Contributor: Dylan J. Cole
I had just arrived in Rochester, New York, and my Warmshowers hosts and I were sitting around a home-cooked meal, swapping stories from the Erie Canal Trail.
One host shared a story that I found most memorable: One day, close to downtown, she had been unicycling along the canal while juggling bowling pins when she lost her balance, and the unicycle went careening into the canal. It began to sink quickly into the dark water—just out of arm’s reach.
Suddenly, a tall man, well over six feet, darted to the canal’s edge and, with one of his long, tattooed arms, managed to grab the unicycle just before it disappeared. Several onlookers cheered, and after she thanked him profusely, the tall man even took a celebratory ride, revealing that he was a competent unicyclist himself. We all shared a good laugh over the luck and whimsy of the tale.
The next morning, I packed my belongings, and we said our farewells. I planned to take the day off to explore the city, but as my hosts were expecting company in the evening, I moved across town to stay with another couple I had connected with through Warmshowers.
That evening, another delicious meal was shared among new friends, and with it, more stories from the road. My turn came around, and I thought of the tale my host had shared the previous night: One day, close to downtown, she had been unicycling along the canal while juggling bowling pins when suddenly—
One of my hosts—a tall man, well over six feet and decorated with tattoos—held up his hands. “Hold on—I think I know how this one goes—the unicycle fell into the canal, didn’t it?”
View Dylan’s amazing photography on his blog at www.dylanjamescole.com