A tall bearded man balancing on a unicycle has become a regular, if unexpected, sight on Whidbey Island roads in all kinds of weather since late December.

While jokes like, “Did you hear the one about the unicycling Lutheran minister who attended the Air Force Academy?” might sound like something Garrison Keillor would tell on National Public Radio’s “Prairie Home Companion,” Lars Clausen certainly fits that description.

Clausen, who attended the U.S. Air Force Academy for two years, is taking a sabbatical from Lutheran ministry this year to train for a cross-country unicycle trip. He and his family are living with long time friends Karl Olsen and Deb Lund in Greenbank.

Beginning April 29, Clausen’s “One Wheel — Many Spokes” trip will start from Neah Bay, the western most point of Washington state. He plans to end the unicycle odyssey in August at the Statue of Liberty.

“If I was only riding across the county, I wouldn’t care who knew,” Clausen said. But because he has a goal, he and his family have become unabashed publicity hounds. “We’re working full time on the ride,” he says.

Along the way, Clausen hopes to raise $5 million for a Lutheran endowment on Seward Peninsula, Alaska, for Alaskan Inupiat Eskimo ministry. The endowment would be a way of giving thanks for 108 years of Lutheran Inupiat ministry and honor 12,000 years of Inupiat culture. Clausen served his first call to the ministry with Inupiat Eskimo Lutherans in Nome, Alaska. His continent-wide ride, if successful, will also establish a new Guinness world record for the longest unicycle trip. For support on the trip, Clausen’s wife Anne will be driving a motorhome with their children KariAnna, 8, and Kai, 6.

Until his ride begins, Clausen aims to unicycle five days a week on spins of various lengths. He makes a seven-mile loop along Smugglers Cove Road; his dogs accompany him on this leg. Other days he may ride to Coupeville Elementary School. There Anne meets him and takes him, KariAnna and Kai back to Greenbank. His longer route goes from Greenbank up to Deception Pass. Sometimes Clausen rides on Highway 20 but he prefers to ride on side roads where he says “there’s no traffic.”

Despite riding on what many people might call a precarious seat, Clausen says he feels pretty safe on his unicycle. When he’s on his 24-inch wheel, he’s up pretty high in the air but says, “It’s not more dangerous than walking. If I fall, I almost always land on my feet.” All in all, he describes unicycling as “a gentle way to travel.”

Gentle maybe except for the seat. He says seat issues were his biggest concern until his mother designed a cover for his special innertube seat. Pre-seat he could ride 5 miles without discomfort. Post-seat he says the ride from Greenbank to Deception Pass was no pain. Now he just hopes his knees hold out.

Clausen learned to ride on his father’s old unicycle. His father will accompany him on the first leg of the trip while KariAnna and Kai finish the school year in Coupeville. Clausen says they may have a multi-generational ride if his father gets back in the saddle. Clausen’s brother also rides, as do several cousins and friends.

“It’s really fun to train on Whidbey Island,” Clausen said. “Most people live here and spend time here. They see me, the unicyclist, and tell their friends about me. We’re enjoying meeting people who were wondering what I’m doing on the road.”