levels

John Stimson (jstimson@muddcs.cs.hmc.edu)
Sat, 5 Nov 1994 10:10:10 -0800 (PST)

Am I the only person on this list that thinks the Skill Level
Certification System is silly? For one thing - a certification system
for unicycling? For me and everyone I know, unicycling has been
completely informal, and we try to learn whatever tricks we feel like.

It seems like the levels are primarily geared towards performances, as
well. Unicycling for me is more a fun form of transport, and a lot of
the cool stuff I've done/seen done has had a lot more to do with
terrain and obstacles, or the ability to do normal things while on a
uni, like pick things up off the ground, (which is requisite for)
playing frisbee, basketball, etc. The skill level list includes
nothing like this. And what about freemounting a giraffe? Riding
with people on your shoulders?

It seems that trying to codify a set of skills that make you a "good
unicyclist" is futile. And trying to set up a "certification" system
for said skill levels is perverse. It would be far more appropriate
to set up a list of "fun things to try", and add to the list as people
come up with ideas. I think we will end up with a far more creative
and diverse list that way, and unicycling won't become (ugh)
formalized.
Pojundery,
John