Did you ever wonder what it takes to become a private pilot?

 

By David McClelland

 

Have you ever thought that you would like to be at the controls of a light airplane on a sunny day and be able to fly to any place that you desire? How about taking off on a Saturday morning and flying up to Mackinac Island for the day and back again that evening or the next day?  No long drives. No airport or airline headaches. You would be in control of the situation. You would be able to leave when YOU want. Sound good?

 

As you know, if you've been reading my blogs, I am a retired U.S. Air Force officer and was stationed with my family in Colorado Springs from 1966–1971. During that time, my wife and I joined the Air Force Academy Aero Club, took flying lessons and obtained our private pilots licenses. I can share with you the process that you could use to get yours.

 

What hurdles would you have to clear to be able to become a licensed pilot? First, you have to be at least 17 years old and be able to read and write English fluently. Next, you have to be willing to pay about $8,000 (depending on the type of plane that you train in, the program you attend and other factors) to obtain your goal and that price will get even higher as the cost of fuel rises. If you find that you can come up with the cash you next have to find out if you are healthy enough to pass the flight physical. You would be well advised to clear that hurdle before even beginning to learn to fly. Once the doctor clears you, you will need to enroll in a local flight school and locate a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) who is willing teach you how to fly.

 

You must take Ground School classes and a legal minimum of 40 hours of actual flight time before you can take your FAA check ride which may take half a day. I'm told that the current average is about 55 hours before one can take that all important check ride. Long before that, you must complete the FAA required steps which include Ground Flight School (GFS).  GFS will allow you to become familiar with aerodynamics, navigation, weather maps, etc.

 

Let's say that you find an instructor and have decided to fly out of Oakland County International Airport and train in a Cessna 172 Skyhawk aircraft. This is a very forgiving aircraft and considered to be a desirable trainer. During your very first lesson, you will be in the left seat, the command pilot's seat, while your instructor will sit in the right seat.

 

You will learn how to take off, fly around a bit (climbs, banks, descents, etc.) and observe how to land during that first lesson. Then, you are on your way. From that first lesson, it will be practice, practice and more practice. Each lesson will last about an hour or more and will begin with a pre-flight checklist. You must check every control surface of the aircraft to be sure that it is sound. Before you can leave the plane's parking space, you will check in with the ground control to be sure that you have clearance to depart. Once you do, you will taxi your Cessna (you will always use your aircraft call sign when communicating) to the end of the active runway in preparation for departure.

 

How do you know which is the active runway? You will listen to an automated broadcast and Ground Control will tell you to taxi there. You usually take off into (against) the wind or as nearly in that direction as the runways allow. That is because, as you will learn in GFS, the aircraft is able to fly only because of the wind traveling over the wings and providing lift. Upon landing, you will taxi off of the active runway and back to your parking area. Then, a very important step, you will fill out your official log book with the proper entry for that flight. You will keep a running total of the number of hours flown.

 

To qualify for your license, you must perform a minimum of three takeoffs and landings at airports with a control tower, fly solo, successfully pass with a score of 70% or higher the FAA private pilot knowledge written test, complete 10 hours of solo flight time with parameters, 40 hours of dual flight time with parameters, a solo cross-country flight of 150 nautical miles with parameters, flight instruction and a log book signed by a CFI and successfully complete a final exam and check-off flight given by an FAA inspector.

 

That may sound complicated, but it really isn't. You can do it if you have the desire.

I have not attempted to provide every detail in this blog, but to give you the basics and the requirements to obtain your private "ticket" as they say. I hope that I have whetted your appetite for flying. If so, go for it!!!

 

There is a lot of additional information at websites like the Aircraft Owners and Pilots' Association's Let's Go Flying site (www.letsgoflying.com). Check it out.

 

Did you ever wonder why gold is so valuable?

By David McClelland

When I was young, the government controlled the price of gold at $32 per ounce and gold backed up the value of our currency. It wasn't until about 1971 that the price of gold was allowed float with the market and today the price is fluctuating between $1,350 and $1,375 per ounce. That is about 43 times the 1971 price.

Gold coins are quite valuable. An example is the American Eagle coin which contains ¼ ounce of gold. The current price of a set of four such coins dated 2004 or 2005 is $4,535. You can buy a set of 20 coins dated 1988 – 2007 for $14,677. Gold coins are considered to be to be a solid investment.

My research revealed that there are several reasons that gold is considered to be the most valuable of all metals. First, it is still considered to be rare. One source stated that all of the gold mined as of 2009 equals 165,000 tons. Scarcity is a strong reason that gold has value. Gold is also difficult and expensive to mine. If you are able to mine gold, you must move about ten tons of rock and earth for each ounce of gold recovered. Second, it doesn't tarnish, corrode or become degradable by other elements. If you make something out of gold, it will maintain its shape. Third, gold can be hammered thinner than tinfoil without cracking. One source stated that gold is valuable simply because so many people believe that it is; i.e., they value it. It is seen as a refuse against tough economic times. Alan Greenspan called gold the currency of last resort.

Brian Bloom put it this way in his "Gold – The Underlying Truth" – "Gold is without doubt the most valuable substance on the planet, if not in all existence. It appears to have the power to lift humanity to a new level in its evolutionary journey. Its linkage with tangible "money" was merely facile – to sow the seed of understanding that it had a value that was beyond comprehension in days gone by."

Why do you consider gold valuable? Are your reasons different from those stated above?

Did you ever wonder which land animal is the fastest on earth?

By David McClelland

I heard that the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is the fastest land animal and my research confirmed that fact. A cheetah can accelerate from 0 to 45 mph in two seconds. Wow! And, they can reach speeds of 70 to 75 mph for distances of about 1,500 feet. They are, in fact, the fastest land animal. They are also considered to be the most elegant of all the cats because of their long legs, slender bodies and beautiful spots. Adults weigh between 79 and 140 pounds and are 26 to 37 inches in height.

Scientists classify cheetahs in the "big cats" animal group along with lions, tigers, leopards and jaguars. The big cats are carnivores and meat is the major item in their diets. However, cheetahs are different from the other big cats in three important ways: First, cheetahs are not nearly as powerful as the others. Lions and tigers have extremely strong bodies and powerful jaws. These traits help them fend off enemies and catch prey. The cheetah must rely on its speed for survival. Second, cheetahs are the only big cats that can't roar. Instead, they purr like house cats, but at a much greater volume. They usually purr the loudest when grooming one another or when resting together. Third, cheetahs are the most gentle of the big cats. They rarely squabble, even among themselves. They would rather flee than fight. The problem with this trait is that it makes it hard for them to survive in the wild. Because, by nature, they are not fighters, other predators steal their food, eat their cubs and attack the adults. As a result, the adults tend to live for only four or five years, but a few have attained the age of 12. However, in captivity where they are safe from predators, they often live to be 15 years of age.

Scientists say that the cheetah's ancestors lived one million years ago all over Europe, Asia, North America and Africa. Today, they can be found only in Africa and, in small numbers, in Asia. They prefer to live and hunt in dry grasslands on the open plains.

The first cheetahs to be born in captivity were in the Philadelphia Zoo, but didn't survive. The first two cheetahs to be born and survive in captivity were born in 1960 at the Krefeld Zoo in Germany. They were hand-raised. Then, in 1965, a cheetah cub was born to a pet cheetah in Rome and it was the first pet cheetah to raise its own young. The next year, the same cheetah had a three-cub liter and they all survived and people learned more about cheetahs. By the 1980's, several zoos were breeding cheetahs with increasing success. Scientists learned to give them vitamins to help them avoid diseases.

The other fast land animal in order are:
Pronghorn Antelope - 61 mph Elk – 45 mph
Wildebeest – 50 mph Cape Hunting Dog – 45 mph
Lion – 50 mph Coyote – 43 mph
Thomson's Gazelle – 50 mph Grey Fox – 42 mph
Quarterhorse – 47.5 mph Hyena & Zebra – 40 mph

Clearly, the cheetahs can outdistance all others with ease.

Did you ever wonder how many ski resorts there are in Michigan?

 

By David McClelland

 

Would you believe that there are 53 ski resorts in Michigan that have at least one ski lift?

Of those, 16 have at least 9 lifts and are considered major ski resorts. Those are:

Resort Name/Location/Lifts          

Alpine Valley/White Lake/14; Big Powderhorn/Bessemer/10;Bittersweet/Ostego/12; Boyne Highlands/Harbor Springs/11;Boyne Mountain/Boyne Falls/12;Cannonsburg/Cannonsburg/10; Crystal Mountain/Thompsonville/9; Indianhead Mountain/Wakefield/9; Mt. Brighton/Brighton/11;Mt. Holly/Holly/13;                        Nub'sNob/Harbor Springs/10;Pando/Rockford/10; Pine Knob/Clarkston/12; Shanty Creek/Bellaire/12; Ski Brule/Iron Mountain/12; Timber Ridge/Gobles/11.                                    

The smaller ski areas are:

 

Al Quaal/Ishpeming/2; Apple Mountain/Freeland/5; Big Valley/Newberry/2;                                

Blackjack/Bessemer/6; Caberfae/Cadillac/6; Challenge Mountain/Boyne City/1;                             

Copper Peak/Ironwood/1; Covington/Walton/1; Crystella/Crystal Falls/1;

Double JJ Resort/Rothbury/1; Gladstone Sports Park/Gladstone/6;

Hanson Hills/Grayling/5; Hiawatha Slopes/Chatham/1; Hickory Hills/Traverse City/5;                          

Homestead/Glen Arbor/5; Marquette Mountain/Marquette/4;

Missaukee Mountain/Lake City/3;Mont Ripley/Houghton/3;Mount Bohemia/Houghton/3;        

Mt. Holiday/Traverse City/6; Mt. Mcsauba/Charlevoix/4; Mt. Zion/Ironwood/4;                             

Mulligans Hollow/Grand Haven/5; Norway Mountain/Norway/6;

Ostego Ski Club/Gaylord/6; Petoskey Winter Sports Park/Petoskey/1;

Pine Mountain/Iron Mountain/4; Porcupine Mountains/Houghton/2;

Sault Seal/Sault Sainte Marie/3; Silver Mountain/Saint Ignace/2; Snowsnake/Harrison/7;

Spring Hill Camps/Evart/1; Spring Valley/Caspian/1;Swiss Valley/Jones/7;                                    

Timberlee Resort/Traverse City/1; Tower Mountain/Greenville/1;

Treetops Resort/Gaylord/6.

 

Outside of Michigan, we have skied in Colorado and many of the resorts surrounding Lake Tahoe. In Michigan, we have skied some of the above, but certainly not all. We have enjoyed skiing Caberfae, Crystal Mountain, Homestead, Shanty Creek and the three resorts discussed below.

 

Our family takes a three-day ski trip to Harbor Springs every year between Christmas and New Years Day. During those trips, we have skied Boyne Mountain, Boyne Highlands and Nubs Nob. In recent years, we have skied exclusively at Nubs Nob and prefer it. They have the most snow making equipment, continue to expand the number of runs (29 last year) and have a good mix of Beginner, Intermediate and Expert runs. We love to go to the base of the mountain by the lodge after dark on New Year's Eve to watch all of the Ski Patrol personnel ski down some of the Most Difficult slopes carrying lighted torches. At first, the mountain is totally dark. Then, we can begin to see a glow at the top. Eventually, we can see little lights at the top and finally we see the skiers with their torches, two-by-two, skiing down the mountain. Once they are all at the bottom, they take the lift back to the top and all ski down a second time to the applause and cheers of all of us who have been watching in amazement. In all of the years that we have witnessed this event, we have never seen a single skier fall. If you ever around Harbor Springs on New Years Eve, plan to attend this Free event. It is memorable and the kids love it too.   

Did you ever wonder what names Santa Claus is called around the world?

By David McClelland

I was curious and did the research. Here are the names for Santa around the world.

Santa Claus – USA, Canada (English speaking provinces) & Jamaica
Father Christmas – Australia, England and New Zealand
Baba Chaghaloo – Afganistan
Papai Noel – Brazil & Peru
Shengdan Loaren – China
Julemanden – Denmark
Papa Noel (Father Christmas) - Egypt, Spain & Spanish South American countries.
Pere Noel – France, Canada (French provinces) & French speaking countries.
Joulupukki - Finland
Christtindl – Germany
Sinter Klass - Holland
Mikulas – Hungry
Ganesha – India
Baba Noel – Iran
Babbo Natale – Italy
Hoteisho – Japan
Kertsman – Netherlands
Julenissen – Norway
Gwiazdor – Poland
Pai Natal – Portugal
Ded Moroz – Russia
Jultomten – Sweden
Noel Baba – Turkey

What is most cool is that all the children in all of these countries believe in a Santa like being and can look forward to and enjoy the gifts that he brings on Christmas morning.
Merry Christmas to you all!

Did you ever wonder how the Michigan vs. Ohio State football rivalry became so huge?

By David McClelland

Every year, both schools look forward to the final regular season game against each other and that game usually has significance. Let's look at how this rivalry began and why it became so huge. I thought I knew all about it, but I learned quite a bit by doing the research. I think that you will learn from it also.

During the last four decades, this rivalry has attracted national attention as most of the games have determined the Big Ten Conference title and the resulting Rose Bowl match ups. Some have even been instrumental in determining the national championship.

The first meeting on the gridiron between these two schools took place in Ann Arbor in 1897 with the Wolverines winning 34-0. Michigan won or tied every game from 1897–1912. They resumed playing in 1918 when the teams played their first Big Ten game with Michigan winning 14-0. It was their 11th shutout over the Buckeyes. In 1919, Ohio State won its first game in the series 13-3 with legendary halfback, Chic Harley. That year, OSU won its first of three straight games vs. Michigan. Harley went on to win the Heisman Trophy and it spurred OSU to build its horseshoe stadium for Ohio State football which was competed in 1922. In the inaugural game between these two teams in Ohio Stadium that year, Michigan posted a 19-0 win before 71,000 football fans. By the end of the 1920's, the series stood at 19-5-2 in Michigan's favor.

The two schools began playing their final regular season game against each other in 1935. Before that and since 1918, the location of this last game has alternated between Ann Arbor and Columbus. The games have been played in Ohio Stadium since 1922 and in Michigan Stadium since 1927. So far, the two teams have decided the Big Ten Championship 24 times.

The states of Michigan and Ohio engaged in a brief, and nearly bloodless, border dispute in 1835 and 1836 known as the Toledo War. Some believe that the football rivalry is a logical extension of that historical event.

Michigan won 3 of 4 games between 1930–1933, claiming the national championship twice. In 1934, Francis Schmidt became the OSU head coach and was asked if his team could beat Michigan. He responded, "Of course we can beat Michigan. They put their pants on one leg at a time just like we do." The Buckeyes proceeded to win the next four games by shutouts and outscoring Michigan 114-0. Schmidt's quote started a tradition whereby every OSU player on a team that beats Michigan receives a gold pants pendant.

Michigan won all three games from 1938-1940. In the 1940 game, Michigan won 40-0 in a performance that many considered to be the greatest Michigan team in its history. It was the final Michigan game for the legendary tailback tandem of Tom Harmon and Paul Kromer. By the end of the 1940's, the series record was 30-12-4.

Skip ahead to the Woody Hayes years at Ohio State (1951-1978) when Ohio State won 12 of 18 games, including the 1957 victory before the first crowd of over 100,000. Bo Schembechler began his coaching years at Michigan in 1969 after Coach Bump Elliott resigned and a renewed rivalry began between these two coaches and their schools. Their first ten years were called the "Ten Year War." Michigan won that series 5-4-1. Hayes coined the phrase, "That team up north" so he wouldn't have to say "Michigan." Hayes was fired in 1978 season after punching an opposing player in the Gator Bowl.

The years from 1979-1987 were the Schembechler/Earl Bruce era which ended with the series at 46-33-5 in favor of Michigan. Michigan continued it domination of the series until 2001 when Jim Tresssel, a former Younstown State coach, became head coach at Ohio State. So far, in the ten games of Tressel's tenure, OSU has won all except one.

Michigan's all time record is 884-307-36 (.735%). Ohio State's is 830-309-53(719%). Michigan won 11 national titles to OSU's 7. OSU has had 7 Heisman Trophy winners to Michigan's 3. Both schools have supplied the NFL with numerous players, too many to list here.

Of course, this isn't the only huge college football rivalry. Michigan and Michigan State have a big rivalry going in all sports, but especially football. There is a strong Michigan vs. Notre Dame football rivalry. The Army-Navy game rivalry is also huge and has lasted for 110 years with Navy leading the series 55-49-7.

For my money, the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry is still the best. I look forward to it every year. Tressel has had Michigan's number during this decade and the series numbers are getting closer, but Michigan still has the overall series lead 57-44-6. I'm already looking forward to next November when the Big Game returns to Ann Arbor. Will you be there?
If not, will you be watching the big game on a large screen, HD TV? I'll bet you will.

Did you ever wonder how many types of caves there are in America?

By David McClelland

I recently read a story about several spelunkers (persons who enjoys exploring caves as a hobby or for recreation) who explored several different types of caves. The book was written in 1984 by the seven spelunkers who explored together and was titled, "The Grand Kentucky Junction." I wondered how many types of caves exist and researched the subject. I learned a lot about caves, found the subject to be interesting and will share some of what I learned here.

As you probably know, a cave is a naturally formed, underground, air-filled void with an open area or chamber or series of chambers. A cave can contain long, complex labyrinths of tunnels with one or more openings to the outside, such as an overhang. They are often large enough to invite exploration and spelunkers love to do just that.

It is estimated that there are 30,000 caves in the United States and more are being discovered every year. Most caves are either run by private groups or are under the management of the National Park Service, which has 3,900 caves. Of the 120 National Parks, 81 have caves. Show Caves are open to the public while Wild Caves are not and many remain unexplored. Safety is a significant issue and each cave must be declared safe before it can be declared a Show Cave.

You probably know from science classes in school that caves often have calcium rich waters dripping from their ceilings that form stalactites, which are calcite formations attached to the ceiling forming hard rock icicles. A stalagmite is formed when the calcite drips to the floor of the cave and builds up to form an upside down icicle shape. You can remember the difference by using the "c" in stalaCtite for ceiling and the "g" in stalaGmite for ground.

The Guiness Book of World Records (1988 edition) included the Stalacpipe Organ which it declared to be the world's largest natural musical instrument. It is in the Luray Cavern in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The Luray Cavern was discovered in 1878. In 1956, an electrical engineer and accomplished organist, Leland Sprinkle (1908 – 1990), used 37 stalactities in the "Cathedral" section of Luray to create a remarkable organ that produced perfect pitch. Played from a keyboard that resembles a normal organ, the musical tones are produced by a series of rubber-tipped plungers that gently strike each stalactite. Wouldn't you love to see and hear that organ?

Now, for some cave world records: The largest cave is Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. It has more than 348 miles of passageways. It is actually the Mammoth Cave-Flint Ridge System. The deepest cave is Voronya Cave in Abkhazia, Georgia in Russia. It is 5,610 feet deep; i.e., over a mile down to the bottom. The deepest AND longest cave is Kazumura Cave located in Mt. Kilauea in Hawaii. It is 214,895 feet in length (nearly 41 miles) and 3,612 feet deep. The depth is within a volcano from the top to the bottom.

There are several types of caves. Limestone caves are those that form in limestone rock. Karst caves are those that form in water soluble rock. Salt caves are the rarest type. They are formed when salt is formed as it precipitates out of sea water. Sandstone caves form along sandstone cliff faces. Most are caused by mechanical weathering. They are not deep and do not have underground tunnels. Caves also form on ancient coral reefs. Then, there are tectonic caves that are created by mechanical stresses that move rocks. An earthquake can cause a tectonic cave to form. There are also glacier and ice caves. Ice caves are not caves within the ice, but are rock caves that contain ice within their walls. Glacier caves form within ice. As meltwater runs from a glacier, it melts ice along its path. If there are cracks in the ice, the water flows out of the glacier, often leaving long cave passages within the ice. Finally, there are lava tube caves. An example is the area around Mt. Fuji where the Narusawa Ice Cave was originally a lava tube cave made larger by its ice formations. In Lava Beds National Monument in California, there are over 500 lava tube caves.

Finally, we have the Wind Caves. Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota was the seventh National Park to be created and the first cave to be protected within a National Park. Wind Cave has interesting characteristics related to its name. It actually "breathes" air due to an interplay of tunnels, cave openings, and the atmospheric pressure differences between the cave and the surface. It is also one of the longest and complex caves. Its tunnels run for 108.1 miles, fitted under just over one square mile of land. Wind Cave is estimated to be over 300 million years old, making it one of the oldest caves in the world.

Michigan's Bear Cave near Buchanan, Michigan is the only major cave in Michigan and in the Great Lakes area. It was formed in tufa rock which is secondary limestone. Bear Cave is estimated to be 25,000 years old and is resting on a glacier drift deposited during the last ice age approximately 50,000 years ago. The cave measures 15 feet deep, 4 to 6 feet wide, 10-15 feet high and is privately owned. It was used as an Underground Railroad hiding place during slavery days. In 1875, the loot from a bank robbery was stored in Bear Cave. That became the inspiration for the 1903 silent film, "The Great Train Robbery," which is considered a film classic.

We have discussed the ten (10) different types of caves. Another aspect of caves is cave art which goes back to pre-historic times, but that discussion will have to be the subject of a separate blog. May all of your cave explorations be safe and happy ones.

Did you ever wonder how intelligent birds are?

By David McClelland

A friend challenged me to research this subject and to write a blog about my findings.

My earlier blog about geese flying in a "V" formation showed that is the most efficient way for them to fly over long distances. That was an example of the intelligence of geese. Just how intelligent are birds?

My research on this subject has been fascinating and leads me to conclude that birds are inferior in intelligence to many mammals, but not all. The derogatory term, "bird brain," has been used to describe some people. While it is true that most birds have smaller heads than most mammals resulting in smaller brains in physical size, scientists have determined that birds' brains are actually large for the size of their heads. Visual and auditory senses are well developed in most species of birds.

Birds are known to communicate using visual signals as well as through the use of calls and song. Scientists have measured birds' intelligence by studying their responses to sensory stimuli and found them to be strong.

Here are some examples of the level of intelligence in various species of birds: Doves, magpies, parrots and ravens aren't fooled if an object is hidden – they have a mental model of its position. Grey parrots and macaws are able to count up to 7, recognize the concept of "none" and are able to understand the concepts of "same' and "different". Ravens, parrots and New Caledonian crows have all shown that they are able to make and use simple tools. Tool use is much more widespread among other birds, such as Galapagos finches and Egyptian vultures. Striated herons use bait to attract fish. Some predatory birds, like the Harris hawk, use teamwork while hunting. They use a "bait & switch" technique: one will distract the prey while the other will attack for the kill.

There was one study of a parrot that was able to identify more than 100 items by name. That parrot could also tell similarities and differences. If shown 3 triangles of different colors and asked what is the same or different, the bird would give the correct answer (shape or color) 80% of the time.

An African Gray Parrot named Alex is said to be the most thoroughly studied bird so far.
A University of Arizona study revealed that Alex mastered 100 English words and could use them all correctly. During the study, Alex was able to speak meaningfully and understand what was said to him. The scientists there are convinced that he was far more intelligent than humans ever imagined any bird to be.

Many birds are expert navigators. They migrate to different places, apparently by observing the movement of the sun, stars and visual landmarks. Investigators noted that they use subtle clues like wind direction and cloud movements to assist them.

Another trait was observed in an apparent relationship between a parakeet I'll call Bill and a goldfish I'll call Goldy. Bill would peek at one side of Goldy's bowl and Goldy would come to that side if her bowl, so as to get as close as possible to Bill. Sometimes, Bill would hang over the water and Goldy would come to the surface, again, to get close to Bill. When Goldy died, Bill showed typically human signs of depression with inactivity, quietness and loss of interest food and in his surroundings. A new goldfish in the bowl didn't seem to help. Bill truly missed his friend, Goldy.

A more personal experience is with a friend where I worked who has a cockatoo that recognizes and talks to and about each member of our friend's family. When her daughter came into the house, it would say, "Doreen's here." When her husband returned, it would say, "George is home." Sometimes, it would imitate George's voice and our friend thought it was George talking to her. No one taught the cockatoo to speak or to recognize different people, it learned it on its own. Yes, I said, "learned" it.

With all of the studies and examples of intelligence in various species of birds, it is clear to me that birds are generally more intelligent than many of us ever imagined. Your own experiences may have convinced you of this also. If so, please let me know.

Did you ever wonder if skateboarders could propel them selves faster?

 

By David McClelland

 

When I was a youngster, I never heard of skateboarding. My current research informed me that the sport was probably started in the late 1940's or early 1950's.  It wasn't until the 1970's that I began to see kids skateboarding. They all rode their boards the same way; i.e., keeping one foot on the board and pushing themselves and their boards with the other foot, again and again. Until just last week, I didn't think there was any other way to propel a skateboard.

 

While vacationing on Anna Maria Island, Florida last week, we were in a beachwear store and I spotted some unusual looking, long, wooden poles that had a canoe paddle-type handle on one end and two small rubber wheels on the other. There were different lengths, but they all appeared to be long. I learned later that they were called "land paddles" and were made by Kahuna Creations and were to be used by skateboarders to push themselves along, much like a canoeist would if he were standing up while paddling. I asked how one would know how long a paddle they needed and was told that the rider stands on his skateboard, holds the paddle vertically so that the rubber end rests on the floor/street and the handle is at eye level. Actually, the rubber wheels don't turn, but are fixed and used to push off.

 

The last day of our vacation, we were in Holmes Beach, Florida and saw teenager fly by our car in a parking lot on his skateboard, propelling himself with a land paddle. He was moving far faster than I had ever seen a skateboarder move. What a concept!!! If you know a skateboarder, this might make a good Christmas gift.

 

If you would like to know more about Kahuna Creations' land paddles, you can go to:

www.kahunacreations.com/bigsticks.htm