Critical precursors to the plane were kites and hot air balloons.  Kites, invented by the Chinese around 400 BC, enabled inventors to study aerodynamics and gave them a sense of how wind flowed over and under a fixed wing for lift. But of course kites were too flimsy to carry a man, so everything learned was theoretical.  Balloons, on the other hand, allowed people to leave the ground and float in the air, like a bird, giving the traveler the exhilarated feeling of flight. The first passenger balloon is credited to another pair of brothers, Joseph and Jacques Montgolfier who— in 1783—used smoke from a fire to blow hot air into a silk bag, which allowed the balloon to be lighter-than-air.  The silk bag was attached to a basket, and the first passengers in this balloon were a sheep, a duck and a rooster.

In 1799, a man named George Cayley built the world’s first glider. Many consider him to be the first true scientific aerial investigator and the first person to understand the underlying principles and physics of flight.  Over the next 50 years, he made many improvements to the gliders; including changing the shape of the wings so that the air would flow over the wings correctly, and designing a tail for the gliders to help with stability. He also tried a biplane design to add strength to the glider. In 1849, Cayley built a large gliding machine and tested the device with a 10-year old boy aboard. According to Cayley, the glider “flew” with the boy on-board for a short flight.

By 1891, a German engineer named Otto Lilienthal became the first person to create a real glider that would fly a person long distances.  He was fascinated by the idea of flight, and wrote a book on aerodynamics based on his studies of the flight of birds which was published in 1889.  After more than 2,500 flights, Lilienthal was killed when he lost control of his glider during a sudden strong gust of wind that caused him to crash to the ground. The story of his death and the gliders he flew later inspired Wilbur Wright to begin his studies of aerodynamics, and Lilienthal’s text was used by the Wright Brothers as the basis for their designs.

Of course, in 1903, the Wright Brothers had their momentous event, and humans were now able to fly.  Many improvements followed this event and things began to happen quickly.  In 1905, Wilbur piloted a new plane design in a flight that lasted 39 minutes and covered about 24 miles. By 1906, Alberto Santos-Dumont made his first successful powered flight in Europe; and in 1909, a French aviator named Louis Bleriot made the first airplane crossing of English Channel. Then, in 1927, Charles Lindbergh completed the first solo, nonstop, trans-Atlantic flight, and international air travel quickly followed.  A few years later, in 1930, a British inventor named Frank Whittle invented the jet engine that allowed people to go faster and farther than ever before, but that’s a story for another time.

Photos:

http://cache2.allpostersimages.com/p/LRG/14/1459/T5DQ000Z/posters/leonardo-da-vinci-flying-machine.jpg
http://media-1.web.britannica.com/eb-media/27/114727-004-424C89B4.jpg
http://www.madscientistblog.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/lilienthal-biplane.jpg

Sources:

http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/UEET/StudentSite/historyofflight.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgolfier_brothers
http://www.flyingmachines.org/cayl.html
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/wb-timeline.html

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Orville and Wilbur Wright were born right after the Civil War: Wilbur in 1867 and Orville in 1871. As youngsters, the boys were encouraged by their parents to be mechanical and to think outside the box.  Their father Milton was a Church bishop who often traveled between parishes and would bring the boys various souvenirs and trinkets he found during his travels. As the story goes, one day he brought home a toy ‘helicopter.’ The device was made of paper, bamboo and cork with a rubber band to twirl its rotor. The boys were so excited they played with it until it broke, so they built their own. In later years, they pointed to their experience with the toy as the initial spark, that ignited their interest in flying.

In 1889, Orville got the idea to start a printing business and, with Wilbur’s help, he designed and built a printing press out of spare parts they acquired. They printed odd jobs as well as their own newspaper.  By 1892, the brothers began repairing bicycles for friends and started their own repair business. They opened a bicycle shop in 1893, and three years later, began making their own bicycles.

Around 1899, Wilbur read about a famous German glider pilot, Otto Lilienthal, who died while flying one of his own gliders, and this rekindled his early thoughts of flying. He requested information about flight experiments from the Smithsonian Institution and within a few months, had read all he could about flying. Wilbur also spent a lot of time observing birds in flight and noticed that they changed the shape of their wings to turn and maneuver. He thought that he could mimic this technique to obtain roll control by warping, or changing the shape, of a portion of the wing.

Based on these observations and studies, the Wrights determined that three things were needed to create a flying machine: wings to provide lift, a power source for propulsion, and a system of control, which they defined in three axes of motion: pitch, roll, and yaw. They brain-stormed how to achieve the same effect that birds used with man-made wings and eventually invented a way to arch the wingtips slightly to control the aircraft’s rolling motion and balance. As they later recounted, Wilbur came up with an ingenious system of slightly warping the surface of each wing to change its position in relation to oncoming wind by twisting an empty bicycle inner-tube box. The brothers tested their theory using a small kite and it worked.

Over the next three years, they designed a series of gliders which would be flown in both unmanned and piloted flights. In 1900, they moved to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina because of its wind, sand, hilly terrain and remote location.  After a major failure, they built a wind tunnel to test a variety of wing shapes and their effect on lift. Based upon these tests, they had a greater understanding of how a wing works and could calculate with greater accuracy how well a particular wing design would fly.

During 1902, the brothers designed and flew a glider with a 32-foot wingspan and a tail for stabilization.  With successful glides to validate their wind tunnel tests, the Wright Brothers designed a motor and a new aircraft sturdy enough to accommodate the motor’s weight and vibrations. The craft weighed 700 pounds and came to be known as the Flyer.  After two attempts to fly this machine, Orville Wright took the Flyer for a 12-second, sustained flight on December 17, 1903 and history was made.

Photos:
http://www.myhero.com/images/guest/g242901/hero75123/g242901_u88055_The-Wright-Brothers_pic_2.jpg
http://aarongraham.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/wright_flyer.jpg

Sources:
http://inventors.about.com/od/wstartinventors/a/TheWrightBrother.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_brothers
http://wrightbrothers.info/

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“Cars that can drive themselves, a staple of science-fiction, have started to appear on roads in real life. Google’s self-driving vehicles are the best-known, but most carmakers are also developing them. In 2011 BMW sent a robotic car at motorway speeds from Munich, the German carmaker’s hometown, to Nuremberg, about 170km away (with a driver on board just in case). Audi got a self-driving TTS Coupe to negotiate 156 tight curves along nearly 20km of paved and dirt road on Colorado’s Pikes Peak, with nobody behind the wheel. Proponents say that driverless cars would reduce road deaths, ease congestion, reduce fuel consumption, improve the mobility of old and disabled people and free up time spent commuting.” – The Economist

The benefits of self-driving cars go far beyond the pleasure of telling your friends “look, no hands.” Self-driving cars would give our nation’s disabled citizens the freedom to travel with ease. One would have to assume that drunk-driving accidents would flat-line, and these cars would grant a society hell bent on multi-tasking the freedom to do work, watch “Game of Thrones” and even discipline the kids without having to hold onto to a wheel and watch the road.

How does a self-driving car work?

According to the article from The Economist:

“In many ways self-driving cars are a logical extension of existing driver aids such as lane-keeping systems (which follow road markings and sound a warning and correct the steering if a vehicle starts to drift out of its lane), adaptive cruise control (which maintains a constant distance from the vehicle in front, rather than a constant speed), auto-parking systems (which can reverse a car into a parking space), emergency braking (which slams on the brakes if an obstacle, another vehicle or a pedestrian is detected in front of the car) and satellite-navigation systems. Computerized control of a car’s steering, acceleration and braking is already possible under some circumstances, in other words. For a car to drive itself, these systems must all be tied together using software, and supplemented with a set of sensors so that the software can tell what is going on around the vehicle.

“Accordingly, today’s self-driving cars are covered with sensors. Mapping nearby features, spotting road edges and lane markings, reading signs and traffic lights and identifying pedestrians is done using a combination of cameras, radar and lidar (which works like radar, but with pulses of light rather than radio waves). Ultrasonic detectors provide more accurate mapping of the surroundings at short range, for example when parking. Gyroscopes, accelerometers and altimeters provide more accurate positioning than is possible using global-positioning system (GPS) satellites alone. Google’s cars scan their surroundings to build a detailed 3D map of features such as road edges, signs, guard-rails and overpasses. Each time a car follows a particular route, it collects more data to update the 3D map.”

So don’t hold your breath for flying through your neighborhood and coming to an even more awkward 4-way, mid-air stop sign. The immediate future has more practical plans in store for automobiles.

Photos:

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/10/self-driving-cars/

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/08/google-sees-self-driving-cars-in-3-5-years-washington-insurers/

Source:

http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2013/04/economist-explains-how-self-driving-car-works-driverless

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Undoubtedly, you’ve gone to the bathroom countless times.  We’d even venture to guess that, while there, you never gave a thought to how the toilet holds fast to the floor… but, we’re betting you’re glad that it does.

Now, many historians give all the credit to the man who invented the toilet.  Rumors have swirled that it was Thomas Crapper (not a pun); but, the first toilet actually dates back to around 1596 with Sir John Harrington.

Other than total necessity and obvious convenience, what made that flushing toilet “stick” – in place that is?

Just look down the next time you’re in the bathroom.  Do you see dingy, exposed bolts at the base of the toilet bowl?  Perhaps a disheveled cap that may be half on the bolt, but barely covers it?  Or, do you see a neat, barely noticeable cap that securely covers that ever-important bolt?

Enter Gary and Ruth Frazer, the masterminds behind Twister Caps, the “why didn’t anyone think of that before” answer to exposed or clumsily-covered toilet bolts.

Like most people, the Frazer’s didn’t think much of their existing toilet caps, until they saw their son’s dog running around with one in his mouth.  It was then that they came up with the idea for Twister Caps, a threaded, screw-on toilet bolt cap that fits all toilets – thanks to careful engineering.

The Davison team helped the Frazer’s invent the cosmetically-appealing cap that’s made of high-impact plastic, threaded on the inside and is very affordable.

Twister Caps easily screw onto 1/4″ or 5/16 ” toilet bolts.  Injection molding is the manufacturing process that creates the mass-produced Twister caps affordably.

While the thought process behind Twister Caps and their installation may be quite simple, a lot of work went into creating those convenient toilet caps so they would fit every toilet.

And, thanks to Twister Caps’ unique threading, they won’t easily lift off.  Their success, however… has skyrocketed!

Millions of Twister Caps have sold nationwide at stores like Ace’s, Lowe’s and Home Depot.

So, thank you, Gary and Ruth Frazer, for noticing something so small that many of us just flushed it out of our minds.  Way to make a splash!

A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.

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You can celebrate one of humanity’s greatest accomplishments at the Wright Brothers National Memorial in beautiful North Carolina. According to the park’s website, visitors are treated to a full-scale reproduction of the 1902 glider, a full-scale reproduction of the 1903 flying machine, an engine block from the original 1903 Flyer, and a reproduction of the Wright’s first wind tunnel. Additional exhibits, movies and educational programs are available in the Centennial Pavilion.Visitors can also climb Big Kill Devil Hill for a breathtaking view of the area from sound to sea. Atop the Hill, stands the 60 ft. Pylon — the site where Wilbur and Orville conducted their glider experiments. A large granite boulder marks the spot where the first plane left the ground.

Much like the current state of American flight, you probably left the memorial hungry and unfed. Lucky for you, Wilbur and Orville picked not only a scenic location for their first flight but a region teaming with delicious seafood options. Nestled in the Outer Banks, I Got Your Crabs Seafood Market & Steam Bar offers a full eat-in menu packed with appetizers, sides and beverages, along with crabs to go from one peck to an entire bushel.

After seriously contemplating the skill and craft that it took to build the first working aircraft, you’re going to need some levity. Check out The Comedy Club — the longest running seasonal comedy club in the nation. “Our history includes having hosted such internationally renowned artist as Ray Romano, Drew Carey, and Sinbad when they were simply plying their trade on the comedy circuit. Make some vacation memories with us. This is your chance to see nationally touring comedians who have appeared on shows such as Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing, and HBO. Many of our comedians are headliners in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and on the cruise lines! Shows are approximately ninety minutes long and include an emcee, a feature comedian, and a headline comedian.”

Before you retire for the night, you’re going to need dessert. Check out The Belgian Chocolate Company, which specializes in handmade bon-bons and truffles that are visual and mouth-watering delights. Truffles are generously filled with an assortment of flavored chocolate ganache ranging from Latte Macchiato to Viennese Amaretto to Grand Marnier.

The beauty of the North Carolina coast is enough to keep you entranced with Kitty Hawk, and by adding any of the surrounding area’s sun-soaked entertainment spots like those mentioned above, your trip is sure to take flight.

Sources:
http://www.nps.gov/wrbr/index.htm
http://igotyourcrabs.com/
http://comedyclubobx.com/
http://thebelgianchocolateco.com/

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By the 1870’s, the High Wheel Bicycle became popular because the solid rubber tires and long spokes of the large front wheel provided a much smoother ride than its predecessor. But because the rider sat so high above the center of gravity, if the front wheel hit a rock or crack in the road, the entire machine rotated forward on its front axle, and the rider was dropped unceremoniously on his head. In fact, the term “taking a header” comes from bike riders. As head injuries began to climb, it became apparent that something had to be done.

By the 1880′s, riding clubs were becoming more and more popular and, as their members saw that head injuries were a problem, they began to advocate the use of helmets. At first, they used pith helmets. Pith is a plant material that is easily crushable, but was likely the best material available at the time. Although it would probably break up on impact, riders only needed protection against a single impact to know the helmet saved them, and know it was worth buying another helmet.

At the beginning of the 20th century, it was apparent to racing and club bicyclists that the worst injuries and the most fatalities came from head injuries. Racers began to use helmets formed of a ring of leather around the head and a wool ring above that. Then the style evolved and the ring of leather was supplemented by strips of leather arranged longitudinally on the head. These offered a little better protection than the pith helmets, but still more was needed. Over the coming decades, helmets were developed with hard exteriors and foam liners, but they tended to be either heavy or ineffective in a crash, and sometimes both.

By the 1970’s, a group called the Snell Foundation began comprehensive testing of bicycle helmets and found that none of the helmets on the market were really effective, so they established some basic criteria for head protection, which coincided with the bike boom of the 1970’s, when many American adults took up cycling as an exercise and a sport. Then in 1975, Bell Auto parts invented the first real helmet for cyclists. It consisted of a hard plastic shell padded with a foam-like material. This was the beginning of the modern helmet.

In 1984, The American National Standards Institute introduced standards for helmets that were widely accepted. This helped to remove ineffective helmets from the market and raise the quality of all helmets. Soon a foam liner made of expanded polystyrene was invented, and by the 1990’s a thin hard shell was added to the polystyrene foam helmet for durability.

Today’s helmets are even lighter, more streamline, and have multiple vents for comfort and adjustable straps to make them more secure and easier to wear. As statistics reinforced the drop in head injuries with the increasing use of helmets, many states in the U.S. have made it mandatory to wear helmets while riding a bicycle—a move supported by medical and road safety organizations. Most parents today teach their children to never ride their bikes without a helmet, putting on a helmet should become as natural as wearing a seat belt and as easy as, well, riding a bicycle.

Photos:
http://www.feministe.us/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/old-bike.jpg
http://museumvictoria.com.au/collections/items/269408/helmet-bicycle-brown-leather-circa-1930-1939

Sources:
http://www.helmets.org/history.htm
http://www.pedalinghistory.com/PHhistory.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/351378-the-history-of-the-bicycle-helmet/
http://www.trails.com/facts_36413_history-bicycle-helmets.html

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Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston on January 17, 1706.  As a teenager, Ben worked in his brother’s print shop, composing pamphlets and setting type. Though too young to get himself published in the local newspaper, Ben began writing letters to the editor and signing them with the name of a fictional widow, ‘Silence Dogood.’ These letters were not only published, but became very popular to the Boston citizenry, as they were filled with advice and were usually very critical of the Boston power structure. But once his ruse was found out, Ben and his brother found themselves at odds with Boston’s powerful Puritan preachers, and Ben left for Philadelphia, seeking a new start in a new city.

During his early days in Philadelphia, fires were a very dangerous threat to towns and cities. Many buildings were being struck by lightning and burned down because they were mainly built of wood. Franklin thought this was a preventable tragedy, and he set about trying to fix the situation. His first step was to organize Philadelphia’s first fire company to fight fires.

But, as we all know, Franklin believed that: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Therefore, he began to become interested in understanding the cause of these fires, and this lead him to take a closer look at lightning and the effects of electricity. Although not the first to suggest a correlation between electricity and lightning, Franklin was the first to propose a workable system for testing his hypothesis. While most scientists of his time were trying to fix the lightning problem by avoiding lightning, Franklin took the ‘thinking outside the box’ approach of attracting lightning.

Franklin had developed the theory behind his lightning rods invention several years before his reported kite experiment. He postulated that an iron rod—about 8 or 10 feet long with a sharp point at the end—placed on top of a building would safely redirect a lightning bolt:

“The electrical fire would, I think, be drawn out of a cloud silently, before it could come near enough to strike….”

Franklin spent the summer of 1747 conducting a series of groundbreaking experiments to prove that lightning was electricity, and in true altruistic fashion, also wanted to protect people, buildings, and other structures from lightning. In mid-1752, Benjamin Franklin conducted his famous kite flying experiments and proved that lightning is electricity. The lightning rod became a staple tool for preventing fires all over the world.

So on top of all of the wonderful things Ben Franklin did, his invention of the lightning rod probably saved tens of thousands of lives and prevented millions of dollars of property damage due to fires. And to top it off, Franklin also helped found the Philadelphia Contribution for Insurance against Loss by Fire so those who did have a fire were not wiped out financially. Ben Franklin was one of those rare people who could focus on the fine details of a subject while at the same time, understand how his finding fit into the big picture and the real world; and that ability alone, made him quite a remarkable man.  Not only did Ben Franklin prove that lightning was electricity, in true altruistic fashion, he also was able to protect people, buildings, and other structures from its devastation.

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The idea that robots could help out around the house with daily tasks, child rearing and companionship has been a staple in science fiction since Robbie the Robot from “Forbidden Planet” and Rosie from “The Jetsons.” So why aren’t more homes teaming with robot Robin Williamses? The short answer is “Do you really want Robin Williams in your house?” (OK, that was a question.) The long answer is that scientists might be getting close.

According to a Press Release from Hanson Robotics:

“Dmitry Itskov, founder of the 2045 Initiative and Global Future 2045 congress (GF2045) has announced that he will unveil the Dmitry Avatar-A head — the world’s most human-like android head — at the GF2045 congress, scheduled for June 15-16 at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City.

The Dmitry Avatar-A head is an exact robotic replica of the head of Mr. Dmitry Itskov himself and was created by award-winning roboticist Dr. David Hanson, founder of Hanson Robotics. Hanson is best known for his robotic androids of Albert Einstein and Philip K. Dick, and the latter will also be exhibited at the GF2045 congress.

Dmitry Itskov himself commented: ‘The world’s best two creators of state-of-the-art robotic faces — Dr. Ishiguro of Japan and Dr. Hanson — are speakers at our GF2045 congress. In this project Dr. Hanson pushed the state-of-the-art even further. This achievement shows that science is literally just a few steps away from being able to make an artificial human head and body shape that is extremely realistic and nearly indistinguishable from the original.

‘The Dmitry Avatar-A head represents the most expressive facial robot in history and far exceeds the life-like characteristics of previous robot portraits of humans in both technology and artistry,’ stated David Hanson. ‘The Dmitry Avatar-A head can establish eye contact, recognize faces, and carries out natural spoken conversation. In the case of Dmitry Itskov, the robot will be controlled by Dmitry, enabling the Avatar-A head to speak both Russian and English.

Facial expressions were created with 36 degrees of freedom (servomotors) with high-resolution sensors in the eyes. The Dmitry Avatar-A head also benefits from a new hyper-expressive formulation of Hanson’s proprietary nanotech material called ‘Frubber,’ a spongy, structured elastic polymer that expertly mimics the movement of real human musculature and skin using 1/20th the power of other materials, as well as new mechanisms for improved facial expressions, explained Hanson. The Dmitry Avatar-A head is built for real use and is designed as a whole system for practical deployment as a telepresence representative. According to Hanson, the Dmitry Avatar-A head represents “a leap into a bold new future. The age of avatars has arrived!(1)”

OK. But, we want our robots to clean the house as well as make eye contact. How about robots that keep tabs on your personal hygiene?

“Robot maker CrazyLabo and the Kitakyushu National College of Technology, both in Fukuoka Prefecture, have developed a female humanoid and a dog robot that sniff a person’s breath and feet and use snarky remarks and exaggerated reactions to encourage offenders to do something about their breath and body odor.(2)”

But a robot shooting you snide remarks about your teeth is far more expensive than simply inviting your mother-in-law over for dinner — a job she can accomplish in spades. We want a bit more bang for our buck.

The Wall Street Journal has reported on a $5,000 bot that can teach America’s children:

“This year, robots will be teaching everything from math to vocabulary to nutrition inside classrooms in California and New York, a move the researchers call a first in American education.

The Los Angeles experiment, scheduled to start later this spring, will use a robotic ‘dragon’ to teach first-graders about healthy lifestyle habits. Students will help show the robot how to prepare for a race; the hope is that by sharing tips with the dragon, they take their own lessons to heart.

At a Harlem elementary school, a robot named ’Projo’ works with students on math puzzles and more as part of an effort to connect with students.”

The robot in the Los Angeles trial costs about $5,500 when stylish touches such as fur, feet and wings are added. The effort is the first of several robot experiments planned and is backed by a five-year, $10 million grant from the National Science Foundation. It will be conducted by a coalition of researchers from Yale University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Southern California and Stanford University.(3)”

There is hope that robot friends are in our near future. But, since most robots with artificial intelligence being created today are built to serve a specific niche (playing chess, winning at “Jeopardy!” and teaching our children), we might have to wait a bit longer for this (4.)

Sources:

1. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/worlds-most-human-like-android-to-be-unveiled-at-global-future-2045-congress-lincoln-center-nyc-june-15-16-2013-04-25

2. http://ajw.asahi.com/article/economy/business/AJ201305070076

3.http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323820304578410730962208740.html

4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5YMEwX2-88

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Remember the days of having to share a boating experience with an annoying relative or work colleague? No. You probably don’t. Because in 1965, a banker by the name of Clayton Jacobsen II bestowed us with the ultimate in water recreational freedom, eliminating the need to ever again have to force small talk while boating.

According to MIT.com: “The invention of both major types of PWC [personal watercraft] is usually credited to Clayton Jacobsen II of Arizona, originally a motocross enthusiast. The general public was introduced to such vehicles with the mass-marketing of Kawasaki’s Jet Ski® in 1973. The original stand-up model, with a powerful 400cc engine and handlebar steering, allowed a person to virtually water-ski without the need of a boat. However, staying aboard the device was a challenge, especially in choppy water; so for some years, despite improvements in control and stability, PWCs acquired a very loyal but also fairly limited following.”

There are a lot of beautiful cities to visit in Arizona, but we think the biggest bang for your buck is Lake Havasu City. Where else can you celebrate Jacobsen’s invention on over 30 square miles of pristine water surface while taking in some flavor from across the pond?

Your fist stop in Lake Havasu should be the London Bridge. We know it sounds weird, but the London Bridge was relocated from the River Thames in London in 1967. After two years and $7 million dollars, the London Bridge was reassembled in Lake Havasu over a man-made canal. After admiring some British engineering with your mates, it’s time hit the water Jacobsen style. Located at 507 English Village under the London Bridge, Adventure Center rentals is your source for fun on Lake Havasu.

After enjoying an activity so distinctly American, as selfish boating tends to be, why not grab some of the best American fare Lake Havasu has to offer? Place to Be at 171 Swanson Ave. has a splendid mix of American comfort food as well as re-imagined classics.

For a brief time in American history, let’s call it 1995, Lake Havasu was home to MTV’s annual spring break festivities. So while you don’t have to guzzle light beers,  dance around with Eric Nies or do a back-flip off a pontoon boat, it would behoove you to sample some of Lake Havasu’s engaging nightlife. Try Kokomo Havasu for a raucous good time or for a more relaxing time try Sandbar & Grill, 1340 McCulloch Blvd N Lake Havasu City.

Any way you cut it, you’re going to have a good time slicing through the wake of everything Lake Havasu has to offer. Just remember to tip your glass in memory of Clayton Jacobsen.

Sources:
http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/watercraft.html
http://www.londonbridgeresort.com/Marina/WaterSportRentals.aspx
http://www.placetobelhc.com/

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BBQ, on the other hand, is a little closer to home, chronologically.  First, the term “barbecue” appears to be a derivative of the West Indian term “barbacoa,” which means a method of slow-cooking meat over hot coals.  Then there are reports that the early American settlers were BBQing their meats during big celebrations, and even George Washington is rumored to have been a huge BBQ fan, though we’re not sure how with those wooden teeth of his.

Many say that BBQ really started in the 1800s during cattle drives out West, when the cowboys wanted steaks but their mean bosses didn’t want to feed them the good meat. So, the bosses gave the cowboys tough, stringy pieces of meat (like brisket).  Through some trial and error, the cowboys figured out that if you left this brisket cook for a long period of time with indirect heat, it tasted pretty darn good.

Others say that true BBQ started in the South prior to the American Civil War, and it was the pig that was a staple of the slow cooking, not beef. In fact, it’s said that plantation owners would release pigs into the woods to graze for months knowing that they could be easily hunted when food supplies were low.  But the months of foraging made the meat tough, so the Southerners learned to slow cook the pork so that the meat fell off of the bone.

And in the 1950s, with the construction of the interstate highway and the explosion of the suburbs, people had the backyards perfectly set for a life filled with BBQ, and it really began to thrive.  So no matter what your preference, grilling or barbequing, beef or pork; American’s eat it, love it, cook it millions of times a year, and have contests to see whose BBQ is the best.  All we can say is, “Ladies and Gentlemen, start your grills.”
Photos:
http://grillingaddiction.com/wp-content/uploads/cave-grilling.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3243/3006923221_859600b313_m.jpg

Sources:
http://thehistorykitchen.com/2012/07/03/the-history-of-barbecue-and-grilling/
http://beetitsquashitspinacharound.wordpress.com/2012/04/25/human-evolution-and-the-history-of-barbecue/
http://www.brownielocks.com/bbq.html
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~class/ma95/dove/history.html
http://www.bbq-my-way.com/history-of-bbq.html

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