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