One fancy ride for The Wheelmen!

The Wheelmen is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to keeping alive the heritage of American cycling, promoting the restoration and riding of early cycles (1918 or earlier), and encouraging cycling as part of modern living.

Some of the names of the common antique bikes are a Boneshaker, a Three-wheeled Tricycle, a Highwheel, Hard-tire safety, and a Nomadic safe-tire.

The Boneshaker is one of the first bikes that ever set foot on the streets. This bike is really hard to ride because there is no chain on the bike and usually the pedals are on the front wheel. This bike usually had no rubber for the tires so the wooden rims were in place of that. Currently we have two or three in the club, one which would be my grandfather's if he would have been alive.

A Three-wheeled Tricycle looks just like a nowadays kids tricycle but is much larger than that. These bikes would have hard tires, solid tires made out of rubber, and were normally ridden by a lady.

A Highwheel is pretty much explained by the name. A Highwheel has hardtires, a big front wheel, and a tiny back wheel. You get on this bike by a tiny step on the back of the bike. A highwheel can also be called a Penne Farthing. The height of your highwheel is determined by your inseam, or the height from about your waist to the ground.

Next are the Hard-tire safety and the Nomadic safety. These are very similar and the only differences are the hard tire has hard tires and the safety has regular rubber tires you can buy at the bike shop and how you get on.

Because we go to parades we have to dress a special way. The traditional outfit for a lady is a white blouse, bloomers or a skirt, and fancy tites or socks. The traditional outfit for a gentleman is a white shirt, a blue hat, red or blue suspenders, blue or black knee-high pants, ans blue knee-high socks.

I love the Wheelmen because it gives me a chance to learn about the history of America and it gives me a chance to do something out of the ordinary, ride a highwheel.

If you would like more information you can talk to me or Mrs. Metzler or you can just go to http://www.thewheelmen.org/ to find out some history or just look at pictures of my family and me!

Reporter: Jessica C.

Pictures: Jessica's family and http://www.thewheelmen.org/
Editor:

Adorable, Hard Work, but Worth It

It's not everyday that someone surprises our librarian with information about which she knew nothing. One day, however, Emily and Miranda announced that their hedgies were four weeks old. What are hedgies? Why do you have them? Question upon questions arose.

It turns out that Emily and Miranda raise hedgehogs for fun and profit. If your only experience with hedgehogs is Sonic Drive-In or Sonic the Hedgehog Video Game, you don't know how cute hedgies are! Our first view of the "herd" was on the business web site managed by Lara, Emily's and Miranda's older sister. There are pictures, care information, and purchase information that will open your eyes to a new type of family companion. The most common hedgehogs raised as pets are African Pygmy Hedgehogs, which are small insectivores.

The first thing you should know is that raising hedgehogs is not easy. To have strong healthy animals, you need to have a temperature controlled environment, clean cages for them to inhabit individually, a sensible breeding plan, and proper food. At the twins' house, their mother sews a little sleeping bag of fleece (that's so sweet!) for each little hedgie born to the herd.

The business was started by Lara. She became fascinated by hedgehogs because of the Sonic drive-in and, after a couple of years of research, she decided to raise one of her own. She found one named Bitsy in Ohio and brought it home. It was love at first sight. She decided to raise them and her family joined in to help.

Her Dad created a room in the basement. They purchased cages. They purchased a second hedgehog and started breeding them. Miranda took one from the first litter named Mongo and started raising them, too. Emily got a female named Lilly from Indiana and soon they were breeding and selling hedgehogs as a business. Lara is in charge and the business is primarily hers, but they all have their little part.

As a business, it is not very profitable. In addition to food, cages, and other supplies, the veterinary expenses are huge. Hedgehogs are fragile creatures and often require special care. Emily and Miranda say the only reason to get involved with the business is that you love hedgies because you will not make much money. The worst part is major cleaning they do twice year.

If you are interested in hedgies as a pet, you could purchase one from the family but you must first be prepared to meet their special needs. One look at their sweet little faces may cause you to fall in love. A new litter will be born in March.

If you want to find out more information about raising hedgehogs, wikipedia.org has a very interesting article. There are also several books available through inter-library loan or at Amazon.com.


Reporter: Mrs. M.
Editor: Renee A.
Photographer: Mrs. M.
Hedgehog photographs: http://www.freewebs.com/laraslittlehedgehogs/

Big Ten Football

Michigan capped off their worst season ever this year! It is the first time That Michigan has ever lost more than 8 games in one season. It is only the second time ever that they have lost to Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan State in the same season.


Ohio State pulled off a Capitol One Bowl season by annihilating Michigan 42-7. OSU's offense and defense were too much for the Wolverines to handle. James Laurinaitis hit hard and frequently against the Michigan ball carriers.


Michigan State had their best season in years going 9-3, but were no match for the dominating Nittany Lions of Penn State. Javon Ringer, MSU's star running back, played well, but it wasn't enough. Penn State's defensive line was super human, they overwhelmed the Spartan line. Daryll Clark threw for over 300 hundred yards, and accounted for 5 touchdowns. The final score was 49-18.


Penn State won the Big Ten by beating Ohio State a couple of weeks ago, and is going to the Rose Bowl. Ohio State will be going to the CapitalOne Bowl but don't count Michigan State out, they will be playing in the Outback Bowl. Sadly, Michign will not be going to bowl, so theywill be watching from their dorms.


Reporter: Andrew M.


Photographer:


Editor: Carley L.