Unicycling for Climate Change: Turning Passion into Purpose

When Parkite Tait Boschen was nine years old, his grandfather gave him a challenge – reach level five of USA Unicycling Society of America’s training. If he did, he would get a mountain unicycle for his birthday. Requirements to reach level five include unicycling one footed in a figure 8, riding backward in a circle, and much, much more.

Of course, Tait crushed his goal, and in turn, got a mountain unicycle for his tenth birthday.

Now 11-years-old, Tait is taking his unicycling to the next level by making his miles count towards combatting a new challenge that affects us all, climate change. Before graduating high school, Tait aims to ride all 400-miles of single-track terrain in Park City in hopes that for each mile he rides, folks will donate $1 to the Park City Climate Fund. So far, he’s completed 82 miles of his goal.

“Tait is a super driven guy and the nature of him is to take on these huge projects, it’s who he is,” explained his mom, Daisy Fair.

Daisy, a long-time Women’s Giving Fund member who cares greatly about local women and children, grew up in a small town, close to nature, and studied Environmental Science in college before going on to run Park City’s Copper Moose Farm. She spent 18 years working in small-scale farming. Climate issues are near and dear to her heart.

After attending Park City Community Foundation’s speaker series in 2019 featuring Jane Goodall and Paul Hawkins, Daisy felt a resurgence in her desire to make the world a better place. Inspired, she brought the conversation home to her family. During a canyoneering trip with friends a few weeks later, Daisy turned to her son Tait and asked, “what do you think you can do to make a difference when it comes to climate?” Tait responded, “nothing, I’m only a kid.”

Daisy is a firm believer that every individual can be a better person, for their planet and their communities, that any contribution to make the world a brighter place is significant, no matter how small. Knowing her son’s generation would be passed along tough climate issues to solve, Daisy saw Tait’s response as an opportunity to teach him a lesson in turning passion into purpose.

“Everyone can make a difference,” said Daisy. “So, your passion is baking pies, or flying kites, or riding a unicycle, it doesn’t matter. You can still use your passion to make a difference in the world and showing kids that you can make a difference even when you’re a kid so important.”

Thus, Tait’s Unicycle Climate Challenge was born. Using Trail Forks to track miles completed, and a website donated by simplydesign to show donors how far along he is on his mission, Tait and Daisy have been chipping away at the 400-mile goal as soon as the snow melts each year.

Tait’s grandparents taught him how to unicycle at a young age. Although Daisy and her husband are not trained in the art of scaling mountains on one wheel, they do enjoy running alongside their son on his mileage mission so the family can get outside together.

“We’re that family that likes to do things outside together, so my husband and I usually run alongside while Tait is unicycling. It’s a fun way to be outside with a little more purpose.”

Since the project has begun, Tait has taught friends his age how to ride with him so they can join him on the trail. He even has begun thinking about teaching unicycle lessons as a way to generate more funds for the Park City Climate Fund, and get even more folks involved in a sport he loves.

“There’s a pretty profound effect in hearing other people’s stories about how they don’t start out wanting to change the world, but by following their passions, they do,” exclaimed Daisy. “It’s great to hear stories about how you can stay true to yourself, do what you want to do, and still change the world. In a town like Park City, hearing what your friends and neighbors are doing hopefully makes people think that they can do something too.”

In 2022, the Fair Family plans to move to Hailey, Idaho to start a new adventure. But that doesn’t mean Tait will give up on his mission. Instead, he looks to expand his mileage into Idaho as well. Park City will always be a part of the Fair’s life, and no matter what, Tait plans on meeting his challenge.

“I care about climate change as an individual, and my parents care about it too,” said Tait. “Not if, but when, I meet my goal, I’m thinking of expanding to where we’re moving so I can log even more miles and even more people can keep donating to the cause.”

Through the end of April, John and Kristi Cumming have promised to match all donations to the Park City Climate Fund up to $25,000. Donate here »

Follow Tait on his journey at @taitsunicycleclimatechallenge on Instagram, and join him on his mission by donating through taitsunicycleclimatechallenge.org.

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