Subject
Expert opinion on "lemniscate and bicycling"
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----- Original Message -----
From: <tom@discobolus.co.za>
To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <nabokv-l@listserv.ucsb.edu>
.
>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (63
lines) ------------------
> Dear Don and List...
>
> At the unsupple age of 64, the tightest lemniscate I can execute (wet
> tyres, dry road) on my Concorde Italian road racing machine (Columbus
> tubing, Campagnolo gruppo) with a one-metre wheelbase, measures about six
> metres by three. Furthermore, it leaves a partially "double-imaged" figure
> of eight, since the front wheel runs in a separate track. Orion's points
> are well-taken, and I opine that the original figure in the sand witnessed
> by VN was created by a child (or a circus trick cyclist) on a extremely
> small-wheeled bicycle with an ultra-short wheelbase, deftly steering with
> body lean, not handlebars.
>
> Regards,
>
> Tom
> (Author of "Cycling in South Africa" 1990)
>
> Orian, bvia Mary Krimmel: I am something of a bicyclist, and
> >> >my short and brutal answer is that i imagine
> >> >the poet was just discounting or romanticising
> >> >the dual tracks which would be left by
> >> >an ordinary person bicycling a figure-8.
> >> >
> >> >altho i think impressionistically speaking,
> >> >this is totally valid: you look, and
> >> >you see a figure 8.
> >> >
> >> >for a Precisish lemniscate,
> >> >from a regular bicyclist,
> >> >i agree the figure would
> >> >have to be failry large.
> >> >Say 25 feet along the major axis.
> >> >Even then, since it's in sand,
> >> >you'd need to be extremely deft
> >> >to do it nonchalantly.
> >> >
> >> >A unicyclist would have trouble
> >> >making a smooth lemniscate because
> >> >much of the nature of unicycling
> >> >involves turning slightly left & right
> >> >with each cycle of the wheel.
> >> >Especially i think when turning,
> >> >and doubly-especially in a medium
> >> >as difficult as sand.
> >> >
> >> >I'd think it more possible in fact
> >> >that the rider was skilled with a
> >> >2-wheel bicycle, and was performing
> >> >a large wheelie all the way around.
> >> >
> >> >In my experience it would be impossible
> >> >to carve a figure-8 without having one
> >> >wheel follow in the tracks of the other.
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
>
>
>
From: <tom@discobolus.co.za>
To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <nabokv-l@listserv.ucsb.edu>
.
>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (63
lines) ------------------
> Dear Don and List...
>
> At the unsupple age of 64, the tightest lemniscate I can execute (wet
> tyres, dry road) on my Concorde Italian road racing machine (Columbus
> tubing, Campagnolo gruppo) with a one-metre wheelbase, measures about six
> metres by three. Furthermore, it leaves a partially "double-imaged" figure
> of eight, since the front wheel runs in a separate track. Orion's points
> are well-taken, and I opine that the original figure in the sand witnessed
> by VN was created by a child (or a circus trick cyclist) on a extremely
> small-wheeled bicycle with an ultra-short wheelbase, deftly steering with
> body lean, not handlebars.
>
> Regards,
>
> Tom
> (Author of "Cycling in South Africa" 1990)
>
> Orian, bvia Mary Krimmel: I am something of a bicyclist, and
> >> >my short and brutal answer is that i imagine
> >> >the poet was just discounting or romanticising
> >> >the dual tracks which would be left by
> >> >an ordinary person bicycling a figure-8.
> >> >
> >> >altho i think impressionistically speaking,
> >> >this is totally valid: you look, and
> >> >you see a figure 8.
> >> >
> >> >for a Precisish lemniscate,
> >> >from a regular bicyclist,
> >> >i agree the figure would
> >> >have to be failry large.
> >> >Say 25 feet along the major axis.
> >> >Even then, since it's in sand,
> >> >you'd need to be extremely deft
> >> >to do it nonchalantly.
> >> >
> >> >A unicyclist would have trouble
> >> >making a smooth lemniscate because
> >> >much of the nature of unicycling
> >> >involves turning slightly left & right
> >> >with each cycle of the wheel.
> >> >Especially i think when turning,
> >> >and doubly-especially in a medium
> >> >as difficult as sand.
> >> >
> >> >I'd think it more possible in fact
> >> >that the rider was skilled with a
> >> >2-wheel bicycle, and was performing
> >> >a large wheelie all the way around.
> >> >
> >> >In my experience it would be impossible
> >> >to carve a figure-8 without having one
> >> >wheel follow in the tracks of the other.
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
>
>
>