Ride the Wind Day ~ August 23rd

Every August 23rd is Ride the Wind Day.

"What is Ride the Wind Day?" you ask. Well, according to Rumella.com it is the anniversary of the first man-powered flight.

Wikipedia.com tells us that "A human powered aircraft (HPA) is an aircraft powered by direct human energy and gravity. . .On 23 August 1977 the Gossemer Condor 2 flew the first figure 8, a distance of 2,172 meters winning the first Kremer prize. It was built by Dr. Paul B. MacCready and piloted by amateur cyclist and hang-glider pilot Bryan Allen."

Pleasant Memories
Do you remember as a child coasting down a hill on your bike and feeling the cool wind splash across your face and through your hair, or swinging on a swing as high as your legs could pump you and feeling the wind whip your hair straight back as you stretched your toes toward the cotton ball dotted sky? Do you remember sitting in a roller coaster car as it slowly chugged up the rickety tracks to reach the peak and then in a sudden thrilling rush plummeted down the giant hill, soaring up and over the next as the wind charged against your cheeks and plastered your shirt to your chest? Well, today is the day to revisit those feelings.

I remember as a child, my dad hanging an overinflated tire inner tube from the walnut tree in our back yard. For some strange reason, (strange, because this hardly ever happened) I got to be the first to give it a try. My joyful giggles turned into uncontrollable laughter as my dad pushed the giant black donut with the little girl filling higher and higher. And then, as the tire swing went back and up, up, up, with mouth open wide and head tilted back in blissful joy, my front tooth snagged onto the (up until now) forgotten clothes line wire, leaving my tooth forever chipped. Even so, it is one of the happiest days in my memory bank! :0)

Go out today and find something to do that will make the wind blow in your face, even if it's just riding in the car with the window rolled down. May you, on this hot August day, have the pleasure of the wind whipping through your hair and cooling your sweating brow as you joyfully "Ride the Wind"!

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