The other big advantage of Rays (assuming you live close enough to take advantage of it) is the fact that they let you guys ride in there. What a treat! I did not know such places existed at all, but to find one that welcomes crazy guys on Cokers, that’s truly a gift.
Now to find a similar place in Northern CA…
I’m glad you like my idea for giving names to the riders of the various wheel size classes for Rolling Trials. I really like both names that you came up with for the other two classes, thus we currently have:
“Pilots” (36” class)
“Jockeys” (28”/29” class)
“Runners” (24”/26” class)
I don’t know whether the other members of the forum (other than the one who already voiced his opinion on the matter) think this is a cool idea or a dumb idea… but I would be interested to know. Having come up with the concept, I obviously think it’s a cool, fun idea. I agree with GILD and can almost here the commentators announcing, “First up are the Runners” and then: “here come the Jockeys”! Regarding Rolling Trials for the X Games (and other Extreme Events)… nothing would make me happier! I believe that if the sport does gain a decent number of participants that once the skill level increases and the Pilots/Jockeys/(and possibly Runners) are able to clean obstacles that are bigger and more extreme, the sport could have X Games type appeal. Though Dave Lowell did a great job with the camera, I believe that even the obstacles that I rode at Rays on my video would look a lot more impressive and exciting with various different camera angles, including wide angle close-ups, shots from down below (ground level) and other types of angles that show the speed and the acceleration up the obstacle from a closer view. That type of camera work with riders that are much more skilled than I am can take this sport to the X-Games, in my opinion. I realize that a large percentage of my fellow forum members probably don’t agree with me… but perhaps you should hold off on making a final judgement until you have seen skilled riders participating in the sport in person, or at the very least… a video of the sport that was professionally shot and edited. Of course, I’d love to hear any and all opinions… whether you agree with me or not!
Andrew (HCR)
GILD: I have no idea why you can’t see the new pictures I posted (with the lines drawn in)!
i think i’ve traced it to a problem with my Crazy Browser
since no-one else commented, i can only assume that the pics must display normally and the problem is limited to my browser
grrr
i’ll get it sorted
Would it not be difficult for others to know wether you are putting in some extra pressure by stomping on the pedals when you go off something? I’m sure that after a while it would feel natural to put in a rolling hop to get more air. Why not allow rolling hops but not other hops? Not that I have a coker or anything, but it sounds fun and you’d still have the “flow”. 
i don’t think any action taken by the rider to increase the air gotten will be seen as an infringement
if u go back to a earlier post, it’s mentioned how important it is to keep the rules simple so that they can be enforced without the need for highly trained, professional judges or the technology of super-slow-mo cameras and the like
all of which u’ll need to pick up the kind of ‘rolling hop transgression’ i think u’re describing
if u want to stomp down on your pedals just as u’re coming off a lip at the top of a ramp sitting atop a 36" wheel, then i say more power to u
Even if you don’t live that close, Rays is worth the trip! If you have the time to kill driving, that’s one possibility (if you live in the contintental US)… or with all the Internet travel sites and fierce competition amongst the airlines, you may very well be able to purchase an airline ticket for a low price. I was EXTREMELY psyched when I first found out about the place… but I knew that was only half of the equation! Would they allow uni’s? You’re 100% right, John… we are quite fortunate that these guys are very unicycle friendly… it could have very easily worked out quite differently for us.
By the way, I recently read a post on an MTB forum that was talking about Rays and one of the members commented that he didn’t think Rays would be around for too long… he figures as soon as someone gets badly hurt and some lawyer smells the lawsuit $$$, it’s all over (despite the fact that you have to sign a waiver before you can ride releasing them of any responsibility if you hurt or kill yourself while you’re riding there). I wonder if this guy’s point is valid? It seems like it could be, in which case it would be wise to get to Rays sooner rather than later.
I don’t think you’ll find a place that is too similar in California because Rays is supposedly the first (and as of the present time) the ONLY indoor MTB park in the world! If the liability problem isn’t a problem and doesn’t become a problem, then I would expect that more places like Rays will start to pop up all over the place. Ray already told me that some guys from NY talked to him about establishing an indoor MTB park in NY… that would be awesome for me… especially if it were in a dome type facility (with no beams to smash my head into)!
I agree with GILD, 100%, on all accounts!
someone agrees with me?!?
no wonder people are snowed in.
I recently spoke to Dave Lowell about his trip back to Rays with Jeff Prosa… who also rode his 24" MUni at the park. Dave informed me that both he and Jeff had an amazing time riding the Sections, something Dave told me Jeff referred to as “flow riding” (if I’m not mistaken). Dave said Jeff was able to ride a wide variety of Sections and obstacles, though apparently he couldn’t get over some of the steeper ramps/jumps on the 24", as I had suspected. I heard that he was able to get up the big ramp (the one where I hit my head on the ceiling beam) pretty easily on his 24", however. All in all it sounded like the 24" could definitely handle a wide assortment of obstacles/Sections, making Rolling Trials on those wheel-size classes totally viable and incredibly fun (from what I heard)!
Since the smaller wheel size classes can handle certain obstacles (such as skinnies and many other types of obstacles) much more easily than a Coker, and a Coker can handle other obstacles that are extremely difficult (or possibly impossible) on the smaller wheel uni’s, Rolling Trials courses will be specifically designed for each wheel-size class, including the “Unlimited” class… which should have an equal number of Sections that are:
I will be organizing the first Rolling Trials competition at Rays the weekend of Brians video release/ride party… I’d like it to be on Saturday the 19th (possibly in the late afternoon or evening). I would like to find out when everyone will be arriving and what size uni’s they’ll be riding. I’ll post a message under Brian’s thread: “TWNR US Release: Updated Info” asking for this info from everyone who will be attending, so if you’re interested in participating in the “First Annual HCR Invitational” (everyone’s invited) Rolling Trials competition, please let me know when you’ll be arriving and what you’ll be riding. Thanks a lot! I really look forward to meeting everyone!
Andrew (HCR)