Control Freakz
Wednesday, March 17, 2010 My first remote control car had one button. You'd turn the car on and it would go straight. When you wanted to turn, you'd press the button on the controller and the car would go backwards in a circle. When the nose pointed in the direction you wanted, you'd let go of the button and the car would go straight again. Nothing was cooler.
When Fury was born, it meant the revival of two things: Star Wars and remote control cars.
When he was 3, I took Fury to Radio Shack and bought him this beauty:
Of course, he preferred to just push it around the house. Or have me drive it. I was ok with that. And for the next 4 years, as he amassed an impressive collection of RC toys, I'd put them on a shelf in the garage and test drive them every once in a while. For him, of course. I guess Fury never quite appreciated the fact that he could control something from afar. Well, unless you count completing a game level, building a Star Wars Lego set or conjuring up a cold glass of milk with "Daaaaaaad! can you help meeeee?"
Anyway...
Earlier this year, something clicked. He dusted off one of his RC cars, scrounged for some batteries and found himself in toy heaven. Since January, he's put his roster of vehicles through demolition derbies, all terrain endurance tests, dog attacking missions, snuff films and various forms of "customization." And I wish I'd bought stock in Duracell.
Did you know that an RC tarantula achieves better aerodynamics with its legs pulled off?
And a dragonfly doesn't if it has a gaping head wound?
And those helicopters that were so popular this past Christmas season do an excellent job at imitating an injured moth? Skittering across the floor after achieving 2 seconds of flight never looked so natural.
And also, if you and your kid watch a Mad Max marathon on a Saturday morning, your kid will outfit his RC car to withstand roving bandits looking to steal your gasoline.
And... if you get invited to "The Greatest RC Show on Earth" you WILL say "Oh HELLZ YEAH!" even if you have to put up a post the next day to run a contest for your readers.
YES, this is a contest. And I'm giving away 2 tickets to the RC Expo at the Fairplex in Pomona, March 20-21 (this weekend!). This will be an insane show. RC cars, boats, planes and tanks. Yes, tanks. And a rock crawler test "dirtpile." See below. I can't wait.
To enter, just leave a comment. I'll draw a winner at noon on Friday and contact you by email if you've won. Oh, also you have to endure this 1-minute video of Fury and me having random fun with RC vehicles. Because I've had these clips forever and have never had a reason to post them until now. So you might as well indulge me. Since I might give you tickets.
Reader Comments (9)
No entry for the contest here - just wanted to comment that it's awesome to see how fun RC stuff still is! (And it's always fun to torture dogs that way!)
Take me out of the running, obviously, but I wanted you to know that JUST FOR YOU I twittered something to you. Tweeted? What the hell am I supposed to call it? Bah. Whatev.
Those helicoptors bite. I could never get the boys' to fly more than a couple of inches off the ground before divebombing.
Loved the car cam! Great stuff.
Don't enter me in the contest because I have no way of getting to Pomona (unless those tickets come with an all expense paid trip -- flight and lodging-- for two... hey, had to try, eh.).
I heard you on buying stock in Duracell. I like R/C's but have to tell you I still play with hot wheels and matchbox. Even at 50!
Dang. Looks like a blast! Makes me tempted to scrounge up the energy to go unbury my old RC stuff.
Odd how closely that Mad Max car resembles my first ride in high school. Chick magnet, that was.
I love remote control toys too, especially when playing with my 4 year old son, Xander. Maui had mentioned your website and your RC article from Lisa. Now that you’ve reminded me about the RC expo this weekend, Xander and I might go!!!
With all this talk of RCs, does this mean you'll be purchasing the RC millennium falcon when it comes out later this year? LOL
When I saw it on the Today Show a couple weeks ago as one of the hottest toys for 2010 I thought of you and Fury. hhehehe
psssst! btw, I've relocated :)
-G
LOL! The poor RC taranula got it's limbs aputated! This post reminds of when I was a kid where I'd blow up toys with M80's and set my sister's My Little Pony toys on fire. Rock on!
-B