Butler Wobble

It's been said before, but it's worth saying again. Unicycling- try it for FREE! Since the snow is flying, we get to meet in the nice warm gym at the Butler Y. Saturdays 4:30-6:30. We won't be there Christmas Day or New Year's Day. You don't have to be a member of the Y. You don't have to have a unicycle (we have some extras to loan for the day). You don't even have to own a helmet- although we insist you wear one. (We have extras.) A signed waiver is required for all. Under 18 needs a parent signature. Get a start on your New Year's resolutions to be more active!

We've been invited to the 46th Annual Spirit of Christmas Parade this Friday here in Butler, PA. We've been invited to join the Butler Freeport Community Trail Group and Butler Bicycles and Unicycles group. Details: Meet in the Emily Brittain Elementary School parking lot at 8:45am. Wear a helmet. Feel free to sport a Butler Freeport Trail shirt, a Butler Wobble shirt, a YMCA (now Y) shirt, or just a shirt. Due to the weather going shirtless isn't advised. All forms of human powered transportation are encouraged to attend!

It's official: Saturday the 13th is the first Saturday the Butler Wobble meets at the Butler Y. 4:30-6:30pm. Free to all. Sign a waiver, wear a helmet (under 18 needs a parent's signature). We have some extra unis (for learners). If the weather outside is frightful (or even if it's not), come and join us. It will be at least 68 deg F and well lighted in the gym. If you're interested in learning- now is the time. We've got at least 3 local events in the works for 2011. Don't miss out! If you've got some flatland or freestyle moves, show us what you've got. We'd love to learn.

Father Marinaro Skatepark closes this Sunday at 9pm for the season. A HUGE thanks to Andy (and Brent) and all the other volunteers for putting in the first public uni trials lines in Western, PA. A special thanks to the United Way and Westinghouse for getting the funds, materials, and labor together to improve the park for ALL users (bikes, skateboards, and unis). We're awaiting confirmation of our gym time at the Y. Tenatively we'll start November 13th from 4:30-6:30 on Saturdays. Better check back here (or call the Y) before you make the trip though as things aren't confirmed yet. A bit of a reminder for the Y sessions- if you bring your own uni, please use plastic pedals. Also, you need a helmet to ride (along with a signed waiver- parents must sign for those under 18).

Tomorrow we meet at 8am at the official Month of Mud registration table. We'll race around 8:30. Hope to see you there!

Sunday's the day. www.monthofmud.org North Park Time Trial. Plan to be there. We hopefully will have at least 6 riders. That would break off-road uni attendance records in Western PA. Trials obstacles are up at Father Marinaro Skatepark. The are lines which haven't been ridden as of yet. Head over and give them a ride! We need to get pics up of the Park, but honestly have been too tired from working over there or it's been not very good lighting (i.e. after dark) when we're ready to use the camera.

We came, we saw, we raced. Today we took the top 5 places at the Month Of Mud ( www.monthofmud.org )- in the unicycle class. Conditions were... interesting. Typical October 'Cross weather- rainy, cold, and muddy. Not the ideal conditions for unicycling, let alone unicycling on 36ers as Andy, Tony, and Dave found out. Isaac tried a 29er for the first time- and decided that the day of the race wasn't the time to switch to an unfamiliar wheel. This year's Nate lapped last year's Nate and finished 3 laps 20 minutes faster than last year's 2 laps. Things ended with a sprint finish between Andy, Isaac, and Dave. Historically, this was not only the first time Western PA has had enough unis at a cyclocross/mountain bike race to have a class, but also the first sprint finish as well. In spite of the cold, wet, mud, and rain we all had a great time (at least we'll feel that way tomorrow). Two more races in the series. We'll be in full force for the North Park Ti...

You probably won't find us at the skatepark on Wednesdays. Recently we've been racing on the weekends. www.monthofmud.org To be more accurate- not all of us have been racing, but those of us who have are having a BLAST!!! If you want to join in the fun The 10/3 cyclocross race at Grove City will be THE race to give uni racing a go!

We won't be there. Some of it is a series of unfortunate events. Nothing life threating, but colds are annoying. We are planning to represent at the Month of Mud on Sunday in Bavington.

We've got some great trails here in Western PA. They're great for mountain biking. Every Autumn some of these trails are featured as part of a fantastic series. www.monthofmud.org gets you the schedule. Unis are welcome. This year we plan on representing with the Butler Wobble at Bavington (9/19), Grove City (cx 10/3), and North Park (10/17). Dave will be racing the other 2, but unless you're a bit nuts you'll probably want to pass on Moraine. The start times for the unis aren't ironed out yet. Please contact Dave if you plan on attending. You can email him at dave(dot)bikes(at)yahoo(dot)com. Replace the (). We have enough with just us for a class of 5, but there's room for more!

We're back at Father Marinaro skatepark tonight (8/31). We'll be there from around 6:30ish until close (8ish). Trials riding and pugil sticks? Tomorrow night is another bike/uni polo night. Ritts Park around 6:15 or 6:30. It might be an event on facebook too. It depends on if someone got around to posting it.

Ritts instead of Father Marinaro. Instead of trials-ish stuff we'll be joining the bicycles for a night of polo. Somewhere around 6:30pm is the start time. We have extra mallets. Just don't stick the mallet in your spokes...

Since the overwhelming response has been positive and the injuries have been minimal- we're at it again. Bike/uni polo (we all can get along) at Ritts Park tonight a bit before 7pm. Also, Father Marinaro Skatepark tomorrow night. We need to meet, discuss and plan the uni corner along with other park improvements. Those with structural building experience are especially welcome. Join us.

Provided the rain holds off tomorrow evening we plan on putting one and two wheelers on the same court. Which is the superior steed, one or two? Time will tell. One thing is for sure: we're in this for the fun of it. Don't forget- Wed. night we'll be at Father Marinaro (weather permitting). Friday night is the 1st Friday downtown ride - meet in the lot across from Pizza Joe's at 6pm. Uni cyclocross racing is on the horizon. If you can't ride a uni yet, you need to learn. It's definitely not what the hipsters are doing.

Thanks again to all who made it out to the 2010 Butler County Stage Race www.butlercountystagerace.blogspot.com . Hopefully you've been finding the pictures and writeups you've be craving. If not, here's a few: Carl's writeup at Unicyclist.com , Fred Jordan's pics , Ben Stephen's Photos , Deb Rittelman's photos . A HUGE thanks to Butler Health System for sponsoring the overall event. Likewise, a huge thanks to Speedgoat.com, Unicycle.com, and ProBikes for donating the unicycle prizes. We (the Butler Wobble) are looking forward to hosting more events in the near and distant future. Keep checking this site for more details!

PLEASE be sure to send your thanks out to our sponsors as we're hoping to do this again at the same time next year! (If you're having a hard time reading the results, click the image).

Here's Saturday: Sorry about the delay in getting the results up. Getting blogspot and Microsoft to agree is harder than unicycling. (If you can't read the image get glasses or just click on it to make it bigger.)

I've heard several concerns about tomorrow's weather for the prerides. Right now the chance of rain is listed at 20%. If it is pouring and you can't find us head to the Grand Ballroom in Cornerstone Commons (race HQ). Check in at the unicycle table and Lisa will give you a way to get a hold of us. Also an FYI, we're planning on dinner after registration at Pizza Joe's on Main St. We can get a group rate on pizza or you can order off of the menu. They're able and willing to accomodate us! See, some businesses like people coming into town.

Unis have 2 options: A. 3 Race Series- Time Trial, Criterium, and Road Race. $30 total registration fee. Greater than 29in wheel required. Good prizes and swag. 1,2, or 3 lap options for the Road Race. Total elapsed time will determine final standings for the series. Saturday's races are on closed courses, but Sunday's is on an open road course. All rules of the road must be obeyed. Riders should wear a bright colored jersey on Sunday. A rearview mirror is a good idea for the Road Race. A brake isn't required, but it's also a good idea. (Note- If you have a 36er you can choose to pay the $30 and do events ala carte too). B. Crit B only option: A "fun" 29in and under criterium for anyone who can ride a uni. Some prizes and a bit of swag, but not as much as the series racers get. Exceptions to these options must be cleared with Dave in advance. Registration for the 3 race series is Friday night. You may be able to register Saturday morning for the 3 ...

After preriding the Rás course today (day 2 of BCSR - the 18th) we decided that it might be a good idea to preview "the hill" before the race for those not familiar with the area. Why? because in the words of Krusty the Clown- "Gravity is a harsh mistress." It's steep, but rideable although some may argue with me on that. SO- Friday the 16th we're going to meet in Renfrew, PA by the Post Office at 4:30 pm to take a peek. You can go there anytime you want as the roads are public, but it might be nice to get all unis together for a trip up the beast. Our tenative Friday the 16th schedule looks something like this: 4:30pm -Rás Preview (mainly focusing on the big climb. It was agreed on today's preride that the rest of the course is pretty standard, so after a trip or two up we'll probably pile in a few cars and take a drive around the course. 6pm -Downtown tour. We'll preview the TT and crit course the best we can without actually riding Main S...

To some reading this you may be currently experiencing Deja vu (Sorry-I have no idea how to get the special characters). This is another reminder that July 17-18 we're hosting a stage race here in Butler, PA. www.butlerstagerace.blogspot.com is the site for most of the details with unicycle specific info showing up at www.butlerwobble.blogspot.com . Unicycle racing isn't that common on this coast. We have a very unique opportunity here to have some fun and show bicyclists and unicyclists aren't just about a circus sideshow- NOT THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT! Personally, I can't juggle and haven't found the time to learn. It's cool if people are into that, but the range of what unicyclists can do is rapidly expanding. I just watched a 26" street video on unicyclist.com. Amazing. I probably won't ever be able to ride like that, but that doesn't stop me from building some uni trials stuff at the local skatepark (right now about 15 p...

For the past several months we have been meeting the first and third Fridays for a 45-60min road ride on the downtown proposed cycling routes. Each ride we've had at least one Butler Wobble member on a uni. Not bad stats considering how many unicyclists there are in the area when compared to bicyclists. Anyways, the discussion came up about what to do with July since the first weekend is considered a holiday weekend (although not in Great Britain). There was a proposal to move the Fridays to the 2nd and 4th. There was then the genius idea of riding every Friday and delcaring it "Bicycle Month in Butler" since we've got the stage race coming the 17th and 18th. Well, we here at the Butler Wobble HQ like the idea, but we're going "one" better and adding it is also Unicycle Month in Butler. The long and short of it: If you pedal, join us for fun no-drop casual rides every Friday at 6pm. We're meeting in the parking lot across from the Burger Hut dow...

BCSR- please be sure to check the official site for start times and course details. Since we're using the same courses as the bikes most of the data is pertinent. Also, prizes are being secured and we're working on getting some swag for all registrants with the nod going towards the 3 race riders. On that note: there seems to have been a bit of confusion of what people can race. The simplified version is: unlimited class- over 16yrs old AND greater than a 29" wheel (a 29er may be ok, but you'll have to contact us personally). On the 17th there will be a "B" crit where we want EVERYONE who can ride a uni to ride in it. This is the chance to put on a show for the spectators who are there to watch the bikes and unis. Registration: $30 for all 3 races. $5 for the "B" crit. EVERYONE MUST BE A Unicycling Society of America MEMBER TO RIDE! (insurance reasons) Helmets are NOT optional. They are mandatory. In other news: Wed Wobble Meeting at the skat...

BCSR is just over a month away! I just noticed it's been a while since things have been updated. That doesn't mean we've forgotten, it's just things have been busy with logistics that aren't that fun to report. If you're planning on racing, we'd like to know. We've got spots for about 30 riders (36er or Schlumpf) for the 2 day series. We have at least a dozen who are "definitely maybe" or above. We can't go much more than 30 due to time trial logistics. Things will really take off next week. Practice on those hills...

36 inch unicycles are popping up all over the area! Four (total) of our members will have one by tomorrow afternoon. Could this be a sign of the Apocalypse or just a stage race coming to town? Uni-fied Wednesdays at the Skatepark have been going fairly well. We seem to be the only users who feel our heads are worth $30. It seems wearing a helmet isn't very fashionable to most of the multi-wheeled skatepark crowd. Apparently chicks and dudes dig scars and memory loss. Stage Race updates: We've got a small token of appreciation for participants. You'll find out soon enough. We don't have official hotel deals worked out, but they're in the works. Scoring for the race is an interesting logistical exercise- ideas are getting firmer. We've got the prize package for the winners started. Logistics leave the field for all 3 events to be capped at about 30ish riders. We've got around a dozen or so informally registered as there is no formal registration ye...

Check out the BCSR blog! We've got logistics settled so that unis go out for the TT one at a time. Two crits A and B. The A race is for those signed up for all 3 events. Wheel size will be limited to 700c and above. The B race will be for anyone who can ride! The max wheel size is 29in for this event. There will be minimal prizes for the B race (probably just ribbons), but it will be only $5 to enter! We want EVERYONE who can ride a uni in on this for the spectators' sake. It looks like we can set registration for the 3 race weekend at $30! Since it's the inaugural event we want to keep the price low to encourage people to make the trip. The prize list won't be nearly that of the bikes, but the fun factor will be at least as good. Once again EVERYONE who rides MUST be a USA member. It's only $20 for the whole year!

The Butler County Stage Race details are coming together one step at a time. Being that this is the first year for the event, there are a lot of logistics to be worked out. Next year will be much easier, but don't wait until then! A lot of my time so far has been involved in getting the web end of the bicycle race together along with getting the actual time frames for the unis worked out. Our tenative plan is to have the unis go off first both days as we will most likely be the smallest of the categories. The road race day will have 3 options: 1,2,or 3 laps. I was originally thinking only 1 or 3 to keep things simple, but after holding some discussions we decided there needs to be the 2 lap option. There will most likely be a 2 hour cutoff for 2 laps for those taking the three lap option. After preriding the course last weekend I found a lap to take somewhere in the neighborhood of 45-50 min for me (ungeared 36 with 110 cranks). The main part of the steep hill took me right...

Indoor Saturdays at the YMCA are done for the season. We'll be back in October or November. If you want to find us, you can find us at Father Marinaro Skatepark on Wednesdays- www.fmskatepark.com . We'll arrive 6 or 6:30 or so and ride until the park closes sometime after 8pm. We probably won't have much in the way of loaners, so bring your own. We will be sharing the space with other park users, so beginners aren't our priority (this time of year). That's not the only place to find us, but that will be our consistent meeting place and time. The trails around are another place to look for us on Munis, and soon we'll be dominating the roadways on 36ers. We've been accused of being a posse by innocent bystanders. If you're new to the fold, asking Andy about unicycle tattoos is a good way to start. Right after that, have him show you how to hop onto a bench. To top it all off, ask him how long he's been riding. By the way, his brother Tony is j...

Item #1: A small name change. The header now reads "Butler Wobble" instead of "The Wobble". No biggie, we just think it's a bit more clear overall. Also, that's what the new logo will read (Thanks again Nate!) Item #2: Today is the last indoor day at the YMCA. We'll still be riding; we just won't be accomodating those who need to borrow unicycles as much. If you still haven't tried and your interest is piqued, we'll be back for gym time again in October or November. If you have your own unicycle and you'd like to ride with us, give us a shout. Well, an email or phone call would actually be a bit more effective.

Saturday the 24th will be the last indoor session at the YMCA. We'll be outside after that. We won't probably have much in the way of loaner unis when we meet outdoors. We will be meeting, probably even on a regular basis. We just won't be indoors. Keep checking back.

Anyone checking here for the low down on the upcoming Butler County Stage Race - unicycle division? If so, here's the scoop: The Butler Wobble will be a sponsor and you'll need to be a Unicycling Society of America member to ride. The reason is twofold: 1. We need liability insurance. We're covered if EVERYONE who is riding is a USA member. If we have to buy it privately, we'll have to charge you approximately $20- maybe more)for insurance for the 2 day event. If you join USA for $20 you get covered and a whole lot more benefits. 2. By joining USA you'll be part of the national organization. It shows the general public that there are more unicyclists out there than they think and they're not all going to be joining the circus. We'll be working out details for trying to register you close to the event. Details are going to be coming more quickly as we get closer to the event. Stay tuned...

Quick exciting update: Last weekend we had a muni ride with 4 people from the really local area. Isaac, Nate, Andy and I had a great ride on Saturday before the YMCA time. The Butler Wobble is heading outdoors. For me it was almost great- #2 of 2 Gazzaloddis decided to not play nicely with the Large Marge on the Conundrum. This left me with not only a lonely walk home, but it left me out of the downhill where Isaac attempted to fly. Unfortunately he didn't miss the ground. Fortunately he wasn't hurt. We'll be adding more to the tribe when Tony's wrist heals.

We've had a great run of unusual weather around here. March usually isn't in the high 50's or low 60's and sunny. Now that the snow is gone (it went from unrideably deep to non-existent in less than a week) we've been heading outside more and more. Pockets of unicyclists have been springing up around town. That's good. Since we're unsure how long this weather is going to last, we're still maintaining Saturdays at the YMCA until probably the end of April. While it's tough to head indoors when the weather's so beautiful it does have its advantages. Flat surfaces lined with walls and bleachers are ideal for learning to ride. Our trend of having new riders each week continues. Last time I checked our YMCA roster was around 30 or so. That's fantastic. The list of people who can check of the "Can ride a unicycle" box on a job application is expanding. Recently we've added Ben, Kelly, Brett, Adam (#2), Matt, Dan (thanks to Li...

There's a part of me that is a bit bummed about skipping out on the Pittsburgh St. Partrick's Day Parade tomorrow. There's a part of me that thinks 45 deg F and rain doesn't sound like much fun in parade mode. 70%+ chance of rain and 18mph winds just don't sound like much fun when you're moving slowly at best. Nate and I are the last 2 standing as Isaac has a case of death (not really, but I'm getting my zombie defense kit in order in case he swings by). We'll be at the Butler YMCA later in the day. Unlike the parade, they have a roof and walls. Sorry Wonders Unicycle Club. Ride on.

The snow's beginning to melt. Planning is underway. At this point we're still kicking around ideas for unicycle racing classes. EVERYONE should plan on entering the Time Trial and Crit. We're going to accomodate all ages and wheel sizes. The road race we'll be looking at possibly a 1 lap option for 24-29inch wheel sizes and 2 or 3 lap options for the 29 and above set. We're also considering the geared and ungeared debate. Mid-March is when things really pick up. Don't forget, March 13th we'll be joining The Wonders for the Pittsburgh St. Patrick's Day Parade. We'll have more details soon.

The unicycling end is still being sorted. Insurance assurance is the current project. You definitely want to be in Butler for the weekend of July 17-18. Come sooner to if you like. The snow should be melted by then.

Thanks Isaac for the Photos. Ben now doesn't feel so left out. He is no longer the only one at the table who can't ride a unicycle. By the end of our YMCA time yesterday he had gone from never sitting on a uni to riding 1/2 way across the gym.

The first Butler County Stage Race is on! This is the first (hopefully annual) unicycle stage race in Western Pennsylvania (USA). The short details: Saturday, July 17th: City Parks Time Trial. A 6.6 mile (approximately) closed course featuring the parks of Butler. In addition to the regular smooth flat paved roads the course includes some hills, brick streets, and pockmarked pavement. Also on the 17th: Main Street Criterium. This closed course includes a flat brick road section and a lollipop loop around the courthouse area. The bicycle course is around 1 mile per lap which is too long for unicycling- especially for those using less than a 36 inch wheel. We're finalizing a good balanced unicycling course. Sunday, July 18th: Renfrew Rás Road Race. This challenging 8.6 mile loop includes 900ft of climbing (and descending) per lap. (We may extend the 3 lap option a slight bit to get an official marathon distance, although it is plenty challenging enough already.) We also have a...

The weather this past week hasn't been entirely suitable for one wheeled transport. In spite of that fact it is rumored that Andy was out and about on his 26" Nimbus. Way to go! I wish we had some pics. Since the YMCA is open, we're on for today. Come join the fun.

Sorry Ben. To the best of our knowledge he was the only one who didn't get the message about the YMCA being closed for the day. Forunately he ran several blocks through the 2 feet of snow sporting some stylish shorts. Nate, Isaac, and Dave still went for a ride. Nate, as always, steals the show with the quote of the day: Superbowl Saturday Single Speed Suburban Stomp 2010 Pictures of the ride should make it to the photo album soon.

No Wobble today. We just found out that today, February 6, 2010, the YMCA is closed due to the weather. The snow is up to the hub on a muni! We'll see you next week.

Even though the weather's lousy we're still on for tomorrow. Butler YMCA, 4:30-6:30. One is more fun.

Even though some consider this a holiday weekend, we'll still be riding. As a matter of fact, maybe a bit more than usual: S6 details . Remember: Wobble Saturday, Superbowl Sunday.

We'll be in full force tomorrow. Last weekend a few of us were distracted by 2 wheels and the promise of a pump track www.raysmtb.com . While Dave and Nate may have succumbed to the allure of 2 wheels, Isaac remained faithful to 1. Lisa had graciously lent us Pinky for the day.

What's coming March 13th? The Wobble will join forces with The Wonders . More details to follow.

1. Nate goes "sledding" at Father Marinaro Park: 2. Sharon proves unicycling is genetic (apologies for the camera work): 3. Jeff can't ride 55! 4. Shane is off the wall! I think we tied our record for number of riders (or soon to be riders) in attendance at the YMCA. Once again we had many first timers. A good time was had by all.

I forgot to mention in the "About Me" that the YMCA requires plastic pedals for indoor riding. It's fixed now. The weather outside has been awful. You should join us on Saturday. Butler YMCA

Isaac builds his Nimbus mountain unicycle (MUni or MU are the current debated abbreviations). Will the snow EVER end? At least we still have the YMCA on Saturdays.