Ski Resort MUni!

[ratherbekayaking]

I finally got the gumption. Copper Mountain, here in Colorado. I was skiing this weekend and Monday, I took the MUni up the lift in the afternoon, twice!

It took me a bit to get used to the moves needed to get down the mountain and learn my capabilities. Semi-steep was okay and icy was okay but the two together was bad. I avoided all mogals. Once I found the proper grade and snow consistancy, I was able to ride most of the mountain. With buddy skking with a camera along.

I had to get used to sliding, alot. on the steepr ridable stuff, I would take a pedal stroke, slide, stroke, slide over and over again. Most slides straight, but some at side angles, just had to go with the flow. My longest slides were about 5-6 feet, falling when I did it for 10 feet or so. Anyone who can idle, or glide can probably do a lot better.

I waited till later in the afternoon on Monday. NO lift lines. I just walked up to the "Super-Bee" lift with the Muni, trying to blend in, (YEAH, RIGHT!) or at least not draw too much attention. One gate keeper asked if I was gonna ride that on the snow. I smiled and saied "yep." kept walking and walked straight up and got in position to catch the lift. THe Girl at the lift asked me if I was gonna take that up the mountain, as the chairlift scooped me up. I said yep, it's a lot of fun! The shock value to seeing someone getting on the chairlift with a unicycle was definately in my favor. THey didn't have time to question if it was allowed until I was already gone. A big plus in my favor. I got lots of stares and several people toook my picture on the way down the mountain.


All comments were positive and complimentary, or that I was crazy. No one asked me the tipical questions of "where;s you other.... and no circus crap, or music.

ANyone familier with COpper MOuntain, I rode the cat track across overt to "Ptarmigan" dwon to the Solitude Station Lodge, DOwn, "Rhapsody", merged into "Main Vein", onto "Skid Road" back to the Super Bee lift. One hour ride. SuperBee rises 2,300 feet elevation with the top at about 12,000 feet.

The gate keepers at the lift wouldn't let me get back on at first. I told them about all the staff on the mountain on the way down that were impressed and skiied along with me here and there and all the runs I already rode down, I quick deminstration next to the lift to show how slow I actaully rode and how safe it was and even hopped around a bit and such, showing that I knowe what I was doing. A call back to the supervisor or manager and I was on the lift again.

THis time with Girlfriend and all our group entow. SHe had never seen me ride, at all. and she was iimpressed.

I'll write more later. I have to go to work in 4 minutes.

YES, pictures will be posted when the get developed/downloaded.


Ed Hansen

[merrill]

The shock value to seeing someone getting on the chairlift with a unicycle was definately in my favor. THey didn't have time to question if it was allowed until I was already gone.

That's pretty funny. What was the bigger challenge for you - getting the guts to just walk up to the lift, or riding down?

Joe

ratherbekayaking <ratherbekayaking@NoEmail.Message.Poster.at.Unicyclist.com> writes:

> I finally got the gumption. Copper Mountain, here in Colorado. I was
> skiing this weekend and Monday, I took the MUni up the lift in the
> afternoon, twice!

Cool! I have a Copper ski pass and a MUni, too... (though I'm
heading to Winter Park this weekend).

I'll probably bring a length of cord I could use as a leash in case
someone worries the uni might get away from me.

Ken

[ratherbekayaking]

It wasn't hard walking up to the lift. I was so excited that I got on that I didn't really think about what runs I would be riding down till I was 1/2 way up. I consulted the map at the top and decided then.

I didn't have a leash on it. It never crossed my mind that I could go "unicycle bowling". I wasn't going very fast and caught the MUni almost every time, though a leash around the waist to the seat post may be a good idea, so long as it doesn't trip me up while riding or pulls the MUni back under me when falling. Not sure how that would work.


Part of the fun was responding to people. One group of teenagers asked me if it was fun and I responded: Actually, it's just plain STUPID!". A couple gilrs on the lift started yelling, "Alright, that's awsome!" So I yelled up to them: "Now will you go out with me?" That got some good laughs.

I also had to educate people to the mechanics of a unycycle when they thought I could just coast down the mountain and ride the brakes.

I'm gonna take the MUni with me everytime I go skiing from now on. I'll be skiing Monarch next I beleive. They are a smaller resort and I expect that they won't have a problem with MUni.

I'll report back in a couple weeks after I get there.

[paco]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ratherbekayaking
I didn't have a leash on it. It never crossed my mind that I could go "unicycle bowling". I wasn't going very fast and caught the MUni almost every time, though a leash around the waist to the seat post may be a good idea, so long as it doesn't trip me up while riding or pulls the MUni back under me when falling. Not sure how that would work.
I'm guessing that a unicycle probably wouldn't get away from you as easily as something with a flat bottom. I was with a group who climbed Mt. Hood in Oregon and one of them brought one of those roll-up sleds for the way down. After his first tumble, the sled got away from him and rolled off and was never seen from again... Sad, really.
When I rode a mountain with very steep dropoffs, I used a dog leash to keep from losing my uni. I attached it to my non-gripping hand and put it around the seatpost. I would mount the uni so that the leash was behind me because I figured most of my UPD's would be with the unicycle behind instead of in front. I saved my uni from going over a cliff once, but I'm not sure if I'd recommend the experience because I could have gotten tangled up in the leash.
However, it did come in handy as a useful carrying strap!

[GILD]

Originally posted by ratherbekayaking
THis time with Girlfriend and all our group entow. SHe had never seen me ride, at all. and she was iimpressed

now that is one way to make an impression!!

[mango]

What a great adventure, ed! Thanks for sharing.

As for the leash thing:

I use something called a "reel leash" to keep my board from getting away from me when i mess up kitesurfing. The reel itself i attach to my harness (around my waist. you could use a belt). Then i pull the leash out of the reel and attach it to my board. The reel is spring loaded and pulls up all the slack so it doesnt get tangled around my feet. It's a lot like a tape measure.

Heres a link to the reel leash i use:
http://www.kitesite.net/cgi-bin/shop...tion&key=NSIRL

At $52 its kinda expensive. I dont know how much ski slope muniing you plan on doing or even if this will work well for you. I just wanted to let you know that it was out there.

I can't wait for the pictures! take care. -erik

[Jim_Rob]

Hey Ed;

Way cool. I have to warn you though, we (Owen, Walt and I) tried to get on the lift last summer at Keystone and they wouldn't let us, they made it sound like a company-wide policy. So I'd stay away from any of the resorts run by Vail Associates (hey, alot of folks do that just on principle).

[ratherbekayaking]

Thanks for the heads up. I'll keep that in mind since I was gonna try it at Breck also. Monarch isn't tied to Vail so that one may go well.

You gonna be at Moab again this year?

Originally posted by Jim_Rob
Hey Ed;

Way cool. I have to warn you though, we (Owen, Walt and I) tried to get on the lift last summer at Keystone and they wouldn't let us, they made it sound like a company-wide policy. So I'd stay away from any of the resorts run by Vail Associates (hey, alot of folks do that just on principle).

[Jim_Rob]

Absolutely! We're trying to arrange for Owen's friend Nate to come along as well. Look forward to seeing you there.

[keaner]

Cross training for Muni ,see ya in the spring,haha.

[keaner]

Cross training for Muni ,see ya in the spring,haha.
LIfe is cool.

[magicollin]

thats awesome...i have the copper/winter park super pass, im going up to copper 2morrow, definatley going to try this out...i think i may just stay on easy road, but if im feeling lucky maybe i will take the storm king thats cool do it again sometime and mabey if i see you i will holler

[aspenmike]

Aspen Highlands, and most likely all four Aspen Ski Co. mountains, is MUni friendly!! I just got down from a few laps on the mountain with the KH. I must say that I definetly bent my FUN meter. Being a ski patrollman on the same hill made for some classic moments. All is all a awesome experiance with no negative vibes. Obviously lots of great comments and many, many movies/pictures taken during the descents. The sliding Ed talks about is soooo fun, controlled sliding is the only way down the steeper slopes. I can't wait to go do it again, this weekend with my son. THanks to Kris and Ed for starting this and keeping it going, it is a total blast.

[paco]

Hey Keaner, you're missing a wheel!
(I've always wanted to say that)