Just roll with it
DEVIN WEEKS/Press Stephen and Christie Boyd’s poodle mix, 4-month-old Groot, helps himself to some kettle corn Saturday afternoon just before the Gizmotion parade in Coeur d’Alene City Park. The Boyds rolled through the parade on a “couchmobile,” a human-powered vehicle that moves with bike pedals and a steering rudder on the back. The “TV frame” was added this year by the Boyds to add some flair to the entry, a favorite that has appeared in previous Gizmotion parades.
Sam Monter, 8, of Hayden, peeks out the little window on the mini travel trailer his big bro Alex, 14, built to drive in the Gizmotion parade Saturday in Coeur d'Alene City Park. Alex spent between 40 and 50 hours working on the wooden human-powered vehicle, which he painted red, white and blue for the Fourth of July. (DEVIN WEEKS/Press)
Noah Dugall, 14, of Coeur d'Alene, rides a decked-out double-decker bike in the Gizmotion parade as spectators take photos and smile at the procession of creativity Saturday afternoon. A fleet of "Star Wars" characters and vehicles followed behind Noah, along with several youths on decorated bikes. (DEVIN WEEKS/Press)
COEUR d’ALENE — A grinning 8-year-old Sam Monter poked his head out of a tiny wooden window on a small travel trailer as his big brother explained the idea behind building it.
"It is a go-kart with a little miniature camper trailer, of a sort,” said Alex Monter, 14, of Hayden. "The whole idea is you could take some pillows and stuff and just hang out and take this wherever you want to go, assuming you can get to wherever you need to go. It also has a solar panel with lights and a warning flashing light on top so you can see it wherever, to make people more aware of it."
Alex spent around 50 hours building the kinetic contraption, many of those at Gizmo-CDA in preparation for the Gizmotion parade. He said the camping trailer influence for his vehicle came from the miniature travel trailers his mom has at home.
"And the go-kart, I’ve always wanted to build my own go-kart," he said. "If I come back next year, I’ll probably do a similar kind of go-kart but made out of metal and a lot sturdier, and who knows? Maybe with a huge body or turn it into a tank or something."
Gizmo-CDA and its many friends and participants let the good times (and great ideas) roll Saturday during the fourth annual Gizmotion Celebration of Creativity in Coeur d'Alene City Park.
The jamboree of imagination and innovation featured several activities and craft stations, including mutant toys, drifting tricycles and more.
Many families and visitors to the park pulled out their phones to capture the excitement of the parade. This year's parade was led by the star-spangled Red Hot Mamas and included a slew of "Star Wars" characters, cardboard fish, feathers, tinsel, blinged-out bikes, balloons, big wheels, tiny tires and a whole lot of creativity.
"We do lots with Gizmo, so we love Gizmo, and it's just so fun to be out on a beautiful day in the park with kids having so much fun," said Christie Boyd, who propelled the "couchmobile" with her husband, Stephen, and their pup, the popcorn-loving Groot.
"Look at all these people coming out," she said. "I just love that."