To properly explain this one, I am going to have to write you a picture:
- Two sisters, one about four the other about six.
- It is early1960’s in Wisconsin.
- Our farm is several miles from the nearest major highway, so a trip is required for everything.
- The main road: County Trunk W.
- The type of road: 2-lane, HUGE hills (cannot see the other side until you are on top of them type hills).
- And so our story begins:
It is a beautiful fall day. The leaves are either turning or falling, and this part of Wisconsin has such an amazing variety of trees that you are awestruck by colors. The air is crisp, even in the mid-afternoon. Dad decides we have to go to the grocery store in Adell (not the closest city, but a larger selection) to pick up some stuff. We are taking the farm truck (I have no clue year, make or model – have to ask my older sister since she totaled it – but that’s another story). No seatbelts (neither in it or required to have it- go figure?).
Dad grabs the girls and throws them into the front seat of the truck, then slides in on the driver’s side and starts her up. Varoom, rumble, rumble, rumble (yes, this is how an old farm pickup truck sounds) and off we go.
From the end of our driveway, you turn onto County Trunk W and go east toward Adell. We sit at the top of a hill, so the start is fun picking up speed on the way down. Now remember, it is early 1960’s so cops really didn’t look for speeders on all the county roads (most of them were still gravel anyway – now ours.)
Down the hill, up a smaller one, and over – picking up some more speed. Down again, up again, down again; this continues for about five or six miles, and THERE IT IS – SKUNK HILL. The reason for the name is because of all the dead skunks on it. You cannot see over to the other side, so there is no time to slow down.
- Once over,
- you see it,
- it’s dead – and
- your car/truck will stink for a month
- it’s dead – and
- you see it,
It was the tallest hill around. Dad was beatin feet to get up that puppy. Hit the top and it happened, up we went off the seat into the air! Squeals of joy and laughter rung out! Dad was laughing even harder at us and our excitement just over a jump on a hill. Great joy in the little things. The laughter did not stop for another 3 or so miles until we got to the store.
NOW, some of you will be seeing the danger here.
Some of you will be seeing bad parenting here.
But some of you, just some of you will see this:
Our parents were great! Loving, funny, caring, sharing, encouraging, outstanding. So please do not judge too harshly the decade we grew up in because it was all good.
They were not rich, but our lives were. If I could, I would wish that all children would have at least a couple of summers, and maybe a few falls, on a farm.
HELBERG FARM STORIES 
Smiling and misting up here. I get this. ❤
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Big smile on my face as I read this one! Brings back memories of riding in the pickup with my dad down those country gravel roads. We lived on the edge of a very small town but still on a gravel road. As my dad would fly down those country roads he would tell us if you went fast enough you only hit the tops of the bumps and that way the ride was smoother. Very good times!!!
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I remember a time when seatbelts were not mandatory. It became law here in the UK in 1983.
I can recall a moment just like yours. It was in Anglesey (Wales) and we did almost the same thing… The only difference was that I was in the back seat… Not the front. B-)
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Grin … we survived no seat belts, child seats, no cell phones, no internet or ‘social’ media. We drank water from a garden hose, played out doors all day ‘unsupervised’ we rode on tractors, combines and in the back of pick-up trucks.
Wasn’t life great.. 🙂
Happy gardening
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