Cool Recreational Toys - Past, Present & Future
Being a baby boomer, it hasn't been that long ago at least in my mind, that I was a kid and I think back to all the things that we had in the lines of recreation and fun. Boy, I remember waiting for school to get over for the year so we could get into some summer time fun. The first thing that comes to mind in the lines of early recreation was of course the bike. This for all practical purposes was really the only other form of transportation besides walking that we had as kids in order to get to where we wanted to go. Do you remember those days? Bikes back then were pretty simple with only one speed and the ole back peddle braking system. They did eventually come out with the 3 speed which was really exciting for us. Some even had the new handle bar brake levers. After that, about the only other real excitement was when they introduced the banana seat. That was cool as you could ride two people much easier and more comfortable. We also put the baseball cards on the frame with a clothes pin so that the spokes hit it and made noise. We thought that was awesome. Compare that to what's available now a days. I don't even know how many speeds they go up to anymore. Now you can get the BMX bikes, stunt bikes, speed bikes, mountain bikes and touring bikes with a wide variety of options. The next thing that hit the scene back in my day was roller skates. They were made to fit on your shoes with a strap to hold the back on to your foot and a set of adjustable clamps that one would adjust with a special key to clamp to the front of the shoe. They also had a slot in the middle with a screw that could be loosened to slide the front and rear wheels apart to make the skates longer or shorter, depending on the shoe size. These incredibly enough worked quite well and we really got some use out of them. I also got some scuffed up knees, elbows and hands falling on the cement sidewalks. It was worth it though. It wasn't too long after that when the first skate boards came about. Once we saw these, but we didn't have the money to buy one, it didn't take long to cure that desire ourselves. We simple took our old skates apart in the middle so we had the front wheels and back separated and grabbed an ole 2x4 laying around and attached the wheels to it with some nails or screws. Believe it or not, these homemade boards were loads of fun, but a little more dangerous than the skates themselves. No, we didn't have helmets back then and to this day I don't know how there weren't more serious head injuries, at least not in my neighborhood. Have you noticed how skateboarding has developed into quite a competitive sport? If you have ever seen the X-Games on TV, then you know that the things people do now a days with skateboards are amazing. They have all the special ramps and equipment which they use to really put on quite a show. You have probably heard the names Tony Hawk or Bob Bernstein at some point in time as they are two of the top competition skateboarders. As a few years pasted, it didn't take long before these self powered forms of transportation were getting old. We wanted something that had it's own power. It was also around this time that some companies started producing go carts. Once we caught wind of this, everybody wanted to have one. The ones you could purchase came in two forms. Already assembled or in a kit that you had to put together. The kits were less costly and you could buy them with or without a motor, but it took the time and skill to assemble them. One of the kids down the block came tooling by one day in a go-cart as his grandpa had purchased a kit, assembled it and painted it for him. Oh yeah, we were jealous and knew we had to come up with something. My one good friend's dad had just bought a new lawn mower and he still had the old one in the garage. It was the ole reel type mower. It had a Briggs & Stratton 2-1/2 horse power engine with a horizontal shaft which was exactly what you needed for a go cart. We grabbed our hammers and some scrap pieces of 2x4 and plywood and put together a real simple frame. The steering actually was nothing more than just a couple of 2x4's perpendicular to each other with a bolt through them and a rope attached to the ends of the one with the front tires mounted on it. You pulled the rope to make the front wheels turn right or left. Very simple indeed but it worked. We took the pulley system off the mower and used it as a way to engage and power one of the rear wheels. We used everything off that mower, tires, engine, gears and pulleys, belts, chain and sprockets. We managed to get a cart up and running. It didn't look as nice as the other neighbor kids but if was faster which made up for the looks. We ran this thing for a couple of good years and had a ball with it. With that being said, I have to admit that not too long ago I built a frame with steel tubing, found a motor, centrifugal clutch and everything else I needed and put together a pretty nice cart for my son. So what happened next? The neighbor kid up the street got a mini bike from his dad. The go-cart was no longer cool. I had to have a mini bike. I even bought plans for one that you could build, supposedly easy. If you're interested, you can get the story and scoop on my mini bike adventure by simple visiting the website at the end of this article. What about the recreational vehicles of now a days? The BIG thing that comes to mind is the invasion of the scooter. Sure they too originated from the past. The self-propelled two wheel foot scooter has been around for a while. But, for the newer generation, they have added electric and gas power to these babies. We bought an electric one for our son and I must say I wish I would of had this option when I was a kid. They are fun. But as time goes on, so does ones desire to find something new. Another of todays big hits to come about is the 3 and 4 wheelers. There were a lot of accidents and injuries with the instability of the 3 wheelers and they have pretty much disappeared from the scene due to regulations and laws. The 4-wheeler, is still going strong and very popular. Yes, my son would like one of these too. I don't know as of this writing, if this is in his future or not, lol. Who knows what the future holds in the lines of recreational toys, but with all the latest technology and growing electronic accomplishments, I'm sure they will be quite different from anything I have had in the past. What have you done or what are you currently doing in the lines of recreational toys and fun? Paul is an average guy who enjoyed many memorable times over the years and as a kid. He enjoys sharing his stories, tips, tricks and helping others. If you have something to share or would like to learn more about recreational toys, where to buy them or find parts, visit: www.recreation.cash2burn.com Paul is an individual who has been on the Internet for a few years now. You can visit his main site at: www.cash2burn.com |
Other Horse Racing Tips Articles
Barcelona Lead The Way In Champions League Betting Barcelona are 4/1 favourites to win the Champions League after the final round of fixtures in the group stage was completed, while Rangers became the first Scottish side to make it out of the group stage. However, the biggest talking point was 1999 winners Manchester United's shock exit from the tournament following a miserable 2-1 defeat agains ...Vermont State Fair Fills a Small State with Big Fun During the first 10 days of September the small state of Vermont is aglow with the lights from its state fair in Rutland, Vermont. The admission prices to the fairgrounds are about the average price compared to that of other state fairs; maybe even a little cheaper when you include the family day, dollar day and patron appreciation day. Family ...PPI and Secured Loans - The Small Print IntroductionAs your home is put up as security against a secured loan it is nearly always sensible to take out insurance against the payments. All secured loan providers offer Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) and, as the market grows, there are a growing number of specialists insurance providers. This article discusses some of the thing ...Kentucky Real Estate - The Bluegrass State From lush bluegrass to the music of the same name, Kentucky is undeniably the bluegrass state. Fortunately, Kentucky real estate prices won’t leave you blue.KentuckyWhen it comes to assumptions, leave yours at the door when considering Kentucky. This state is a hidden gem. From the Appalachian Mountains to the rolling hills covered ...How to Spend Less and Have a Great Time in Dubai So you want to go to Dubai but have heard how expensive it can be for both vacationers and business travelers alike? If that's what you've heard, then whoever told you hasn't experienced Dubai. Here are some money saving tips that can cut your Dubai budget in half. Shopping in Dubai If shopping is your pleasure, then Dubai i ...Examining International Relations In The Realm Of Sports Through History Although the precise origins of the connection between sports and international relations remain obscure, all cultures have participated over the course of history in different physical contests that fostered cultural exchange and contributed to their citizens' political discourse. The ancient Egyptians swam, raced, wrestled, and played games wi ...How To Increase Your Horse Racing Wagering Cash Flow If You have a horse racing system that produces at least 33% Wins Or better than 66% in-the-money finishes, then You can Increase Your Horse Racing Wagering Cash Flow©. And You can realize this by simply betting 4% of Your total bank (Multiply Your Total Bank by 0.04.) on each race that was successfully processed by an effective handicapping pr ...Arizona Exposition and State Fair Phoenix, Arizona comes alive in mid-October as its State Fair starts the three weeks of exposition and entertainment that young and old anticipate throughout the year. With 122 years of history under its belt, the Arizona Exposition and State Fair has developed into one of the country’s more evolved venues.This state fair highlights the c ...Saratoga Springs, NY: A European-Style City in a Uniquely American Setting George Washington not only slept here, he brought his friends along and partied. “Here” is Saratoga Springs, New York, famous for its mineral waters, horse racing and fashionable culture. Since just after the Revolutionary War, the rich and powerful in American society have been flocking to the Saratoga region. Today, the wealthier classes still ...Tips On Gambling On Greyhounds Do you like to gamble on the greyhounds? Do you enjoy a night out at the dogs but are not really sure how to read the form? Are you looking for some advice about how to bet on the greyhounds? In this article I give advice on how I go about successfully betting at the greyhounds and about what some of the form quotes mean.I have been enjoy ...Political Correctness and College Sports - Has The NCAA Gone Too Far? The NCAA in it's wisdom has determined that teams that use native The NCAA has gone so far as to say that these teams cannot play in the post season tournaments unless they change their names.While I am sure there is a group of people both Native Americans and others who seem to think these names are offensive shouldn't we look at the big ...The Preakness – the Second Leg of Horse Racing's Triple Crown As the field takes shape for the 131st running of the Preakness Stakes this Saturday, the question on everyone’s minds is do we finally have a horse that can win the Triple Crown?On paper, Barbaro is the horse to beat, and after his decisive win at the Kentucky Derby, he appears capable of beating all comers. But this is horse racing and ...Horse Racing - The Sport of Kings Thousands of years ago, man discovered that an animal from the Equus order was good for carrying his burdens and lightening his load. Then one day, as the human race as a whole are natural competitors, we began to use that animal, called the horse, to race against others.Then man began breeding horses to excel in speed and endurance. Wh ...Jim Brown: Greatest RB of All Time Whenever a debate arises about who the best running back of all time in the NFL is, you often hear names mentioned such as Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith, and Bo Jackson, just to name a few. One of the most overlooked players in all of this discussion is none other than Long Island’s Jim Brown. What makes it even worse for Brown is t ...Bets and Terminology for Beginners Betting is a very widespread and regular phenomenon especially in United States. In the world of sports betting has not left any game untouched. Be it cricket, horse racing, football, basketball… betting has laid its hands over all of them.Though almost half of the country’s population is consciously infected by the betting syndrome, yet ...Early Comments on the 2006 Kentucky Derby We are only weeks away from the 132nd running of the 2006 Kentucky Derby on May 6th. While the final field is yet to be determined, there are some interesting contenders that warrant a few comments. Leading up to the Florida Derby on the April 1 is Barbaro, the favorite in the Florida Derby and a leading contender to become the favorite in the ...Horses - Citation In this article we're going to briefly go over the career of one of the most famous horses in racing history, Citation.If you look past the losses that Citation sustained at the end of his career, this has to have been one of the greatest horses in racing history if you simply look at his accomplishments. Citation was a horse that was no ...Spanish Riding School, Vienna Brief history Cavalry tactics started to constitute an art around 402BC, but it was not until the sixteenth century that the idea of classical riding took root throughout civilised Europe. During this era, riding enjoyed an equal status with music, art, architecture, literature, philosophy and sculpture, since similar skills and disci ...Breeders Cup Jack Schneider visualizes just one manner in which Bernardini can be beaten in next month's $5 million Breeders Cup Classic -- barring stumbling on a stable rock, getting stuck in the gate or being abducted by aliens."The only way it could happen is if Bernardini and Lava Man get into a dog-dirt duel and are so into watching each other an ...A Horse Racing Certainty - Beware They Don't All Win I have been gambling since around the age of sixteen. I see it as a bit of a hobby and really enjoy playing poker and bragg. I go to the casino as often as I can and also love to go to the horse racing and to the greyhounds. This article is a story about when I lost a lot of money on a horse which was supposed to be a racing certainty.As ...Cat Litter on Mount Shasta Climbing Mount ShastaTopped by snow and glaciers, Mount Shasta rises up above everything else when you approach it from the north.As soon as I saw it, I wanted to be up there. We were coming south from Oregon, after driving across the country from Michigan. A detour to northern California before heading home seemed like a go ...Create Your Own Horse Racing System: In Nine Simple Steps Most people think that you need to be an expert to produce a successful and profitable horse racing system which produces winner after winner.However creating your own winning system is not difficult if you follow these 9 simple steps.Let’s consider a hypothetical horse called ‘Old Nag’ and see if conforms to these 9 steps!A ...What You Need To Learn To Ride You need 3 essential things to learn to ride - an instructor, the right equipment and a love for horses. A love for horses is not something you learn or you can buy. It is a love already have. You might not know it yet, but usually if you love most animals then you will for sure fall in love with horses.Looking for a good instructor shoul ...Sports Betting 101- How to Bet on Horse Racing Horse racing along with what is known as buggy racing is still considered tops in many circles of the American sports betting world. The annual highlight of horse racing takes place every year during the months of May and June with what is known as the Triple Crown races which are held at three different race tracks.The Kentucky Derby tak ...Animals, Fitness and Us “Do you ever hear of animals gratifying their desire or need for artificial exercising at a gymnasium?” asks Joseph H. Pilates, developer of the Pilates Method, in his book “Your Health”.When I first read this I imagined my dog Wendy saying, “Of course not! How boring! Why would anyone want to spend hours on a treadmill or lifting weight ...
|
