Look Mom - No Hands!

I never heard of MUni mania until I came to Utah. YIKES - imagine jumping off a slick rock with a 12-foot slope on a mountain unicycle. That's right - a one-wheeled daredevil machine, with no shock absorbers, some have no brakes, and some have no seats. That was the wild and crazy attraction during the 8th Annual MUni Fest held at the Sand Flats Recreation Area of Moab, Utah last weekend. The 2007 event welcomed more than 175 muniacs, aged 6 to 60, from 21 U.S. states, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Denmark, and Austria. MUni stands for Mountain Unicycling. It's also known as Rough Terrain Unicycling, All Terrain Unicycling, or even UMX. Like mountain biking, you don't need a mountain to do it. It's just the act of riding unicycles off road. John Foss, a MUniac, says, "There is just something satisfying about taking a unicycle, an inherently unstable vehicle, and riding it in places nobody thought it could go."

If you are considered a "pro" in this sport, you can compete in gap jumping from the steep slickrock slopes of the challenging terrain. Novices can compete to see who can ride the longest distance while pedalling with one foot. If you compete in the "Joker" category, you will win by riding the longest distance on an Ultimate Unicycle - one that has no seat. Winners of the Challenge Ride Competition receive chances at prize awards (swag). With up to 21 total challenges and 3 top competitors in each, a total of up to 63 people may receive winner vouchers. Traditionally, the remaining swag is given to other deserving participants.

The Moab area has become a world-famous mountain biking destination with its unique, winding trails and steep slickrock stretches. You may know Moab for its popular Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park in the Four Corners region of Utah. Just a "short" hop over a few more mountains and you would be at the Grand Canyon. Some mountain bikers flocking to Moab, tease the MUniacs by asking, "what happened to the other wheel?" That doesn't phase the MUniacs - they jump back with, "when are you going to take off that training wheel?" Mountain bikers soon gained respect for the MUniacs after watching the "crazy" people fearlessly tackle dangerous maneuvers on the famous slickrock trails and slopes.

One such crazy person is Rolf Thompson, an engineer from Sandy, Utah, known as The Father of Krazy. Rolf is the organizer of MUni Fest and continues to be amazed at how the sport has grown in popularity. "I have witnessed the growth of this sport over the last 10 years and have been amazed at the many directions it has taken. Some riders like aerobic work-outs that cover vast distances and scenery. Some focus on uni-trials and are quite content to spend the entire day in an area the size of a basketball court. Some ride with precision, delicately balanced at all times, while others choose bold and daring moves that seemingly flirt with disaster," says Thompson. Thompson, and his son Karl, decided to venture out on Thanksgiving weekend in 1999. They took their junky old unicycles for a ride on the Practice Loop of Slickrock Trail. It was so interesting, that they invited other MUniacs from California to join them in Moab. Five or six people attended the first fest and now there are 180 challengers.

Males are not the only ones attracted to the extreme obstacles and physical tests of this sport. One MUni Fest rider, Mikaleen Loveless, 19, from Price, Utah began developing her unicycle skills four years ago. "I just heard about munis about three months ago, but I had no idea this kind of riding ever existed. I did a lot better than I thought I would. The slickrock has a lot of obstacles that really test you. Pavement is flat and boring," says Loveless. Many of the riders are under age 18 and the event averages half new participants and half return participants each year.

While Thompson is credited with starting the Moab MUni Fest, it is Canadian Kris Holm who usually gets credit for launching the sport in the late 1990's. Holm has appeared in films and magazines and is probably the best-known MUni. He has also designed top-of-the-line municycles. If you want to try out the sport, you can purchase an entry-level municycle for around $199. The top-of-the-line models can cost up to $1,500. A helmet is a must, and other recommended equipment includes elbow pads, leg guards, wrist guards, and gloves. You may want to consult an experienced MUni to select from various features. Remember, some mountain unicycles have with no seats, most have no brakes, and none have shocks. The hubs and cranks of mountain unicycles have been strengthened to withstand the hops and drops of the rider. The forks are wider to allow for large mountain-bike tires, and some people are working on a two-gear design, although fixed-gear is all that is available now.

Before you buy gear, you can check out a really good FAQ about riding municycles at: http://www.unicycling.com/brett/e_muni/newquest.html

If you would like to view amazing video footage and photos of the Moab MUni Fest for this and past years, visit www.moabmunifest.com and get ready for some reality riding!