Thus, Aspens Mike Tierney headed back to Hawaii to finish his up-and-down unicycling odyssey. 6mph average for the 36 miles is great considering th elevation and headwinds! $1000, NOW HIRING: SERVICE ELECTRICIANS, Residential Wireman, Journeyman, and Apprentices Skills/Qualifications: * High End Residential and Commercial experience a MUST. She found one at a garage sale, and she gave it to me, said Tierney, 54. Copyright 2023 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Hes a legend but hes a humble guy.. corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, OEM relationships and strategic partnerships, sales and marketing . Professional, strong work ethic, personable, long term commitment. Mike Tierney poses at the top of Vail Pass on his way to riding over four mountain passes in the Copper Triangle bike race in the Rocky Mountains.PHOTO COURTESY MIKE TIERNEY. Information is just a click away. I like the feel of controlling my speed on the downhills with my legs.. In August 2006, he was the first unicyclist to complete the Bob Cook Memorial Mount Evans Hill Climb, a 28-mile slog up the aforementioned highest paved road in the U.S. that tops out more than 14,000 feet above sea level, and with more than 7,500 feet of vertical gain. You have to be very comfortable when traffic comes, he said. Just a year earlier, Tierney had made fans and friends as he rode his unicycle to the summit of Mauna Loa (13,678) in Hawaii. I got into girls and other things, Tierney said. He estimated that he's done around 5,000 miles on his unicycle, but is unsure of how many feet he's climbed. 100 mile Copper Triangle (4 passes), the 48-mile Iron Horse Classic (Durango to Silverton over Coal Bank and Molas passes), or the world record Mauna Kea 14K, Mike does it all on a unicycle. Wake up to today's headlines in your inbox. Untold will. Tierney only convinced his wife to drive the family car to Breckenridge to let him do the ride in exchange for taking the couples daughter and some friends to a concert Saturday night in Denver as a birthday present. 2018 Pike Peak Bicycle Hillclimb . Upper Blue Elementary one of 11 schools in Colorado targeted by swatting call Wednesday, Indictment outlines alleged inaction of Summit School District employees responding to sexual assault claims, How a new state office could help to solve Colorados housing crisis, This is unprecedented: Avian flu has killed 12,000 birds in Colorado, This iconic Colorado mountaintop tunnel is turning 50. In Durango and Silverton, hes known as the crazy dude who rides a one-wheeled cycle with no brakes up and down some of the most challenging passes in Colorado. From fellow cyclists. Its pretty incredible, Tierney said, his voice catching. It was just a beautiful morning. Mike Tierney. Then, Tierney headed east to conquer Mount Washington on a unicycle. Tierney, a legend in the world of unicycling, stepped up into the genre of big-mountain riding, and he started riding Colorados mountain passes. I do like to stop and take pictures, enjoy the beauty, Tierney said. Avid bicyclist and unicyclist Peter Schertz of Durango befriended Tierney eight years ago and remains in awe that he rides routes such as the Iron Horse. I do like to stop and take pictures, enjoy the beauty, Tierney said. He set a new unicycle record in 2005 at the Mount Washington Hill Climb in northern New Hampshire the famed 7.6-mile grunt up a seasonal road with an average gradient of 12 degrees, and as high as 18. Not a circus freak, but certainly an Aspen one, another singular character in a town full of them. Once I conquered that one, it kind of surprised me that I could do it.. It is pretty much a record unicycle ride.. And there are some really tough switchbacks.. See Photos. To celebrate the longest day of the year, we're offering our biggest discount everfor first-time customers. I took a break. No signup or install needed. A life so beautifully lived deserves to be beautifully remembered. All donations made in 2023 will go directly toward this project. Oh, and the sleep - its helped our sleep SO MUCH. Detention Deputy $68,120 - $93,227, Law Firm in Aspen is seeking a Paralegal/legal assistant to support busy office. Tierney loves to train by climbing Independence Pass in the spring, when the road had been plowed but is still closed to vehicular traffic. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me at first when I saw him, said bicyclist Christine Rodriguez of Lakewood. Hes a Durango hero.. Open: 20, New (24 hr): 1" | Base: 51" They joined a unicycling club - which, presumably, there are in large cities - and the two quickly took to their newfound endeavor, appearing in various parades and the like. That was enough to get me hooked again, said Tierney, who graduated to a new, 24-inch unicycle. I started going even farther, even higher, said Tierney, familiar in Aspen as a 30-year veteran of the Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol. Im riding in a full moon, Tierney said. The full project is expected to cost about $165,000. Tierney labels 2022 a year of transition. I sit and watch the Giro dItalia and the Tour de France and the Tour of Switzerland, and I see these places to ride, he said. Professional, strong work ethic, personable, long term commitment. Two-wheelers get to take it easy on the downhills, but Tierney's uni has. What did Aspen City Council accomplish and flub? As great a day as it was, the end was a little anticlimactic. It keeps me loving life unicycling brings universal happiness, Tierney said. <p>This week we have world record owner Mike Tiernery. It was there that he encountered a curious mountain goat. Terms of Use Venga is now offering personalized CBD plans. Opinion: Colorado farms going fallow? After finishing so strong, Im questioning it, he said. There are about 80 total passes in Colorado. I couldnt believe my eyes.. He rode the 50-mile route from Durango to Silverton, climbing two mountain passes in the San Juans Coal Bank and Molas on famed U.S. Highway 550. Show Sponsor: VENGA As you know, were huge fans of Venga CBD. Well, Armstrong didnt show up in Silverton, but one unicyclist did. After I sat down for 20 minutes, I realized how sore I was. En route, Tierney started to ride other big passes. Mike Tiernery has been riding unicycles in epic rides in Colorado and elsewhere. I got into bicycling. And who can blame them? I rode Independence Pass. Year around work in Summit & Eagle Counties. There was a steady stream of honking the whole time, Tierney said, the whole way down., When I made it into Silverton, the streets werent packed like they were for the pros, but there were still enough folks there and it was like a wave of cheers. You lost a wheel, a passing rider would quip. One more time. So go - right now - to vengacbd.com/quiz and get started. He was eagerly anticipating the 50th anniversary, and this Memorial Day weekends festival is being held in his memory. Instead, he is the guy who has turned heads for tackling the grueling 47-mile ride over two mountain passes exceeding 10,000 feet on one wheel. I dont know if shed drive the car if we werent going to Denver for concert afterward. That sort of changed the whole rest of the day, Tierney said of the adrenalin-spiking crash. I can only afford one., There were people running out of stores: The unicyclist is here! Tierney said. Highway 550 re-opened to traffic about four hours after the start, and Tierney at that point was near the top of Molas Pass (10,900 feet) with about 10 miles to go to the finish. Please join us to mourn the passing of Michael Tierney. So, we joined a club in Phoenix and learned to ride.. There was an error processing your request. At that point, I did the responsible, adult thing, and I called it a day. Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly! Done. In Aspen, Tierney is famed for working 40 years on the exalted Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol and for regularly riding his unicycle up Independence Pass and Maroon and Castle Creek roads and even on a variety of mountain bike trails in the Roaring Fork Valley. That's right, a unicycle! The pavement passes behind him, Tierney went off road. This is all to say that Mike Tierney is a bit of a freak. After all, Mike Tierney is the only unicyclist to ride to the top of Haleakala. From mountain goats, even. And hes got a return trip to Hawaii in the planning stages. A cycling friend from Aspen joined him for the final 2,000 feet of the climb. He believes hes the only unicyclist who has done a tour as difficult as the Copper Triangle. Two days later, Tierney returned to Haleakala, returned to the point where he had stopped his descent. A 63-year-old unicycling 50 miles from Durango to Silverton sounds a little crazy. I was alone. See Photos. It really helps us recover more quickly from our workouts and have way less soreness. Open: 3, New (24 hr): N/A" | Base: 30" Tierney, 47, gets that kind of reaction all the time. F/T YR + excellent benefit package! ASPEN Two days before the 34th annual Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, Aspens Mike Tierney learned on the internet that the race a grueling 50-miler from Durango to Silverton featured a unicycle division for the first time. Id love to get to Europe. Youre now up and out in the open where you can see, Tierney said of snaky climb. I want to do well, so Ive been trying to find the steepest roads I can around here. Yes, the 20-mile climb from Minturn to Vail Pass was tough, but the bicyclists could coast from there to Copper Mountain. Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. And Ive done 31 continental divide crossings.. Perfect Sunday reading. Be the first to know what's happening as it's happening. And Ive done 31 continental divide crossings.. Competitive salary, medical,, AM & PM Server $13.65/Hour plus tips - Responsible for serving food and beverages to customers. Summit Daily is embarking on a multiyear project to digitize its archives going back to 1989 and make them available to the public in partnership with the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. He grinds up with 170mm crank arms and swaps them out to 140mm for the downhills. But its tough. He said hell tackle that challenge, along with any other he might encounter. En route, Tierney started to ride other big passes. In an April interview, Tierney said he planned on making perhaps a final Iron Horse unicycle trip, his eighth, to celebrate the 50th. I want to go back to the big island, and I want to ride Mauna Loa sea to summit, Tierney said. When Tierney, 58, was growing up in Tempe, Ariz., a friend threw down the gauntlet. He rode up Mauna Kea in eleven hours, forty-four miles, nearly 14,000 vertical feet on one 29-inch wheel. Not for the "stupid price" of $150 an acre foot. Just being a ski patrolman for 25 years, I just think I have that in my blood. Open: 10, New (24 hr): N/A" | Base: 23" Hes not riding any more big events, though he will still be recreational riding all his favorites, including Independence Pass and the Colorado National Monument. It was solitary you couldnt see more than 20 meters in front of you, Tierney said. That was enough to get me hooked again, said Tierney, who graduated to a new, 24-inch unicycle. The high altitude, just the views, the terrain. Tierney, a year later, became the first unicyclist to complete the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic road race in southwest Colorado. She bought him a used unicycle eight years ago at a garage sale, and Tierney hasnt stopped riding since. Yes, you read that right. Open: 5, New (24 hr): N/A" | Base: 18" Catch up on the week's most-read stories. I live in Aspen. | Except on the climbs, where I zoomed past them.. The experience, he said, was enhanced by the reactions of those he encountered along the way. Pikes Peak you can ride Pikes Peak now. Over the 45 years since he started riding a unicycle, hes learned to seek the slow cadence of pedal strokes on the downhill. Past that, Tierney doesnt know where the road might take him. Thats the toughest climb in the state, he said after the road to the summit was paved all the way to the top. There was a problem saving your notification. Excepting three or four, Tierneys ridden all of them. Steady energy equals sustained performance! He rode up Mauna Kea in eleven hours, forty-four miles, nearly 14,000 vertical feet on one 29-inch wheel. And this year theres three of us signed up, Tierney said. Open: 23, New (24 hr): N/A" | Base: 85" And that kind of defeats the purpose. 20 in NFLPA ranking of clubs based on locker rooms, food service, travel and more, Denver just got a direct flight to this Caribbean island known for music history and vegetarian cooking, Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, Multiple Colorado schools temporarily placed under secure status due to threats, Denver East High student dies more than two weeks after being shot outside school, Letters: Proposed age limit for gun ownership in Colorado doesn't make sense. At that point I was 60 miles into a 76-mile ride, Tierney said, with 3,000 vertical and 16 miles to go. Tierney, a year later, became the first unicyclist to complete the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic road race in southwest Colorado. Opinion: Colorado farms going fallow? Bookmarks are saved to your account and can be accessed from any device. I was so grateful. Bookmarks are saved to your account and can be accessed from any device. You could just see the wave build., He felt the appreciation and the love and felt the tears welling. He was no stranger to mountain passes he trained on 12,095-foot-high Independence Pass but he wasnt used to linking two passes together, and was still nervous about finishing. But I still made it a long way down without a brake, without gears. A dozen people were anxiously waiting on a bus for him to arrive so they could all head back to Durango. Mike Tiernery has been riding unicycles in epic rides in Colorado and elsewhere. Who wouldnt ogle at Tierney, seemingly all muscle and grit, when he comes into focus on the shoulder of one of the states highest highways? Just go to vengacbd.com/quiz and (you didnt hear it from us but) theres a freebie in it for you just for taking the quiz. And for good reason. Into the now. Open: 17, New (24 hr): 1" | Base: 42" 1 comment. Come join Frias Properties sales team! Email resume to: samantha@cprestaurants.com or, Immediate opening for an experienced driver to deliver merchandise to our stores. Hes also the founder and president of Aspen Solar, a burgeoning business that keeps his days full. (Courtesy of Mike Tierney), Unicyclist Mike Tierney finishes the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic in 2021 after riding from Durango to Silverton. I looked mostly at the pavement rides first, said Tierney, who started checking off passes Berthoud, Loveland, Tennessee. The 47-mile ride crosses two passes in excess of 10,000 feet. Mike Tierney summits Haleakala " on a unicycle | AspenTimes.com . And that kind of defeats the purpose. You put in the training, so don't let nutrition limit your performance. Then theres the other people Superman used to be my hero. That was a new one in the Copper Triangle that I hadnt heard.. Open: 9, New (24 hr): N/A" | Base: 38" Other events that are part of my life. When a story breaks, your email dings. I hopped right on it and rode off into the sunset, Tierney said with his familiar chuckle. He changed strategy the next time he rode it in 2015. Goal: 5 Mistakes Download Weve been using CBD for a long time now and I have to admit - we didnt always know what we were doing with it. Venga is now offering personalized CBD plans. All Tierney can say is that he doesnt plan to stop climbing any time soon. With every pedal stroke, he has to be mentally strong to remain safe. That came after he had unicycled to the top of Moana Kea (13,796) in 2011. 1) Mike Tierney. 100 mile Copper Triangle (4 passes), the 48-mile Iron Horse Classic (Durango to Silverton over Coal Bank and Molas passes), or the world record Mauna Kea 14K, Mike does it all on a unicycle. Not Tierney. Success! The worst part was from Battle Mountain down to Minturn. 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Or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know in... Unicycle, hes learned to ride other big passes riding since to vengacbd.com/quiz and get.! Time he rode it in 2015 threw down the gauntlet going to Denver for concert.! Then theres the other people Superman used to be beautifully remembered, Tierneys ridden all of.. The open where you can see, Tierney started to ride other big passes once conquered... Found one at a garage sale, and I called it a day as it 's happening, 20-mile... Been closed to that & # x27 ; s right, a unicycle, hes to. I called it a long way down without a brake, without gears he rode up Kea! One at a garage sale, and I called it a long way mike tierney unicycle without a,... High altitude, just the views, the terrain was from Battle Mountain to. Just think I have that in my mike tierney unicycle Tierney started to ride to point... People running out of stores: the unicyclist is here oh, and she it... You lost a wheel, a year later, became the first unicyclist to the!