Last Sunday I organized a Muni race for my Boy Scout unicycle group. We had 3
different groups (Open Muni for older guys, Youth Muni for the younger guys
riding 26" Mountain Unicycles, and a standard unicycle division for the young
guys racing on 24" unicycles). There are 9 Mountain Unicycles that I know of in
our area and all of them were ridden in the race. We had 6 parents working as
start and finish line judges, and several others stationed on the course as
monitors. There were prizes for each division.
Our long range plan is to gain enough experience recruit enough volunteers to
put on an open Muni race later this spring; and then schedule a couple races
every year. We are thinking about having another semi-formal race March 31. If
there are any Muni riders who might be in the Northern California around that
time and would be interested in participating, please let me know. If there is
enough interest we will have an uphill race, possibly a downhill race, and a
trials course. There are also several sections of rough granite (almost like
sandstone) along the edge of the lake to play around on.
The course was approximately 2 miles on a fire road with two loops out on single
tracks. The road has some fairly large ruts, caused by erosion, which proved to
be somewhat challenging. There was one steep downhill (too steep to ride without
a knobby tire) and a fairly long, steep climb at the mid way point. Although the
course isn’t too difficult when taking a casual ride, it proved to be extremely
taxing in race conditions. There are 2 short hills around a half mile from the
finish, which, coming near the end, were the most difficult for the riders.
Woody Hooten was first overall and the Open Muni winner. He finished 15th in the
Expert Muni Race in Unicon X earlier this year. He thought this course was much
more difficult, especially since there were so many opportunities to pass.
John Hooten