by JimHinckley | Apr 21, 2022 | kite accessories, Kites |
These are stressful times. That may be stating the obvious. But there are two simple ways to alleviate stress. Kites and road trips. Even better, combine the two. Start with a stop at Tumbleweeds & Tarantulas in Bullhead City, Arizona. We are the largest and... 
by JimHinckley | Mar 20, 2022 | kite accessories, Kites, Windsock |
Kites On The Beach started in the 1950s, then the trend became a tsunami. Charles Kuralt summed it up succinctly , “Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel across the country from coast to coast without seeing anything.” With... 
by JimHinckley | Feb 24, 2022 | kite accessories, Kites |
Myths & Childhood Dreams, To visit Tumbleweeds & Tarantulas in Bullhead City, Arizona, your one stop shop for kites and kite supplies in the Colorado River Valley is to step back to the days of childhood. Kites are a link to a pre-video game era when school... 
by JimHinckley | Jan 28, 2022 | kite accessories, Kites |
Celebrate Spring at Glenwood, New Mexico Glenwood, New Mexico along U.S. 180 is at the heart of an adventurers paradise. And the sense of history is palpable. Celebrate Spring at this small ranching community is located on the fringe of the vast picturesque Gila... 
by JimHinckley | Dec 31, 2021 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized, Windsock |
Well, it is the dawn of a new year. And even if we have A Full Calendar we are experiencing another worrisome COVID surge with corresponding restrictions, there is a ray sunshine. The apocalypse seems to be winding down and people are again making plans. A Full... by JimHinckley | Nov 29, 2021 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized, Windsock |
The avid kite enthusiast will often use words like liberating, relaxing, or peaceful to describe the time spent in the hobby. Sending a kite soaring into a blue sky as it dances on the breeze seems to erase concerns and worries. Apparently there are some kite... 
by JimHinckley | Oct 29, 2021 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
Go Fly A Kite 2022. In the past year or so social distancing, the shutdowns and COVID 19 related restrictions have provided ample opportunity to discover, or rediscover, the simple joys of kite flying. For people fortunate enough to live in Bullhead City, Arizona and... 
by JimHinckley | Sep 30, 2021 | kite accessories, Kites, Windsock |
Legend of the Kite still have an international appeal equal to the kite. Kite flying is popular in Beijing, China, Bullhead City, Arizona, and Cape Tpwn, South Africa. But where did the kite originate? Many historians that have worked to answer that question start... by JimHinckley | Aug 27, 2021 | kite accessories, Kites |
Kites have been used to relax and for scientific experiment. They have been pressed into service during combat and fostered friendly competition between villages. Here in the states, kites figure prominently in festivals as well as fond childhood memories. And... 
by JimHinckley | Jul 31, 2021 | Featured, kite accessories, Kites, Windsock |
In the 21st century age old traditions have been competing with video games, television, on line streaming services and smart phones. At times traditions seem to be loosing the battle. But scattered here and they are special places, living time capsules. Just such a... 
by JimHinckley | Jun 26, 2021 | Featured, kite accessories, Kites, Windsock |
How do you inspire a new generation of kite enthusiasts? Aside from bringing the children or grandchildren to Tumbleweeds & Tarantulas in Bullhead City, Arizona, and buying a kite or two, inspire the imagination with a book or two. How Ben Franklin Stole the... by JimHinckley | May 25, 2021 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized, Windsock |
Kite flying is a proven means of stress relief. But kite flying is no mere hobby with therapeutic benefits. It is also a bridge between the past and the present. Here is a point to ponder. Some historians that specialize in Asian culture are of the belief that kite... by JimHinckley | Apr 24, 2021 | Featured, kite accessories, Kites, Windsock |
Spring is an ideal time to discover or rediscover the simple pleasures of kite flying. And it is a perfect tie for introducing a new generation to the hobby. For the expert or novice, Tumbleweeds & Tarantulas for all things kite related in the upper Colorado River... 
by JimHinckley | Mar 26, 2021 | kite accessories, Kites, Windsock |
Spring Time At Tumbleweeds and Tarantulas every season is kite season. But for most enthusiasts spring awakens a hunger to sail a kite in the breeze. And it is also an ideal time to discover the simple pleasures of kite flying. Interest in kites has been on the... by JimHinckley | Feb 25, 2021 | kite accessories, Kites |
Let’s Celebrate Spring. This past year has been challenging, to say the very least. The COVID 19 pandemic derailed plans, caused a great deal of misery and in general upended life. Now there is a ray of sunshine on the horizon. Nationwide the number of daily... by JimHinckley | Jan 27, 2021 | Featured, kite accessories, Kites |
Kites are unique in that they have an international appeal that is rooted in antiquity. As a result they are excellent for bridging chasms of culture or language. Japanese historians believe that kites were first introduced into the country by Buddhist missionaries... 
by JimHinckley | Dec 28, 2020 | kite accessories, Kites |
Chinese folklore is rich with tales and legends of dragons so it should not be surprising to learn that the mythical creatures figure prominently in kite designs. Some of the most intriguing legends blend dragons and the use of dragon kites used to help fight off... 
by JimHinckley | Nov 30, 2020 | kite accessories, Kites |
Time Capsules In movies, books and stories kites are often used to portray a sense of whimsy. They are linked to the carefree days of childhood. But like simple, carefree days kites are fragile. They are made of paper, twine, wood or silk. As a result vintage or... 
by JimHinckley | Oct 28, 2020 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
Flying Good Times Harvey A. Sellers, was a seller of paper. He was also an avid kiting enthusiast. Disappointed by the poor construction and quality of available commercial kites, he began tinkering with kite designs in his basement. His break came with the idea to... 
by JimHinckley | Sep 26, 2020 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
Oasis In Troubling Times. At the very least 2020 will be remembered as a year of stress and uncertainty. Both are detrimental to physical and mental health. The kite enthusiast that shops at Tumbleweed and Tarantulas has long known that stress is easily cured with a... 
by JimHinckley | Aug 29, 2020 | kite accessories, Kites |
The kites & pizza hideaway restaurant across the street from the Oklahoma State University campus in Stillwater, Oklahoma is an institution. The doors at the original restaurant opened for business in 1957 making this one of the oldest pizza parlors in the Sooner... 
by JimHinckley | Jul 25, 2020 | Featured, kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
Here is to a point to ponder. A recent archaeological excavation in the Vanuatu Islands included a burial site more than 3,000 years old with an engraving of a kite. When you are relaxing under a desert sky while watching your kite dance on high, when you stop by... 
by JimHinckley | Jun 28, 2020 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized, Windsock |
Building A Kite, Okay, I think we can all agree that flying a kite is a great way to alleviate COVID 19 induced stress. When shared with friends it is also a pleasant way to do a bit of social distancing. Now, if you have a bit of extra time on your hands courtesy of... 
by JimHinckley | May 28, 2020 | kite accessories, Kites |
Kites On The Big Screen. The popularity of the kite can not be overstated. Festivals celebrating the kite and the simple pleasures of kite flying are held throughout the world. Some of these festivals are rooted in centuries of tradition. Still, few things attest to... 
by JimHinckley | Apr 28, 2020 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
Forgotten History of kites are ideally suited for this time of social distancing and quarantine. Hours can be spent with this relaxing past time and kite flying is a great way to enjoy the spring like temperatures. A visit to Tumbleweeds and Tarantulas is all you need... by JimHinckley | Mar 30, 2020 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
Kites & Quarantine offer a special way of maintaining the Corona-virus mandated social distancing. As a bonus they can provide a bit of peace in a troubled time. There is, however, another way to enjoy kites in a time of mandatory quarantine and that is to binge... 
by JimHinckley | Feb 28, 2020 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
Well, that is different. Kites are almost universal in their appeal. In most every country on earth people associate kites with fond childhood memories. And in most countries there are also legends linked to a story about a kite. In some instances those legends are,... by JimHinckley | Jan 27, 2020 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
Odds & Ends and the joy of kite flying transcends barriers of language, of culture and of age. It is nearly universal in nature. In most every country in the world you can find people laughing as they send kites high into the sky to dance on the breeze. Kites are... 
by JimHinckley | Dec 28, 2019 | Featured, Kites, Uncategorized |
That Was Different. This past spring the 36th International Kite Festival was held on the International Kite Flying Field in Weifang City, Shandong Province, China. Launched in 1984, the festival has become one of the oldest, largest and most popular festivals in... 
by JimHinckley | Nov 28, 2019 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
Willy Copens was a Belgian soldier fighting in WWI. On Thursday, April 15, 1915, watched a German Zeppelin pass overhead on its return from a bombing mission in England and he was flooded with memories. On the same beach, when he was five years old, running among the... by JimHinckley | Oct 29, 2019 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
Coming To A Town, kite stores such as Tumbleweeds & Tarantulas are opening in towns large and small as the popularity of kites is on an upswing. Still, pardon the pun, to a large degree the sport of kiting flies under the radar even though there are some major... 
by JimHinckley | Sep 25, 2019 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized, Windsock |
Oddly enough, from their inception innovative military strategists have found use for kites. In fact there is historic evidence that kites originated in China as a tool of war. Made of light wood and cloth and designed to imitate the natural flight of birds, these... 
by JimHinckley | Aug 29, 2019 | Featured, kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
Aside from Route 66, there are few things other than kites that I can think of which transcend barriers of language and culture. According to legend, Benjamin Franklin made his most shocking discovery while flying a kite. Since the fifth century B.C. in China, kites... by JimHinckley | Jul 30, 2019 | Featured, kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
Afghanistan is an ancient county. War and battles have been a way of life for decades and centuries, and now village is spared from the fierce fighting. In Kabul, the battle for dominance of the skies predates the historic flight of Oliver and Wilbur Wright, and even... 
by JimHinckley | Jun 22, 2019 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
It is doubtful if your health insurance provider or HMO will buy you a kite from Tumbleweeds & Tarantulas. Still there is a therapeutic benefit to kite flying. Kite flying can also enhance your time spent with family, help you drop a pound or two, and, perhaps,... by JimHinckley | May 25, 2019 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
It’s kite season! Well, every season is actually kite season but summer is ideally suited to this pursuit of idyllic childhood reminiscing. And summer is always the season for an array of kite festivals. Scheduled for June 22 -23 the annual Summer Kite Festival... 
by JimHinckley | Apr 20, 2019 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
The High Flying History of Kites The first hot air air balloon amazed crowds when it debuted in 1783. In 1903 the first mechanically powered aircraft took flight. These manifestations of mans quest to dance on the winds with the freedom of a bird are recent history... 
by JimHinckley | Mar 30, 2019 | Uncategorized |
Go Fly A Kite Telling someone to go fly a kite is often viewed in the context of a brush off. However, there could be another connotation as the flying of kites is one of the few carefree pastimes that is often enjoyed from childhood through becoming a centenarian.... by JimHinckley | Feb 20, 2019 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
Let’s have some fun. How about some kite trivia? Tumbleweeds & Tarantulas is one your stop kite store in Bullhead City but do you know where the largest kite store in the country is located? The largest kite store in the United States is located in Newport,... 
by JimHinckley | Dec 20, 2018 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
Mark your calendar, start making travel plans, and pick up your kite supplies and kites at Tumbleweeds and Tarantulas. For the kite enthusiast who also happens to enjoy the classic American road trip, what could be better than an epic cross country adventure (on Route... by JimHinckley | Nov 25, 2018 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
Kites and kiting can be a delightful hobby for the budget conscious or the youngster looking to get the most out of their allowance, the average customer at Tumbleweeds & Tarantulas. As with any hobby, however, the sky is the limit. Consider the Joachim Nellissen... by JimHinckley | Oct 15, 2018 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
Fun With Kite Trivia Let’s have some fun with some trivia about kites! Did you know…. Fun With Kite Trivia. A kite only .196 inches holds the title of smallest flying kite in the world. At the other end of the scale the largest kite dubbed the Megabite... 
by JimHinckley | Aug 15, 2018 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
It was the summer of ’65. My dad had just returned from a six month deployment. I was just a kid and don’t remember all of the details (it would be nice if I did) but after reading the Sunday comics, dad mixed up a concoction of flour and water to make... by JimHinckley | Apr 20, 2018 | art supplies, Featured, kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
It is never to late. If you have always been a doodler that dreamed of being an artist but education, work, career, family and life in general ensured this was always just fantasy, perhaps it is time to take the first steps toward making it a reality. Start with a bit... 
by JimHinckley | Mar 15, 2018 | kite accessories, Kites, Uncategorized |
You may have noticed that the wind blows often in the Colorado River Valley, northwestern Arizona, and in the California desert. Imagine how much fun it would be to harness the wind and fly across the desert, across Red Lake, the dry lake bed north of Kingman, or over... 
Stratosphere DC Kite $115.00
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