By Marty Basch

Meg Skidmore felt pretty good about making it to the top of Mount Washington in two hours, 37 minutes.

It's not that she hadn't pedaled up at least portions of the Mount Washington Auto Road before. The 26-year-old Randolph triathlete has raced Porky Gulch and knew about the challenges awaiting those who pedaled.

"Honestly, it was easier than riding a bike," she recalled. "I've raced Porky Gulch and climbing to 2-mile was  much more difficult. I'm thinking because of the geometry. On a bicycle I'm rotating two wheels and on the uni it's just one and in a very easy gear."

That's right, a unicycle.

First Female

On a day filled with several rolling human-powered firsts, Skidmore became the first woman to pedal a unicycle up the auto road. Along with others making first ascents on roller skis and rollerblades, Skidmore was one of the accomplished thrill seekers out to make a name for herself on Alton Weagle Day. That May 28 event was dedicated to the man in the 1950s who walked up the road barefoot. He did it backwards. He walked it blindfolded. He even walked up pushing a wheel barrel filled with sugar.

"I did it because I love challenges, and holding the record (as the) first female to unicycle isn't too bad either," she commented. "I'm a triathlete so most of my training involves swimming, road riding and running so it was pretty tough to squeeze in the training I'd need for the climb."

She decided to make the attempt about four weeks before event day, so she says she really didn't do much training.

Skidmore, a Great Glen Trails employee, learned to ride a unicycle in eighth grade, the day after learning so able to ride about a quarter mile on the dirt road where her family lived. She rode it infrequently over the years, picking it up again last summer to teach her mom.

Gravel Girl

Prior to her attempt, she practiced on the road a few times, checking out various sections piece by piece and noting various pitches and road surfaces.

She experimented on the gravel, getting off her bike and then trying to remount. It was frustrated. She recalled the only way to start again was to face downhill, traverse and then climb again. That was easy on pavement, but not so on the dirt and gravel.

"Challenges were the gravel," she said. "If i came off my uni I had to start by going downhill a few pedals and make the turn and begin to ascend. On gravel it was very difficult, my tire kept slipping when I rode before Alton Weagle Day."

Weather is always a factor on Mount Washington. During her training, she experienced some clear sky. But not as much on event day. Getting an early 6:30 a.m. start, the base was cloudless, but as she ascended, the day turned foggy and windy.

Skidmore did well, making it all the way up to the five-mile portion of the road and around Cragway Turn at about 5,000 feet in elevation before she fell. She continued and started to struggled around the 6.5 mile mark and the sinister 15 percent grade at Hairpin Turn.

Spin Class

She kept on going, though she did dismount her bike at the first parking lot before the summit and that final 300-foot stretch with the notorious 22 percent grade. Breathing deeply, she slowly cranked the pedals and made to the summit, the first woman to do so.

Her goal was to do it between 3 and 3.5 hours.

Triathletes tend to wear watches while competing but Skidmore decided not to wear one during the attempt. She didn't want to push herself to the point of misery.

She just wanted to have fun.

And in doing so, had people watching her ride into the rockpile record books.