Theme Thursday - Transportation
I especially like this theme, as it brought backmany long lost memories.
If we weren't walking everywhere, we rode
our 10 speeds all over the town of Daly City,
and Westlake Ca. Sometimes, we rode to Playland.
If we left early enough in the morning, we'd ride
across the Golden Gate Bridge into
Sausalito for Fish & Chips. Prior to my living there
this fantastic Fish & Chip place went out of business.
It was amazing what we'd find and who we'd
meet on these journeys of ours.
Around 1964-65 I managed
to make enough money to purchase a
Hobie Skateboard. The cost: $15.00
Of course, prior to this,
we took skates and a piece of wood and
made our own skateboard until we
could afford the real deal.
click to enlarge (no it's not me)We'd also slip in to San Francisco, going to
Market Street and see a movie on a large
screen in the summer. Think we saw Woodstock
at least 5 times. We'd take a cable car into Chinatown
for some Chinese Food, and go further to
Columbus & Bay to Tower Records, when
records/vinyl were a mere $2.99.
We never thought twice about taking
a Jitney around our town, bike, skateboard
or simply walk. And the Greyhound, and the same
driver who knew you by name was also enjoyable.
I believe it was in the 70s that talk of cutting back
the line into SF from Daly City came about.
I remember our driver was sad about maybe
losing his job. I wonder why so many today
find it so hard to take mass transit?
================================
All journeys have secret destinations,
of which the traveler is unaware.
Martin Bubar
what about me - quicksilver
19 comments:
great post!! man, it's been a while since I heard that song!
sounds like we're similar in age! I totally identified with the skateboard story...I wasn't much for doing tricks on my stakeboard, used it just to get around a bit faster if I wasn't wanting to use my bike.
the pictures all made me smile
bubar quote - right on!
Dennis would like a skateboard.
What a price for a bike! I won a 10 speed in a raffle when I was somewhere around 14 or 15. With 7 kids in the family that thing got so used. We rode it everywhere.
Did you see the Dogtown documentary?
Growing up, my blue Schwinn bike was my main transport. On summer days with nothing to do, I'd ride 4 hours in one direction, then turn around and ride back (via some other route) I'd leave early and take a sandwich. It was a small bike, with coaster brakes. We never got upgraded, lucky to have a bike.
It was a great way to explore.
My skateboard was a birthday gift that I had begged for. It was a maroon color, a wooden board, with Hang Ten "feet" logo. I just wore it out, and recall my dad repairing it for me a few times. I'm sure I went through a few skateboards, one of which was hot pink, but the Hang Ten was my preferred board. I haven't thought about it for a long time. I was into gymnastics and very athletic as a kid, so the skateboard was pretty easy for me. Jumps and spins--no ramps like they have now, but we had plenty of hills and were stupidly fearless. (and plenty scabby) My older sister could easily pogo stick around the block, but I had zero interest in the pogo.
My first bike was a cruiser that I bought when I was eight. The family three doors down was moving to England and couldn't take it with them. I paid five bucks, money that I saved in a little bank that only took dimes.
Mass transit involves other people, whereas when you are in your car, it's all about YOU. You have the power, you choose the soundtrack, you try to go the fastest and get there FIRST. Mass transit takes longer, and you have to learn to relax and deal with whatever might happen, and maybe even talk to OTHER PEOPLE. Ew.
Love the Schwinn ad- they were always such a presence in Chicago, until the family sold the business to some larger entity. But growing up, Schwinn MEANT bicycles to me.
Los Angeles has such a sorry excuse for public transportation - when I was back in Chicago, I took the "El" everywhere, it was great - it's convenient, it goes everywhere people want to go; or it connects to busses - and it gets cars off the road - oh, wait, I'm waxing sensible.
today Chuck in Seattle featured an espresso bar I'd never heard of.
here's the link:
http://almostoneaday.blogspot.com/
Dennis wants a little bank that only takes dimes. Dimes are so cute.
mouse: Well, the most we did with our boards, was jump off the curb, do wheelies down steep hills, and jump over sticks, rather than limbo under. Seems most of us are within the same age range. Those were the days. I really enjoyed Quicksilvers 1st 2 albums and John Cippolinas guitar playing.
dennis: You need to get a pic of you and chedwick going down a street in NY. More fun than sitting on top of someones head.
mary: Bike riding and outside your neighborhood was nothing to fear in those days. Have not seen Dogtown but will put on a list for winter rental.
ched: I remember and can visualize the Hang Ten board! The Hobie then was the early Cadillac version of the skateboard. Yeah, pogo sticking was fun for about a minute or 2. I had a friend who had a unicycle. Could never get into that either.
merle: That was $5.00 well spent I'm sure! ; )
kurt: Other People Exist! ; )
diva: Yep, Schwinn was everywhere. We stayed in Rosemount and took whatever it was downtown and walked until we couldn't walk anymore. A far cry from here and we enjoyed it alot. And had a few interesting conversations and heard some too. Hope you're feeling better!
ched: Vivace is where we purchase our coffee for home. We went there both times we house watched everday for a month we were out there to start our day. South of that street bar, was the roaster, where we went. I've mentioned it before, or maybe I deleted those posts?
dennis: Man, I'd settle 4 a bank full of pennies at this rate.
Bro,
Remember the flexie(sp)that sled like thing you road? I think it may have been Scott's?
I was pretty young so I may not recall this 100%.
I would not let our kids out at night in that neighborhood now.
Great memories though of the olden days, yikes, did I really just write that.
I love you!
I'm so jealous of the freedom you seemed to have had. Makes me wonder if teenage boys are freer than teenage girls. Or perhaps I was just too timid and too introverted to have used a bike as... transportation. I had a bike, and loved it, but it was only used to get away, not GO anywhere.
As to public transportation biases, that may be a bit of a gender thing as well. I never felt safe on buses. Young girls I know now describe similarly uncomfortable situations. What I wish for most of all in a public transport sort of way is trains. I'm waiting for them to make a comeback.
shar: Yeah, the flexie....forgot about that one. Can't imagine the old neighborhood being bad though.
cbb: I truly understand the gender "thing" to which you mention. It's sad, because when I was in Germany 2x and we were out 'til 3/4 in the morning and waiting for a bus or subway train, I noticed women by themselves and the guys leaving them alone. It was astonishing to me, knowing what it's like here. Maybe its changed since the Wall came down. I noticed plenty there that far surpassed what's going on here in the usa.
Yesterday after reading your blog, I went and hung out downtown, thinking 'dur... what can I take a picture of?' as everyone was just hanging on corners or sitting on benches, blah.
then these kids walked by with skateboards and I asked them to pose, which they did, and they told me about themselves and how their MOMS were skateboarders back in the 1970s and they mentioned Hobie boards and clay wheels, and the birth of snowboarding.
I think for girls, you had as much freedom if you were a tomboy (which I certainly was) and could be relied on for a game of baseball, frisbee or stickball when the boys organized these things. If you were a good fielder, and decent batter & runner you were accepted! I don't think I would have been included if I hadn't been so athletic. The only sport I hated as a kid was tetherball.
Nice board. I have a Hobie from the early 70s. Love the woodwork on them.
Your posts reminds me of Colorado where bikes are everywhere, even in the winter and now skateboards are a growing trend.
squirrel: Nice pictures and I know what you mean about tomboys. I was friends and even play wrestled with one in our class. I'm not sure why I inwardly understood from a young age that there's really no difference between any of us, anywhere in the world. It wasn't taught, and my feelings of this get frustrating as years go by. Its so easy to accept, rather than deny.
rotardo: Yep, I wish I had hung on to mine. It was a beaut! Thanks for passing by.
larry: At this age, I'll take the bike any day. But I bet I could still make a very long wheelie down a hill if I tried! ; )
They have busses and, more recently, trains here(Dallas). I've never used either and was scared off the idea by a lifelong resident(moved here from CA as a child) of the area, back when I first arrived. He said he wouldn't think of using the bus, 'cause he once saw one going down the street, some guy in the back getting the snot beat out of him by a bunch of gangbangers, and the driver acting oblivious.
Fortunately, I've never needed to, but any time I think about riding the bus, that scene flashes in my mind.
Also heard stories of people getting jumped on their way to the car after disembarking the train.
I guess i'm saying, in answer to your query about folks finding it so hard to take mass transit these days: fear. We feel safer in our own vehicle. Falsely of course, but I think that's a major factor for many.
I wish it could still be like when you were a young'n, riding bikes and trolleys out west. It was very nice reading all that.
Love the Bubar quote, and that song I haven't even thought about in years. Boom! I was suddenly 18 again! Thanks, Coffee.
decker: Imagine not having been on public trans for years (there's nothing like that except a local bus here for the elderly) and going into Chicago and not only taking the subway, but walking among the very people you mention in your bus story.
We've found all these people very personable and yes, there are those who are a pain in the ass and take advantage of peoples fear. The key though, don't sit in the back, watch the time of day, and simply don't put yourself in a position to be treated like that.
There are indeed areas to stay away from, but then, even those areas hold nice people who are simply down on their luck. With our economy taking a nose dive, we too can end up like that! ;(
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