Astoria Column has a long, and fun, tradition of kids launching balsa gliders from the top of the tower.
The gliders can be purchased in the gift shop, which can sell as many as 600 gliders on a busy summer day. The shop will even assemble them to order for waiting customers. While most of the gliders slowly spiral down around the tower to be retrieved by their owners or reflown, some have been found as far as 6 miles away. The tower chose balsa gliders because of their biodegradable construction, and the money helps support the maintenance of the tower.
I wish I had brought more than 1 up with me, but for a moment I was a kid again!
