Tour da Yoop: The Missing Wheels Ride for Disabled Kids

[podzol]

Planning has begun for the first unicycle tour to transect the remote, historic, scenic, and not-too-hilly Upper Peninsula of Michigan!!

The tour is an effort to raise donations towards improved wheelchairs for childern in this economically challenged geographic region. The economy collapsed with the mining industry in the 1960s and is making a slow recovery.

The ~400 mile journey will take place late in the Summer of 2006. I am in the process of recuiting riders, finding sponsors, charities, and support personnel for the journey.

So far, myself and three other riders have experssed interest in the ride. Riders can participate in all or some of the trek, which in its entirity is anticipated to take two weeks.

Please consider joining us, helping us, and encouraging us! There have been many successful unicycle tours that will help serve as models for ours, which I hope is as an enjoyable experience for participants and a worthwhile fundraising effort for our cause.

Please let me know if you'd consider helping, supporting, or better yet, riding in all or part of the tour! Your ideas and suggestion will be warmly welcomed.

The idea for this tour was directly inspired by your posts in these forums!
Thanks!
Blake

[BillyTheMountain]

Hey Blake,

I would definitely consider riding this. Sound like the weather will be fine. Any idea of the terrain? Do we get hills or flat? How's the scenery? Anything near the Great Lakes?

Great idea and a great cause!!

Billy

[podzol]

Great, Billy! Please join us!

It is quite flat for most of the way, There are some hills in the western part of the state. I am working on a website today and there will be links about the area and the ride. I will try to have a loosely working version up within the week.

It is mostly forested with mixed hardwoods and conifers. The geology ranges from limestone outcrops to far east (Part of the same geological formation as Niagara Falls), to sand dunes, iron rich formations and finally to the rugged and famous copper country in the west.

Wildlife includes the usual small critters like rabbits, porkies, and skunks. Larger fauna include deer, black bear, moose, coyotes, and wolves. Anectodal reports of mountain lion sightings have been increasing and there have also meen samples of "scat" collected that resembles mountain lion feces. Not likely we'd run into a big cat. The Michigan DNR does not recognise the presense of wild mountain lions in the area as far as I recall.
There are assorted weasels, squirrels, beavers, otters and larger muskelids like martins and fishers, though I have not seen with of those, thank goodness!

Please continue with the questions! And thanks loads for your interest. I hope you join us!
Blake

[Mikefule]

Originally Posted by podzol

Wildlife includes the usual small critters like rabbits, porkies, and skunks. Larger fauna include deer, black bear, moose, coyotes, and wolves. Anectodal reports of mountain lion sightings have been increasing and there have also meen samples of "scat" collected that resembles mountain lion feces. Not likely we'd run into a big cat. The Michigan DNR does not recognise the presense of wild mountain lions in the area as far as I recall.
There are assorted weasels, squirrels, beavers, otters and larger muskelids like martins and fishers, though I have not seen with of those, thank goodness!

For geographical and economic reasons, it appears unlikely that I will join you on the ride. However, with all that wildlife, I expect any survivors to post some good stories. Beats all the bl**dy herons and ducks that I write about.

Why are you glad you haven't seen a martin or fisher? Keskersay?

[podzol]

Originally Posted by Mikefule

Why are you glad you haven't seen a martin or fisher? Keskersay?

They are viscious, fast, indiscriminate, and look like HUGE weasels! I like weasels, had one living in my basement in my cabin up there, mind you, but weasels are much smaller, althouth with bad attitudes, too. Fishers are like wolverines and badgers but not as cuddley.


The fisher is the only known predator of the porcupine. I read this just online about a tactic of the animal to eat porcupines:
When it preys on porcupines, it attacks the porcupine's face repeatedly until the porcupine is weakened from trying to defend itself. It will eat the porcupine's organs first and save the rest of the kill to eat over the next couple of days.

Friendly, eh? I'll be snuggling up with the moose instead!

[musketman]

yea, you gotta see a pissed off racoon! those things are nuts!

[uni-steve5111]

Originally Posted by musketman

yea, you gotta see a pissed off racoon! those things are nuts!

yah those things are crazy ive got bittin in the neck by one once and i still have the scar to prove it.

anyway im in for the great UP trip, looking forward to it too. My biggist problem right now would be getting the right uni for the trip. So if anyone has any old cockers and would like to get em off their hands, I would be more than happy to take it

[habbywall]

sounds like fun, but chances are i cant do it, i would but i cant, im going to europe, all you people should bring shotguns, that would make for a good pic, a band of men on unicycles with shotguns in there hands, just so other people know what will you be riding? cokers or what, you should probably put what could make it through this trek

[podzol]

Originally Posted by uni-steve5111

yah those things are crazy ive got bittin in the neck by one once and i still have the scar to prove it.

Now how the he** did that happen?!

[uni-steve5111]

Originally Posted by podzol

Now how the he** did that happen?!

I was kidding lol

[MissingWheels]

you got me good...

-Podzol

[podzol]

Hey folks, check out the website!
Blake


http://missingwheels.unicyclist.com/

[DK]

I think It would be rad but, I dont have a coker and a plane ticket...

[hell-on-wheel]

Great concept, I'm definately interested in riding with you guys. I haven't done much long distance since May '04, when I rode the MS150. I have a 700c, but by August I might have a geared up "penguin-style" giraffe, like Skippii's. How will fund-raising work, big corporate donations, or will the riders solicit their family/friends/churches?

[podzol]

Hi Hell On Wheel.

Thanks for your interest!! It'd be fun to have a giraffe along, too. I'm looking for corporate sponsorship and private donations, but once I find the right charity to hand the donations, I'll send out a printable flier and cards to facilitate rider participation in the fund drive, too. All charity monies will go through the third parties charity, so what the solicitiation will entail is encouraging people to drop by a website or put a check in the mail.

Whether or not there is a fee to cover rider logistics like support vehicles, lodging, and food depends on what kind of sponsors I can drum up for the event.

Seems like rider response in good do far, so I need to start moving on the rest of the project (only seriously been planning for a week or so now.).

I also have had a lot of interest from young people, so there may be a requirement for a parent or guardian to accompany riders under 18 (Even if on a bike or in a support vehicle). I need to talk to other tour organizers and some insurance people about the liabilities of such an event. I was warned by someone with experience that plannig one of these is a "life-changing event!" Not really certain what that means, but I will find out soon, eh!

I'll be in contact with you this week sometime with some information and a questionairre for the website profile if you're still interested! Keep an eye on your PMs. My contact info is also on the website if you have questions.
Blake