[pianotech] OT: One for the Record Books!

[Dave Swartz]

Truly amazing.....congratulations!  I ride a Specialized Robaix (sp?) 2
wheel and have experienced a great deal of hill climbing but this is
incredible. A century on a unicycle leaves me in awe as well.  Thanks for
sharing.

Dave Swartz
Cory Products
www.corycare.com


On Thu, Feb 24, 2011 at 6:03 PM, Dean May <deanmay at pianorebuilders.com>wrote:

>  Terry,
>
> My sister wants to know if you are married. :-)
>
>
> *Dean***
>
> Dean W May                (812) 235-5272
>
> PianoRebuilders.com    (888) DEAN-MAY
>
> Terre Haute IN 47802
>
>  ------------------------------
> *From:* pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] *On
> Behalf Of *pianolover 88
> *Sent:* Thursday, February 24, 2011 12:11 PM
> *To:* pianotech at ptg.org
> *Subject:* [pianotech] OT: One for the Record Books!
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> Piano tuning is primarily a sedentary profession. So I ride unicycles
> offroad and on, to stay in shape. But yesterday, 2/23/11, was a high
> watermark for me, and set a new record for the oldest-and likely
> *only*-person to have ever successfully climbed the steepest and most famous
> street in Los Angeles, CA, and the 2nd steepest in the US! At a massive 33%
> grade, Fargo street hill attracts hundreds of cyclists...the two-wheeled
> variety!...to the yearly climbing event held there.
>
> Most don't make it to the top, even though they use ultra low gears to help
> them pedal their way some 528 feet to the top of this monster hill, which is
> more like a WALL! So I decided to try it myself...on just ONE wheel! Yep, my
> 24" mountain unicycle, with NO gears to help me climb, no clip in pedals
> that help you "pull" as well as push while pedaling. No frame, handlebars or
> second wheel for much easier balance. It would be just 1:1 fixed wheel all
> the way baby!
>
> On two previous attempts, I managed only about 300 feet of the total 528.
> Not a bad attempt, but it was still more than 200 feet short of the top! So
> yesterday, with fellow unicyclist Steve, visiting from NY, I gave it another
> try, and this time gave it everything I could muster...and I MADE it to the
> top! I still do not know where or how I found the strength to keep going,
> especially past the 1/2 way point, where most fail! At 55 years old, my "Max
> heart rate" is supposed to be 165. I've been riding hardcore trails and done
> 100 mile uni centuries, but my heart rate never exceeded 153bpms, and that
> was only when training on much less steep hills.
>
> On this climb I was wearing my heart rate monitor, and it was redlining at
> *171bpms,* even before I got halfway up! My lungs were on fire and burning
> like never before, and just catching breaths was an ordeal! I was standing
> on the pedals, cranking down each and every half revolution, which required
> a herculean effort! When Steve finally yelled out, "20 feet to go", I felt
> an adrenaline rush that was enough to put me over the top! It was a great
> feeling...once I convinced myself I wasn't having hear failure! As someone
> said, this was "my personal Everest!"
>
> *Here's the video:* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nak8TBvykkc
>
>
> Terry Peterson
> Accurate Piano Service
> UniGeezer.com <http://unigeezer.com/>
> "Over 50, and not "2" Tired!"
>
>
>
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