Another of the Things I Would Never Say to My Father

"Dad, can I have a ride to baseball practice?"

As a kid all that was needed to go to baseball practice was my glove.  There were no bat bags, water bottles, spikes, sunscreen or sunglasses to bring along.  I don't think water bottles or bat bags existed, at least in my world.

Almost everyone showed up for games or practices on their bicycles.  It was quite simple really.  Put on uniform or practice closes, toss on your team hat and then put your glove on the handle bars.  Since our one-speed bikes had no hand breaks that was easy.

As a kid I loved to just put my glove on the handlebars and ride to baseball.  Such as easy thing to do.  I found out one summer that the same handlebar plan didn't work was well for a gallon of milk that met a Chicago pothole.  Try explaining that at home when you know that there isn't much money around.

How did we get a drink?  We went to the water fountain.  Maybe that's why I have so many cavities?  No, those were more likely due to the old method of making Kool-Aid.  I think two cups of sugar were added to two quarts of water and the tiny flavor packet.

What made me think of this?  I was riding my bike yesterday and I got detoured due to construction.  I decided to ride through a neighborhood that has its own small airport with one runway.  Then I remembered that a through-street actually bisected the runway.  I decided that it would make for a fun ride to actually cross the runway during a bike ride since not many  people get to do that.

I stayed in the neighborhood for about 20 minutes and crossed the runway three times.  Unfortunately there were no plans.  I found out why about 30 minutes (and 8 miles from home) later when the heavy rain started.

What does this have to do with Kellogg's cards?  Nothing, but I like taking tangents.  Bo Jackson has a charity bike ride across Alabama.  I'd like to make a Kellogg's card of him.

Update - I mistakenly didn't post this in the morning because it had a future posting date.  In the meantime, I actually walked past Bo at a grocery store.

The Mets traded Tom Seaver and Dave Kingman on this day in 1977.  Bad moves by the Mets.  Both ended up playing for the Mets again.  Kingman was born in Mount Prospect, IL, a place I was in yesterday.  Kingman talked about bike riding a lot.