How did we manage to reach adulthood?

[D2Cat]

 

[PHPaul]

Yup, on a toboggan, behind a '63 Mercury Comet. Stopping was a thrill...

 

[Moose7060]

Boot skiing was popular when I was a kid. Run up behind a slow moving vehicle and grab the bumper. We always were in a competition to see who could get the farthest.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Tractor inner tube behind pickup as a kid, barb wire fences where our enemy!
Also skiing behind a horse.

 

[rc51stierhoff]

That was just good clean fun IMO….except for the mailbox posts…those were not fun going around the loop (cracking’ the whip) in a cultisack.

Doesn’t seem very dangerous at all compared to what some do to / allow kids to do today.

 

[DustyRusty]

When I was in my 20s I was working construction when I wasn't in school. The ironworkers challenged me to walk across a steel beam. They taught me how with a beam placed on the ground. After some practice, they took me up to the first level and said don't look down, and remember what you were taught. I did it successfully, and many times after that during that summer. The opportunity never presented itself again and I probably wouldn't have tried anyway. As I got older I got smarter and realized that life-altering things happen quickly.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I've never understood why anyone would PAY and willingly get OUT of an airplane knowing they only have 2 chances to live........

 

[Lil Foot]

When I was a young motorcycle rider, I once did a 1/2 mile (measured) through the town of Carefree, AZ, while performing a "Crucifix", at night.
(throttle set at 40mph, standing on the seat, arms out at right angles, like a crucifix.)
I won lots of money on bets performing that stunt over the years, but never again for that long a distance.

Also used to draft 75mph semis for miles on small motorcycles (150-250ccs) at a range of about 4-5 feet.

Looking back, it's amazing I'm still here.

 

[RCW]

Having been a farm kid, sometimes I’m surprised we got through it. Some of us didn’t or were maimed pretty badly.

We grabbed the back of our hay wagon racks on our bicycles. The MF Super 90 would do over 20 mph. Could get hairy. The old Moline only did 11, so that was easier.

That road now has a lot more traffic going too fast. Wouldn’t advise that today.

Had several sledding routes on the farm that were pretty steep and treacherous with some obstacles, including barbed wire fence here and there.

Had a couple neighbor boys that had hemophilia. One got pretty banged up and had some internal bleeding they couldn’t stop.

He had a long stay at the hospital but entirely enjoyed the experience.. His parents even agreed that he was so much happier being outside and doing things like that.

I won’t get into hanging blower pipe for the silos….had to do it and hated heights. You did what you were told to do.

 

[Henro]

When I was a young motorcycle rider, I once did a 1/2 mile (measured) through the town of Carefree, AZ, while performing a "Crucifix", at night.
(throttle set at 40mph, standing on the seat, arms out at right angles, like a crucifix.)
I won lots of money on bets performing that stunt over the years, but never again for that long a distance.

Also used to draft 75mph semis for miles on small motorcycles (150-250ccs) at a range of about 4-5 feet.

Looking back, it's amazing I'm still here.

I was going to reply something similar. Like "How did we survive early adulthood?"

Yes, I also remember drafting semi's on the turnpike or interstate on my bikes...and worse...passing between two semi's that were passing each other, passing between them of course!

Without getting into more details...I am amazed I am still here. Actually that was before I settled down, got married, and the wife produced a couple cute kids that took over my life ... well, I guess the wife took over part of my life as well.

No regrets...

 

[Daren Todd]

View attachment 141170

We used to just hold onto the bumper and get towed across a parking lot.

I used to check how slick our hill was by getting a running start and seeing how far I could slide on the smooth soles of my work boots.

I did that one time and ended up down at the bottom of our hill a 1/2 mile from the house

Dad was out there with me at the time I got the running start. Once he seen me crest the hill and start down the 7% grade, he went back inside.

He knew it was gonna be a while before I made it back home

I found him in his recliner drinking some hot cocoa when I walked back inside and hour later

 

[chim]

While in grade school, we were allowed to play with "Jarts" unsupervised, go fishing in nearby creeks and be pretty much on our own. I was most at risk while piloting my first '67 Camaro at 19. It was an SS/RS and had a modified 350 that I "drove in a most spirited manner".

 

[GrassLakeRon]

How did we reach adulthood? I'm 13 forever

 

[The Evil Twin]

What is this "adulthood" you speak of?
In the 90's we took old skateboard decks (without trucks and wheels) and used them as snowboarsd behind my old Bronco. I tied a waterski rope ot the hitch. We would cruise the parkway over and over. The police in their Crown Vics would just watch and shake their heads.

 

[Moose7060]

 

[dlsmith]

Don't think I ever saw a pickup with Keystone mags on it before.

 

[Yooper]

Heck, we all rode bicycles without helmets! The nerve!