PTONICS
over from people who are into land luge or something similar. The
Russians supposedly had a team that practiced for the winter on
skate-type luge setups."
PEED GREED
scary because of the noises and vibrations, then you start to feel like
you're floating. Seventy used to make my teeth chatter, but you get
used to it. It definitely fulfills the need for the speed. The hundred
mile an hour barrier isn't going be broken on a straight
Land luges lead sleds You have to ove the name and the concept. be broken on an open road. It won't have 15 mile an hour commers
relates some ideas on the subject: "The fastest we've been clocked
by a car is 78, but I've been clocked by radar at 86 miles an hour. We
started out at 45 and now 65 is boring. When you start at 45, it's
TECH SECT
Design has changed dramatically-the simple longboard of yesterday
has been replaced by a high-tech, high-speed steel rail. Consequently
they're now referred to as sleds rather than skates. "Basically
everything is different than skating-you're lying down," says Ken.
Though there is some talk of custom Michelin rubber racing tires,
good old skate-faithful urethane wheels are still the mainstay-the big-
ger the better. "The taller they are, the faster they go, to a point" says
Ken. "Four inches is a good wheel height, as long as (Continued on page 90)
Above: Fly by, Ken Kinnee and Bob Pereyra of speed. Right: Michael and Marty
Shannon of Marshall, NC-part of a growing stable of East Coast luge haulers.
Photos: C. Katz. Below: Lee Donzi of Seattle, flat out bookin'. Photo: John Miller.
"The next thing I
knew, there's a tire
coming over the back
side of my helmet."