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Sunday, September 1, 2013

Yo-Yos in Chico: Sundays in My City

Welcome to Chico, CA, for Sundays in My City, hosted by the lovely Unknown Mami. Visit her site to tour bloggers' hometowns.

Today, we meet at Bird in Hand, a fun, little gift shop in downtown.
At first sight, it appears to be your everyday gift store. But it's not. Let's walk towards the back.
Look! Chico houses the world's biggest yo-yo museum, complete with...

the world's biggest working wooden yo-yo!
Mind you, I'm a very small person and this is a very big yo-yo. It weighs in at 256 pounds, stands 50 inches high, has a 70 foot string, and actually works.  I tried to walk the dog* with it, but couldn't quite manage. So how do they know it actually works?
In 2004, it was raised and dropped by crane into Chico's downtown plaza. It bounced and rebounded at least 6 times. Wanna watch? The excitement starts at approximately 1:20.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZnmISDHjGQ

*Note: Don't be impressed. I have issues walking a live dog and can't do anything with a yo-yo (nothing you'd wanna watch, at least).

What about you? Do or did you yo-yo?

If so, it's time to practice for the National Yo-Yo Championships in Chico, October 5. Look me up when you get here.

Regardless, have a fun and playful week.

Thanks for visiting.
Cheers!

30 comments:

  1. Used to yo yo away, now not so much at my bay and that is one big friggin one. The back of the store looks umm fun haha

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  2. I could only make it go up and down. The tricks eluded me. Oh how I wish I still had what is now a very rare Duncan Mardi Gras yo yo that I destroyed as a kid trying to dig out the glitter, stars and moons.

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  3. I was never very good with yo yos. I could "walk the dog" but that was it.

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  4. I had a little brother, so yes I played with yoyos. Hubs has a spun aluminum yoyo that he keeps around. Much smoother.

    I bet they help stress. A unique museum, I'd visit it.

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  5. That is really cool they got it to work! Actually, I'm not too bad with a yo-yo. I can do tricks and everything. Takes just the right one though.

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  6. I used to yo yo, now it's a no go.

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  7. I haven't yo-yo'd in a long time. This was a nice trip down Memory Lane...

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  8. I just bought my grandson a yoyo this year. I think he might be a bit small for it yet, but his Dad liked it. I would like to visit and see all the yoyos

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  9. If I can get that sucker to come back up at me once, I grab it and call it a day!

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  10. Yo...yo! What's happenin'? A museum for the world's biggest yo-yo? Yo!

    I will check out your YouTube video. A yo-yo for the Jolly Green Giant? Yo! Yo! Yo!...Green Giant.

    This posting certainly had its ups and downs. Thanks and may yo'all have a most awesome Labour (Labor) Day Monday.

    Penny's alleged human,

    Gary :) x

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  11. What kind of whacky diet makes you smaller than a yo yo?
    We have a Bird-in-Hand here, too. It's right next to a town called "Intercourse." Which seems strange.
    How much intercourse can you have with your bird in hand?

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  12. Cool! I had a yo-yo as a kid and could make it go up and down a few times, that was it. Nothing fancier than that!

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  13. I remember when yo-yos were the biggest thing for my age group. Never got the hang of it.

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  14. Wonderful that people still have time for utterly frivolous pastimes.. I think I'd like to watch you sit on the big one, Robyn. (Note I said "sit" not "ride".)

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  15. Thanks for making that distinction, GB. This is, afterall, a family friendly blog. Sometimes.

    Al P, I can't answer that question because I've never had intercourse with my bird in hand. At least, I don't think I have. I'd probably remember something like that.

    Yo, Gary, we're thinking down the same lines again. I thought the Green Giant might be able to handle this yo-yo.

    Alex, why am I not surprised?

    JoJo, that's a shame. I destroyed a few childhood things like that too, wish I hadn't.

    Thanks for your fun responses, all. I'm glad I'm not the only who can't work a yo-yo beyond a basic release-and-catch. I'm impressed by those of you who can.

    xoRobyn

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  16. My string was always two feet longer than I was tall. I only Yo'd.

    Is that REALLY a big Yo-yo, or is it regular size one and you are secretly one of "The Borrowers?"

    I love your posts. So...interesting! Sort of like Seinfeld...talk about anything and everything and laugh all the way through it.

    Thanks, Robyn!

    M.L. Swift, Writer

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  17. I have been a klutz on many levels in my life. The yo-yo is just one of my many failures. I tried my best but still couldn't manage doing anything cool with it.

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  18. Wow, that is impressive! I had a yo-yo as a kid and learned a few tricks, but nothing really spectacular.

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  19. I can't believe the massive size of that yo-yo, the video is absolutely incredible as well, it's so cool, this seems like a fun place to visit!

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  20. I like yo-yos but I am terrible at them.The museum looks fun!
    :-)
    Traci

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  21. Ha! That's so cool! Yes, I yo-yoed. I had a Duncan. Duncans. First, a yellow one, then a blue one, then a multi-colored one. We had to save, cause they cost more than 'regular' yo-yos. I couldn't walk the dog, but I did around the world and some other tricks. Now, I'd probably knock myself out!

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  22. I haven't seen a yo yo in a very long time. Actually I had forgotten they even existed. Thanks for jogging my memory. :)

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  23. The coolest kid in our neighborhood (WAY back in the day) could do neat tricks with his yo-yo like the one called "around the world"--snapping it in a circle up and down and around our heads. If you stood too close you got battered. Still, we thought it was deliciously thrilling. Not much else was going on, that's for sure!

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  24. That's a big yo yo! I never was much of a yo yo'er. More like a yo yo thrower once it pissed me off enough because I couldn't figure out how to make it work properly!

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  25. YES! I was a big yo-yoer (is that the correct term?) Duncan was all the rage and everyone had one and would practice at recess. Thanks for the memories!
    Blessings, Joanne

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  26. Aww, yo-yos were all the rage in y pre-teen years. I never learned who to walk the dog either. What a cute store!

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  27. I used to yo-yo, but I haven't done it in years. But man that giant yo-yo is awesome!! I would both love and hate to be the crane driver...if something went wrong....off with your head!!

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  28. I don't now, but I did. I was darn good at! I tried to show off to one of my grand kids with their first yo-yo. I cut my chin while trying to do an around the world. Stupid yo-yo!

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