| Being a baby boomer, it hasn't been that long ago | | | | buy them with or without a motor, but it took |
| at least in my mind, that I was a kid and I think | | | | the time and skill to assemble them. One of the |
| back to all the things that we had in the lines of | | | | kids down the block came tooling by one day in a |
| recreation and fun. Boy, I remember waiting for | | | | go-cart as his grandpa had purchased a kit, |
| school to get over for the year so we could get | | | | assembled it and painted it for him. Oh yeah, we |
| into some summer time fun.The first thing that | | | | were jealous and knew we had to come up with |
| comes to mind in the lines of early recreation was | | | | something. My one good friend's dad had just |
| of course the bike. This for all practical purposes | | | | bought a new lawn mower and he still had the old |
| was really the only other form of transportation | | | | one in the garage. It was the ole reel type |
| besides walking that we had as kids in order to | | | | mower. It had a Briggs & Stratton 2-1/2 horse |
| get to where we wanted to go. Do you | | | | power engine with a horizontal shaft which was |
| remember those days? Bikes back then were | | | | exactly what you needed for a go cart. We |
| pretty simple with only one speed and the ole | | | | grabbed our hammers and some scrap pieces of |
| back peddle braking system. They did eventually | | | | 2x4 and plywood and put together a real simple |
| come out with the 3 speed which was really | | | | frame.The steering actually was nothing more |
| exciting for us. Some even had the new handle | | | | than just a couple of 2x4's perpendicular to each |
| bar brake levers. After that, about the only other | | | | other with a bolt through them and a rope |
| real excitement was when they introduced the | | | | attached to the ends of the one with the front |
| banana seat. That was cool as you could ride two | | | | tires mounted on it. You pulled the rope to make |
| people much easier and more comfortable. We | | | | the front wheels turn right or left. Very simple |
| also put the baseball cards on the frame with a | | | | indeed but it worked. We took the pulley system |
| clothes pin so that the spokes hit it and made | | | | off the mower and used it as a way to engage |
| noise. We thought that was awesome. Compare | | | | and power one of the rear wheels. We used |
| that to what's available now a days. I don't even | | | | everything off that mower, tires, engine, gears |
| know how many speeds they go up to anymore. | | | | and pulleys, belts, chain and sprockets. We |
| Now you can get the BMX bikes, stunt bikes, | | | | managed to get a cart up and running. It didn't |
| speed bikes, mountain bikes and touring bikes with | | | | look as nice as the other neighbor kids but if was |
| a wide variety of options.The next thing that hit | | | | faster which made up for the looks. We ran this |
| the scene back in my day was roller skates. They | | | | thing for a couple of good years and had a ball |
| were made to fit on your shoes with a strap to | | | | with it. With that being said, I have to admit that |
| hold the back on to your foot and a set of | | | | not too long ago I built a frame with steel tubing, |
| adjustable clamps that one would adjust with a | | | | found a motor, centrifugal clutch and everything |
| special key to clamp to the front of the shoe. | | | | else I needed and put together a pretty nice cart |
| They also had a slot in the middle with a screw | | | | for my son.So what happened next? The |
| that could be loosened to slide the front and rear | | | | neighbor kid up the street got a mini bike from his |
| wheels apart to make the skates longer or | | | | dad. The go-cart was no longer cool. I had to |
| shorter, depending on the shoe size. These | | | | have a mini bike. I even bought plans for one that |
| incredibly enough worked quite well and we really | | | | you could build, supposedly easy. If you're |
| got some use out of them. I also got some | | | | interested, you can get the story and scoop on |
| scuffed up knees, elbows and hands falling on the | | | | my mini bike adventure by simple visiting the |
| cement sidewalks. It was worth it though.It wasn't | | | | website at the end of this article.What about the |
| too long after that when the first skate boards | | | | recreational vehicles of now a days? The BIG |
| came about. Once we saw these, but we didn't | | | | thing that comes to mind is the invasion of the |
| have the money to buy one, it didn't take long to | | | | scooter. Sure they too originated from the past. |
| cure that desire ourselves. We simple took our old | | | | The self-propelled two wheel foot scooter has |
| skates apart in the middle so we had the front | | | | been around for a while. But, for the newer |
| wheels and back separated and grabbed an ole | | | | generation, they have added electric and gas |
| 2x4 laying around and attached the wheels to it | | | | power to these babies. We bought an electric one |
| with some nails or screws. Believe it or not, these | | | | for our son and I must say I wish I would of had |
| homemade boards were loads of fun, but a little | | | | this option when I was a kid. They are fun.But as |
| more dangerous than the skates themselves. No, | | | | time goes on, so does ones desire to find |
| we didn't have helmets back then and to this day | | | | something new. Another of todays big hits to |
| I don't know how there weren't more serious | | | | come about is the 3 and 4 wheelers. There were |
| head injuries, at least not in my neighborhood. | | | | a lot of accidents and injuries with the instability of |
| Have you noticed how skateboarding has | | | | the 3 wheelers and they have pretty much |
| developed into quite a competitive sport? If you | | | | disappeared from the scene due to regulations |
| have ever seen the X-Games on TV, then you | | | | and laws. The 4-wheeler, is still going strong and |
| know that the things people do now a days with | | | | very popular. Yes, my son would like one of |
| skateboards are amazing. They have all the | | | | these too. I don't know as of this writing, if this is |
| special ramps and | | | | in his future or not, lol.Who knows what the |
| equipment which they use to really put on quite | | | | future holds in the lines of recreational toys, but |
| a show. You have probably heard the names | | | | with all the latest technology and growing |
| Tony Hawk or Bob Bernstein at some point in | | | | electronic accomplishments, I'm sure they will be |
| time as they are two of the top competition | | | | quite different from anything I have had in the |
| skateboarders.As a few years pasted, it didn't | | | | past. What have you done or what are you |
| take long before these self powered forms of | | | | currently doing in the lines of recreational toys and |
| transportation were getting old. We wanted | | | | fun?Paul is an average guy who enjoyed many |
| something that had it's own power. It was also | | | | memorable times over the years and as a kid. He |
| around this time that some companies started | | | | enjoys sharing his stories, tips, tricks and helping |
| producing go carts. Once we caught wind of this, | | | | others. If you have something to share or would |
| everybody wanted to have one. The ones you | | | | like to learn more about recreational toys, where |
| could purchase came in two forms. Already | | | | to buy them or find parts, visit: |
| assembled or in a kit that you had to put | | | | Paul is an individual who has been on the Internet |
| together. The kits were less costly and you could | | | | for a few years now. |