June 3
World Bicycle day
Riding a bike is one of the best
things ever, right? It lets us exercise
our muscles, get out in the fresh air,
plus it's good for the environment
too! World Bicycle Day is all about
this 2-wheeled way to get from
here…to there! But the invention of the
bicycle was a bumpy ride! One thing is for
sure — the very first bicycles were nothing
like the ones you see cruising down the
Razorback Greenway today.
A German baron named Karl von Drais
first created a steerable, two-wheeled
contraption in 1817. This clunky wooden
invention didn't include a chain, brakes
or pedals. Instead, riders would have to
move the 50-pound frame forward by
pushing off from the ground with their
feet.
Luckily, other inventors improved on
that early version. In the 1860s, some
French inventors added pedals attached
to the front wheel. These were the first
machines to be called "bicycles," but they
were also known as "boneshakers" for
their rough ride.
Other inventors introduced new models
that featured an oversized front wheel.
These strange machines were called
"penny-farthings" or "ordinaries," and
became popular during the 1870s and
1880s.
However, the penny-farthing's four-
foot-high saddle made it too dangerous
for most people to ride. Just imagine
how hard it was to keep your balance!
That finally changed in 1885, when an
Englishman named John Kemp Starley
invented a "safety bicycle" that had equal-
sized wheels and a chain to drive it. New
developments in brakes and tires followed,
creating what we now know as the
modern bicycle. Celebrate this day by…
what else?… RIDING YOUR BIKE!
June
is
here
... and time
to welcome
summer!
By Karen Rice
Official Kids Mag
symbols of June
Birthstone: pearl or moonstone
Flower: rose
zodiac signs:
gemini and cancer
History: There are multiple
theories about the origin of the
name June. One theory is that
it was named after the Roman
goddess of marriage,
Juno. Another theory
is that its name originates
from the Latin word iuniores, which
translates into "younger ones". Still
another possibility is that the month was
named after Lucius Junius Brutus, the
founder of the Roman Republic.
June even has its own beetle named
after it. Called the June beetle, or
June bug, it's usually only found in the
months of May and
June here in the
United States.
Read on for some
more things to
celebrate in June.
6 • June 2021 • www.officialkidsMag.com
Name: Kids Mag
2 x 5"
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Est. 1845
• Limestone Cave
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