New Wheels

We've got some new wheels at our house.

They even have racing stripes. In fact, they're yellow flames. Very cool looking.

Better yet, these new wheels are energy efficient.

Are you ready to take a peek?

Here are those new wheels! This is Desert Boy's new solar-powered car. If you're wondering if the frame really is cardboard, the answer is yes. It can make it tricky for assembly.

We needed some sun and a relatively flat, snow-free, and smooth place to give the car a try. So we headed to the post office parking lot. It was still cold enough that we bundled Desert Girl up in her snow pants, but after all the extremely cold temperatures lately, it felt sort of warm.

The kids gave the car a good workout. It turned out it would only run when it had gravity helping a little. The cracks in the concrete were often too big an obstacle. That just made it more fun, as the kids got to interact with the car more, "helping" it along.

Desert Girl even got to try. (Don't you love her owl hat? My sister-in-law made it and I've gotten so many comments about it. Desert Girl doesn't want to go out of the house without it.)

It might be awhile before solar cars become practical, but for now, they are fun and a good excuse to get out of the house!