Thank You Memphis Unicycle Club

General
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I just wanted to take a moment and thank Tommy(Super Human) Thompson and everyone else at MUC for a great weekend. Keith, Reid and I traveled to Memphis for the Wolfman Duathalon. I rode more this weekend than any other 10 days since I started unicycling. I had a great time. I would like to thank Tommy and his gracious wife Rody for being such wonderful hosts.

Saturday, Keith and I got to ride with Tommy, Tom and Charles to get a feel for the trail. I held up the group, but Tommy doubled back, took side trails, rode off across the meadows to make sure I wasn’t left behind. I think Tommy may be an allien! I have never seen so much energy in one person!

After the ride we went back to Tommy’s and rode our trials uni’s for another 4 hours. Probably not the best idea since we had a race the next morning. What can I say, we were having fun.
:smiley: Tommy came out and hopped up and down stairs like he was walking up and down them, basically took Keith and I to school. Now I understand MemphisMud saying he is a student of Grandmaster 2T.

Around 6:30-7:00 others from the club showed up at Tommy and Rody’s for some BBQ. Great food, great company. I really enjoyed meeting everyone and seeing so many kids excited about riding. They were like bees buzzing around. We watched the new MUC promotional video, that was very nicely done. When the club sets up their tent it will be a great tool. I hope that someday we can have a club as “together” as Tommy’s here in Atlanta.

This morning we awoke on time in-spite of the time moving forward an hour. Keith, Reid and I headed to the race. Keith and I were determined not to run the 3.2 and 1 mile run that surrounded the the 6 1/2 mile ride. Keith hit the jackpot and got a local named Jeff Skinner to run for him. I had a little more trouble finding a runner. Undaunted, I asked the race promoter if I could use the same runner. He said sure. So Jeff ran the first 3 miles for both of us at the same time, than tagged us as he came in. This actually gave us a head start on Tommy before he could change at the transition. That didn’t last long though. Keith was on a SH 29" and I was on a KH24. We left the gates together but after we hit the flats and a long downhill I never saw him again. Keith finished the ride in 1 hour 11 minutes. I finished about 10 minutes later, after laying in the middle of the last hill with extreme leg cramps. When I got in my “Keiths” runner had already gotten back from the last mile for Keith, tagged me and set off for another mile for me! For his trouble he got 2 very cool race shirts N/C and medaled with 2 relay groups.

Reid on the other hand was an all out trooper and ran the whole thing, and did the uni on his 24" Schwinn with brand spanking new hookworm tire. (Interesting story behind origin of said Uni)

Now here is the best part, Tommy finished the entire race in an hour and 11 minutes. He even finished before 5 bikers.(keep in mind we were held back 10 minutes from the bikers).

I had a great time, and can’t wait until I recover so I can get back out there an train for the next event. I am going to ride a lot more miles before I do this again.

Another good part is they had awards for the 2 groups of unicyclists. Relay teams and Solo. We were so good, all of us medaled!:smiley: Officialy I came in third in the relay teams. Way I figure it I came in first in my category since I was the only one in my group that had a 24" Keith finished first in his realy group with the 29" and I believe it was Greg and his son who finished first overall(Relay), and first in the 26" group.:wink: Actually the medal was cool, but the experience was the best part.

Again Thanks to Tommy and all the great people at MUC that showed us such a good time. Made the 6+ hour drive each way worth while.

***Reid next time we have to carpool. That is not a drive to make alone.

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I guess everyone else who attended is nursing their wounds.:stuck_out_tongue:

I actually feel pretty good today. My knees, which were sore yesterday morning feel great, and my legs are only slightly sore. I was expecting this to be Advil Week. I do have a couple of bruises that are tender from catching the seat of Chirokid’s(Keith)
29’er as I UPDed. Other than that I am feeling good.

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I made such an “old man noise” getting out of a chair yesterday that two of my family poked their worried heads in the room to check on me.

Thanks to Kieth, Chad, and Reid for making that trek. I know that’s a lot of driving. Eight MUniers crashing a Mountain Bike Race must set some kind of record. And you did take home medals!!! Its too bad I could not spend more of Saturday playing. (Kid’s big competition). We look forward to coming your way…MUni season 2004 is just beginning!

Very Special thanks to Tommy and Rody for making our guests so welcomed and comfortable.

I cannot snatch the pebble. I am not worthy.

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Re: Thank You Memphis Unicycle Club

In article <Memphis.Mud.148vi2@NoEmail.Message.Poster.at.Unicyclist.com>,
Memphis Mud <Memphis.Mud@NoEmail.Message.Poster.at.Unicyclist.com> wrote:
)
)bugman wrote:
)> *I guess everyone else who attended is nursing their wounds.:stuck_out_tongue: *
)
)I made such an “old man noise” getting out of a chair yesterday that two
)of my family poked their worried heads in the room to check on me.

No old man noises!
Try “oh YEAH!” instead.

)Thanks to Kieth, Chad, and Reid for making that trek. I know that’s a
)lot of driving. Eight MUniers crashing a Mountain Bike Race must set
)some kind of record.

We had 12 at last year’s 24 Hours of Adrenaline in Laguna Seca.
-Tom

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Re: Re: Thank You Memphis Unicycle Club

As the dude who died by poison in “Princess Bride” said, “Incontheeevable!” Thats a huge accomplishment.
I rode in last year’s Wolfpack Triathlon (on this same trail) as the lonely Unicyclist. I can tell you it is 1000 times more enjoyable with a sizeable “wobble” of Muniers than as a soloist.

Again let me thank all the MUCsters who put it all out there even tho most have never raced before. And double saaaaaluuuutes to the honorary MUCsters Keith, Chad, and Reid who traveled in for the event.

And we had quite a supply of non-racing MUCsters who added to the buzz. Taking pictures, riding around, keeping it light. In fact, several of our kids greeted each of our racers in the transition area and escorted us through. My transition from rider to runner was a gracefull, seamless work of choreography as I pealed off wristguards and handed them to one MUCkid…camelback slid to another…and as I came off my 29er in a fast run, my machine was smoothly recieved by Lovliest Wife and off I went.

And you should see Tommy’s display. Tent, logo-ed trailer, Pictures. Its quite impressive and legitimate. I hope somebody took a photo of the setup.

If you’re interested, check out Pictures of the Wolfman Duathlon .
You’ll find Uniers on pages 1, 4, 8, 16, 17, 18

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Looks like he uploaded all the pictures he took of me. I saw him snapping them off at a rapid pace as I road by. I think they came out pretty good. I’ll probably order some. I can’t look at them very well here at work. I will look again later at home.

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Man-O-Man! I had a total BLAST last weekend!!
It was such a great time to share the weekend with so many great people.

Bugman, thanks for your kind words. (Did I pay you enough to say all of that?)

It was an awesome weekend! I strongly encourage anyone who is considering throwing a uni-gathering to DO IT! Everybody enjoyed getting together and playing and learning together – EVERYBODY!

Special thanks go to “Bugman”, “Chirokid”, and Reid for making the 7 hour drive from points east to visit us here in the Delta. (See you guys in Atlanta on the 23rd!) and Wolf “Wolfman” Townsend for opening the Wolfman Duathlon to unicycles. It was so great to look in Memphis’ local morning paper and see the results of the duathlon and see “Unicycle Division!”

Rody and I had a wonderful time seeing everybody at our home and celebrating the club’s second birthday.

It’s all good. No, it’s all GREAT!

Let’s do it again next year!
Tommy

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I would like to do it again next year. I am planning on a lot more prep for it though. I am going to start training much harder now that I have a benchmark to judge myself against. I know what I did to prepare for this year, and it was minimal. Maybe I need to start getting up at 5am and train like Tommy. I never will be in as good a condition in shape as Tommy was out of shape. His idea of out of shape is running a 6 1/2 minute mile! :astonished: That was off road. My best 2 mile time 15 years ago was 10min 54 sec. I was in the best shape of my life. I have a lot of wear and tear on my body since then, so I am not expecting that kind of time ever again.

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Hey Bugman,

I’m still feelin’ it - three days later. I even had a massage therapist work on a knot in my calf while I was in Knoxville on Monday. Dang! Gettin’ old stinks.

I hope to get back into my rhythm and riding daily tomorrow. For today, I’m still recovering.

You guys have to get us an excuse to get to Atlanta to play by arranging to let us crash another mountain bike race.

I wrote a note to the Wolfman and thanked him for including us this year. I think that we were the entertainment for the event.

Again, I had a wonderful weekend. The race itself was only a small part of the fun. Putz’n around and being totally indulged in unicycling for the weekend was the best!

Tommy

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Don’t forget the freeride event in April. I will find the thread I posted earlier and bump it. I hope we can get together when you come to town for the wedding. I know you are trying your best to drive so you can bring your Uni’s.:smiley:

I thought for sure it would take me a week to recover. I was not even sore on Monday. Tuesday I was a little sore, but today I am feeling great. In my experience I usually am sore for days after that kind of a ride. Can’t really say for sure what the difference was this time. I was laying on the ground writhing in pain from leg cramps on Sunday, and can say I have never had those before. Go figure? :thinking: I pulled my Uni out for the first time tonight for about 10 minutes. I will start training again tomorrow.

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Hi Guys! I am fully recovered too. Had a most wonderful time in Memphis.

Tommy and Rody were great hosts. All the MUC gang, a wonderful bunch of adults and children (sure wish I had the skills of 11 year old Sam).

Tom and Tommy were tons of fun our our Saturday prep-ride. Charlie was amazing. However, I am most grateful for Jeff Skinner for being my “Runner”, and a very good runner at that. Thanks Jeff.

I am excited for next year. Now I just have to go ride some more. --chirokid–

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Dang I really wanted to meet you guys…But I was busy working on our new house and I kinda forgot about it. Oh well, after we move I will probably be coming to the unicycle meetings on Tuesdays again.

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Re: Thank You Memphis Unicycle Club

No Cokers?
Was the course Cokerable? Would a Coker have been faster than a 29er?

That’s how you can improve your time next year. Next year do the cycling leg on a Coker. :slight_smile:

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Hi John,

We never thought that the course was “Cokerable” until Charles saw Memphis Mud and me ride our 29ers there the day before. We have always used 24" on this course and we sort of felt that we were pushing the envelope by using 29ers. Not to be out-done, Charles showed up to the race with his Coker. “Chirokid”, too, decided on Saturday night to try a 29er for the race. I don’t remember the time differences but all three 29ers beat the Coker. No offense to Charles but I think the results had more to do with conditioning than the wheel diameter. Through the technical sections (about half of the 6.5 mile course) I can’t imagine riding a Coker and there is so much of it I can’t imagine running through the woods with one either. I didn’t have a chance to ask Charles, specifically how the ride went for him.

I had a ride that I created especially for this course. It is a Bedford powder coated frame, C/F seat w/air and KH cover and Kinsport handle/bumpers. The magic part of my ride is the wheel (of course). I laced a Mavic tandem rim over a powder coated Suzue hub and, since it was relatively dry, used a Schwalbe “Big Apple” for rubber. I used 155 cranks.

The Big Apple is amazing! It has tons of air to play with to adjust for the perfect suspension. I weight about 145 and I ran it at 30 psi. It was wonderfully nimble and super-duper fast through the woods. At some places, it was frighteningly fast. Besides, the tire has that groovy reflective strip that lights-up beautifully with flash photography in the woods!

Tommy

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A couple of nights ago I had a new unicycling experience. I had a dream about unicycling, probably due to all the posting about this Wolfman event. A key part of the dream was the playing and gathering at the Thompson house. I remember Tommy from the dream, but can’t recall meeting Rody, just know she was there.

I guess I need to drive down next year for the event or be forced to have another dream afterwards. By the way it was a good dream and the hosting of the party by Tommy and Rody was appreciated in my dream as well. :stuck_out_tongue:

I am open to any interpretations of this dream. As if I need to mention it, I’m sure some will be offered.

Dreaming and smiling! :sunglasses:

Bill

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I concur with Tommy’s “Man-o-man” review of the weekend. The race was so much fun, and Tommy and Rody were so hospitable - thank you both for everything.

Everybody out there please do yourself a favor and take part in one of these muni & running races. It is a great challenge and is a fantastic way to gain publicity for our sport. I’m getting the hankering to race in a local “sprint” triathlon on my uni.

-Reid

P.S. The real reason Charles was slower on his Coker than the 29-er gang was the aerodynamic drag caused by his smile he had plastered on his face. He was having so much fun flying over the singletrack on the Coker!

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Of course you already know that you are imagining-dreaming all the fun that you are going to have next year at the Wolfman!

Come on down!

Tommy

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Reid, you are da man. Great to finally have you posting to the forum. Let us know about the “sprint” triathlon, you might get some extra visitors.

No matter what, I’ll see you at Wolfman next year. I claim the left end of the sofa. :smiley: --chirokid–

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Re: Thank You Memphis Unicycle Club

On Thu, 8 Apr 2004 11:38:27 -0500, “billham” wrote:

>I am open to any interpretations of this dream. As if I need to
>mention it, I’m sure some will be offered.

Did you know there is a “Gallery of unicycling dreams” thread in JC?

Klaas Bil - Newsgroup Addict

Clearly a system of 1/14 and 1/16 is not decimal - Mikefule on the English weight system

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Website?
Details please.