13 Comments on “”

1. katry Says:

   
   April 11, 2015 at 12:04 pm

   John F. Kennedy quote
2. Bob Says:

   
   April 11, 2015 at 1:06 pm

   When I was little kid in NYC kids would hold onto the back of busses on bikes or jump onto the bumper. Today we call those kids and folks who don’t wear helmets on motorcycles ‘organ donors’ riding. 🙂
   • katry Says:

     
     April 11, 2015 at 1:12 pm

     Bob,
     In those days I didn’t know a single kid who ever got hit by a car when riding or holding the back of the car. We never had helmets or pads. I fell sometimes but wasn’t ever really hurt.

     Those were the days!
     • Bob Says:

       
       April 11, 2015 at 5:56 pm

       You’re right, the big risk back then in the summer was polio.
     • katry Says:

       
       April 11, 2015 at 6:14 pm

       Bob,
       I got polio vaccine when I was young so even that threat disappeared.

       Cars didn’t go as fast or recklessly back then. I always felt safe on my bike.
3. Spaceman Says:

   
   April 11, 2015 at 3:49 pm

   Still legal to ride in back of pick-up in Bama. Tradition runs deep, ya know. Nephews and nieces love it
   • katry Says:

     
     April 11, 2015 at 6:17 pm

     Spaceman,
     When I was kid, it was okay but not now though I suspect no one would notice on some of Northern New England’s back roads but around here the police would stop the truck.
4. Morpfy Says:

   
   April 11, 2015 at 7:48 pm

   nice car
   • katry Says:

     
     April 11, 2015 at 8:08 pm

     Morpfy,
     A station wagon?
5. MT C Says:

   
   April 12, 2015 at 9:19 am

   Kat,

   Ah, yes, bumper surfing. What fun that was! So much easier than peddling and much quicker, too. Many times the driver never knew and if they did realize the ‘tag-a-longs’ they would either drive very carefully or stop and inform the tags of how dangerous they perceived it to be. We (the surfers) never took the warning seriously.

   I usually only surfed from home to the town common and got off as it was next to the local grocery or downhill a short ways to the gas station. Both had drinks and candy. About a quarter mile.

   My brother laid claim to surfing all the way to Shelburne Falls and back. A distance of 7 1/2 miles either way. He claimed it, no one ever verified it. And as he never revealed who the drivers were, I graciously acknowledged his claim but refused to believe it. Which of course had repercussions. I don’t recall what the repercussion was, but I’m sure it was probably no more than a shot to the shoulder.

   Carl
   • katry Says:

     
     April 12, 2015 at 10:12 am

     Carl,
     We also used to tie our sleds to the back bumpers for a wonderful glide over the snowy roads. We never thought of anything but how fun it was.

     I bet there were few cars on the road back then. A friend of mine grew up in Shelburne Falls, and when I visited in the 70’s, the streets were almost empty of cars. I remember taking a walk at night and being bombarded by bats.

     Did your brother ever mention how he got home?
     • MT C Says:

       
       April 12, 2015 at 1:33 pm

       He claimed he surfed back home from Shelburne Falls too. That would have been a total of 15 miles in one morning on a bike. I still question his claim to that feat, but…

       Carl
     • katry Says:

       
       April 12, 2015 at 2:05 pm

       Carl,
       I think he’s stretching his story a bit. I’m with you!

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