The Scwhinn
Oct. 20th, 2004 03:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
murakoziDunno why, but something today triggered an old memory.
I got my first bike when I was in the first grade in Kansas. It was a green Scwhinn. Kind of a metallic green with a green and white seat. I don't actually remember whether I got it for Christmas or my birthday or what. The first real memory I have of it was when my father taught me to ride it. We lived on base in a big and rather old building nicknamed 'The Beehive.' at Fort Leavenworth. No, not the prison. There's actually an army command school there, among other things. I can remember being told the basics of riding and some safety rules, then it was time to learn to ride. I was on that bike whenever I had the chance, and the training wheels came off after only a week.
From Kansas, we moved to Fort Carson in Colorado, then to Maryland. The bike came along both times. It had been a little bit too big for me when I was 7, so I didn't really outgrow it til around the 5th grade. Over time, there were slight modifications. Being the 70's, I ended up putting those big chopper-like handlebars on it. I dunno what they're officially called. I also put on a banana seat and a short sissy bar. Again, being the 70's, it also ended up with one of those stupid orange safety flags that stuck up from the back. Everyone had one at the time, but looking back, it just seems like a big triangular "here comes a dork' banner. At some point I'd also put some kind of stickers along the upper part of the frame that said something lame like 'Turbo 2000!'
That bike held up forever. It had a few scrapes on it, but otherwise was in good shape the whole time I had it. Aside from learning to ride it, the memory that stands out most about it was one day, when I was in the 4th grade and had recently discovered riding with no hands. I was riding home from somewhere. We lived at the bottom of a hill and as I started down, I figured I'd be all cool and coast on down with no hands. About halfway down I realized I was going pretty darned fast, so I applied the footbrake...without putting my hands back on the handlebars. The front wheel whipped right around, and I slid halfway down the hill on my right side. Ruined the new Jimmy Connor tennis shirt my Mom had gotten me the week before, generally scraped my right arm and shoulder. (I had four scars, just behind the fingers of my right hand that didn't fade until I was in college from that) I slid to a stop just about in front of my house, and the neighbor across the street and his son looked from their front yard and asked if I was okay. I said 'yes' rather abashedly and limped inside.
I'm not sure what happened to the Scwhinn in the end. It was sold or given away by my parents, when I got my sister's 3-speed as a hand-me-down. For some reason, I still consider that boring old green Schwinn the coolest bike I've ever had.
I got my first bike when I was in the first grade in Kansas. It was a green Scwhinn. Kind of a metallic green with a green and white seat. I don't actually remember whether I got it for Christmas or my birthday or what. The first real memory I have of it was when my father taught me to ride it. We lived on base in a big and rather old building nicknamed 'The Beehive.' at Fort Leavenworth. No, not the prison. There's actually an army command school there, among other things. I can remember being told the basics of riding and some safety rules, then it was time to learn to ride. I was on that bike whenever I had the chance, and the training wheels came off after only a week.
From Kansas, we moved to Fort Carson in Colorado, then to Maryland. The bike came along both times. It had been a little bit too big for me when I was 7, so I didn't really outgrow it til around the 5th grade. Over time, there were slight modifications. Being the 70's, I ended up putting those big chopper-like handlebars on it. I dunno what they're officially called. I also put on a banana seat and a short sissy bar. Again, being the 70's, it also ended up with one of those stupid orange safety flags that stuck up from the back. Everyone had one at the time, but looking back, it just seems like a big triangular "here comes a dork' banner. At some point I'd also put some kind of stickers along the upper part of the frame that said something lame like 'Turbo 2000!'
That bike held up forever. It had a few scrapes on it, but otherwise was in good shape the whole time I had it. Aside from learning to ride it, the memory that stands out most about it was one day, when I was in the 4th grade and had recently discovered riding with no hands. I was riding home from somewhere. We lived at the bottom of a hill and as I started down, I figured I'd be all cool and coast on down with no hands. About halfway down I realized I was going pretty darned fast, so I applied the footbrake...without putting my hands back on the handlebars. The front wheel whipped right around, and I slid halfway down the hill on my right side. Ruined the new Jimmy Connor tennis shirt my Mom had gotten me the week before, generally scraped my right arm and shoulder. (I had four scars, just behind the fingers of my right hand that didn't fade until I was in college from that) I slid to a stop just about in front of my house, and the neighbor across the street and his son looked from their front yard and asked if I was okay. I said 'yes' rather abashedly and limped inside.
I'm not sure what happened to the Scwhinn in the end. It was sold or given away by my parents, when I got my sister's 3-speed as a hand-me-down. For some reason, I still consider that boring old green Schwinn the coolest bike I've ever had.
