Long Island: Riding As A Kid In The 60's-70's
While some of you crazy Long Islanders are out there riding through the winter, I've had lots of time to sit on my butt and daydream.
One of the thoughts running through my head is how, at 10-11 years old, I used to take bike rides that I would have to seriously think about now that I'm in my early fifties. One was from my house in "south" Syosset (right near the Plainview Shopping Center) to the Roosevelt Field Mall.
I convinced two or three of my friends to do this at least twice. Without even a thought of asking our parents, we would all get on our Schwinn or Apollo banana-seat/no-speed bikes and start riding the sidewalk out of our neighborhood and onto South Oyster Bay Rd heading south. At Old Country Rd, we would cross over and head west on the sidewalk of Old Country, all 6 1/2 miles to the mall. There, we would use our paper-thin cable locks to "secure" our bikes to a rusty rack outside one of the entrances and we would head inside to spend the day soaking up the air conditioning (we didn't have any at home), gorging ourselves with slices and Cokes at Pizza Supreme, and wandering through record and toy stores until we finally got bored. Then we'd get back on our bikes and do it all in reverse, arriving home for dinner. I remember telling my very strict parents where I had been and my Mom saying, "Wow! That's far!" but not even seeming concerned about the danger. Different times.
On less ambitious days, we rode to the Mid Island (Broadway) Mall several times, never thinking twice about the deadly traffic on 106/107.
So what memories do YOU have about riding our island during your childhood?