can anyone offer any hints or exersizes for learning to hop on a unicycle? I want to learn, but at the same time I want to stay away from bending my rim. What should I be doing and where are the best places to practice? Anyone have any info they can toss my way?
Get a better uni and practice on that. I mean really if you want to learn to hop you need a uni that you can do it with.
Well i learned with a Torker CX and i never bent or broke anything from jumping off of like 4 foot drops 
Well If you want to learn to hop you should be able to do it on the uni you have now, although a uni with a small wheel (20" or smaller) will make it easier if you roll out.
Have your pedals horizontal with your good foot forwards
-Seat in hopping:
You have the seat underneath you for this and you will need to hold onto the front handle (one hand only). Hop like it’s a pogo stick.
-Seat out hopping:
Move on to this once you can do seat in hopping. Bring the seat in front and hold on to the side of the seat with one of you hands (most people tend to with the opposite to there front foot, so right foot forwards left hand).
I pulled this out of an old issue of What Mountain bike for you as well, it’s technically for actually riding forwards not for hoppping, but it can’t hurt to have stronger legs can it?
Just practice