MUC Photo Archives

Summer temperatures are finally starting to cool down. For a pleasant evening in Overton Park, MUC had 5 riders present. Newcomers Marshall and Garrison joined Derrick and Richard. Woodrow came by to install and test some new equipment on his 36er unicycle in preparation for the Midnight Classic Bike Tour on Saturday night.

Memphis Unicycle Club participated in the Grand Opening Parade for the new LeBonheur Children's Hospital. Despite the heat, everyone had a great time.

Memphis Unicycle Club has gone international. Hugh and Julie just returned from a trip to Europe and while there, Hugh did some unicycling.

Hugh riding in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Photo from Hugh

Memphis Unicycle Club participated in the national Ride-to-Work activity at Court Square in downtown Memphis.

Riders present were Woodrow, Cal and Richard. Barbara was our support crew again.

MUCsters in Court Square.	Richard next to our banner.
Richard and a young lady who was handing out free energy drinks. Cal thinks unicycles are chick magnets.	Mayor AC Wharton with Richard and Cal.

Photos from Cal

Several members of Memphis Unicycle Club participated in a bicycle oriented activity at Mud Island River Park. They were joined by Mandy and her parents Aly and Brian from near Little Rock, Ark. Even though we did not have many "customers", we had a great time riding around the park and sharing unicycling tips with Mandy. Mandy has been riding about 6 months and was able to ride every unicycle we had, all the way up to Woodrow's 36-inch Nimbus.

Riders present were Woodrow, Pete, Derrick and Richard. Geneva came with her new unicycle that she is learning to ride. Barbara was our support crew.

Mandy and her parents at left.	Posing for the camera.
We setup in the shade at the north end of Mud Island River Park.

Photos from Richard

Seven members of Memphis Unicycle Club were at Shelby Farms for a video shoot by Tom Dees from WHBQ Fox 13. Channel 13 is going to do a report about Mountain Unicycling featuring members of MUC. We rode around and back-and-forth for about an hour while the videographer did his job. We got a great workout.

Riders present were Hugh, Cal, Carl, Tom, Woodrow, Derrick and Richard.

Woodrow being filmed as he rode on the log.	Derrick being interviewed by Tom Dees.

Photos from Richard

For our first trail ride in awhile, we headed out to Herb Parsons Lake. The old guys are out-of-shape with winter-itis of the knees. The young guys did fine.

Woodrow riding over an old log.	Joseph did a great job on his first trail ride.
Today's group. Woodrow, Joseph and Hugh. Richard took the picture.	Hugh rode over the log too.

Photos from Richard

We had a crowd at First Congregational Church on Thursday. It was great to see everyone there.

Riders present were Joseph, Sarah, Woodrow, Derrick, Pete, Hugh, Julie, Cal and Richard. Our support crew consisted of Geneva and Barbara. Marquise even dropped in for a few minutes.

New MUC member, Joseph, riding a 12-inch unicycle.	Not so new MUC member, Hugh, riding a 12-inch unicycle.
Tonight's crowd. We had 9 people on unicycles.	Young Sarah riding with her dad and Cal.

Photos from Richard

It was a great day for a ride at Shelby Farms. The sun was shining and tons of people were gathered at the park.

Woodrow flying across a small gulley.	Woodrow riding on an old tree.
Today's group. Woodrow, Hugh and Carl. Richard took the picture.	Woodrow resting near the lake.

Photos from Richard

MUC members rode the Wolf River Natural Area trail today.

Riders present were Hugh, Carl, Derrick, Woodrow and Richard. Joseph was our support crew again.

Photo from Richard

The snow stopped long enough for an urban ride at the University of Memphis campus. The sun came out and that helped make it a good day for riding.

Woodrow gapping across a ramp.	Woodrow doing a still-stand.
Today's group. Joseph was our pit crew, Woodrow showing off his injured elbow and Richard.	Woodrow can hop up about 24 inches now.

Photos from Richard

The weather finally cleared up enough that we could get outside for a ride. It had been really COLD then wet but Saturday rain held off until we completed a ride to the National Ornamental Metal Museum south of downtown Memphis. Part of the fun is just getting there. Some members of the group also made a side trip to Arkansas. While at the Metal Museum forge we met a unicyclist from Selmer, Tennessee.

Pete and Woodrow on the Memphis & Arkansas bridge.	Hugh and Woodrow over the Arkansas side of the Mississippi River.
Woodrow, Hugh, Cal, Derrick and Richard at the Metal Museum.	Woodrow riding in our favorite ancient magnolia tree.

Photos from Cal

Cold, brisk weather did not keep several MUCsters from hitting the trail at Shelby Farms. A later than usual start time still found temperatures in the upper 30's. The good news is we had the park almost to ourselves. It was great to be outdoors.

Carl and Hugh riding over a log.
Carl riding down a steep hill.	Richard riding along the trail.

Photos from Hugh

It was a cold and rainy day but the Memphis Unicycle Club had a hot time at the Germantown Holiday Parade.

Riders present were little Sarah, big Sarah, Derrick, Duke, Woodrow, Ronnie, Ellen, Tom, Marquis C, Marquise F, Hugh and Richard. Helpers present were Joyce, Lucas, Emily, Julie, and Pete.

Members of the Memphis Unicycle Club had their parade rained on.
Rain reduced the crowd size.	Julie, little Sarah and Derrick.
(L to R) Marquise (seat dragging), Ronnie (in yellow), Lucas, Ellen and Duke.

Photos from Hugh and Derrick

Memphis Unicycle Club had a good turnout for the Bartlett Christmas Parade. Everyone put on a good show including 6-year-old Sarah who rode a considerable portion of the mile-long parade route.

Riders present were Sarah, Derrick, Duke, Woodrow, Ronnie, Ellen, Tom, Marquis C, Marquise F, Hugh and Richard. Helpers present were Joyce, Lucas, Emily, Julie, Barbara, Geneva and Pete.

Members of the Memphis Unicycle Club waiting for the parade to start.

Photos from Hugh

We had a crowd in the basement at the First Congregational Church tonight - nine riders getting warmed up for the Bartlett Christmas Parade on Saturday. Riders present were Duke, Marquis C., Marquise F., Ronnie, Derrick, Richard, Pete and Marquise's brother.

Saturday was a crisp, cool, clear day to burn off some Thanksgiving dinner calories on the Wolf River Trails. We are always amazed at Tom as he speeds down the trail on his 36-inch Coker unicycle. Riders present were Tom, Carl, Hugh and Richard.

Tom speeding by as Richard and Carl watch.	Tom making his way down a bumpy hill.
Carl taking on the challenge of a steep hill climb.	Tom riding round a curve at full speed.

Photos from Hugh

We had 5 riders on the 6-mile trail at Herb Parsons Lake. As usual, Hugh was taking pictures so he did not get his picture taken. Participating riders were Woodrow, Derrick, Carl, Hugh and Richard. Woodrow continues to impress us with his improving trail riding skills.

Woodrow flying over a log.	Woodrow riding on a log.
Woodrow rolling hopped up onto the log.	Not even Woodrow makes it every time.
Derrick looking on while Carl has some technical problems.	Carl taking on the challenge of getting over a tree.

Photos from Hugh

Sarah and Emily had a great time tonight.

Sarah's riding continues to improve.	Sarah managed a couple of tentative freemounts.
Emily showed a lot of interest tonight.	Emily wanted to practice when it came time to go home.
Derrick is showing improvements in hopping and trail riding.	Richard still trying to multi-task.

Photos from Hugh

Because of rainy weather and the numerous other events we have participated in recently, it had been a long time since we rode at Nesbit Park, aka Stanky Creek, so we loaded up our unicycles and headed north to Bartlett. It was a great fall day for a ride in the forest. Leaves were coming down like big brown snowflakes. Saturday riders were Woodrow, Cal, Carl, Hugh and Richard. Cherry came along for an autumn walk in the woods.

At one point, Woodrow was speeding down the trail and almost ran into a deer. We are not sure which one was more surprised.

Hugh, Richard, Woodrow and Cal at the Air Zone.	Five riders discussing the meaning of the trail sign.
Woodrow spent a lot of time hopping over logs.	Hugh did not quite get over the log.

Photos from Cal

Woodrow wanted a challenge so he rode up the skinny bridge...	... and down the other side
Carl coming over the big bridge as Woodrow makes another run up the skinny bridge.	Cal made it over the bridge too.
Woodrow hopping over another log.	Cal showing off his skill.

Photos from Hugh

We had a great time in the basement at First Congregational Church. We had a total of 10 club riders plus a guest who stopped in to see if he could still ride. MUCsters present were Sarah, Emily, Julie, Hugh, Derrick, Woodrow, Pete, Marquis C., Cal and Richard.

Pete made it across the room several times.	Julie rode across the room several times.
Derrick is working on some new skills.	Sarah is becoming more and more confident.
Emily even gave it a try again. The girls setup a practice area.	Woodrow riding, Geneva taking pictures.

Photos by Hugh

Members of the Memphis Unicycle Club went downtown to participate in the annual Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk. However, before and after the walk there was time for some extracuricular riding. Unfortunately, we did not get any pictures of the Memory Walk activities.

Riders present were Derrick, Woodrow, Hugh and Richard.

Woodrow getting ready to side hop down the stairs.	Woodrow getting ready to rolling hop down the stairs.
Woodrow in mid-air.	Richard and Woodrow riding down the street.

Photos by Hugh

After days of heavy rain, MUC decided to try riding the Wolf River Wildlife Area Trail near Collierville, Tennessee. The gravel covered path and the gravel roads were a bit damp but otherwise were in great shape for a big wheel ride on a crisp, clear Saturday morning with bright blue skies and colorful fall foliage.

As usual, Hugh was taking the pictures and nobody took his picture.

Woodrow rode a 36-inch Coker unicycle.	Woodrow riding across one of several creek crossings.
Richard riding along the path beside Wolf River.	Richard and Woodrow riding down the road.

Photos by Hugh

Members of MUC participated at the Girls, Inc. 5K race. The original plan was for MUCsters to kick-off the race then ride the race route. However, plans got changed at the last minute. Instead, the MUCsters had about 45 minutes of free time to get in some urban riding then they returned to offer unicycle rides to anyone who was interested. About 2 dozen brave people of all sizes and ages stopped by to get on a unicycle. The temperature was cool and the wind was brisk but we had a good time.

MUCsters participating were Woodrow, Derrick, Hugh and Richard.

Members of the Memphis Unicycle Club had a FUN time on Saturday while participating at a circus skills workshop hosted by Jennifer Dempsey of the Salida Circus from Salida, Colorado. Members of MUC gave a unicycle demonstration then let the circus students try a unicycle. After we were finished we became the audience while the students ran through a performance of the skills they had learned.

MUC members present were Woodrow, Derrick, Hugh and Richard. Barbara, Pete, Geneva and Joseph were also there.

The backdrop for our demonstration was Wolf River Harbor and downtown Memphis. We can't do much better than that!!

After the demo was over we went for an urban ride at Mud Island River Park.

Did I mention we had a GREAT time?!!

Woodrow demonstrated a variety of unicycling skills which included hopping down through the seating area of the amphitheater.
The big finale was Woodrow riding along the wall surrounding the stage. Woodrow also hopped up onto the stage which is about 2 feet high.	Our audience. The workshop students were mostly 6 and 7 years old.
Jennifer had to try the 29-inch unicycle after our demo.	Today was Woodrow's birthday and he was invited to learn some circus skills with the other students. Woodrow was the star of our show and signed autographs afterwards.
Jennifer and her assistant demonstrated some of their balancing skills.
The circus skills students had the opportunity to try a unicycle.	While the students were practicing their circus skills, Richard was clowning around with the juggling clubs.

Photos by Hugh

We had 5 riders at Shelby Farms on Saturday. Hugh, Carl, Richard and Woodrow were joined by Tom who rode his 36-inch Coker unicycle from home to Shelby Farms then rode home again after riding the trails.

Carl riding down a fun hill.	Woodrow found a very challenging route up this hill and made it.
Richard riding down the hill.	Tom and Woodrow challenged each other to get up this tough spot.

Photos by Hugh

We had 6 riders in Overton Park tonight. Josh was back for his second try and was making great progress. Pete surprised us with a couple rides of about 20 feet and young Sarah was doing well on her own. Woodrow had fun cruising around Overton Park on a 36-inch wheeled Coker unicycle. Hugh and Richard were there too.

Hugh, Derrick, Woodrow and Richard rode at Nesbit "Stanky Creek" Park on Saturday. With his new mountain unicycle, Woodrow is able to ride up some incredible hills. The group even experienced some of the "stank" in Stanky Creek.

Hugh has been keeping GPS records of his rides. Hugh reports that he has passed the 500 mile mark on his mountain unicycle.

Woodrow with his new mountain unicycle and his new shoe laces.	Woodrow riding over the remains of a huge fallen tree.

Photos by Hugh

Woodrow's family planned a surprise pre-birthday bash for him so he could receive his new MUni. The food and the fellowship were great. A good time was had by all.

Woodrow with his old and new unicycles. The new one has a 24-inch GB4 frame with carbon fiber seat base and a mammoth Gazzaloddi tire.

Photo by Richard

Derrick, Woodrow and Richard attended the Midnight Classic Bike Tour along with about 1500 of their closest 2-wheeled friends. The bike tour started at midnight and traveled 17 miles through east Memphis and midtown. It was amazing to see that many bicyclists together in one spot.

Richard, Derrick and Woodrow.	Hundreds and hundreds of 2-wheelers.

Photos by Richard

The Saturday morning riders were Tom, Hugh, Carl, Woodrow and Richard.

Carl riding up a small hill we like to play on.	Woodrow flying down the small hill.

Richard	Carl riding over a log.

Photos by Hugh

Derrick, Hugh, Carl, Woodrow and Richard rode the Wolf River Trails.

Carl riding down the trail.	Woodrow hopping over a log on his 20" unicycle.

Woodrow practicing on a 24" unicycle	Woodrow riding on a log.

Photos by Hugh

The group rode the Yellow Trail at Stanky Creek. The White Trail was occupied by runners who were racing 30 to 50 miles.

Carl riding over a log.	Carl

Hugh	Richard

Woodrow riding high on a banked turn.	Woodrow hopping down a small ledge.

Photos by Hugh

The group met at Johnson Park in Collierville.

Woodrow is hopping higher and higher. Casey looking on.	Woodrow riding down a hill.

Photos by Hugh

Tom and Ellen joined Hugh and Derrick for a ride at Shelby Farms.

Tom	Ellen

Photos by Hugh

We rode at Nesbit "Stanky Creek" Park in Bartlett. The White Trail has a newly added loop which adds about 1.3 miles. The 325 acre woods in Bartlett now has about 11 miles of dirt trails.

Hugh	Carl

Richard

Photos by Hugh

It was a pleasant evening in Overton Park. Temperatures were very cool for a Thursday in July.

Woodrow trying out some leg armour.	Woodrow working on a new skill.

Photos by Hugh

After taking a week off for the Fourth-of-July, we had a small group at Shelby Farms.

Woodrow trying to get up the hill by hopping on some boards we found.	Woodrow catches some air before riding down a hill.
Richard riding down the hill.	Tom riding up the hill with Woodrow close behind.

Photos by Hugh

Riding at Stanky Creek (Nesbit Park).

Derrick is making great progess. He joined us at Stanky Creek.	Woodrow coming off a ramp then headed down a steep hill.
Hugh riding over a pile of logs.	Woodrow playing on some ramps with Richard watching.

Photos by Hugh

Riding at Shelby Farms.

Woodrow on top of an old car. No mom, he did not jump off.	Carl and Woodrow coming down the trail.
Hugh coming down a hill.	Richard trying to get up the hill.

Photos by Hugh

Thursday evening turned out to be a great time at Overton Park. The weather cleared up and there was a pleasant breeze. There was music at the nearby Levitt Shell and the usual crowd of Ultimate Frisbee players on the Greensward.

Riders in the park. Denzel, Marquise, Cal, Woodrow and Richard. In the back row is Derrick who is making great progress with learning to ride.	Marquise riding down steps the hard way.

It was a great day at Shelby Farms for ducks and die-hard riders like Woodrow, Carl and Hugh.

"Before" and "After"
Woodrow had a great time riding through the rain.
Woodrow riding down a muddy hill	Splash!

Photos from Hugh

It was a great evening in the park. Not a rain cloud in sight.

Woodrow and Carl had the opportunity to try a Coker unicycle with a 36-inch wheel.
Woodrow and Carl had fun hopping off the step.

Photos from Hugh

Despite the threat of rain we had a fun time at Overton Park tonight. It did not rain until time to leave so we packed up and left.

A couple weeks ago we were entertained by someone playing a bagpipe. Tonight we got to watch some people participating in medieval style combat complete with chainmail and shields.

Thursday evening at Overton Park was great. The weather was pleasant and we had at least 10 people riding. Derrick was back for a second time and even though he is still in the learning stages, he has 2 new unicycles. High school seniors Thomas and Richard came to the park for the first time. Thomas has been riding for several months and his friend Richard is learning.

Marquise and Woodrow had a jumping contest. See the photos below.

Take off
Flying
Clearing the last step
Landing

Other riders present were Woodrow, Marquise, J.D., William, Hugh, Julie, Sarah, Emily and Richard.

Photos from Hugh

Hugh went for a ride at Herb Parsons Lake and ran across a photographer who took his picture.

Hugh riding at Herb Parsons Lake.

Photo by Noel Pennington

It rained again during the week but the trails at Shelby Farms were not too bad.

Woodrow riding down the trail.	Woodrow hopping off the end of the bridge.
Richard fell off this bridge lastweek and landed in the creek.	This blimp was flying around Shelby Farms.
Carl trying to cross the creek without the bridge.	Carl riding through some mud.

Photos from Hugh

It just keeps raining in Memphis. It rained hard all afternoon and into the night. Needless to say, practice at the park was canceled.

Because of rain during the week, we opted for a downtown ride because the trails would have been wet. It rained right up until we started riding and then it was cool and breezy. We had a good time anyway. Riders included Casey, Hugh, Richard and Woodrow. Barbara and Geneva provided ground support.

Downtown Memphis was busy with lots of visitors who were in town to attend the regional basketball tournament at the FedEx Forum.

Members of MUC have figured out all the nicest places to get thrown out of while riding. Actually, they don't get thrown out, just asked to not ride there.

Woodrow has fun riding on everything.	Geneva with the Peabody ducks.

Photos from Hugh

Thursday was our last indoor riding session for the winter season. Next week we will be outdoors at Overton Park.

Julie practicing her riding.	Robin thought she would give it another try.	Woodrow found out how scary a giraffe can be as J.D. looks on.

Photos from Hugh

Saturday was a rainy day but that did not stop Carl, Hugh and Richard from riding at Stanky Creek. The rain stopped shortly after we decided to ride anyway but the trail was muddy. What fun!! The trees are starting show new green leaves and the poison ivy is growing. Spring must be here.

Hugh	Carl

Photos from Hugh

Tuesday was a warm Spring day so Carl, Hugh and Richard made some quick, short-notice plans and went for a ride at Shelby Farms.

Carl	Richard

Photos from Hugh

Four members of the Memphis Unicycle Club were featured in today's Commercial Appeal along with an article about unicycling. You can read the article in the Commercial Appeal. Be sure to tell Carl, Hugh, Tom and Richard that you saw their article.

Saturday was a great day for a springtime ride on the Wolf River Trails.

Tom taking on the challenge of a rough hill on his 36-inch Coker unicycle.	There goes the group.
Carl taking off down a steep hill. Casey and Richard watching.	Hugh riding down a long hill with Richard just getting started.

Photos from Hugh

Woodrow brought another friend who is a potential new rider. Daniel came by for a visit.

Six-year-old Sarah and her proud papa.	Woodrow going up and over the ramp on a 12-inch wheel.

Photos from Hugh

Everyone was busy working on their latest skills.

Six-year-old Sarah made her first solo rides tonight.	Is J.D. doing some new skill?

Photos from Hugh

Despite a chance of rain, Hugh and Richard rode the Yellow Trail at Stanky Creek. About half way through the ride, it started raining. A bit of rain did not dampen our spirits.

Hugh	Richard

Photos from Hugh

Chris has been coming for several weeks and is starting to get the hang of riding. Sarah getting some help in the foreground.	Julie can easily ride the length of the room and is learning to turn so she can ride back.
Richard is still working on one-foot riding.	Richard multi-tasking.

Photos from Hugh

Don't forget to turn in your membership applications.

Saturday's group L to R: Tom, Casey, Hugh, Richard, Barret, Woodrow.	Pete was our support crew.
Woodrow and Tom about to turn a corner.	Casey
Barret	Richard
Tom	Some extra activities along the way.

Photos from Hugh and Richard

William riding through the cones.	Six-year-old Sarah is making progress with the help if an invisible hand.
Woodrow's hops are getting higher.	It was good to see Matt after an extended absence.
Woodrow on the little wheel, Grayson on the big wheel. Duke riding through the cones.	Grayson working on a wrap-around mount.

Photos from Hugh.

Several MUCsters rode at Herb Parsons Lake today. The weather was warm and breezy and the riding was great. We rode 6 miles around the lake, playing on hills and logs as we went. We were all TIRED by the time we finished.

Richard

Woodrow's ability to perform rolling hops is improving by leaps and bounds.	Woodrow hopping over a log.
Woodrow hopping over a log as Carl moves up the trail.	Woodrow hopping over a log as Richard watches.
Woodrow taking a banked turn from up the hill to the left.	Carl riding some bumpy roots.

Today was a great day for a ride outdoors. The sun was shining and the temperature was perfect for riding around the University of Memphis Campus.

This was Grayson's first Saturday ride with MUC and he showed us that he can do more than ride one-footed.

Woodrow is becoming an accomplished trials rider. His rolling hops are getting higher and longer.

Grayson and Woodrow both rode down some small stair sets.

Woodrow riding a low wall.	Grayson riding the wall.
Cal riding the wall.	Richard coming down a grassy hill.
Woodrow is getting very good at rolling hops and can get down these stairs in one jump.	Grayson riding down the bumpy, grassy hill.

Someone discovered the stair rail was great for sliding. Grayson was zipping down the rail.

After several days of bad weather, attendance was low tonight. Hugh, Richard, J.D. and Cassondra were the only riders.

We played on a small ramp tonight.

J.D. is back after an extended absence.	Richard

Photos from Hugh.

Marquise continues to amaze us with his abilities.	Woodrow doing a rolling hop over the orange cone.
Lee received his first unicycle for Christmas. He came to MUC for some riding pointers and practice time.	Dalton had been practicing before his first visit to the MUC.

Photos from Hugh.

Despite really cold temperatures outside, we had 10 people on unicycles this evening. Chris, Duke, Jason, Lucas, Pete, Robin, Hugh, William, Woodrow and Richard.

Robin, Lucas and Jason were back at the CONGO after an extended absence. We are glad to have them back.

Chris is new to riding. He teaches Fencing at the CONGO and has expressed an interest in learning to ride a unicycle.

Hugh doing a rolling hop.	Woodrow doing something seat-out-front and a rolling hop.
Duke spent part of the evening at the wall as he worked on backwards riding.	Some action at the CONGO. William, Jason and Woodrow.

Photos from Hugh.

Five riders (Barret, Carl, Hugh, Richard and Woodrow) from MUC spent several hours riding and playing at Herb Parsons Lake on Saturday despite the threat of rain. Woodrow joined us for his first off-road ride. We were glad to see Barret after an extended absence.

The day started out warm and rainy then ended cold and rainy but we had a great time as always.

Woodrow's dad, Pete, accompanied the group on two wheels.

Barret riding down a hill.	Woodrow doing a rolling hop over a log.
Carl	Hugh

Over the weekend, Richard was reminded about the importance for wearing a helmet during off-road rides. The group was 50 yards from ending the ride when Richard and an overhanging tree limb met unexpectedly. Other than a hard jolt, there was no damage to Richard's head but his helmet has a dent.

Several MUC riders started the new year the right way, with a ride in the woods. Carl and Hugh spent Friday afternoon on the Wolf River Trails then went out again on Saturday to ride at Shelby Farms with Richard. Despite a serious threat of rain in the area on Saturday morning, there was no rain at Shelby Farms. We had a great time starting the year off right. (photos by Hugh)

Carl	Hugh	Richard

It was a great evening at the CONGO. We had 16 people riding or at least trying to ride. Grayson was back for his second time and he brought a friend, Sam. Grayson and Woodrow are working on one-foot riding but they are doing the hard version with free-foot extended. Marquis is working on wheel-walking. Marquise and Ronnie are still trying to outdo each other with such things as seat dragging. Marquis proved he could keep up with Marquise in a one-foot riding challenge. Young Sarah and Emily are showing great interest in learning and Sarah is getting so close. Woodrow's dad, Pete, is interested in learning and gave it a try when Woodrow was not using their unicycle. Richard is getting very, very close to mastering one-foot riding. Hugh and Woodrow had a hopping contest to see who could hop over an orange cone, Woodrow won. Chris, who teaches fencing before 6pm, stayed over a few minutes to try a unicycle. The room was full of people trying new skills.

Photos from 2008 Christmas parades.

Dear MUCsters,

I want to thank everyone who came out to participate in the parades. Memphis Unicycle Club is always well received (except maybe not by the lady in the group behind us who thought we were moving too slow on Saturday). The crowds are always excited to see us and we have a good time within our own chaos.

Friday evening, despite freezing temperatures, we had 17 riders, plus almost a dozen walkers who carried the banner, pulled the wagons, set our moving boundaries and helped with such things as a shoestring wrapped around a pedal.

Saturday afternoon, the day was much warmer. We had 12 riders and numerous helpers who provided support along the way.

As we all know, it is a lot easier to ride during daylight so the Saturday parade was an incredible display of unicycling prowess. We demonstrated numerous skills including wheel-walking, jumping rope, one-foot riding, group stars, seat dragging and standup wheel-walking by Marquise. We had a foursome doing synchronized wheel-walking and I had a great time with my unicycle "handle bars on a wheel" contraption.

The parade routes were only about half a mile but the staging areas were another half mile and with all the riding around and back-and-forth that we did, we must have pedaled 5 or 6 miles (or more) during each parade. I'm tired.

I NEED PICTURES - A number of people snapped pictures. Please send me photos so I can post them on the website.

It was fun, great, spectacular, crazy, chaotic and most of all, it was FUN!!

Thanks to all of you who came to one or both parades. The crowd loved us!!

Richard

Today was a cold and blustery day in downtown Memphis. We had 3 riders (Woodrow, Cal and Richard) plus 3 walkers (Barbara, Geneva and Cherry) who braved the rain, sleet and wind around downtown Memphis. It was so windy, we were just about blown off the Riverwalk Trail on top of the bluff. Wind blown rain was moving fast enough that it stung when it hit us in the face.

The walkers did some shopping at Schwabs on Beale Street while the riders toured downtown. The gate at Red Bird Stadium was open so we rode in for a visit. We were promptly reminded by an employee that we were "not supposed to be in" there so we moved on.

Woodrow discovered stair riding and successfully rode down several sets near the Civil Rights Museum. The group stopped for refreshments and warmth at a coffee shop on south Main Street. After a stout cup of coffee, Cal was able to successfully ride the stairs near the Civil Rights Museum too.

Elvis and the Uni team.	Riding down the hill at the Civil Rights Museum.

We spent about 2 1/2 hours in the downtown area. While returning to the cars, the riders took on the challenge of the wind by riding along the Riverwalk on the bluff. The walkers returned along Main Street and made a stop for hot, freshly roasted peanuts at the Peanut Shoppe.

A good time was had by all.

Richard

The Memphis Unicycle Club has returned to indoor riding in the basement at the First Congregational Church. Weekly attendance varies from a few to many but we always have a good time.

Stop by for a visit. If you don't know how to ride, drop in and we will help you get started.

Richard

Ronnie juggling	Duke continues to improve his riding.	Richard is still trying to learn how to Wheel Walk.

It was a cool and windy day for a ride at Shelby Farms. Five riders (Tom, Ellen, Casey, Carl and Richard) and one walker (Joyce) traveled the Wolf River trail from Walnut Grove Road to Interstate Highway 40 to the north. The trail was mostly smooth and flat but had enough hills to make it interesting. Fallen leaves have covered the trail making it difficult to see the bumps and holes. An interesting feature of the trail is the tunnel effect created by overgrown trees and bushes.

Richard

Saturday was a great day for a ride at Shelby Farms. The weather was incredible. Cal, Carl, Hugh and Richard spent almost 3 1/2 hours playing in the woods and fields. It just does not get much better than that.

Richard

Cal riding a rough uphill slope.	Hugh taking his turn at the hill.
Carl takes on the hill.	Carl makes a mighty attempt.
Carl almost at the top.	Lookout!!
Hugh and Cal coming over the hill. Cal pretending he is an airplane.	Over the meadow and back in the woods.
Riding along. Cal waving.

Saturday was a great day for a ride at Mud Island Park. Six riders from MUC went to downtown Memphis to ride on a pleasant fall day. This was Woodrow's first Saturday ride with us. Woodrow joined MUC recently and is already doing some great things on his unicycle.

Downtown Memphis is a fun place to ride. With winter coming on, we may find ourselves downtown a bit more often if rain makes the trails too muddy to ride. Come join us when you can.

Richard

Woodrow hopping across the Mississippi River at Mud Island River Park.	Marquise riding across the bridges at Memphis.
Cal riding a wall near the real Mississippi River.	Woodrow and Marquise riding a grassy hill at Mud Island.
Marquise coasting down the hill on Court Avenue.	(L to R) Hugh, Cal, Denzel, Marquise, Woodrow and Richard

MUC had a great time at Overton Park yesterday evening. We had 14 people present. Not everyone was on a unicycle but I think at least 10 people spent some time on a wheel, some for the first time.

Cassondra, Jarai and Mallory were there and they brought friends.

Woodrow and his mother Barbara were there. It is apparent that Woodrow has spent a lot of time riding and practicing. He has just about worn out his Miyata unicycle. Birthday time is coming soon and Woodrow is hoping for a new unicycle. He did great riding Richard's 20-inch trials unicycle and Cal's 24-inch Mountain Unicycle.

Casey was back again. He has made tremendous progress. In just a few meetings, he has learned to ride and can already ride all the way around Veteran's Plaza without stopping.

Cal and Cherry were there.

Hugh, Julie, Sara and Emily were there. Lastweek, young Sara was riding with only one hand of assistance. Looks like she will be riding before too much longer.

Today is the first day of October. The days are getting shorter and the temperatures are getting cooler. We have only 4 more Tuesday evenings at Overton Park then we move indoors for the winter. Memphis Unicycle Club has been approved to return to First Congregational Church on Thursday evenings, starting November 6. Please mark your calendar for the change of day and location. The times will remain the same from 6pm until 8pm.

Tom is busy making arrangements for MUC to participate in the Germantown and Collierville Christmas parades. The parades will take place on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon of the first weekend in December. Please mark your calendar for these events too. More details will be sent as time gets closer.

It was great seeing everyone last evening and I hope to see everyone again.

Richard

Five riders came out for our Saturday urban ride at the University of Memphis campus. The day started out rainy but by the time we started riding at 9:00am the rain was over and the day was great. We toured the campus, played on a few grassy hills, rode a few steps and visited the athletic complex on the south side of the railroad track.

Richard

Carl riding a wide "skinny".	Cal riding a skinny "skinny" that was a couple feet off the ground.
The group had an impromptu parade along a wall. front to back: Casey, Richard, Carl, Cal.	There goes the parade. Photos by Hugh.

Five MUC riders gathered at 9:00am for their regular Saturday morning ride. This time we met in the posh new parking lot at the beginning of the Wolf River Trails near Germantown Road and the Wolf River. Since these trails are mostly flat, we rode at, what was for us, record breaking speed. The group traveled almost 7 miles in 3 hours. That included one long stop for equipment repair and a couple stops to play on the few hills. Hugh was having seatpost problems. With minimal tools and Tom's expert skill, we got Hugh back in the saddle again.

Carl riding down the hill, past the turn, under a leaning tree, through a mud puddle, up the ramp and over a tree trunk. That was the plan anyway. Hugh on top of the hill. Richard watching.	Carl, Casey and Tom speeding along the trail.
Casey riding up a hill.	It was one heck of a wreck.

Hello MUCsters,

I want to pass some information to you about the next 2 weeks.

Due to vacations and other obligations (uni and non-uni related), we are going to be in flexi-mode again. Whoever shows up first at Overton Park on Tuesday August 12 AND Tuesday August 19 gets to be in charge.

Cal will be representing MUC at a meeting on August 12 of the Greening Greater Memphis organization. The Memphis Unicycle Club, along with many other area recreational organizations, has been invited to provide input. Greening Greater Memphis will coordinate the community's voice in support of an integrated park and greenways system, an integrated trail, walkways and bikeways system and a long-term community-wide sustainability initiative for Shelby County and the greater Memphis region.

Things should be back to normal on Tuesday, August 26. Please drop by to see us. Temperatures should be cooling off a bit by then.

Speaking of temperatures. Last evening at Overton Park was actually pleasant. There was a light breeze and plenty of shade which made for a good time. Nick and his family were there along with Charlie Finnie and his wife. Hugh, Ronnie and Marquise were also there. Nick's dad is making great progress on learning to ride. He is looking much more comfortable while riding.

With fall coming on, we should plan some urban rides. Downtown Memphis and the University of Memphis campus are great places to ride. Let us know if you have other ideas for locations.

Lastweek (7-29) we had 2 first time visitors to the MUC at Overton Park. Woodrow and his mother, Barbara, came by to inquire about unicycling. Woodrow has already learned to ride on a vintage Miyata unicycle. He is very excited and wants to get involved with MUni (off-road) and trials riding.

Everyone stay cool.
Richard

Saturday's ride started out at Stanky Creek just after 8am. The temperature was already 80 degrees which meant it didn't take long for Carl, Hugh and Richard to work up a sweat. We decided to tackle the yellow trail and had a great start, riding at least a quarter mile before anyone had to stop. It was actually nice when we were riding, but whenever we stopped to rest, we would get very hot. There was no wind through those trees. Once we got back on our uni's the wind we generated cooled us off pretty good since we were sweating so much. We tackled many of the hills though we didn't make it up all of them. Some we tried a couple of times and eventually made it. Others were just a little steeper than we could handle. We passed a group of mountain bikers who commented "Ya'll are too manly for handlebars!" There were quite a few bikers out and we talked with a couple of them for a few minutes. The last hill out is always a challenge for us. Richard and Carl made it mostly up (if not completely up) today but it got the better of Hugh this time. All in all it was a good ride, but we were drenched by the time we made it back to the cars.

Hugh riding over a stack of logs.	Carl speeding along the trail.
Richard coming through the woods.	Carl riding down a steep and bumpy hill.

Hugh

Hugh, Julie and Richard have returned from the North American Unicycling Championships and Convention in Rapid City, South Dakota. We had a great time at NAUCC. The scenic landscapes of the area added to the enjoyment of the trip. Everything went well from the timeliness of the airline flights to the organizing by the host unicycle club in Rapid City.

Rapid City is located where the plains meet the mountains of the Black Hills. Above average rainfall for this summer meant everything was beautifully green. Rapid City must be a great place to live because it was a great place to visit. The city has lots and lots of green space (city parks) and a sports and recreation complex that must stretch for a mile along Canyon Lake Drive. The YMCA takes up much of a city block. The downtown area was clean and prosperous and many street corners had bronzed statues of past U.S. Presidents.

There was something for every unicycling enthusiast. There was uphill racing, downhill racing and cross-country racing. There was 100 meter, 400 meter and 1500 meter track racing along with one-foot racing, wheel-walk racing and a relay race. The trials competition had challenges for everyone ranging from 5-year-old Gregory to riders more than 10 times his age. There was a longjump competition with the winning jump being more than 9 feet. There was a highjump contest with the winning jump being more than 39 inches. There was a slow race and obstacle course race. The 10k race route was a picturesque trip through the wilderness on a former railroad track bed and was within sight of the Crazy Horse Memorial. The freestyle competition included riders from 5-years-old to 50+ years-old.

They had fun rides that maybe were not so fun at the time. One group got caught in some serious rain while out on the trail. Hugh and I participated in a fun ride that was 2 loooong, hot miles up a mountain road then a 1/4 mile hike down a steep, rocky trail to a beautiful mountain stream and waterfall. Some members of the group took time to swim and dive into the mountain pool. Of course, then we had to hike and ride back to the cars but, at least, most of the riding was downhill this time.

Hugh was far more successful than I. He placed third in just about every event he entered, usually beating 4 or 5 other riders. As for me, well let me just say, I was not last in any races but I did not win any medals either. It was still fun.

Julie was our pit crew, cheering squad and support team.

The unicycling championships are a family oriented, family supported activity. This was my 3rd convention and there were families in Rapid City who were also at NAUCC in Memphis in 2006. There are activities for riders of every skill level and every age group. In fact, there are so many events that it is hard to get away for non-unicycling activities.

In addition to the unicycling activities, Hugh, Julie and I also visited the Mount Rushmore Monument and the Crazy Horse Memorial. The Rapid City and Black Hills area has lots of tourist activities in addition to the natural beauty of the area.

Next year's NAUCC is scheduled to be in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Photos from our trip to NAUCC 2008.

Richard

Under cloudy skies, Tuesday was a happy and sad occasion for the Memphis Unicycle Club. We had 35 riders and family members in attendance to honor our departing leader, Tommy. After 6 years as director of the MUC, Tommy and his wife are moving to Florida to be close to family. We will truly miss Tommy's enthusiasm for life, the way he touched our hearts and how he changed our lives.

Hamburgers and hot dogs came off the grill about 7pm under the expert care of grill-master Mark. About 7:30pm it rained a bit but everyone found a tree or umbrella to stand under and stayed around for cake. Then about 8pm, the wind and the rain came. We had to say our hasty goodbyes and everyone was gone.

Tommy, we will miss you.

Tommy's cake.	It was a unicycle club meeting so there was some unicycling. Marquise riding the 36-inch Coker unicycle one-footed with his free foot extended.
The younger members enjoying each other's company.	Everyone had a final chat with Tommy.
The older members enjoying each other's company.	Time to eat. Thanks to Mark and Maria for providing the grill and making everything run smoothly.

We had a great turnout for our downtown Memphis ride. A total of 11 riders came. Even with the threat of rain, the day turned out great as we honored Tommy before his departure from Memphis. Participants were Tommy, Tom, Joyce, Sarah, Ellen, Austin, Barret, Hugh, Cal, Carl, Rick and Richard. Everyone had fun despite the feeling of sadness, knowing this would be Tommy's final downtown ride with the Memphis Unicycle club.

A gift to Tommy from Tom.
Riding down Main Street.
Riding through the fountains.

If you haven't been to a MUC practice lately, then you are just missing out. We always seem to have a great time and you just never know who is going to show up. Joe, who we haven't seen at the park for several years, stopped by to chat and ride a bit. Great to see you back, Joe! We had a total of 16 present with a wide range of skill levels. Just about everywhere you turned you could see someone riding. A few were learning to ride. Some were working on their hopping and stair riding. And others were working on one-foot riding and curb riding. Why don't you come on out next Tuesday and work on some skills with us. Here are a few pictures to look out while you wait for Tuesday to come:

Sarah and Emily with their collection of pine cones	Jarai practicing and Cal resting.
Denzel just before riding down the steps.	Marquise just before jumping up on the bench.

And here are some pictures from our Downtown ride last Saturday (04/05/08):

Hugh doing a still-stand just inches from the raging mighty Mississippi River.	Richard riding down his first set of stairs.

Young Emily learning to ride between 2 rows of tables.	A slow moment. Nobody riding.

Kazu and Cordell came back to show us they can still ride.	Cordell and Mallory.
Hugh worked on one-foot riding.	Mallory and Jarai made great progress on their first night.

Cal riding into the sunset.	Hugh catching a hill.	Carl beats a monster hill.

Matt started working on one-foot riding.	Robin learning to ride.	Richard learning to wheel-walk.

Part of the crowd enjoying cake in honor of Ronnie's birthday.	J.D. riding a 12-inch unicycle.

Cal riding on a large fallen tree.	Hugh riding down a small but steep and bumpy hill.

A line of riders.	Marquis riding seat-in-back. Theo made good progress tonight.
Richard, Davis and Tommy.	Some sort of chaos.

Davis wheel-walking.	Hugh hopping.	Jason hopping.
Tony stopped in for a few minutes.	Julie riding.	Marquis has made great progress with different variations of one-foot riding.

Richard, Tom and Carl on a recent Saturday ride at Shelby Farms.

Hugh riding down hill at Shelby Farms.

Carl riding downhill at Shelby Farms.

Theo getting the hang of riding.	Marquise standup wheel-walking. Also J.D. and Jason.
Marquise turning while one-foot wheel walking.	Richard one-foot riding.

Daniel riding.	Julie making great progress.
Daniel resting.	J.D. improving after only a couple of weeks.

Marquise was up to his usual skillful tricks again tonight. Take a look here to see why he was riding two wheels instead of just one.

Hugh	Richard

Nothing here.	Cal and a big leaf.
Richard riding.	Trail map at Stanky Creek.

Duke learning to ride.	Ronnie doing a 360 uni-spin.
Denzel after a fall.	Richard working on wheel walking.

Denzel and his new Torker DX trials unicycle.

Click on the images below to see them full-screen:
	Marquis C. is the latest member of MUC to earn his unicycle through the Earn-A-Uni program. Tommy Thompson presented Marquis with a brand new unicycle on February 23, 2007.
	Barrett riding the 3-wheel stacked unicycle at weekly practice on February 23, 2007.
	Here is Richard, oldest member of the Memphis Unicycle Club, riding down the trail at Shelby Farms on January 20, 2007.
	See photos of riders from the Memphis Unicycle Club giving a unicycle demonstration at Scout Base 2006 near Tunica, Mississippi on October 21, 2006.
	See photos of Gracie Sorbello as she passed through Memphis in June 2006 on her unicycle journey across the United States.
	See photos of Connie Cotter during her visit to Memphis in April 2006.
	Members riding are (sitting) Denzel and Davis, (standing, left to right) Jamieo, Tom, Ronnie, Ellen, Greg, Marquise and Tommy. April 15, 2006. Photo by Richard
	Memphis Unicycle Club during a recent practice at First Congregational Church. Jamieo (in blue MUC shirt) earned his new unicycle through the MUC Earn-A-Uni Program. February 2006
	Riders and helpers from the Memphis Unicycle Club and the St. George's Independent School Unicycle Club at the Germantown Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 10, 2005.
	Our Unicycle Gang just before the Collierville Christmas Parade on December 2, 2005. We picked up two more riders along the way!
	From our annual Lingerfelt - MUC Cookout, here is Marquise clearing 5 steps.(2005)
	From our annual Lingerfelt - MUC Cookout (2005), of course the kids found the high ground to keep an eye on the adults at the Plaza.
	From our annual Lingerfelt - MUC Cookout, here is our fearless grill master - Mark. (2005)
	Wendy and Roger added to the ever expanding MUC uni-family with the delivery of Kade. Welcome Kade!!!! (2005)
	One of the highlights of this year (spring 2005) was our MUC trip to the Louisville MUni Rendezvous. Great fun with some great people from around the country!
	Marquise takes a pensive break while overlooking the Ohio River Valley while at the Louisville MUni Rendezvous. (2005)
	While at Court Square in Downtown Memphis these MUCsters take a break from the uni-action. Pictured are Marquise, Denzel, Ronnie and Davis. (2005)
	On a recent downtown, Sunday morning ride we were asked to pose for this photo. This photo is to appear in an upcoming issue to the Downtown/Midtown edition of the Commercial Appeal. (2005)
	These MUCsters gathered with other unicyclists from around the area for the SHONUF Uni Weekend in Huntsvill, Alabama (2004). As always, a great time was had by all!
	The Memphis Unicycle Club had a great time and a great showing at the Germantown Holiday Parade (2004).
	The Shelby County community had a great turn-out for the Germantown Parade! Here we see Nick and Tyler (our youngest members) leading us. We had everything from 18" to Cokers to a giraffe unicycle (2004).
	Garret found nothing but joy (and more than a little challenge) in the ice and snow that came to us during the Christmas break. (2004)
	Here you can see the great crowd turn-out who cheered us down the street and gave us their support. (2004)
	On the left Tommy waved and smiled, Charles sped at warp-speed on his Coker, and on the far-right here you can see Marquise about to do a 360 degree hop. We had a very diverse and athletic group. (2004)
	Brandon Underwood did an amazing community service project to earn his first unicycle through the Youth Uni-ty program. Brandon went door-to-door throughout his neighborhood collecting books that he donated to the Neighborhood Christian Center for new readers and new immigrants to help them learn and practice their reading. Brandon's efforts have set a new standard for the impact that our program can have in our community. Way to go Brandon! (2004)
	Take a look at the photos of a recent ride (08-08-04) that we took to Mud Island. Eric captured a perfect day of fun, learning and skills development.
	Recently Wendi and Roger were married and a few MUCsters were invited to add joy to an already joyful event. The group gathered had a great time and entertained those in attendance. The wedding photographer was our very own MUCster, Craig Andreas. Congratulations Wendi and Roger!
	Richard never misses a MUC event and certainly enjoyed this gathering, too! (2004)
	Charles had received his 6' giraffe only the day before the wedding yet wowed the crowd with his riding and freemounts - AND juggling! (2004)
	Ronnie and Marquise, as always, added a playful joy. They, too, enjoyed the reception! (2004)
	As Tommy led the group down the isle it seems like the minister as not too terribly amused - though Tommy was having a ball! (2004)
	On April 4, 2004, The MUC gathered to participate in the area's first off-road unicycle race in the Wolfman Duathlon. We had a great time and we all represented ourselves well with great athletic performances and plenty of smiles!
	We set up our MUC base camp at the Wolfman Duathlon to promote our club, our Youth Uni-ty program and unicycling. (2004)
	Here, Marquise, Morgan and Ronnie demonstrate a very dynamic uni-star at our 03-18-04 Congo Practice. Rest assured, the crash was spectacular - and painless!
	New York photographer, Shannon Fagan, visited a MUC practice and shot some great photos. Here, Craig (back to the camera), Sarah,Tom and Ellen spin with smiles a'balzin'. (2004)
	Another Fagan photo, Ronnie and Marquise prepare to get into the uni-basketball game. (2004)
	Tom Maxwell leaps across the Mississippi River as his daughters, Ellen and Sarah, ignore this incredible feat! Mud Island and the scale sized Mississippi River in downtown Memphis is a very fun place to play and ride. (2003)
	Tom, Charles and Rick do a uni-star in the middle of the "Gulf of Mexico" to celebrate riding the entire length of the "Mississippi River" at Mud Island. (2003)
	Marquise was the first of the Cooper-Young neighborhood to learn to ride. He now is a leader, mentor and teacher for many of the other kids. Marquise also completed more than 20 hours of community service to earn his own unicylce. This lad is a complete joy to be around. (2003)
	Ronnie is an amazing kid. I've never seen this lad when he was not excited about learning new uni-skills or a time when he didn't have a huge smile on his face. Ronnie participated in the Earn-A-Uni program to get his very own unicycle. He now rides at practices and at our other group events. He is a real joy to be with! (2003)
	This is a typical scene for our Thursday night practice. It is fun for all ages! We do every thing from uni-hockey to skill development. Come out and play in the MUC - on Thursdays, too! (2002)
	Wendi has been riding since she was 8 but only recently learned that others shared her excitement about unicycling. (2002)
	Tom kept the Ducks Unlimited Great Outdoor Festival crowd informed, interested and excited about our performances at the festival. (2003)
	This is the group that performed at a private function March 22, 2003.
	Celeste and Sam enjoy a little one-on-one unihockey. (2002)
	Tommy exiting a hiking trail in Grenada, Mississippi, Feb. '03.
	Sarah's first time out was seemingly impossible but after only a couple of weeks was developing level 2 and 3 skills. (2002)
	Sam is a most amazing MUCster and always showing us new ways to play - like punting a football while riding! (2002)
	Tim, Tommy, and Lewis on the Stanky Creek Trail - Delta Rendezvous IV. (2002)
	Tommy enjoys an evening of skills practice at Veteran's Palza on a beautiful summer night. (2002)
	During the holiday season ('02-'03), our first, we rode in three community parades. A great time was had by all - though Collierville was really cold! (2002)
	Ellen, again, stole the show in the Bartlett parade in part because of the awesome riding suit. (2002)