Prior to me building my go cart, my older brother and I had gotten a combined
birthday and Christmas present of a Sears mini bike.
Well, I did not get to ride it as much as I wanted and he was not a good rider at all.
One afternoon Papa asked him why he wouldn't let me ride it.
Brother Paul said I was too young and it was far too dangerous.
I`m quite sure he had Mom`s ear at every waking moment on this as well
Papa said let him ride it.
He looks a lot more comfortable on it than you do.
He slides it right around the trees wide open with mud flying everywhere.
It is dangerous Papa. I told you to get the Honda QA 50 like I asked you to.
It has no suspension and the brake is no good.
Papa said let me try it.
Well Papa took off at a blazing 25 mph and kept kicking the brake in the mud.
Eventually, he high sided and was covered in mud from head to toe.
Well Paul, the brake seems to work just fine.
Well then why did you crash?
I don`t ride as well as Sandy.
So my construction continued as I had planned to use the clutch set up from
our old reel lawnmower with a locked rear axle and the engine mounted in the middle
of the rear end. I only had hard tire wheels which I didn`t like.
Paper route money only goes so far.
Just before I had written my Xmas list Paul was riding down from the barn on the
dirt road and may have thought he would over run the house and end up on Rte 6A.
I did not see his right leg try to hit the brake.
I did watch him turn toward the house.
He hit the riser of the stairs going up to the back porch.
I watched in slo mo frame by frame as his ass came up off the seat.
Higher and higher.
I don't know if he went more than 45 degrees as I was laughing hysterically.
How he held on I will never know.
I ran over and looked at the mini bike.
The forks were bent and my mind started plotting.
I said Papa it would probably cost more to fix than it`s worth.
Paul said he could fix it.
Fish on.
Paul knew what I was thinking.
That March we moved to NH and 20 acres of woods with fire roads and a garage
under Papa`s office.
I had my very own little shop of horrors without those pesky plants.
Paul would not give up on the mini bike.
I had my eye on the wheels first.
I went to Philbricks lawnmower and found a bone yard.
They had some nice tires I wanted for the fronts.
The owner opened an account for me that I would pay every month
with my paper route money. They liked me and my crazy dream.
Paul knew what I was up to and denied me the 3 1/2 hp on the
still bent mini bike.
I stole the tires and clutch off the mini bike and bang it was done before he knew what
hit him on a Saturday afternoon with all present.
I hadn`t even cut the front axle down and had no cotter pins in yet either.
I wrapped packing tape around the axle.
Off I went.
Papa rode it next.
He laughed.
Paul did not want to ride.
My older sister did...........
Another chapter?
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