Hemophilia – Sports and Your Child

I have a 13 year old son with hemophilia and I am all the time asked by friends, doctors and nurses how we have managed living with hemophilia. More specifically, how is it that my son is so involved in sports and that he gets so few bleeds.

First off, my son has severe hemophilia, meaning that less than 1% of his blood clots. (Hemophilia is a genetic disorder where the blood does not clot properly. It ranges from mild, medium to severe.) When my son was diagnosed at four months of age with hemophilia, we were stunned. We had no history of the disorder and de facto had to educate ourselves on the topic and learn what dangers life would bring him. What we did settle early on, is that we would raise our son to be a person, not a victim. Hemophilia would not be used as an excuse not to partake in life.

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The most “bleeds” occurred when our son was learning to walk (at nine months!). Lots of falls and lots of internal bleeding. Once he was garage on his feet, things got much better. We do infuse our son twice a week in order to preclude “bleeds”. At around the age of 3, he began riding a bike. By age four, he was rollerblading. At the age of six, he was skiing in the Rocky Mountains (with an infusion each morning before going out on the mountain). He played soccer from age five to ten and by fifth grade, he was on the school volleyball team and basketball team. Volleyball has come to be his passion and he participates in volleyball training camps every summer for two weeks.

Hemophilia – Sports and Your Child

Schwinn High Timber Boy’s Dual Suspension Mountain Bike (24-Inch Wheels) Review

Schwinn High Timber Boy’s Dual Suspension Mountain Bike (24-Inch Wheels) Feature

  • 24-inch boy’s mountain bike with steel-mountain geometry frame
  • Front SR Suntour suspension fork handles bumps and increases control
  • 21-speed SRAM grip shifters and Shimano TX-31 rear derailleur
  • Sure-stopping alloy linear pull brakes; quality padded saddle
  • SR Suntour alloy cranks; lightweight alloy rims

Schwinn High Timber Boy’s Dual Suspension Mountain Bike (24-Inch Wheels) Overview

The Schwinn High Timber Mountain Bike is ready to hit the trails with its rugged steel frame, front shock-absorbing fork, comfortable padded seat and 21 speed transmission. And because its a Schwinn, you know it uses only quality components and is backed by a lifetime of expertise in the cycling industry. Features: Steel mountain geometry frame for easy controlled ridingSR Suntour suspension fork smoothes the path and increases controlSRAM Grip Shift shifters for easy gear changesAdjustable seat height 21speeds with Shimano TX-31 rear derailleur for quick shiftsRustproof alloy rims are strong and lightAlloy linear pull brakes stop preciselySR Suntour alloy cranks offer optimal on or off-road gearing24″ all-terrain wheels,tires Schwinn quality padded saddle softens rideSome assembly required Specifications: Shipping weight: 47 lbs Dimensions: 49″ x 7″ x 27″

Schwinn High Timber Boy’s Dual Suspension Mountain Bike (24-Inch Wheels) Specifications

Rugged and forgiving, the Schwinn High Timber boy’s 24-inch mountain bike is ideal for cruising tough trails or hopping neighborhood curbs. The High Timber features a steel-mountain geometry frame for easy controlled riding, along with an SR Suntour suspension fork that smoothes the path and increases control. The bike also shifts quickly through its 21 speeds thanks to the SRAM grip shifters and Shimano TX-31 rear derailleur. And riders will no doubt appreciate the quality padded saddle. Other features include alloy linear pull brakes, SR Suntour alloy cranks, and lightweight alloy rims.

About Schwinn
Founded in 1895, Schwinn is an American icon that’s long been synonymous with quality and innovation. The company has built some of the best-known and best-loved bikes of multiple generations, including the Aerocycle, Paramount, Phantom, Varsity, Sting-Ray, Krate, and Homegrown. Today, Schwinn continues to innovate with such releases as the redesigned Sting-Ray, Rocket mountain bikes, and Fastback road bikes. With a continued dedication to quality forever synonymous with the Schwinn name, America’s most famous bicycle brand looks forward to providing another century of innovation, freedom, and performance to people of all ages.

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So for those of you who live with hemophilia or have a house member with hemophilia, you must wonder how this child can be so active and yet get so few “bleeds” – especially person who is severe!

We attribute his good condition to his activities. Being physically active at a young age allowed him to form his balance and coordination. The stronger his muscles became, the fewer “bleeds” he got. Over the past five years, he may have gotten a handful “bleeds” due to sports related injuries. Most of the “bleeds” that he received in his life were due to incidents while recess, not from organized sports.

What sports have we done with our child?

* Swimming – We put a pool in our backyard when our son was two. This is the best performance with for a child with hemophilia as it is easy on the joints. I would say that this performance has been the most useful in his life. Swimming and playing in the water has increased his muscle force tremendously.

* Bike riding – At age three, he was an early adopter of the bike. Surprisingly, no crashes. And he all the time wore a helmet.

* Soccer – Recreational soccer was part of our summers for five years in a row, then he just lost interest.

* Downhill skiing – This would be the most controversial sport for a hemophiliac. I must point out that our son had an infusion each and every day that we were on the mountain and that he spent hours in lessons learning how to turn and ski properly. He has never had an injury from skiing as control has been drilled into his head from the very beginning. Do not send your son off skiing and hope for the best. Our success has been due to total house participating and being smart on the hill

* Fencing – He gave it a try when he was ten, but was not too fussed about it. (I think it was far more work than he understanding it would be).

* Tennis – He loves playing tennis with the family.

* Volleyball – He has had one finger bleed and one ankle bleed in the four years that he has been playing. This year will will be buying ankle braces as a prophylactic measure.

Being physically fit is very foremost for a hemophiliac. If your child is carrying extra weight, that puts more pressure on the joints which in turn can cause joint bleeds. In addition, being physically active develops coordination which diminishes the likelihood of slips and falls.

Please note that the above listed sports are not for everyone. I firmly believe though, that the swimming at an early age (and his prolonged swimming) was key to construction his muscles. The point I would like to make is that your child needs to be active and needs to have quarterly infusions.

Hemophilia – Sports and Your Child

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Avenir Deluxe Unicycle (16-Inch Wheel)

Avenir Deluxe Unicycle (16-Inch Wheel) Review

Avenir Deluxe Unicycle (16-Inch Wheel) Feature

  • Deluxe 16-inch unicycle with oversized, chrome-plated steel frame
  • Cushioned seat with scuff-guard protection for comfort and durability
  • Cotterless crank arms and full-sized nylon pedals with chromoly spindles
  • Saddle is adjustable up, down, forward, and backward for maximum comfort
  • New and improved wheel mounts; sealed bearings withstand heavy loads

Avenir Deluxe Unicycle (16-Inch Wheel) Overview

Avenir by Raleigh is the premier bicycle accessory line from legendary Raleigh Bicycles.

Avenir Deluxe Unicycle (16-Inch Wheel) Specifications

Improve your balance while enjoying a whole new form of exercise with the Raleigh deluxe 16-inch unicycle. The device offers such features as an oversized, chrome-plated steel frame, new and improved wheel mounts, and a cushioned seat with scuff-guard protection. More significantly, the unicycle is adjustable both up and down in addition to forward and backwards, letting you customize the saddle position for maximum comfort and riding ease. Other details include cotterless crank arms, full-sized nylon pedals with chromoly spindles, and oversized and sealed bearings that withstand heavy loads. The unicycle also comes in 20- and 24-inch sizes.

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Baby Kids Kick Razor Scooter Flashing Lights 4 Wheels – Blue, Red or Pink

Baby Kids Kick Razor Scooter Flashing Lights 4 Wheels – Blue, Red or Pink Review

Baby Kids Kick Razor Scooter Flashing Lights 4 Wheels – Blue, Red or Pink Feature

  • Aluminum Scooter
  • Please Let us know which color you would like
  • Choose from Red, Blue, Pink
  • 52.5 x 33 x 32cm

Baby Kids Kick Razor Scooter Flashing Lights 4 Wheels – Blue, Red or Pink Overview

4-WHEEL COLOR FULL BABY SCOOTER WITH LIGHT WHEELS 3-DIFFRENT COLORS: BLUE, RED, OR PINK. Please let us know the color you want by email when you buy the item, thanks. Kids Size Scooter- not for adults or teens. A great christmas gift. Made of Aluminum 52.5 x 33 x 32cm

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Dirt Bike Maintenance

Dirt bikes need quarterly maintenance to ensure optimum execution and longevity. Each brand is different, so it is leading to refer to the aid hand-operated for your particular bike. There are specific areas on every dirt bike which should be checked ordinarily to keep it running smoothly. These areas contain the oil, air filter, tires, wheels, brakes, and carburetor. You should take care about your dirt bike maintenance.

The oil needs to be changed much more frequently on a dirt bike than on a road bike or a car. An oil change should contain a filter and needs to be done based on the hour agenda in the owner’s manual. Doing this ordinarily with the correct, capability bike specific oil is primary for the life of your dirt bike.

Mountain Bike For Kids

Air filters are branch to an extremely dirty environment. They should be checked and often cleaned after every trip. Not doing this primary procedure will allow dirt into the engine, which can at last destroy it.

Dirt Bike Maintenance

Baby Kids Kick Razor Scooter Flashing Lights 4 Wheels – Blue, Red or Pink Review

Baby Kids Kick Razor Scooter Flashing Lights 4 Wheels – Blue, Red or Pink Feature

  • Aluminum Scooter
  • Please Let us know which color you would like
  • Choose from Red, Blue, Pink
  • 52.5 x 33 x 32cm

Baby Kids Kick Razor Scooter Flashing Lights 4 Wheels – Blue, Red or Pink Overview

4-WHEEL COLOR FULL BABY SCOOTER WITH LIGHT WHEELS 3-DIFFRENT COLORS: BLUE, RED, OR PINK. Please let us know the color you want by email when you buy the item, thanks. Kids Size Scooter- not for adults or teens. A great christmas gift. Made of Aluminum 52.5 x 33 x 32cm

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When checking the tires, you should insure that the tire pressure is correct, per the user manual. There should be no cuts in the tire and the tread or knobs should be in good shape.

The wheels should not have any missing spokes, and they should not feel loose or bent when you spin them. There should not be any dents or chips in the rim straight through which air can leak.

It is leading to check that the wheels fully lock when the brakes are applied. There should be sufficient brake fluid in the master cylinders and the fluid should be clean. Brake pads and liners should be checked to make sure they are in good condition.

The vent hoses in the carburetor should not be melted or clogged with mud. Check to make sure the throttle cable is not frayed or kinked. Occasionally rebuilding a motorcycle’s carburetor should be done, especially prior to a new off-road season. When disassembling a carburetor, make sure that fluids have not seeped inside the floats. The tip of the float needle should be in good condition, and the air passages at the bottom of the bell mouth should not be clogged with dirt or oil.

Washing the dirt bike should be a part of disposition maintenance, especially after a day of cross country biking. You can wash your bike certainly with a organery hose, as long as you are rigorous to avoid getting water into the air box or seals. After washing, you can dry the bike with a towel or compressed air. The machine can be started briefly to dry the exhaust pipe, engine, and carburetor. After the bike is dry, it is helpful to lubricate the chain and spray rust inhibitor on bolts and other exposed steel parts.

If you find your bike needs work you cannot do on your own, you may need to hire a technician. When selecting an personel or enterprise to aid your bike, it is helpful to evaluate the services they offer and their turnaround time, as well as the cost for parts and labor. It is also a good idea to get references from friends and fellow dirt bike enthusiasts.

Dirt Bike Maintenance

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Customizing Baja Minibikes

Easily customized bikes is a hot deal for enthusiasts of “choppers,” or bikes that have been optimized for performance. That is why many bike manufacturers make it a point to form models that are exclusively customizable. Makers of the more illustrious brands of bikes, even minibikes, have gone the extra mile to generate customizable models. But it is well-known that Baja minibikes are not among them.

It is not easy to customize Baja minibikes, given that they are specially designed for off-road and trail use. As such, they are endowed with large tires and huge, clunky engines. This makes them difficult to style for looks and speed.

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However, “difficult” does not mean “impossible”! positive parts of Baja mini bikes are already easy to customize, such as the lamps, which can be changed into fog lights, for easier traveling at night. There is also the saddle, which can be modified, but already usually comes level from the factory with the intent of maximizing comfort while riding. Baja pocket bike saddles are already wider and larger than those found in other small-scale bikes.

Customizing Baja Minibikes

Nirve Hello Kitty Bike Bell Review

Nirve Hello Kitty Bike Bell Feature

  • Hello Kitty Bell
  • give Hello Kitty a ring!
  • Fits 7/8” (22.2mm) diameter handlebars.
  • Just over 2” (55mm) diameter
  • As found on Hello Kitty cruisers

Nirve Hello Kitty Bike Bell Overview

Ding Ding! Give Hello Kitty® a ring with the Nirve® Hello Kitty® bell. This 55mm bell is made from steel for brilliant sound that carries, and it is decorated with a sticker of everyone’s favorite cat.

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These are much too basic, however, for the real chopper enthusiasts – what one of course wants to turn is the engine, possibly to add more power to the machine, or naturally to apply a dissimilar look to the bike. Of course, changing the machine may also wish that other parts of the bike be changed also, such as the exhaust system. This is needed in order to great carry on the air flow of a more excellent engine. The appropriate size for a minibike machine is 50cc, although many modern pocket bikes come with custom-fitted engines enhanced with superchargers.

Changing the machine may be difficult, and of course expensive. The customization attempt may take a lot of repainting and fitting, so be ready to shell out a few bucks. But for the glory of owning a customized Baja minibike, the price is of course worth it! Few pocket bike collectors would be able to boast of such an accomplishment.

Some bike owners may want to modify their offroad bikes for racing – be warned that Baja minibikes may not take kindly to this notion. Like their larger counterpart, the illustrious Baja offroad bike, the puny version is made with large wheels, designed especially for use on rough terrain. It would be difficult to turn at high speeds. Plus, the heavy-set form of the bike alone says it is not made to be aerodynamic. Full-sized Baja bikes are the converyance vehicle of choice by many big bike touring agencies, as they are dependable for use on any kind of terrain. The risk of going out of operate and running into grave mishaps on the road is also minimized, which makes it ideal even for mountain trail tours.

Customizing Baja Minibikes

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Rollerblade Zap Kids Multicolor Helmet

Rollerblade Zap Kids Multicolor Helmet Review

Rollerblade Zap Kids Multicolor Helmet Feature

  • Great multi-use helmet designed and certified for skating and cycling
  • Several vents for cooling
  • A great all purpose helmet for many sports

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Bell Child Racer Bike Helmet (Blue Lazer)

Bell Child Racer Bike Helmet (Blue Lazer) Review

Bell Child Racer Bike Helmet (Blue Lazer) Feature

  • True Fit – Just one simple adjustment for a correct fit every time
  • Ten top vents and three rear vents make for a cool ride
  • Hi-impact reflectors improve visibility
  • Visor offers protection from the sun and elements
  • PinchGuard buckle for no-pinch buckling

Bell Child Racer Bike Helmet (Blue Lazer) Overview

Great style and features for a great price!

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Jeep Mountain Bike – Don’t Cross The Rubicon Bike!

A Jeep mountain bike conjures up pictures of the rugged comfort, and operation with optic appeal, of the well-known vehicle. This is exactly what this bike range offers.

The business has created options in all distinct aspects of mountain biking, from children to adults, full suspension to hardtail, freeride and other models.

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Jeep mountain bike frames are tough and good-looking, and have a miniature lifetime warranty. Jeep only uses components from the most respected names in mountain biking. They have advanced a range that will satisfy anyone who appreciates the Jeep tradition, but wants to use pedal power as a green selection to energy consumption!

Jeep Mountain Bike – Don’t Cross The Rubicon Bike!

20″ Beach Cruiser Bicycle Micargi Jetta Girls Kids Children Bike White with Pink Rims Review

20″ Beach Cruiser Bicycle Micargi Jetta Girls Kids Children Bike White with Pink Rims Feature

  • Single Speed Beach Cruiser
  • Coaster Brake with Hub
  • Cruiser Pedals with Reflectors
  • 36 Stainless Steel Spokes on 20″x1.75″ Alloy Rims
  • 20″x2.125″ White Wall Cruiser Tires

20″ Beach Cruiser Bicycle Micargi Jetta Girls Kids Children Bike White with Pink Rims Overview

The Micargi Jetta 20″ girls white with pink rims beach cruiser bicycle is designed for the younger riders in the family who want that classic look. If you are looking for a basic beach cruiser bike with classy matching fenders, a quality frame and wheels, this is a great choice for you. This girl’s beach cruiser features a steel frame with chrome-plated handlebars, and white-wall tires for that extra bit of style. This is children’s sized beach cruiser with 20″ wheels.

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Young riders are catered for with the Jeep Mountain Bike Commando range. In the Commando Tj20, the exclusive T-Youth frame, hand brake, and coaster brake spells safety and control. A kickstand, fender, and padded frame are accepted features. The Commando Tsi model sports full suspension, with a twist shift 7-speed drive-train.

The adult range Jeep mountain bikes comprise Full, and Dual Suspension models.

The flagship is the New Jeep Rubicon All Wheel Drive line, designed to tackle the toughest terrain with tenacity. The Jeep Mountain Bike Rubicon superior and Rubicon Sport harness the advanced innovative All Wheel Drive system, featuring an engagement clutch for a ‘shift-on-the-fly’ option.

The bottom-line is vastly improved front wheel traction on any terrain, come sand, snow, mud, or rain. The law can also be engaged when losing traction in the back wheel, and adds power to the front. Smooth power transmission are offered by spiral cut gears. This Jeep mountain bike offers all-round revision in control. Whether climbing, or descending, you will feel the grip on the ground. Glossy slopes are no threat to these bikes.

Another toughie is the Wrangler Se Jeep Mountain Bike . This is built on Jeep’s teardrop aluminum chassis, and has a solid Jeep shock fork. It is not a dual suspension bike, but a hardtail Jeep mountain bike, with the quality to climb effortlessly, and to cope equally well with light trails or city biking. Gear shifting is easy, and the brakes have strong and dependable stopping ability.

The Jeep Mountain Bike Cherokee Sahara Dual Suspension gives operation and relax in a high-tech bike. It has a 21-speed drive-train, easy-twist gear shifter, and an all-aluminum linkage dual suspension, as well as extra frame gussets for strength. It has metal pedals, disc brakes, and Kenda knobbly tires for grip.

If you are battling to fit this Cherokee Jeep mountain bike into your suitcase, you should maybe reconsider the Jeep Cherokee Folding Bike as an alternative…

The 20″ folding mountain bike takes up only 8 cubic feet of space. It takes only a few seconds to have your ride ready for the trail. The full suspension frame makes for a Smooth ride, and the 6-speed indexed gear shifting loves to take to the hills. It includes mudguards, and a kickstand.

In the past, the Jeep mountain bike range has been seen as a good, reasonably priced selection for beginners.

Many improvements later, with the Rubicon at the ready, even the big boys may just start to descry furtively in the direction of these Jeep mountain bikes…

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Jeep Mountain Bike – Don’t Cross The Rubicon Bike!

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Beaches, Redwood Forests – Santa Cruz Has It All

If you don’t happen to have time to tour the whole state of California, we found a place that roughly seems like a microcosm of the state. You have your beaches, your surfers, you r Redwood forests and, just an hour away, one of the state’s largest and most cosmopolitan cities.

Give up? Try Santa Cruz. Built along some of the Golden State’s most scenic coastline, this city gives you many of the state’s famous attractions in one easy-to-drive area.

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We were amazed, for example, when we topped off a morning of beach sightseeing with a exiguous seven-mile drive up to the sleepy town of Felton. roughly right away we were taken from a bustling beach town to a forest so thick you could hardly see straight through the trees. It’s no wonder that the famed “Bigfoot” was spotted in the Redwoods not too far from here, and that today there is a Bigfoot Museum beckoning both the provocative and the amused.

Beaches, Redwood Forests – Santa Cruz Has It All

Huffy Disney Cars Scooter, Red/Black, 6-Inch Review

Huffy Disney Cars Scooter, Red/Black, 6-Inch Feature

  • Three-wheeled scooter for riders ages 3 to 5 (up to 60 pounds)
  • Decked out in red and black racing graphics from Disney’s Cars
  • 6-inch black polyurethane wheels
  • Skid-resistant foot plate for safe footing, steel frame for excellent durability
  • Adjustable handlebar height; includes detachable backpack

Huffy Disney Cars Scooter, Red/Black, 6-Inch Overview

Since its establishment in 1892, Huffy has been known for its tradition of producing innovative and high quality bicycle products. Since that time millions of people around the globe have enjoyed the quality and value of a Huffy bicycle and Huffy has become one of America’s most recognized bicycle brands.

Huffy Disney Cars Scooter, Red/Black, 6-Inch Specifications

Give your child a ride on the fun side with this Disney Cars-themed three-wheeled scooter from Huffy. The scooter is designed with tri-wheels for stability and balance, a skid-resistant foot plate for safe footing, and a steel frame for super durability (it holds up to 60 pounds). This red scooter is adorned with graphics from the Disney/Pixar movie, Cars, and is perfect for new riders to cruise around the neighborhood in style. It also features 6-inch black polyurethane tires, T-design handlebars with comfortable grips, and a bonus Cars backpack attached to the handlebars. This scooter is recommended for ages 3 to 5.

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Fifteen minutes later we were back in Santa Cruz, enjoying the sweeping coastal views and watching as visitors and locals basked in the winter sun while enjoying lunch at one of the city’s many outdoor cafes. Most likely their menu choices included lots of fresh furnish ‘ apples, berries, spinach, squash, tomatoes, etc. ‘ as these and other fruits and vegetables are all grown close to Santa Cruz. In fact, there does seem to be a lot of attentiveness paid in Santa Cruz to diet and exercise. It’s hard to be unhealthy in a place where you can undoubtedly jog along spectacular ocean cliffs or hike the trails of a half-dozen area state parks.

If we were so inclined ‘ and we weren’t on this single trip ‘ it would be a uncostly day trip from Santa Cruz into the San Francisco Bay area. And that’s why you’ll want to allow abundance of time for your visit: there is something new every direction you turn.

If you have the opportunity, we’d advise a midweek visit to Santa Cruz. That’s what we did and, while it’s not exactly a ghost town while the work week, there do seem to be abundance of wide-open spaces to discover with exiguous or no concern about traffic. Santa Cruz motels and inns had big empty parking lots while this January visit, and we’re told all of that changes on weekends.

Our base of operations was the Hilton Scotts Valley, a good selection for travelers who want their lodging a exiguous ways away from the bustle of the beach. Scotts Valley is only a 10-minute drive to Santa Cruz, so it’s undoubtedly not at all remote. Yet this single hotel offers roughly double-size luxury rooms with all of the Hilton amenities and, we might add, some of the most courteous and helpful hotel employees we have encountered.

Driving into Santa Cruz, you first wind your way straight through the uptown area where it soon becomes apparent that this is a beach city in every sense of the term. Like many other coastal cities, Santa Cruz does attract down-to-earth non-conformists who, for example, don’t have any hesitation using hair colors that looked like they were chosen from a box of crayons. Think about your worst fashion bad dream for your adolescent kids, and that’s what you sometimes see on the streets of Santa Cruz ‘ which, of policy is part of the charm. You don’t tour just to see places exactly like home.

Out on West Cliff Drive, where the views from these coastal bluffs are painting-perfect, you encounter the surf crowd. On any given day, dozens of free-spirited surfers are paddling out to ride some of Northern California’s most provocative waves. Long, narrow concrete stairways give the surfers easy passage to the water not far from where the waves break. On the bright, sunny day we visited, maybe half of the pedestrians along West Cliff Drive were carrying surfboards.

Indeed, this part of Santa Cruz is Surf Central. There is even a small but informative Surfing Museum where we enjoyed finding at exhibits that information the decade-by-decade evolution of the sport. Housed in a previous lighthouse, the Surfing Museum includes lots of memorabilia and examples of distinct types of surfboards ‘ some so big and heavy that one wonders how the original surfers ever managed to get these things to and from the beach.

About a five-minute drive and we were back in uptown Santa Cruz. Just other few blocks out to the beach and we had arrived at the famed Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The roller coaster, thrill rides and buildings of the Boardwalk are an indelible part of the Santa Cruz skyline and visitors enjoy the nostalgia of visiting the West Coast’s only seaside boardwalk. The 75-year-old roller coaster is said to be just as thrilling as any of the newer ones, and that has been augmented by a host of other, more modern rides. Of policy there are the bumper cars, the carousel, the huge arcade and, uniquely, a broad and beautiful beach where you can sun yourself and, in summer, enjoy a dip in the ocean.

The Boardwalk area is only one of the many beaches and coastal vantage points in the Santa Cruz area. Just south of Santa Cruz, there are some scenic state beaches near Capitola and at La Selva Beach. You can carve out a few hours and take a scenic drive on north on the Coastal Highway wher eyou’ll find many more beaches along with Waddell State Beach. An provocative non-beach excursion takes you north from Santa Cruz on Highway 9 to the Roaring Camps compel where you can ride a historic steam train into the Redwoods.

Our own drive north on Highway 9 was short but productive. Not only did we get a look at Henry Cowell State Park with its towering redwoods, trickling streams and recreation trails, but we also had a opening to stop by the small, inconspicuous wood construction that now houses the Bigfoot Museum. Most days, proprietor Mike Rugg is watching the store all by himself and, no doubt, will be more than willing to share with you his many Bigfoot stories — as he did with us.

Understand that Mike has never undoubtedly seen a Bigfoot ‘ at least not that he can say with any degree of certainty. But he became convinced about the creature’s authenticity when he did a college term paper on the subject. While the professor gave him only a “C” on the description and dismissed his research as having as much ‘ or exiguous ‘ validity as a Ufo sighting, Rugg was undeterred.

Bigfoot is supposed to be a creature perhaps eight feet tall that resembles a gorilla and is said to roam remote mountain regions of the Pacific Northwest, Northern California and other locations. While exiguous scientific evidence supports the claim, there are hundreds of sightings reported and one grainy home movie that Rugg is convinced is the real deal. The Bigfoot Museum features a six-foot-high blowup of a frame from that movie and Rugg has numerous footprint casts and other items on display to help convince you he’s right. Since the museum opened in July, visitors have added many more sightings to his wall-size pin map showing just where Bigfoot has been spotted.

Whether it’s hairy creatures in the mountains or colorful creatures downtown, Santa Cruz offers a surprising range of curiosities and attractions that make it a unique destination ‘ a truly flavorful slice of California.

At A Glance

Where: Santa Cruz is on the California coastline in the middle of San Francisco and Monterey.

What: A particularly scenic area that offers many miles of scenic beaches, coast drives, state parks and several passage points to Redwood forests and parks. The city itself offers the West Coast’s only beachfront boardwalk.

When: Year-round, as temperatures are typically moderate. In winter, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is open only on weekends. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, it is open all week.

Why: Santa Cruz offers many distinct getaway experiences and visitor attractions in an area that is easy to navigate.

How: For more data on Santa Cruz, experience the Santa Cruz County discussion and Visitor’s Council at (800) 833-3494 or visit [http://www.santacruz.org]. For more data on the Hilton Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley, phone (831)-440-1000 or visit http://www.santacruzscottsvalley.hilton.com.

Beaches, Redwood Forests – Santa Cruz Has It All

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Bell Littlest Pet Shop Hippest Friends Helmet Value Pack

Bell Littlest Pet Shop Hippest Friends Helmet Value Pack Review

Bell Littlest Pet Shop Hippest Friends Helmet Value Pack Feature

  • helmet and coordinating water bottle
  • Twelve top vents and three rear vents make for a cool ride.
  • Half Nelson Fit system helps to ensure correct, comfy fit.
  • Fun water bottle to keep you hydrated while out and about

Bell Littlest Pet Shop Hippest Friends Helmet Value Pack Overview

The Littlest Pet Shop Hippest Friends Child Value Pack has the helmet with the cutest and cuddliest pets. Super cute helmet with your favorite pets. Fits head sizes 20″ – 20-1/4″

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