Unicycle articles (but wait there's more...)

[mbalmer]

I made it into two papers this summer. They are not big articles and there was no interview but my name and picture is there. I'm not big on spotlight, but it's fun to see it anyway.

The first was the Californian in the Salinas/Monterey area. Here is the link.
http://www.thecalifornian.com/articl...TYLE/907310314


The second one was in a local paper in the town where I work.

[JJuggle]

Teen unicyclers medal at national competition
By Katie Tammen, Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach
McClatchy-Tribune Regional News
13 August 2009
Northwest Florida Daily News (MCT)

Aug. 13--FORT WALTON BEACH -- It's always a challenge. That's part of the reason they love it.

Whenever Choctawhatchee High School juniors Anna Jinks and Forrest Rackard jump on their unicycles, the possibilities are endless and practicing a new stunt is a given.

"It's just something you can keep improving on. There are always new tricks to try," Anna said.

The two teens joined other unicyclists from across the country last month at a national competition in Minnesota, where each captured medals.

For Forrest, the highlight was when he became the first person to land the 900 unispin at the competition. The 900 unispin requires the unicyclist to jump up from the unicycle, make the unicycle spin and then land back on the pedals.

"I had never landed (the 900 unispin), but I had a feeling I might land it at the nationals because of adrenaline," said Forrest, who started riding a unicycle several years ago after his father encouraged him to try.

He was right. In the end, he brought home a gold, silver and bronze medal.

Anna also did well, bringing home two trophies and four medals. Her mother, Eleanor McCain, said watching the competition was "unbelievable" and was amazed at how far her daughter had come since she asked for a unicycle in the fourth grade.

"It was one of those persistent requests," McCain said. "(Then) she got on that thing and rode and rode until she could ride."

The teens have come a long way since they first started practicing together after friends introduced them in the eighth grade. Neither of them had really tried too many tricks, but they were exchanging tips and learning tricks together in no time.

Eventually, they decided to share their passion and approached Choctawhatchee Principal Cindy Gates about starting a unicycle club at the school.

Although the proposal took Gates off guard, when the pair handed her a list of interested students and a teacher sponsor, she gave the club her blessing.

"These kids were serious; they were passionate. They had a goal," Gates said.

The club has about 15 members and meets in the school's parking lot and sometimes outside a member's home.

Anna recently approached Gates about taking the show on the road, so to speak.

Anna and Forrest are enrolled in the school's International Baccalaureate program, which requires students to put in a certain number of hours in community service. For their project, the two want to teach at-risk children how to ride unicycles.

"It's something you can get really interested in and can spend a lot of time (practicing)," Anna said.

She added that meeting the challenge of riding a unicycle will translate into success in all aspects of life.

Gates agreed with Anna's assessment and applauded the insight she and Forrest demonstrated when they presented the project.

"These are go-getter kids that are going to make a difference," Gates said.

[JJuggle]

PEAK OF PEDALING PERFORMANCE Father, son balance love of unicycling with fourteeners
Scott Willoughby
25 August 2009
Denver Post

Let's get one thing straight right up front. George Steele rides a Municycle, not a unicycle.

The seemingly innocuous semantic slight may not make much difference to those outside the loose fringe of one-wheel pedal pushers, but the 17-year-old from Denver will be the first to tell you that the 'M' in 'Muni' is magnified exponentially at 14,000 feet. His father, Andy, will be the second.

That capital consonant stands for 'Mountain.' And as far as anyone knows for certain, the father-son Steele team is the first to take fat-

tire mountain unicycles to Colorado's rarified summit. George Steele's recently accomplished attempt to Muni ride 14 peaks above 14,000 feet included 14,433-foot Mount Elbert, highest in Colorado.

'I just like the idea of being at altitude,' the high school senior said this past weekend prior to pedaling the final two peaks of his summer-

long odyssey. 'And it's fun to see other people's reactions. You get

reactions ranging from people who think you're mentally ill to people who think it's awesome to people who worry about you or get angry because they think they're going to have to carry you back down the mountain. You get everything. It just depends.'

With a unicycling resume that reaches back to third grade, the young Steele long ago developed the balance necessary to master

almost any terrain. His trails skills

allow him to hop the knobby-tire

machine from rocks to logs, landing with the poise of a gymnast. And his drive to be 'different' led him on the unprecedented mission up and down the majority of his home state's 18 peaks above 14,000 feet that are not designated wilderness areas - meaning bikes, and unicycles, are allowed.

'It was probably the most athletically challenging thing I've ever done in my life,' he said after completing the mission Sunday on Pikes Peak. 'The main goal was just to prove it can be done. So many people haven't even heard of mountain unicycling, or if they have, they think it's just on dirt paths around the city. It doesn't make sense to a lot of people, so by doing it you're sort of proving to the world that it can be done and it is being done.'

Even among Colorado's small core community of mountain uni-

cyclists (most of whom the Steeles know by name), the mission was a tough sell. Spoken invitations and the website set up to document the effort (www.14fourteeners.blogspot.com) failed to rally even one other rider willing to arise before 4 a.m. for the lengthy hikes carrying the 20-pound Munis to mountain summits where the Steeles required a minimum of three wheel revolutions of themselves before claiming success.

From there, they would attempt to ride as much of the descending trail as physically possible. Bear in mind that the fixed-gear unicycles, whether designed for mountains or not, have neither brakes nor suspension.

'Every stretch is technically possible, but physically you just can't maintain it,' said Andy Steele, a 49-

year-old doctor at Denver Health who joined his son in riding almost every mountain.

'I feel like I'm to the point where if I really want to I can do all the technical stuff. But it comes down to how much energy you have at 14,000 feet and the fear factor,' George Steele said. 'Most of the time you are just jumping back and forth between rocks until you can get a wheel revolution. But at 14,000 feet, you can only do that for a short time. Trying to jump up and down and ride a unicycle at that altitude, I can go maybe 20 yards before my lungs give out.'

Certain peaks - Handies and Mount Bross, for example - offered up plenty of quality riding on the descents, however. The Steeles were able to ride more than 90 percent down some mountains.

The final three-day push up and down Mount Antero, Mount Elbert and Pikes Peak last weekend proved to be all the duo could handle, though, and then some.

'I am beat up and beat down,' Andy said after his five-hour ride on Pikes Peak. 'The mountain beat me. I had to walk the last half mile.'

His son, who Wednesday will board a jet to the country of Jordan for his final year of high school, was feeling more upbeat than beat up, though. While he admits he would think twice before attempting such a feat again, he considers the completion of all 14 peaks a steppingstone to bigger and better Muni moments.

'It was totally worth the effort,' George Steele said. 'This has been my first big mountain unicycle challenge. I'd like to do Mount Whitney in California (the tallest peak in the Lower 48), for sure. Later on I'm hoping to top 14,000 feet and start getting into maybe the Andes or the

Himalayas, somewhere I can push it even higher and do more technical stuff.

"Right now (Canadian) Kris Holm is the main guy in mountain unicycling. But when he grows older, then I'll hopefully be the guy that everybody knows." --------------------------------------------- ----------------------

Hiking and biking

A look at George Steele's logbook of the fourteeners he hiked and rode his Municyle on this summer:

................Miles....Miles....Miles

No. Name....Summit (ft.)....Date....Elev. gain....hiked....ridden up....ridden down....

1. Torreys Peak....14,267....June 28....2,987....6.75....0....1.35....

2. Grays Peak....14,270....June 28....470....1.50.....05.....45....

3. Quandary Peak....14,265....July 4....3,415....6.75.....17....2.19....

4. Mount Princeton....14,197....July 12....3,197....6.25.....16....1.25....

5. Mount Democrat....14,148....July 18....2,148....4.25.....11....1.17....

6. Mount Cameron....14,238....July 18....1,714....1.50....0.....60....

7. Mount Lincoln....14,286....July 18....186....1.00....0.....35....

8. Mount Bross....14,172....July 18....372....1.50.....15.....68....

9. Mount Sherman....14,036....July 25....2,036....5.25.....13....1.97....

10. Handies Peak....14,048....Aug. 12....2,800....7.30.....37....3.47....

11. Redcloud Peak....14,034....Aug. 13....3,634....9.00.....23....3.15....

12. Mount Antero....14,269....Aug. 21....1,269....6.00.....15....1.80....

13. Mount Elbert....14,433....Aug. 22....4,393....9.00.....32....2.93....

14. Pikes Peak....14,110....Aug. 23....1,000....15.00.....38....6.38....

Totals............29,621....81.05....2.22....27.74....

[danger_uni]

George,

Congrats on what must have been an incredible summer of climbing and riding! That is an awesome string of summits to put together in a few years, let alone in one summer.

Hope to see some pictures. Perhaps think about sending in a few to the capture.krisholm.com photo site when it opens.

Kris

Kris

[steveyo]

Originally Posted by JJuggle

PEAK OF PEDALING PERFORMANCE Father, son balance love of unicycling with fourteeners... George Steele's recently accomplished attempt to Muni ride 14 peaks above 14,000 feet included 14,433-foot Mount Elbert, highest in Colorado...

Just outstanding!

[rolandisimo]

Here's a pdf of my May 09 article in Breathe Magazine about our Kh 'Evolution of Balance' sponsored ride from the Caribean to the Pacific across the jungles of Panama.

http://personalrollercoaster.wordpre...athe-magazine/

-ro

[JJuggle]

Stroud man poised to pedal 1,000 miles - on one wheel
2 September 2009
Gloucestershire Echo

Pedalling 1,000 miles is challenge enough - but Adam Cass plans to cover the distance on just one wheel.

The Stroud cyclist is aiming to travel from Land's End to John O'Groats by unicycle on an epic charity adventure, accompanied by fellow unicyclist Maxwell Parfitt.

They met as University of Reading students. Adam, 21, has just graduated with a BA in politics and international relations.

He and Max leave Land's End on Saturday and have just 20 days to complete the 1,000-mile route before Max has to be back at university for the start of the new term on September 26.

Adam and his 24-year-old pal, who is studying a PhD in computer science and robotics, are members of the Reading University Circus Skills Society. They plan to cycle between 50 and 60 miles a day on adapted unicycles with 36in wheels and handlebars.

"Handlebars allow us to rest our arms and move some of the pressure of our backsides by lifting ourselves out of our saddles," said Max.

Although other unicyclists have made the journey Adam and Max believe they are the first to travel the route without a support team. They will be carrying all their equipment, including a tent and sleeping bags, as well as a laptop and camera so that they can update their website www.tour2009.co.uk.

Adam is aiming to raise funds for Women's Aid. He said: "I have been unicycling since October 2008 and look forward to the challenge.

"Women's Aid is an important charity protecting women and children who have been harmed by domestic violence. I hope that doing something as absurd and visible as this ride will prove to be the perfect thing to counteract the often invisible nature of domestic problems."

Max is riding for the Jubilee Sailing Trust which operates two tall ships for disabled people. To donate log on to Adam's site www.justgiving.co.uk/Unicycle Tour or Max's site www.justgiving.co.uk/Tour2009.

[JJuggle]

Austrian unicycles Spanish Way of St. James
22 September 2009
Austria Today

By Lisa Chapman

A Burgenland man has ridden 760 kilometres along a famous pilgrimage route - on a unicycle.

Georg Dujmovits, from Gerersdorf in southern Burgenland, travelled the entire length of the pilgrimage route the Way of St. James from Pamplona to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, on the bicycle.

The 23-year-old brother of professional snowboarder Julia Dujmovits said it took him 18 days in August to make the trip with friend who rode a mountain bike.

He said he had used the old pilgrimage foot path 90 to 95 per cent of the way from Pamplona to Santiago de Compostela but that at some points he was so tired he decided to carry the bike instead.

Dujmovits added he had sometimes battled to stay in the saddle for up to 10 hours a day in searing heat and to negotiate mountain passes up to 1,250 metres high (O Cebreiro).

He said many people his friend and he had encountered on the path had been astounded to see someone riding a unicycle but that their support and encouragement had spurred him on.

Dujmovits, who took up unicycling eight years ago, prepared for his trip by riding 30 to 40 kilometres a day in Burgenland on a unicycle - a regime he said was like training for a marathon by running only a part of the full distance each day.

He said he is now considering taking his unicycle on a trip around New Zealand.

[JJuggle]

Dad and son are wonders on one wheel
Amy Plender reporters@sevenoaks-chronicle.co.uk
24 September 2009
Sevenoaks Chronicle

A 12-mile cycle ride would push many of us to the limit.

But a father and son have put themselves through the pain barrier to cover the distance - on one wheel!

Heath and Callum Cope, of Chapman's Road, Sundridge, completed the circuit of Bewl Water on their unicycles.

After the five-and-a-half-hour marathon, floor fitter Mr Cope, 40, said: "We were both absolutely worn out the next day."

They set off at 11.30am and say they were quicker than many two-wheelers in going around the 12-and-a-half-miles of the reservoir.

"You get to a stage of competence where it's as safe as bikes," said Mr Cope, who has been unicycling on and off for 25 years.

"I was a bit worried about how Callum would get on, as he's only been unicycling for eight weeks, but he will be faster than me soon.

"We go on our unicycles where most people would go by bike. We went from Penshurst to Tonbridge last weekend."

Mr Callum and his 12-year-old son, a Tunbridge Wells Grammar School pupil, are now planning a longer ride for charity.

The Bewl Water round reservoir route is open to cyclists from May to October. Visit www.bewl.co.uk for more information.

[Danny Colyer]

Originally Posted by JJuggle

Heath and Callum Cope, of Chapman's Road, Sundridge, completed the circuit of Bewl Water on their unicycles.

I did that 12 years ago with my then gf. We were both in some discomfort after doing all those off-road miles on our 20" wheels.

[JJuggle]

Unicycling may catch on in carbon-conscious world
Billy Baker
9 October 2009
The Boston Globe

For unicyclists, there are two types of people in this world. Those who are really impressed with them when they ride by, and those who go to great lengths to ignore them because they think they're trying to show off. Most people seem to fall into the latter group.

To see how a Somerville family navigates on one wheel.

And then there's the constant joke, which is kind of funny and mostly annoying but is interesting because everyone who utters it thinks they came up with it on the spot.

"Where's the other wheel?"

Unicycling comes with baggage. It's fun, unicyclists say, and that's the primary reason they do it. And it is certainly a novelty that attracts attention whether riders want it or not. But there's something else going on, a weird logic inside that inverted pendulum that, they say, gives one-wheeled transport a real practicality in urban commuting.

In a carbon-conscious culture that's looking for new ways to get from A to B, is it time to reconsider the unicycle? It's not as crazy as you think.

"The reason it hasn't exploded is there's more than a bit of a learning curve," said Alex O'Brien-Feldman, a Somerville resident who has been riding a unicycle just about everywhere for more than 20 years. "Some people think it's just for showing off, but in fact unicycling is a very convenient form of urban transportation."

If riders are traveling less than 2 miles, he said, going by unicycle is faster than by bicycle.

"You have to unlock the bicycle, stow the lock, and then relock it somewhere else, which takes a few minutes," said O'Brien- Feldman, who makes a living performing (sans unicycle) as Alex the Jester. "With a unicycle, you just jump on and go, and you can take it with you into a store, on the subway, almost anywhere. Or you can just leave it outside unlocked, and no one is going to take it."

He's now got his two boys, ages 9 and 6, on unicycles, and they ride to and from school together almost every day.

Depending on the person, it can take anywhere from two to six weeks of steady practice to be able to ride in a straight line, and a few more weeks to do turns. But once riders are proficient, a typical unicycle is twice as fast as walking. With a larger 36-inch wheel, it can be more than four times as fast.

In terms of speed of commute, it's on par with Rollerblades and skateboards. Unicyclists point out that Rollerblades require you to take your shoes on and off, and skateboards aren't good at going uphill (riding a unicycle up a hill is similar to riding a bike in a low gear). And unicyclists can get away with riding on the sidewalk - pedestrians instinctively part the way, they say - and thus avoid the dangers of the road.

But the fact remains that these nuances are tough to explain when you're riding past someone who is yelling: "Where's the other wheel?"

"I've actually started riding mine less because the stigma is starting to outweigh the convenience," said Daniel Whitlow, a senior at MIT who says he is tired of being known as "the unicycle guy" on campus.

Sophie Wharton, a junior at Harvard University who recently did a 100-mile charity ride with her father through Montreal, made the conscious decision to leave her unicycle at home during her first semester of college "so I wouldn't be the unicycle girl from the start."

"People at Harvard are very image-conscious," said Isaac Shivvers, a senior at the school who said he rides his unicycle on campus only if it's raining, because his hands are free to hold an umbrella. "No one is proudly weird at Harvard."

But being proudly weird is part of the ride when you're gliding down the street on one wheel.

"The problem is that cars don't know whether to treat you like a bicycle or like a pedestrian," said Arthur Lewbel, an economics professor at Boston College who has been unicycling since the early '70s. "What they should do is treat you like a jogger, because that's about the speed at which you're moving."

"They either give you a wide berth, or they lean out the window and throw things at you, even if they're just words," said Nic Price, a 30-year-old neuroscientist who rides his unicycle from his Cambridge apartment to his office at Harvard Medical School.

"The problem is that by the time I've come up with a great comeback," Price said, "they're a mile down the road."

[JJuggle]

Steady on one wheel
Nicholas Yong
18 October 2009
Straits Times
(c) 2009 Singapore Press Holdings Limited

You do not have to be a clown to ride the unicycle, but you can perform tricks and go for endurance rides

What do clowns, circus entertainers and about 100 people in Singapore have in common?

Answer: They all ride the unicycle.

They are the Singapore Unicyclists, the people who can do things on one wheel that most of us would struggle to do on two.

'To someone who has never taken a ride on a unicycle before, the typical impression would be a clown act or circus trick. I frequently hear people hum the circus tune when they see me riding past,' says 27-year-old engineer Chua Kai Lun.

The Unicyclists have been spotted in Orchard Road, the Singapore River and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. They have also ventured out to Sentosa, Pulau Ubin and even overseas.

Some took part in the recent Asia-Pacific Unicyle Competition in Hong Kong, which attracted about 60 competitors from five nations.

It is a serious pursuit for 27-year-old IT consultant Kee Xuyuan. Last year, he and two other Singaporeans completed a five-day, 800km relay race across Nova Scotia, Canada.

The people he meets while cycling around often look 'puzzled' or just get out of the way.

'I think they're afraid that we might hit them or fall on them,' he says.

Unicycling took off here in 2002 with the first unofficial gathering of enthusiasts at the Youth Park organised by, perhaps fittingly, a professional entertainer.

British expatriate Ben Matthews, 38, now based in Hong Kong, has been unicycling since 1991 and incorporated it into his act. He had always wanted to start a club here but 'there were never any other unicyclists'.

A chance meeting with two other expat unicyclists, including Singapore Polytechnic senior lecturer Jolyon Caplin, 49, sparked the flame again.

They arranged informal gatherings at the Youth Park, where 'we discovered a lot of closet unicyclists', says Mr Caplin.

This led to the start of a polytechnic unicyling club, as well as weekly sessions of unicycle hockey on campus.

Yes, hockey played on unicycles, with rules similar to those of inline hockey.

As housewife Ong Hui Fang, 31, who was present at the first meeting in 2002, puts it: 'If you just unicycle round and round, it gets very boring, so you need to find something to do.'

Regulars now meet in Bedok every week for unicycle hockey sessions. One of them is Mr Chua, who owns four unicycles - one for long-distance riding, one for off-road riding and another two for hockey and stunts.

The size of the wheel and length of the crank determine your speed and control, hence the need for different unicycles for different activities.

Mr Chua, who taught himself how to ride in 2002, says: 'It's technically very challenging. The tricks that can be done are unlimited and the thrill is in finding new tricks to do.'

He is one of four freelance trainers at Team-Uni, a Web-based company that sells unicycles, which also teaches people how to ride. Its slogan: Save a wheel.

Ms Cai Jiahui, 25, Team-Uni's business manager, hopes the sport will be as popular as rollerblading.

'Unicycles don't take up much space. We've now got great park connectors that are too restrictive for road cycling, but which are good for endurance rides on unicycles. There are also parks in our neighbourhoods to try out new tricks,' she adds.

Team-Uni runs workshops on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Each participant pays $50 for two to three hours of instruction, with equipment provided.

Team-Uni has so far trained at least 60 people, at both paid and free sessions. It has been running workshops at Hwa Chong Institution every two years since 2005. At this year's workshop in October, 27 junior college students turned up.

Other schools such as Jurong Primary, where workshops have also been held, hope to organise more of these in future.

Over at Singapore Polytechnic, Mr Caplin is working to get the unicycling club started again, as it is now 'pretty dormant'.

He hopes to begin a staff club and has started his small children on unicycles.

Between 60 and 70 unicycles are sold each year by Ghee Hin Chan and Co, the main importer and distributor of unicycles here. The unicycles, imported from Taiwan and Germany, range from $120 to more than $200.

Manager Jimmy Ng says his customers include Singaporeans and expatriates, with Japanese students particularly enthusiastic.

The passion for the sport continues to burn bright wherever the unicyclists have gone.

Ms Ong, who now lives in Wellington, New Zealand, has found similar enthusiasts in her neighbourhood.

For her, the sport has added meaning - she met her husband, who is French, during the unicycling sessions in Singapore.

She is looking forward to meeting her Singaporean counterparts again at the World Unicycling Championships, which will be held in Wellington in December.

Mr Matthews gets in a hockey session and a 10km ride every week in Hong Kong and continues to use the unicycle in his act.

Nevertheless, it is often a case of reassuring people he encounters who do not know much about the sport.

'Sometimes you see someone who is really nervous. It's best to yawn nonchalantly as I ride past. That way, they realise I am totally in control and they don't need to freak out,' he says.

nicy@sph.com.sg

'It's not like a bicycle where you can coast along. You need to pedal constantly in order to keep moving.'

Mr Kee Xuyuan, on unicycling being physically demanding

'Sometimes you see someone who is really nervous. It's best to yawn nonchalantly as I ride past. That way, they realiseI am totally in control and they don't need to freak out.'

MR BEN MATTHEWS, a British expatriate now based in Hong Kong

Uneasy Rider

Reporter Nicholas Yong tries out the unicycle.

I came, I saw and I fell. And then I fell again. And again. And again.

That is the basic summary of what happened when I joined some of the Singapore Unicyclists for their weekly hockey session at Bedok South Avenue 3. They had very kindly agreed to give some pointers on how to ride a unicycle.

As I quickly found out though, unicycling is no easy sport to pick up. It takes about a week of continuous practice to get the hang of it, though some can ride in a straight line within hours.

Unicyclist Kee Xuyuan told me some people are naturally good at it and can pick it up immediately. Obviously, I am not one of them.

Having cycled for many years, I had assumed that the same principles of balance and motion would be at work. While that is generally true, unicycling is a whole different ball game.

Step 1: Get on the unicycle. With your hand on the wall for support and your stronger foot on the pedal facing you, you hop onto the seat. This took several attempts but was relatively straightforward.

Step 2: Get comfortable in the seat. While this may sound simple enough, the temptation is often to put your weight on your legs. This makes it difficult to balance and puts a lot of strain on the legs. As Cai Jiahui sagely advised me: 'Your weight must be on your butt.' Easier said than done, as I kept putting my weight on my legs instead, which were starting to feel the strain.

Step 3: While still hanging onto the wall, stretch out your arms and do small rocking motions back and forth. This is to help you get the hang of it, so you can eventually learn to balance on the unicycle.

However, I managed only a quarter-revolution of the wheel each time before I fell off. Repeatedly. Fortunately, I landed on my feet each time.

'It's always like that at the beginning,' Xuyuan assured me. Watching 10-year-old Jonathan Yow ride in circles around the court made me feel inadequate, though.

I was starting to sweat profusely with the effort, too, though this probably had more to do with the heat of the floodlights around the court.

Step 4: Move a half-revolution of the wheel forward. Unfortunately, I never got that far as the falls got in the way. After almost an hour of trying, I decided to leave it to the experts and watch them at play instead.

Chua Kai Lun was particularly impressive, pivoting and swivelling around the court faster on one wheel than I can on two feet - all the while dribbling a tennis ball with a hockey stick.

Ask the unicyclists and they will tell you that it takes time and no small amount of effort to get that good.

Xuyuan noted that unicycling is more physically demanding: 'It's not like a bicycle where you can coast along. You need to pedal constantly in order to keep moving, even when you are going downhill.'

As the hockey session wound down, Jiahui said: 'You're always welcome to join us again.'

I'll need to get use

[unicycle6869]

Here is an article titled "Love Under The Big Top" that was in Woman's Day in Australia about my engagement. Not a lot to do with unicycling but does mention it a few times and there's a picture. Sorry but you'll have to zoom in to read it...

[unicycle6869]

Part 2

[unicycle6869]

Take 2: Part 2