Memphis Unicycle Club

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Thursday rides
Memphis Unicycle Club meets almost every Thursday throughout the year. We are making a temporary change to our winter schedule during February and March 2012. Please see our calendar for a schedule of Thursday evening rides. Thursday, 6:00pm - 8:00pm. (April through October) Weather permitting, Veteran's Plaza in Overton Park is a great place to ride and practice. In addition to the plaza, there are some great riding opportunities at the park. Come out and play in the MUC! Thursday, 6:00pm to 8:00pm (November through March) During the cold and dark months, we meet every Thursday at First Congregational Church in the Cooper - Young Neighborhood (1000 South Cooper). This indoor practice is currently focusing on developing freestyle and basic riding skills. Come on out and play and share your excitement about unicycling with others in our uni-community.
Welcome
Welcome to the Memphis Unicycle Club website, home of the MUCsters! The Memphis Unicycle Club is a great place to learn about unicycles and how to ride a unicycle. Experience is not necessary. We enjoy the opportunity to introduce new riders to the sport. We are interested in sharing our excitement for unicycling and expanding our Memphis area unicycling community. Whether you are hoping to learn how to unicycle in your driveway, or want to go urban uni-touring, doing tricks, or off-road unicycling, the Memphis Unicycle Club may be just the place for you. Our current favorite places to ride are Veteran's Plaza in Overton Park and First Congregational Church in the Cooper - Young Neighborhood (1000 South Cooper). The club is a diverse group with diverse interests. Here on this web site you will find lots of information about our club, photos and scheduled events. Please feel free to contact us and we'll gladly get back to you. The Memphis Unicycle Club is an informal group of Memphis area unicycling enthusiasts who ride unicycles for fun, fellowship and fitness. There is much more to unicycling than just riding around. Unicycling includes: Freestyle – challenging movement skills usually indoors on a 20-inch wheel, Trials – riding on man made obstacles such as stairs and ramps indoors or outdoors usually on a 20-inch or 24-inch wheel with a fat tire, MUni or Mountain Unicycling – riding on bicycle trails in the woods or other outdoor natural obstacles usually on a 24-inch or 26-inch wheel, Distance – going the distance on a 29-inch or 36-inch wheel. You might learn to idle, ride backwards, ride one-footed, hop, spin, walk-the-wheel, coast or much more. You can test your abilities using the Unicycling Society of America’s “10 Skill Levels of Unicycling”. There is no cost to become a member of the Memphis Unicycle Club. However, members are encouraged to join the Unicycling Society of America. Information about the Unicycling Society of America can be found online at www.unicyclingusa.org or by writing to: Unicycling Society of America, Inc. PO Box 530518 Livonia, MI 48153-0518 To join the Memphis Unicycle Club, please download the Request for Membership Form. Print the form then bring the completed form with you or mail it to the address given on the form. There is no cost for membership. As with most sports and activities, unicycling presents risks of accident or personal injury. Members must agree to accept those risks and accept responsibility for any injuries they may incur. Members must agree to accept responsibility for any damages they may cause. Members provide their own unicycle(s) and other riding equipment. MUC has a couple of unicycles to loan if you would like to come by and give unicycling a try before buying. Safety equipment is recommended. Safety equipment includes but is not limited to helmets, wrist protectors and shin protectors. MUC does not provide safety equipment. Members are responsible for providing their own safety equipment. If you have any questions let us know or just drop by at a weekly practice session.
NAUCC 2006
North American Unicycling Championships and Convention NAUCC 2006 has come and gone Look here for details Look here for links to photos
Frequently Asked Questions about Unicycling
Carol McClean has an excellent FAQ website. Please visit Carol's site at Unicycle Central
MUC News - Information about Past Events
Germantown, Tennessee Christmas Parade Saturday, December 9, 2006 << Marquise trying to jump rope the hard way and Tom the "tinselman" riding the giraffe. >> Members of the Memphis Unicycle Club and the St. George's School Unicycle Club at the 2006 Germantown, Tennessee Christmas Parade. On Saturday, December 9th, the MUCsters gathered for our annual Germantown Christmas Parade. The weather was perfect - bright, blue and in the lower fifties. As you can see from the photos, this was our first year that we were wearing our new MUC warm-up suits. They look even better in person. Tom Maxwell served as our shuttle-master as he used his van and trailer to carry most of us to the start from the Germantown Performing Arts Center. A few of us used the opportunity to get in some extra riding and rode to the starting position. The idea of casual riding and waving that is normally found on parade routes was shattered. The chit-chat among some of our newer riders was that giraffes should be banned form our parade riding - because the giraffe gets ALL the attention! Tom Maxwell, with his tensile-laden giraffe and clothes was, as always, the hit of our parade presentation. One of the interesting things is that while some of riders are doing truly incredible riding feats (seat dragging, one-foot-stand-up-wheel walking, etc.) the crowd goes nuts when they see a giraffe. Tom does us all well by wearing his normal broad smile with his best royal wave. The crowd, too, enjoyed our demonstration of uni jumping rope. At the end of the parade Joanne surprised us all by offering us all cookies for that well-deserved snack. I'm already looking forward to our next parade. If you hear of a parade in our area just send one of our club officers an e-mail and we can try to put together another MUC gathering.
Current News - Information about Current and Future Events
Current MUC news and ride update information will be posted here. Photos from our trip to NAUCC 2007. Photos from 2007 Christmas parades. Photos from our trip to NAUCC 2008. Photos from 2008 Christmas parades. Longtime director and founder of the Memphis Unicycle Club, Tommy Thompson, has moved away from the Memphis area. We really miss Tommy. Read Tommy's farewell message. Our last Thursday evening at Overton Park will be Thursday, October 20. We will be moving back to First Congregational Church on Thursday, November 3. FUTURE EVENTS We are making a temporary change to our winter schedule during February and March 2012. Please see our calendar for a schedule of Thursday evening rides. Most Saturday mornings, we have a group that rides outdoors. Let us know if you are interested. CURRENT EVENTS December 10, 2011 - Parade Update Ten members of MUC rode in the Germantown Holiday Parade. The weather was great. As always, MUC was a crowd favorite. Tom and Barret did a great job riding giraffes this year. A parade is not complete without a giraffe unicycle. Parade activities included uni-spins, one-foot riding, wheel walking and jumping rope. Ronnie, Woodrow and Marquis wowed the crowd with their uni skills. Geneva impressed the viewers as our youngest rider and as she rode along with the uni handlebars. Hugh, Tom, Woodrow, Derrick, Geneva, Barret, Richard, Ronnie, Marquis. Not pictured: Pete December 8, 2011 - Thursday Update MUC had 8 riders tonight at First Congregational Church. Riders present were Woodrow, Pete, Ronnie, Derrick, Denzel, Marquis C, Duke and Richard. August 27, 2011 - Ride Update Woodrow and Mitchell rode 36ers in the Midnight Bike Classic Ride Woodrow Mitchell Photos by Live From Memphis, LLC September 24, 2011 - Ride Update Hugh and Richard rode 11 miles on the Wolf River Wildlife Area Trail near Collierville. Hugh and Richard taking a rest near the banks of the Wolf River. Photo by Hugh June 30, 2011 - Thursday Update Memphis Unicycle Club had 5 riders at Overton Park on Thursday evening. As always, despite a hot day in Memphis, it was pleasant at Overton Park. Pete continues to improve his riding skills. Derrick trying real hard to ride up a hill. Richard completing a sharp turn. l to r: Richard, Derrick, Woodrow, Cal, Pete and Geneva in front. Ever wonder how Woodrow does the really high hops? See below. This is Woodrow hoping up 35 inches. Photos by Cal April 30, 2011 - Saturday Ride Memphis Unicycle Club had 4 riders present for an urban ride in downtown Memphis. We rode at Mud Island River Park and viewed the flooding Mississippi River. Cal, Woodrow, Richard and Mitchell in front of the Memphis skyline. Four MUCsters crossing over to Mud Island. Standing at the bank of the flooding Mississippi River. Cal, Richard, Mitchell and Woodrow standing in front of some "quilts" made from old highway signs. Photos by Cal April 28, 2011 - Weekly Update Memphis Unicycle Club had 5 riders in Overton Park on Thursday evening. It was a pleasant evening in Veteran's Plaza. Charlie visited MUC for the first time last week. He has tried riding a unicycle before, now he just needs to polish his riding. Cal, Taylor, Charlie, Woodrow and Richard with their wheels. Cal's first ride on the 36er. Photos by Cal February 19, 2011 - Saturday Activity Update Four riders from Memphis Unicycle Club spent their Saturday morning riding around the University of Memphis campus. MUC riders reflecting on the morning ride. Cal, Richard, Hugh and Woodrow Woodrow leaping up a set of steps in a single bound. Photos by Cal January 13, 2011 - Weekly Activity Update Memphis Unicycle Club had 7 riders again this week. This was the first time Taylor joined us for indoor practice at the Congo. back row - Richard, Woodrow, Mitchell, Taylor and Pete front row - Cal and Derrick Woodrow demonstrates how to do a "suicide" mount. No hands holding the unicycle. Foot placement is critical for the landing. Photos by Cal January 10, 2011 - Member Update It was the first snow of the new year and Cal was mixing snowman building with unicycle riding. Cal and the Snowman January 6, 2011 - Weekly Activity Update Memphis Unicycle Club started the new year with 7 riders at the first practice session. Woodrow and Mitchell started the year with new Christmas unicycles. Richard, Woodrow, Derrick, Mitchell, Pete, Marquise. Cal took the picture. Lots of action at the Congo. More action. Woodrow on the floor. Photos by Cal December 27, 2010 - Weekly Activity Update Several members of MUC braved the clear, crisp evening at Starry Nights to view the Shelby Farms light display on unicycle. Derrick, Hugh and Cal rode their unicycles under the stars. Hugh with Cal in his fancy green octopus hat. Cherry was the support crew. Photos by Cal December 2, 2010 - Weekly Activity Update Woodrow is still teaching and recruiting new riders. Welcome to Mitchell who visited MUC for the first time. Mitchell had been practicing already so by the end of the evening he was riding around the room with ease. MUC shared the room at First Congregational Church with a large youth group from the Denver area. Many of the kids gave unicycling a try. Pete was busy giving unicycling lessons. Thanks Pete. Richard, Mitchell, Marquise, Woodrow, Pete and Geneva Woodrow pushing his seat across the floor. Photos by Cal November 6, 2010 - Saturday Activity Update Hugh and Richard rode the Wolf River Trails in order to check on progress of the future Wolf River pedestrian bridge. Hugh speeding down the trail. Richard in front of the bridge. Photo by Hugh October 30, 2010 - Saturday Activity Update Hugh and Richard rode at Herb Parsons Lake. If you have not been there in awhile, you should check it out. There are many more trails now than in the past. Richard riding across a bridge at Herb Parsons Lake. Photo by Hugh October 16, 2010 - Saturday Activity Update MUC had an urban ride around the the University of Memphis campus. Garrison joined us for his first Saturday morning ride and Joseph was back after an extended absence. Woodrow, Richard, Joseph, Garrison, Hugh and Sarah Photo by Richard October 9, 2010 - Saturday Activity Update On a warm day, the long awaited Shelby Farms Greenline trail finally opened. Tom, Woodrow, Casey, Hugh and Richard were there to ride the 7-mile path. Woodrow and Richard waiting for the Grand Opening. Tom and Richard riding the new trail. Photos by Hugh October 2, 2010 - Saturday Activity Update Hugh and Richard took advantage of a crisp Fall morning to ride part of the Tour de Wolf Trail at Shelby Farms. Richard and Hugh. Hugh provided details of our route with data from his GPS. Photo by Richard and Hugh September 18, 2010 - Saturday Activity Update After years of on-again off-again planning, Tom, Hugh and Richard finally made a trip to Oxford, Mississippi to ride the Fruit Loops trail. The trails look much like trails at Stanky Creek but the hills are bigger. Hugh provided details of our route with data from his GPS. September 4, 2010 - Activity Update Woodrow and Richard rode around downtown Memphis for 2 hours today. The weather was great for our first cool Fall day. Woodrow amazes everyone with his ability to hop on things and ride along walls. Woodrow was riding the rail in south downtown Memphis. Photo from Richard September 2, 2010 - Weekly Update MUC had another first-time visitor Thursday evening at Overton Park. Kathy came with her very own unicycle. She has already been practicing on a tennis court and we were able to give her a few more tips to help her along. Good Luck Kathy! Keep turning that wheel. Pete continues to make progress. He is riding comfortably around Veterans Plaza and can even ride across the field. Way to go Pete. August 28/29, 2010 - Activity Update Several members from Memphis Unicycle Club gathered at Poplar Plaza for the Midnight Classic Bike Tour and to support Woodrow in his quest to complete the 17 mile midnight ride along with 1400 others on bicycles. The party started at 10pm and the ride started at midnight. MUCsters present were Garrison, Marshall, Casey, Derrick, Richard and Woodrow. While Woodrow was riding on one wheel, Pete, Marshall and Derrick rode on 2-wheelers. Woodrow on his 36er unicycle gives a thumbs-up as the ride starts. Photo from Richard August 28, 2010 - Saturday Update Three members of MUC met at Shelby Farms for the first Saturday morning off-road ride in about 2 months. Tom, Hugh and Richard rode part of the Tour de Wolf trail.
MUC Postings
MUC warm-up suits: The Memphis Unicycle Club has customized warm-up suits for sale. If you are interested in purchasing one, please contact us. Unicycles and santa hats not included. We have the following items available: 1 Jacket - size adult medium 1 Jacket - size adult extra-large 2 Pants - size adult medium 1 Jacket - size youth extra-large 1 pants - size youth extra-large
Uni Doctor: One of the great things about the unicycle is that they generally require very little maintenance. However, sometimes there are things that need to be done to keep your precious unicycle rolling smoothly. If you don’t want to do the work, rather than taking your unicycle to a bike shop (who generally know nothing about unicycles), you can bring it to us – for free. Just ask. We are happy to help you enjoy riding a well maintained unicycle. Register with the Unicycling Society of America: We want to remind everybody to go to www.unicyclingusa.org and register with the Unicycling Society of America. MUC Stuff For Sale: Don’t forget that we are still selling our t-shirts, stickers, and patches to pay for the operation of the club. Please consider updating your wardrobe and a new bumper sticker for your vehicle or a cloth patch for your backpack or jacket.