While some are steering away from the cold, some are choosing to steer into it head-on.
Boyertown area residents Mark Clauss, Gail Maxham, Chris and Cindy Prindle and Mark Stout have built a 17-foot-long cardboard Harley Chopper sled which features an eagle head at its center. The team is planning to compete in Preston and Steve’s Cardboard Classic at Jack Frost Mountain Friday, March 6.
Since last week, the team has been working to construct the massive sled. Their building materials: Cardboard, tape, string and glue. The use of paint was also permitted.
According to the WMMR website, “Our Cardboard Classic is your shot at home made cardboard glory.”
Clauss found out about the contest through a friend who wanted to film it. Upon researching, he decided he wanted to do it. He says there are already more than 100 sleds entered to compete this year.
The competition offers a chance to win $500 to $1,000 in prizes.
Tubes, framework and other materials for the sled were donated by Schaeffer Floor Coverings in Bechtelsville and B.K. Upholstery Inc. in Boyertown. Erb & Henry Equip., Inc. of New Berlinville and ASR Street Machines are also sponsors.
This is the group’s first time participating in the competition and Clauss says the group will only do one run with their sled. That one run will be judged and then the sled will find its way to a shredder at the bottom.
“I hope it stays together on the way down; not many do,” says Clauss, explaining how two of the group members will be pushing for take-off, and then the whole group will go down together. “It may not hold together, but that’s part of the fun. Our project’s pretty big.”
The sled will be competing “Best Sled Incorporating Harley Davidson Theme” category. Through that decision, came the idea of an eagle head and the colors of red, white and blue. “We tied it all together,” he said.
The group will be boasting Evel Knievel-inspired outfits to coincide with their sled’s theme.
Clauss says in the beginning, when it was originally himself and his girlfriend taking on the challenge, they came up with the 3-wheel chopper idea. “We had to build it light,” he explains. Then, with more help came more weight.
In hopes of capturing the entire event, Clauss is planning to install GoPro cameras on the sled and he will also be making a YouTube video.
The team is planning have the sled completed by Wednesday evening; on Friday they’ll be pushing it to the top of the tubing hill.
