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MUC Photo Archives |
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Photos from Hugh
It was a great evening in the park. Not a rain cloud in sight.
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.
Photos from Hugh
Hugh went for a ride at Herb Parsons Lake and ran across a photographer who took his picture.
Photo by Noel Pennington
It rained again during the week but the trails at Shelby Farms were not too bad.
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.
Photos from Hugh
Thursday was our last indoor riding session for the winter season. Next week we will be outdoors at Overton Park.
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.
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.
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.
Photos from Hugh
Woodrow brought another friend who is a potential new rider. Daniel came by for a visit.
Photos from Hugh
Everyone was busy working on their latest skills.
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.
Photos from Hugh
Photos from Hugh
Don't forget to turn in your membership applications.
Photos from Hugh and Richard
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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)
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.
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
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
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
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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:
And here are some pictures from our Downtown ride last Saturday (04/05/08):
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.
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