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Anngee Quinones-Belian/ Staff Correspondent Matthew Longwell of Hanging Dog enjoys moving about on his electric unicycle, which he claims is street legal.
Hanging Dog Perhaps one has noticed a young man riding around town atop a single wheel. The device is not only eye-catching, but Matthew Longwell’s main method of transportation.
The homestead, peasantry lifestyle and culture was the reason Longwell decided to move from Colorado to Cherokee County a year ago.
Born in 1994, the outdoor enthusiast works at Lowe’s in Murphy as a forklift operator and enjoys life. Past employment for Longwell has included work as a farmhand, in construction and in restaurants.
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More interestingly, he’s also sold clean jokes to folks during a decade of living life on the road. Once Longwell turned age 18, he backpacked, biked, hopped freight trains and hitchhiked around the country. He sold kid-friendly jokes for 25 cents each, or five for $1, as a way to earn money. He’s gone on the road to minister to others by sharing his faith.
The device he sits on to move about from place to place is called an electric unicycle A cross between a motorcycle and a unicycle, the unit is actually street legal, Longwell said.
“The gyroscope is what holds it up.”
He admitted to wiping out twice at top speed, for which his particular model is about 28 mph. The 750-watt motor charges off of its own wheel rotation, but it can also be plugged in. The average speed for his model is about 20 mph, and he always makes sure to wear protective gear.
A license is not required to operate it, but insurance can be difficult to get. Longwell said he would like to see the machines be registered.
He has been given the nickname of “Hot Wheel” by fellow employees who are aware of his transportation.
Longwell would like to find a piece of land with water on it to share with his two husky dogs. In 10 years, He sees himself with a homestead and owning goats, chickens and rabbits.
He loves animals, as his father owns a pet store in Durango, Colo. Longwell’s hobbies include hiking, biking and fishing, although he admitted, “I’m not very good at fishing.”
He recalled an experience he had once in Colorado where he helped save the life of a man who was being attacked by a bear. Longwell and his dogs, armed only with a flashlight, rid the victim of the bear.
The man suffered six bites to his shoulder and still struggles today from the trauma of the attack. However, it could have ended in tragedy had it not been for Longwell being in the right place at the right time and prepared to act.
Longwell’s advice to others about living is simple: “Give God the wheel, and go in faithful full tilt.”
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