When Dal Fleischer was 55 years old, he had his life under control, however, a little instability was still desired.
So, naturally, he taught himself how to unicycle.
Officials with the Canadian Association of Retired Persons contacted Peace Arch B次元官网网址 this week to share a recent milestone achieved by Fleischer, who is now 72 years old.
Riding on one wheel for about 30 kilometres a day, the White Rock resident recently reached a milestone B次元官网网址� heB次元官网网址檚 logged 40,075 kilometres, a distance equivalent to the circumference of the world.
Fleischer belongs to an online group of unicyclists that track their distance using the Strava application, which was initially released in 2009. ItB次元官网网址檚 quite possible the senior completed the milestone once before, but this time he has an official record, which has been reviewed by his peers.
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Fleischer, a lifelong athlete and cyclist, fell in love with the one-wheel bike after teaching himself how to ride. He started small, and eventually graduated to a 36-inch wheel.
B次元官网网址淚 got a bigger one, a bigger one and a bigger one until I got this 36,B次元官网网址� Fleischer said. B次元官网网址淭hey donB次元官网网址檛 make them any bigger because they donB次元官网网址檛 make people any bigger. You have to be able to reach, from the seat, the pedalsB次元官网网址� bottom position.B次元官网网址�
He has taken his unicycle all over the world, but locally, he said, his favourite places to ride are in South Surrey and White Rock.
While you wonB次元官网网址檛 see him climbing up Oxford Street, Fleischer said the one wheel manages quite well on the hilly seaside.
B次元官网网址淵ou have to have quite substantial muscle in order to ride the large unicycle,B次元官网网址� he said.
Part of his motivation are the friendly smiles, waves and cheers from Semiahmoo Peninsula residents while heB次元官网网址檚 out on a daily trek.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 lots of accolades. ThatB次元官网网址檚 a motivator, itB次元官网网址檚 fun,B次元官网网址� he said.
Some days, of course, he canB次元官网网址檛 ride his unicycle due to the weather. High wind seems to be among the biggest challenge.
B次元官网网址淲ind is a problem because headwind is tough slogging and the problem is winds arenB次元官网网址檛 constant,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t comes and goes and you canB次元官网网址檛 see it coming. IB次元官网网址檝e had times where itB次元官网网址檚 just blown me right off the unicycle and I couldnB次元官网网址檛 get back on.B次元官网网址�
Now that heB次元官网网址檚 completed his milestone, Fleischer, who turns 73 this month, has set a new goal thatB次元官网网址檚 out of this world.
B次元官网网址淕iven that IB次元官网网址檝e done the equator of the Earth, the next target is the equator of the moon. Simply because I am 73, and some day IB次元官网网址檒l have to give up unicycle riding, but itB次元官网网址檚 not quite on the horizon. So I chose a target thatB次元官网网址檚 doable, itB次元官网网址檚 only about 10,000, maybe 11,000 km, opposed to 40,000.B次元官网网址�
aaron.hinks@peacearchnews.com
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