Thursday, February 03, 2011

When coaster brakes were sexy

Movie star Rita Hayworth sells the New Departure Coaster Brake. The ad is also promoting Hayworth's appearance in the 1940 movie, "Music In My Heart."



I took these pictures while visiting the Deke Slayton Memorial Space and Bicycle Museum in Sparta, Wisconsin. NASA astronaut Slayton was born in Sparta and there's a wonderful bike trail built on a railroad bed in Sparta. 2 + 2 = Space and Bicycle Museum.

3 comments:

Mark Simonson said...

I should really get back there more often, considering I was born in Sparta. We moved away while I was still a baby, so I don't remember living there, but my grandparents still lived there until sometime in the sixties.

It's really changed a lot from what I remember as a little kid. No bike trails or astronaut museums back then. One thing I do remember is the place that makes giant fiberglass animals and stuff. It's still there, just north of town. It's called F.A.S.T., and they don't mind if you look around.

Mark Simonson said...

Here's a link to F.A.S.T.: http://www.fastkorp.com/

Also this: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2253

David Steinlicht said...

Mark,

Sparta is a cool town. They've preserved their old buildings and the downtown is not deserted. The museum we were in is on one corner of an intersection with nice old buildings housing City Hall, the Post Office and the Library on the other three corners. Very nice!

Next time I'm over that way I will have to get to the fiberglass place. I have read about that and would like to see it.

And, thanks for the useful links!

--David