Thursday, February 7, 2013

Sled

Here's a slice of Americana. 
A friend's back porch, that I pass each day, has this old sled propped against the wall. She tells me its been passed down through her family for generations and that her grandmother once rode it down snow covered hills in the area. It reminds me so much of the iconic Flexible Flyer sled invented in 1889 by Samuel Leeds Allen. He owned a farm equipment company out of Philadelphia, added the sled to his hardware line and hit it big. Lots of companies attempted to copy the steel-runner designed sled, including the made-in-Maine "Speedway". I had one passed down from my Uncle Leonard, and it was the biggest, and fastest on our neighborhood hills, whether I was flat on my belly or sitting up with my feet propped on the steering device with buddies sitting behind me. By the way, the Flyer, King of the Sleds, still lives today. It is manufactured by Paricon LLC out of South Paris, Maine. It's kind of ironic too, because my Mom's family, including my uncle lived, for many years, in South Paris.
I guess you could say; it's all downhill from here! 
Whoosh!

16 comments:

  1. Reading your posts sure is smooth sledding...lots of good information. I remember those so well. Lots of fun as long as the runners were kept in good shape.

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  2. this family is prepared for winter fun. wonder what they'll be doing this weekend.

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  3. You have entered the realm of nostalgia. I had several of these as a kid. Didn't know they even made them anymore 'cause I've lived in the south for many years. Had great fun with them. Used to put wax on the runners.

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  4. I see similar iconic things leaning on verandah's here Birdman, but they're the big old surfboards as opposed to sleds!!

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  5. i sure hope that treasure is never stolen!

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  6. Those runners sure made for a fast trip downhill!

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  7. I love sleds but have always been a but afraid of sledding. Thanks for the mini sled history lesson.

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  8. Love this old sled. I think that you may have some great opportunities to use sleds this weekend... and shovels, and snowplows, and mittens. Stay warm!

    Bises,
    Genie

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  9. I remember going down hills on a sled like that. Thanks for the memories.

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  10. Seems to me we had a downhill sled on wheels (no snow here) called a Flexie. Same company?

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  11. There is still a Flexible Flyer in my garage. Speedway? That is not a brand I know, but it looks just as fast as the FFs.

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  12. Great sled - going to be a great weekend for it - well, if the wind calms down a bit, that is. . .

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  13. Always enjoyed sledding as a kid...

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  14. Wow, my family had one that looked just like that, even though we lived in the city. Thanks for the history. I had no idea.

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