What is your overall impression of the trip (1 to 5)?

      Aaron:   4.58666 (pretty darn impressed)

       Andy:   5

       Chris:   4.5

Christian:   5+

      Elijah:   5

      Javier:   4

       John:   5

       Scot:   4

   Tammy:   5

     Tanya:   4

    Connie:   5

       Dana:   4.5

Looking back, what would you have done different during the tour?

      Aaron:   eaten more power bars, trained a bit harder in a city environment and on hills.  Worn different shoes.  Uni modifications.  Trying to ferret out interesting and culturally enriching break points.  Maybe drink more water.

       Andy:   I would have figured out a way to ride the whole distance

       Chris:   Everyone should have a cell phone. Everyone should buy an actual map of where we were riding, instead of pre-made ones. Youth Hostels are fun, But I think that the 1 or 2 star hotels would be nicer, and maybe on break days, or the final days 3 stars would be a nice change. Have shorter days (80 km maximum).

Christian:   I would have taken a higher SPF in the beginning.

      Elijah:   Nothing

      Javier:   eat more real food... ignore peer pressure

       John:   Treated the riding more as a tour rather than a race or self-challenge in the first few days. After I while, I adjusted my orientation, and all was well. Oh yeah, and install my brake!

       Scot:   I would have tried to eat more often to replace calories.

   Tammy:   hmm... I would like to say sleep more, but I doubt that would ever happen.  :) also eat healthily and try not to get saddle sore somehow, have more cool  bike shirts with pockets

     Tanya:   Ridden by myself some days, finished Luxembourg City day.

    Connie:   not much

       Dana:   Planned more activities to do in each city but there wasn't that much extra time so maybe not. Have better driving maps of the cities we visited, because Connie and I were a little stressed in the major cities.

Do you still have injuries from the tour? If Yes, what is injured?

      Aaron:   Broken heart from French women, hearing damage from Dana's hair-drier.

       Andy:   No

       Chris:   No

Christian:   I have two nasty scars left, on my elbow and knee. They are looking pretty bad.

      Elijah:   No

      Javier:   my pocket

       John:   No

       Scot:   No

   Tammy:   No

     Tanya:   No

    Connie:   No

       Dana:   No

For the organization of the tour, what is one thing that could have been done better?

      Aaron:   can't think of a thing

       Andy:   Better Maps and cell phones for every rider.

       Chris:   Everyone having a cell phone.

Christian:  

      Elijah:   Maps, distances, although I’m sure you’ve heard enough about that

      Javier:   A bigger celebration at the end

       John:   Larger scale of laser-printed maps for easier legibility.

       Scot:   More detail on some of the maps

   Tammy:   finding our ways to the hostels once in the town

     Tanya:   Maps, laundry (just so you know for sure when they're doing it, so you know  if you should wash stuff yourself at night or not), maybe better directions  to the hostel at night. (well, that's three things. sorry.)

Connie: better maps for the riders. phones in all countries.

       Dana:   Had shorter riding distances and more time to sightsee.

What is one thing that the organizers did really well?

      Aaron:   delegate the responsibility of finding rooms

       Andy:   Didn’t end up in the crazy house

       Chris:   Kept the group in good spirits.

Christian:   Since I can't think of anything for the question above, I couldn't say only one thing. Just thanks again for putting it together! Oh, maybe the answer could be: Asking Connie and Dana to support us.

      Elijah:   Lodging and support was great!

      Javier:   Everything

       John:   Hotel reservations in France (just kidding). I'd say everything was extremely well organized. The website (before and during ride) stands out a great success.

       Scot:   Selecting Connie and Dana as the support team

   Tammy:   reserved rooms and made sure everyone knew that we help each other but you also have to figure stuff out yourself

     Tanya:   Places to stay at night, and arrangements for stuff before the ride started and getting to Cologne and stuff.

    Connie:   organized everything and still rode!

       Dana:   They always seemed to enjoy the trip even when times weren't so great.

Having two months away from the tour, what was your hardest day or situation of the tour? Why? What would you do to prevent this from happening on another tour?

      Aaron:   having an energy crisis on the first day out of Luxembourg City.  Not eat so much hard to digest food. Drink more water.

       Andy:   Taking the days off from riding. I have learned what to do to avoid what happened to me and hopefully that situation won’t come up again.

       Chris:   The last day. It was a combination of really bad saddle soreness, knowing this was the last day, realizing that 2/3 of my stuff was stolen, and realizing that school was going to start soon. I would make sure that my stuff wasn't stolen, and that I always had a constant supply of music.

Christian:   Being muscle sore the day from Dijon. I would stretch in the mornings, after riding, and try to get more massages.

      Elijah:   Probably the hardest day was day 4, coming into Luxembourg late after getting lost

      Javier:  

       John:   Heading into Nimes, I totally bonked AND had no money on me—just credit cards. I sat around feeling shaky and sick until luckily not long after, some other riders came along. So, the obvious solution is
never go far without food/water and some money.

       Scot:   The day I went about 40 km out of my way by not reading my map clearly and ended up with 142 km for the day after riding in the dark for about 4 hours. I with that I had a mobile phone that day and a headlight.

   Tammy:   day 4 when I just felt like crap all over and was too exhausted and one day  in France when I had fun problems with saddle soreness and yeast infections  ;)

     Tanya:   I can't remember the day specifically, but one time when Elijah, Javier, Tammy and I took just FOREVER in this one town, then stopped again really  shortly after for another hour or so, and I just got frustrated ... I would  ride alone. (I can't seem to find the web page right now, otherwise I could  tell you where we were. It was in France I think, after we'd hit the Med.)

    Connie:   most difficult day was going home. But I wouldn't necessarily suggest a longer tour!

       Dana:   Now that I look back there isn't any one time that stands out. If I had to pick a time or situation it would probably be waiting for the riders to meet us. Sometimes we didn't know where you guys were or if you were okay, plus it gets a little boring staying at the same place for hours. Always have cell phones and don't plan for an exact time and location to meet.

Coker questions

If you were to do another long distance tour, what major modifications would you do to your Coker?

      Aaron:   replace frame, more floppy roach seat cover,  mount the camel back on it, panniers,  something needs to change

       Andy:   Add some things like the UniBaggo.

       Chris:   Probably the same, except for a better rim.

Christian:   Definitely a new rim. And maybe a different cycle computer, one with altitude and gradient.

      Elijah:   Hub, rim and spokes, maybe a custom frame of my own.

      Javier:   There has to be a better seat. Carbon fiber seats are too narrow.

       John:   Install brake

       Scot:   I would modify the seat with an air pillow

   Tammy:   something with that stupid hub :)

     Tanya:   Do something about that seat! New hub for sure. New rim.

    Connie:   air conditioning in the support vehicle... ;-)

       Dana:   NA

How many miles/km have you ridden on your Coker since the end of the tour?

      Aaron:   about 30km

       Andy:   120 km

       Chris:   1 km max

Christian:   Only about one hundred, but I miss it pretty much. After nationals this weekend I'm going to get back onto it. I just didn't want to change my riding style after getting back into small wheels.

      Elijah:   About 120 km

      Javier:   ~100 km

       John:   I've been riding about 25 km a day, average, with one ride of 80 km.

       Scot:   Approx. 100 km (didn’t ride the Coker for more than a month after EUT)

   Tammy:   like a fourth of a mile. okay maybe 3 km

     Tanya:   About 5 km. ;)

    Connie:   NA

       Dana:   NA

Do you miss training/touring on your Coker (1 to 5)?

      Aaron:   4.59666

       Andy:   4

       Chris:   3

Christian:   4-5

      Elijah:   4 i.e., I do, but there are so many distractions now I don’t think much about it.

      Javier:   4

       John:   5

       Scot:   3

   Tammy:   yep

     Tanya:   3

    Connie:   NA

       Dana:   I miss driving the van.

Future Unicycle Tours

Would you be interested in another unicycle group tour?

      Aaron:   yes

       Andy:   yes

       Chris:   YES!!!!

Christian:   Yea!!!

      Elijah:   Yes, if I could afford it.

      Javier:   yes

       John:   Absolutely (5)

       Scot:   Yes

   Tammy:   heck yeah

     Tanya:   Yes!

    Connie:   yes - as support again, hopefully with Dana!

       Dana:   Of course

When (if possible, include year and month)?

      Aaron:   Not the summer of 2002, 2003 would be better

       Andy:   2003 Summer

       Chris:   Summer 2003 or 2004 (preferably 2004)

Christian:   Whenever I have time.

      Elijah:   Any time probably, except maybe early next year.

      Javier:   ASAP

       John:   Summer 2003. In summer 2002, I plan to ride across USA.

       Scot:   September 2002

   Tammy:   tough to say as I’m trying to figure out where my life is going, maybe summer??? 03?

     Tanya:   2003 Summer

    Connie:   2003 Summer

       Dana:   The summer works best for me.

Where (include start and end if appropriate)?

      Aaron:   Not a clue

       Andy:   Europe (if we can get the Hoverath’s van) or outside Europe if we can’t

       Chris:   Russia!! (through some famous cities i.e. Stalingrad, Moscow, etc., doesn't matter where really)

Christian:   I don't know, I haven't taken a look on any maps, but a ride in Italy would be interesting. Of course starting further south, so you wouldn't have any serious hills (alpine hills), and more people would enjoy the ride.

      Elijah:   Maybe Madagascar or the Rockies.

      Javier:   From Pakistan to Iraq (riding through Afghanistan)

       John:   I like the northern Spain to south (+Morocco?) idea. Maybe Hawaii (circle the islands)-- could be a shorter  trip. Obviously, cross USA. I'm pretty open.

       Scot:   San Francisco to San Diego, California

   Tammy:   I like the Spain/Africa idea

     Tanya:   Spain/Portugal, or somewhere in South America (near the equator wouldn't be  cold during our summer -- like Unicycle Across Columbia or something), or  around/across Costa Rica would be really cool. Of course, I'd do
non-Spanish-speaking, like New Zealand would be fun, or UK, or Laos or  whatever. :) Or better yet, Unicycle Across Chile: The short way. J/k. :)

    Connie:   Australia or NZ

       Dana:   Australia, north to south coast on the eastern side.

How Long (both in terms of distance and number days)?

      Aaron:   Month to one or two days

       Andy:   2 to 3 weeks is a good time.

       Chris:   Doesn't matter distance however far you can get in about a month going about 80 km a day, with a few days off.

Christian:   MANY km and days

      Elijah:   1000k or 1600 km, If it’s in the Rockies 700 km, 3 weeks.

      Javier:  

       John:   In the neighborhood of 1,000 miles, as EUT. Possibly a shorter daily-distance with more time in locations, or occasionally 2 days off in highly interesting or beautiful locations (e.g. Granada, Spain). Number of days: 3 to 4 weeks. Longer might get expensive?

       Scot:   Don’t know distance or time yet

   Tammy:   20 days, no more than 40 miles a day

     Tanya:   I liked 1,000 mile EUT better than 500 mile UAM (for lots of reasons other  than length), but even so I'd say 800 to 1200 miles, over 3 to 4 weeks would  be fun.

    Connie:   whatever and about 3 weeks

       Dana:   I guess it depends on the distance from start to finish. Three to four weeks seems about right.

What type of terrain (desert, mountains, plains, cities, jungle, etc.)?

      Aaron:   Fjords, snow plains, great plains, badlands, and cow pastures

       Andy:   Anything works for me.

       Chris:   What ever we had to go though.

Christian:   I'd say mountains, but to have a cool group I could deal without too many of them. A nice countryside would be kind of important tho. And maybe areas that aren't too busy.

      Elijah:   Mountains, scenic country, not too much city, not desert.

      Javier:  

       John:   No jungle. Mountains OK, but I personally need to train better for them before the ride. I rode a lot in the city before EUT, but not really enough on big hills, etc.

       Scot:   California coastline

   Tammy:   shady :) and a few mountains to keep it interesting.

     Tanya:   Pyrenees were challenging but really fun ... so, mountains rather than  plains, country rather than city, desert would be an experience but I don't  know if it'd be a good one, jungle would be really neat.

    Connie:   mountains are more fun for the support crew

       Dana:   I enjoy the coastal scene with smaller cites.

How big of group?

      Aaron:   5-10

       Andy:   I like 10

       Chris:   Probably about the same as EUT.

Christian:   10 was perfect. I have never taken part in any rides with more or less people, but I don't think more than 12 would make much sense, because you can't impossible get close to all of them then, and that is, in my eyes, what makes rides special. And not too small groups, because if you are three riders, and two of them are pissed, what would you do???

      Elijah:   10

      Javier:  

       John:   EUT was great size. Possibly a little bigger, like 12 or even 15.

       Scot:   10 to 12

   Tammy:   10 was cool

     Tanya:   5 to 15

    Connie:   5-10 riders worked just great

       Dana:   It depends on transportation and the size of the support crew. Probably no more than 10 because it is somewhat difficult to find "comfortable" lodging for a large group.

How much would you pay?

      Aaron:   $1110 (how much could I pay: $0)

       Andy:   Whatever it takes (what is money anyway)

       Chris:   As much as it took to do it.

Christian:   Up to 1,000 to 1,200 US$, I guess.

      Elijah:   For Registration? Up to $250 I guess.

      Javier:  

       John:   Up to around $3,500

       Scot:   1,000 - 1 Bizillion dollars

   Tammy:   depends how much money I have... I guess I would probably pay $250 again :)

     Tanya:   Up to $3,000?

    Connie:   whatever

       Dana:   I guess around the same amount as last time, airfare would probably be more expensive but who cares about money anyways!