The 6th Annual LBI Unithon will take place June 5, 2004 on beautiful Long Beach Island, New Jersey, USA.
Details as they emerge are available at: http://jjuggle.unicyclist.com/lbiunithon
Updates will be posted here as well.
Hope to see you there,
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ
Fewer than two weeks to the Unithon! If you haven’t registered, there’s still time.
6th Annual LBI Unithon - Saturday, June 5, 2004
Hope to see you all there.
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ
Man, I was really hoping to go this year. I’ve been going to LBI with my family for years, but I’ve never made it to one of these events. I was planning to go this year, but I just realized that June 5th is the day I’m taking SAT IIs. Oh well. I’m gonna be on the island over Labor day this fall, so if anyone who lives there wants to try to get a ride together, let me know. I usually bring my trials uni when I go with my family.
Ben
Ben, that is really too bad. I wish you luck on the SATs, though. Let’s see, I took them in 1976 and 1977. I’m happy to say that I can’t recall a single detail of the experience. 
Post something here late in the summer. I’ll be there’s a bunch of us Jersey riders who would love to get together for a day over Labor Day.
Cheers,
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ
Re: 6th Annual LBI Unithon - June 5, 2004
Raphael,
I will be there. I would like to recommend to all of the unithoners that
they wear safety equipment. At least wear a helmet and gloves
i will be going. hmm, safety equipment on a coker?we wont be going that dast will we?
I’m going too:D
Great idea! Sunday, Sept. 5th is a meeting of the New York Unicycle Club. How about Saturday or Monday?
See you at the Unithon!
Dave
The LBI Unithon on Saturday went off without a hitch. The weather was spendid. Rainy with a headwind and unseasonably cool.
All 30 or so riders finished the, what is now due to route changes just under 20 mile, ride. Two riders, one of whom was Bridget Sprouls, the young woman who started this ride in 1999 finished on 20" unicycles. Ah, youth.
We had a rider from Oregon (whose name I can’t recall at the moment) and Deb from Australia. A bunch, of course, from NY, NJ, PA, and CT.
David Bagley started the morning at 7:00 by doing the ride in the opposite direction and then rode the regular course with the rest of us.
Many of the usual suspects were there, but it was nice to see a bunch of new faces, including from these boards, Nikkifrog, shadowuni, TheObieOne3226, brian.slater, and Tim. (I’m sure I’ve missed someone - apologies).
On a personal note, I went with the 6" cranks. In the end I didn’t feel comfortable enough with the 5"ers yet and went for comfort and familiarity this time. We’ll see about next time.
It was great to see everyone and as always look forward to next year. At some point I’ll have some pictures to post.
Oh, and even thought they wont see it, thanks to the Sprouls for another great year.
Cheers,
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ
Who was the very excellent Coker rider who was zooming all over the place at the Unithon? You had a green shirt. You “visited” me briefly and I mentioned that I didn’t finish the Unithon last year*. You asked why. I said I had only been riding about six months at the time. (also, at the start of the ride, you took off like a bat-out-of-you-know-what, then did an awesome ballistic U-turn and circled around some of us.) I didn’t get who you were.
Anyway, I learned a thing or two about riding a Coker by watching you. Thank you. After watching you yesterday and practicing today, I can put a lot of power and lean into my turns. I’ve been transformed. Previously, I was limited to broad turns or twisty turns (both of which are no fun).
Indeed. They really got together a hell of an event. Ms. Sprouls even lent me a coker after I did half of the ‘thon on my muni. It had 4’’ cranks and was a fun ride. The whole event was fun and it was great to meet some new people. Hope to see everyone next year, or, better yet, before then!
Edit: Will you be posting the pics?
Was it this shirt? Because if so, that’s Nick, Shadowuni on these forums. If that is the case, I am appalled by the misuse of the word “excellent.”
I’m not sure. When we talked, he was riding next to me. Then he rode off and left me in the dust (at that point, I was tired and riding even slower than my normal 7 MPH). That might be the shirt. You would not describe Nick as an excellent and powerful Coker rider? Capable of teaching and spreading great uni wisdom simply by showing up and riding around? Must be somebody else then.
Ha! Well he was wearing said shirt and he was swerving around and doing u turns. He is a great coker rider, sure. But he has a better propensity for showing off. I’d say many of the people there could have done those things, including those who accompanied him, Tim and myself. Nick can go I think 15 mph and move quite fluidly on his coker. He can also 1 foot it. So it was probably him you saw. Was he riding at times with a guy on a green 24’’ muni and later a coker with exceedingly short 4 inch cranks and a horribly low seat (both me). Because if so, thats Nick.
Which rider were you?
I’m glad I was able to go I had a great time.
Thank you Sprouls!
It has to be Nick he’s kinda a “show monkey” he was doing freestyle before we started on Bridget’s multi colored 20.
Oh and any one that has the Asbury Park Press delivered look for a story about us they took some pictures too. If you find us in there can you see if you can get a digital picture of it? I also hear that there is a Ocean Edition too but I’m not sure which one it is.
I asked Nick, and he seems to remeber you as the tall, stocky, blonde, short haired guy.
When he read what you said about starting like a bat out of you-know-what and doing a ballistic u turn, he said:
“Oh yeah. That’s me, I’m a d*ckhead.”
So I think he’s your man.
Close enough.
That part was SO COOL! At that time, I could only think about how VERY long the ride was going to be – and he was swooping around doing amazing things and having fun. To him, it was a 19 mile playground. I wanted that cool attitude and that skill level. Next year I will. Next year, I’ll be a d*ckhead too.
I get the Monmouth County edition of the Asbury Park Press and didn’t see an article yesterday. A colleague who lives in Ocean County is going to check for me if there was something in that edition. If so, I’ll get if from her and post as soon as possible.
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ
To anyone who rode the Unithon, please post or email me the type of uni you rode. Include, if you don’t mind, your full name and where you’re from.
I’m going to write something up for On One Wheel.
Thanks,
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ