Has anyone heard of/ or knows Lloyd Johnson? We'll he has been featured
in the reno gazette-journal todayand I'd like to congratulate him for
that. Here's what the article said
Uni-venture
Unicyclists explore Sierra Nevada 1 wheel at a time
The looks on the faces of passing motorists and bicyclists were of
uniform amusement. Yes, they were really seeing unicyclists riding down
polished granite slabs, hopping from boulder to boulder, balancing in
place on precarious edges.
Nearly a dozen of them were from Truckee and Reno gathered last week on
Donner Pass off Old Highway 40.
“I hesitate to call it a growth sport, even though the numbers are
growing,” said Lloyd Johnson, whom many credit with popularizing
mountain unicycling in the area.
Mountain unicycling is like mountain biking — only on a unicycle. The
sport has been growing, albeit slowly, ever since unicyclist Kris Holm
began entering unicycling movies in adventure film festivals like the
Banff Mountain event. Set against exotic backdrops like Bhutan in the
Himalayas, Holm attempts extreme moves and routes normally reserved for
the most extreme mountain bikers.
Around Truckee, unicyclists have been practicing on their wheels during
group rides that sometimes draw up to 25 people. A gathering at the
Johnson family’s house last fall attracted 60 unicyclists, one from as
far away as Boston. Reno and Truckee unicyclists also have traveled to
Moab, Utah, Mammoth Mountain, Calif., and Downieville, considered the
downhill mountain biking capital of the Sierra Nevada.
An amateur film of the group’s exploits in Moab shows some of the best
riders dropping off 5-foot ledges and landing with aplomb. In
Downieville, the group rode down the gnarly trails designed for
armor-clad athletes astride the beefiest of mountain bikes.
Some of the local guys are getting pretty good. Matt Chapman of Reno
pedaled down the highway, whirled around backwards, continued pedaling,
their whirled around again and pedaled on. He started unicycling in
October and just recently has mastered that move. He can also drop off
smaller ledges.
When the unicyclists land off jumps, they absorb the shock with their
legs. In the case of the male riders, it’s a good idea to stay off the
seat while landing.
“When you’re learning, you wrack yourself plenty,” he said.
Most unicyclists say it takes about 10 hours to figure out how to ride
while keeping balance.
“You walk yourself around some table over and over again until you can
let go,” said Johnson’s son, Kari.
They brake by pedaling backwards. Once a beginner has mastered that,
they practice “self-starts,” in which they climb onto their unicycles
without the aid of a table or something to lean on.
Then comes tricks, hopping, and jumps. Lloyd’s two sons learned on a
Jugglebug, a popular model for beginners because it only costs around
$90.
“It’s kind of a toy,” Kari said. “Don’t plan on doing anything too
crazy.”
Most unicycles around Donner Pass that day cost around $200 to $400,
although one Kris Holm model cost $500. The more advanced models feature
stronger parts that can withstand abuse. Still, the unicycles remain
quite simple, a trait that has drawn Scott Berelson.
“It’s a quiet and simple machine,” he said. “That’s what I love about
it.”
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Kris - Level 4
I wish I had shin pads.
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Kris's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/9805
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41370