Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Sun Lite for March 1, 2004

Lisa Ferguson

Monday, March 1, 2004 | 8:20 a.m.

How Dry I am

We've all had them: ideas for inventions big and small that could potentially change the face of humankind as we know it oh, yeah, and make us billionaires in the process.

If more of us would follow through, turning the light bulbs floating above our heads into realities, the planet would be, well, even more cluttered with stuff. Nevertheless, this week Sun Lite salutes several folks attempting to fill perceived voids with products and services they've concocted themselves.

We start with an unlikely pair from Texarkana, Texas 19-year-old college sophomore Patrick Lashford and 67-year-old semi-retired paper-bag manufacturer Fay J. Durrant who have invented towelDry, "the world's first in-the-shower reusable towel," which the men guarantee will make hair "lighter, shinier, healthier and more manageable." It's available for $14.95 at where else? toweldry.com.

So what's the trick? TowelDry is designed to be used while you're showering. Wet the product with water and wring it out. After shampooing and rinsing your hair, rub it all over your noggin as though you're attempting to towel-dry your tresses, sopping up any excess water. Next, slather on hair conditioner and rinse as usual. Follow up immediately with another rubbing of the machine-washable towelDry, and (supposedly) voila!

Living-room laps

Next up are Drs. Ted Parks and Craig Davis, orthopedic surgeons from Denver who recently unveiled Gamebike, designed to help video-game-obsessed youngsters and others shape up without forcing them to abandon their favorite sedentary pastime.

No longer should Mom and Dad fret over whether Junior is spending too much time blasting away at aliens, but not enough time exercising. Gamebike uses any Sony PlayStation console and any bicycle (that must be mounted on a standard "indoor trainer" device, available at most sporting-goods stores), allowing riders to control video-game play not with a joystick, but by pedaling and steering.

How does it work? The bike's front wheel rests in Gamebike's platform, while the rear wheel sits in the trainer, where magnets detect its speed as it rotates. A dozen video-game titles are compatible with the system ($139 at www.gamebike.com), which includes the front-tire platform, the magnetic sensor and the required cables and connectors. Heck, Junior will likely be too busy trying to beat his high score to ever miss any of that overrated fresh air and stupid scenery.

Where's the kitchen sink?

What parents couldn't relate to Frank and Natalie Pechacek's tale? The pair decided rather than tow all of the supplies they'd need for their infant son and toddler daughter on a family trip, they'd gather the gear at local stores upon arrival at their destination. They didn't count on not being able to find the items they wanted and/or having to fork over big bucks for mundane purchases.

That's when the couple gave birth to the idea for Babies Travel Lite, their business that delivers must-have items diapers, formula, food and the like to families attempting to lighten their vacation-baggage loads.

Order the goods (at www.babiestravellite.com or (888) 450-LITE) before traveling and "bundles" a day's worth of supplies or individual packages of name-brand products, including Pampers, Gerber and Huggies, will arrive at the hotel/cabin in the woods/five-star beach resort/Aunt Frannie's house before you do.

The prices for most of the company's offerings are comparable or, in some cases, a wee bit higher; the cost of convenience, we suppose to those found in most supermarkets. Also available through Babies Travel Lite are health-care items including as first-aid kits and over-the-counter kids' medicines; "sun care" and "bath time" products; and other shouldn't-have-left-home-without-'em novelties such as night lights.