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RYCKMAN: Travel gear fit for summer

By Lisa Ryckman, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published May 19, 2008 at 6 p.m.
Updated May 19, 2008 at 6:13 p.m.

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Photo by Marie Griffin © The Rocky

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Remember family vacations in the old Ford station wagon with the third seat that faced backward, just in case you weren't already carsick enough?

Remember how your little brother lost his lunch in your lap? And how the old man had strapped all the suitcases onto the car roof with a tarp-and-rope system so complex that some MIT engineering student later used it as a thesis topic? And how Dad steadfastly refused to untie anything to get at the clean clothes until the family had reached its ultimate destination - three days later?

Ah, summertime circa 1966. I can smell it now.

Nowadays, third rear seats face forward, and I always carry something more substantial for nausea than the Dixie cup my mother offered me when my brother began to upchuck on me all those years ago. (I am NOT making this up.)

I'm ready for anything - that is, when I remember to make plans. Sometimes summer comes on little cat feet, sneaking up and swatting you in the face. And then you realize that you're unprepared: no family adventures on the agenda, nothing to keep the kids occupied and unfried.

But wait - don't despair. Help is here, in the form of a few well-chosen family activities and products that travel like champs.

And whatever you do, don't forget the Dixie cups.

Gotta get these gadgets

* Whatzit: Paradise Bird kite, $20

* Whyzit great: Easy for the kids and easy on the eyes, this gorgeous 51/2-foot kite comes ready to fly. Set it loose in 6- to 18-mph winds and watch it flap its wings and head for the wild blue yonder. For ages 5 to 95.

* Wherezit: intothewind.com, 303-449-5906

* Whatzit: Fit Anywhere! Bag, $60

* Whyzit great: Created by local personal trainer Denise Tryner, this is a travel-friendly boot-camp workout in a sack. You get a resistance band, jump rope and agility cones, plus an exercise guide, progress chart, workout calendar and journal, plus online access to a special members' site. And to make sure it's working: a tape measure to track your shrinkage.

* Wherezit: fitanywhere.net

* Whatzit: InStent instant family cabana, $70

* Whyzit great: It's hotter than blazes on the beach, and there's not a smidge of shade in sight. Before the wee ones are burnt toast, just pull a couple of cords and activate your pop-up cabana. A mere 7 pounds, with zippered door, screened windows and SPF 35-plus to boot.

* Wherezit: shadeusa.com, 480-600-3126

* Whatzit: Speedminton, $40

* Whyzit great: Like badminton on meth, with a bit of tennis and racquetball thrown in, this German invention will burn the calories big time. Night, day, with a net, without a net, it's aerobic like racquetball, coordination-building like tennis and portable like badminton. Best of all: Anybody can master it.

* Wherezit: speedminton.com, 877-225-7275

* Whatzit: Natural Fitness Guided Adventure, $145 to $2,400

* Whyzit great: When this company says "natural," it means it. Pedal to your destination, and an expert guide will take you on your first climb in the mountains. Hike in the pines, chow down the organic way and end your trip with a tree-planting or an overnight at a green partner hotel. Day trips, weekend getaways and six-day adventures.

* Wherezit: www.NFGA.info, 303-731-6160

* Whatzit: Chariot Caddie bike trailer, $326

* Whyzit great: Great value and plenty of room for two kidlets to ride in style: tinted side windows, helmet pockets, five-point harnesses and lots of ventilation. Plus, it's lightweight and easy to fold up. For an extra $62, get a kit to convert it into a walking stroller.

* Wherezit: bicycletrailers.com, 800-742-0948

* Whatzit: WiGear iMuff Wireless Headphones, $180

* Whyzit great: Cut the cord, baby! Just stick your iPod in a purse or pocket and go wireless. Crank it up, skip tracks and pause with a touch. If you have a Bluetooth- enabled phone, the iMuffs will pause your 'Pod and let you talk through your headphones.

* Wherezit: wi-gear.com, amazon.com

* Whatzit: Banana Boat Ultra Defense Suncreen SPF 80

* Whyzit great: A new generation of sunscreens offers protection not only against burning rays (UVB), but long-term damage (UVA) as well. Volleyball greats Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor swear by this stuff, which also comes in SPF 30 and 50 as a spray, lotion or lotion spray.

* Wherezit: Discount and drugstores everywhere.