May 12 at the Y- You NEED to attend

If you've attended unicycling at the Butler Y over the past 3 years, please keep reading.

If you've learned to unicycle at the Butler Y, now is the time.

If you're just surfing and found this site for the first time, join us.

We have a workshop scheduled for May 12, 2012 with Connie Cotter. We've put some info 2 posts below this one on what's going on that day. To clarify: all day May 12th is for anyone who can ride. We picked titles for the 3 workshop time slots, but they're only guidelines. We're looking to make the day worth it for everyone in attendance. You won't want to miss this day. If you have other things going on that day, sign up anyways. You're welcome to show up for whatever workshops fit your schedule.

WE NEED YOU HERE.

We have 13 people signed up for the event. We can accommodate 40. We have over 40 on our current roster, and if we include last year's roster, we have over 60 people on it. Since we started in the Winter of 2009, I'd conservatively estimate our combined rosters to include 80 different people.

Most of which wouldn't have tried unicycling if it weren't for the Butler Y.

If you're one of these 80 people ask yourself, "Would I have tried if it weren't for the opportunity at the Y?"

Since our inception, we realized that unicycling was a lot more than juggling and clowns (no offense to either of those arts). We realized that unicycling is a great sport for many people of many ages. It's a quest for balance. It's a great core workout. It's a learned skill that many people CAN do, but few will take the time to learn. Most likely if you're still reading this- You're one of the ones that has taken the time to learn. Congratulations if you're one of the people who has learned due to our efforts at the Y. We hope you continue to enjoy unicycling for a long time.

Since our founding in 2009, we have done everything possible to keep the cost of learning to a minimum. Free has been the mantra. Free time at the Y. Free loaners. We've done our best to eliminate excuses so that anyone who will take the time to learn has the opportunity to do so.

Free isn't free to everyone involved. Some have invested significant time and money to keep it free to you. Invested is the key word. The Y has donated the space. To the best of our knowledge, there is only one other unicycling program in the US that functions in conjunction with the YMCA. They're in South Dakota- not exactly a hop, skip, or a jump away. If you don't have any other motivation for spending the $20 and registering for the workshop, do it as a "Thank You" to the Y. Then show up for as much of the day as you can. Connie is an excellent teacher and an excellent unicyclist. If Paul Simon offered to stop by and help you to write and produce a few songs for you, would you say, "No thanks."? If Rachel Ray offered to help you throw together a few recipes, would you say, "I'm busy that day."? If Lady Gaga offered to hang out with you and give you some fashion advice- well that's probably a bad analogy...

The investment goes beyond the Y donating the space. A few individuals in the Butler Wobble have invested large amounts of time and significant amounts of money to allow you to try unicycling for free. Even if you didn't borrow a loaner to start, did you get to try a different wheel size? Where else can you do that?

If this is the spot where you think we're going to ask you for money, think again. We don't want your money. We want a deeper commitment to expanding the unicycling community in the area. Why do you ride? Most likely because it's fun. Now that you've found that out, don't keep it a secret. We need to spread the word. We need to expand beyond Saturday afternoons at the Y.

Last year, we participated in a couple of parades, and even a car cruise. We need to do these things more. We need to have weekly rides. Unicycle hockey is an internationally recognized sport. We need people to get together and share the unicycling fun on a regular basis. Those who manage unicycling at the Y are tapped. We have given up Saturdays from November through May to recruit new riders. Once again, "given up" isn't the right term. Invested is. We need to expand. There are some amazing opportunities on the horizon. We need to rise to the occasion.

Here's an example of what we've been doing so far:

In 2010 we co-hosted the Butler County Stage Race. It was the first multi-day unicycling stage race since Ride The Lobster (we're not including NAUCCs which have several events, but aren't just a stage race). It may have been the first unicycle friendly stage race coordinated in conjunction with our fellow 2 wheeled brethren. It included a 6.5 mile closed course Time Trial, a 36er criterium (and a criterium for all wheel sizes too), and a multi-lap 17-25.5 mile tough road course with some very difficult climbing. Since 2008, we have been welcomed in the Month of Mud mountainbike series. In 2010, the Fat Tire Challenge added an official unicycling class. While these events may appear a bit more extreme than what most of you will want to join, the fact is, they're here.

Unicycling is a developing sport. There is always something new to learn. By spending time with us at the Y we hope you've started to figure this out. Attending the Beyond the Basics Uni Workshop is a great way to broaden your horizons.

We need full enrollment for the May 12 Beyond the Basics Uni Workshop.

Why?

1. For your benefit. 2. To give back to the Y for their generosity. 3. To show we are moving beyond being individual unicyclists to being a wobble- a large collection of unicyclists.

$20 and a day of your time is a really cheap way to explore the unicycling world. It's about the price of 2 movie tickets. But at the workshop you'll learn a lot more, and you'll help insure the future of unicycling in the Butler area.