About
The Author
Unicycling
has been a part of my life since my 10th birthday when I received my
first unicycle. It was an old Columbia 20” unicycle that my brother
stripped, repainted and cleaned up real nice. It’s the same unicycle
I ride today, although it’s been modified a dozen times over the
last 30 years. I would venture to say that the unicycle is between 40
and 50 years old.
One of my fondest memories growing up was having 3 brothers who also enjoyed unicycle riding. We were the talk of the town because, back then, the only ones who rode the unicycle were clowns in the circus or something like that. It didn’t take long for all 4 of us to become expert unicyclists. We lived on our unicycles. Any game played on foot we adapted to playing on the unicycle. You name the game; basketball, baseball football, hockey, tag, dodge-ball, BMX, Frisbee, racing, slalom, jump rope and even boxing, we played it all on unicycle.
Gregg Vivolo
Author:
Ride The Unicycle ~ A Crash Course!
Another of my fondest unicycle moments was when I was 18. The Unicycling Society of America held a Unicycling rally during the city of Paterson’s, Great Falls Festival in Hinchcliff Stadium. The rally, being one of the first of its kind in the area, had approximately 20 different competitive events. By the time the incredible day was over I had trophies in 17 of them and was interviewed by local news and media.
As my brothers
got older their passion for the unicycle dwindled. My passion, however,
continued to grow and is stronger today than ever. Over the years I’ve
designed and built many different unicycles of all sizes and shapes.
Unicycling has been very good to me and had I never learned my life would
have been much different. The stories I have gathered over the last 30
years could fill volumes.
As of this writing I’m 43 years old and have 4 boys of my own, two
of which (Daniel and Brian) are already riding.
Unicycling is one of the legacies that I’ll be leaving with my family,
hopefully, for generations to come. I get excited when I think ahead in
time when I’ll be riding with my boys and possibly their children
as well in a local parade.
One of my aspirations is to someday ride across this great country of
ours either by myself or with my boys promoting the sport of Unicycling.
Unicycling has been instrumental in making my life something special.
I can only hope it does the same for you.
