School's Out, Ripstiks Are In

Summer is here and the books are closed, so cousins Daniel Rodriguez, 9, and Hugo Flores, 9, decide to Ripstik it in the Roosevelt Center parking lot before heading out to the Greenbelt Aquatic and Fitness Center.

Hugo and Daniel say the Ripstick is not as easy to use as a traditional skateboard. But on Friday, they were flying on them with great dexterity.

My question is, what next? My skill level on its predecessor could barely be called skateboarding—treading asphalt would be more like it. Seriously, weren't skateboards hard enough?

I close my eyes, I look into the future, thinking Jules Verne, and what do I see that could be more difficult? Eureka! HydroplaneStik for rainy days, with an inch between you and the concrete.

Sink me! Actually that sounds kind of cool.