“Hot Wheels”

Cecilia sure did think she was “hot” on wheels when the item in question arrived on Ronnie Way. The actual year escapes me but Grandpa and Grandma caused a Mattel Hot Wheels plastic tricycle to arrive and, at least Grandpa rued the day ever after.

It was a sway-backed affair with huge front wheel with pedals and small back wheels just like an ordinary trike. However, the rider sat low on the rear axle and their legs were at almost a 90 degree angle from their body. In essence you pushed to the front. When new, this contraption sported racing decals and streamers and was red-orange, yellow and black. It also had a small spring attached to one of the rear wheels that scraped the inside struts and clacked as it sprang back and forth. It sounded like a sick motor bike.

We have videos of Cece roaring in circles on the driveway at Ronnie Way back and forth, back and forth, round and round, round and round ad infinitum. Grandpa was also heard to mention not too soon after its inauguration, that he wished he had given that thing a lobotomy (taken off the noise maker). It was pretty loud and sometimes very annoying. Needless to say, Cece adored it! I can picture her and Dan going so fast on the turns that one of the back wheels would lift up off the ground. I believe they even made it roll over doing that stunt…a great feat!

As the years progressed and Cece graduated to “bigger kid” bikes, the Hot Wheels fell to Daniel who did a good job of racking up the mileage on it. Before it came into his possession, however, the much hoped for but never previously allowed “lobotomy” took place and I ripped the spring noise maker out of the rear wheel. Ahh, peace at last! In reality, the thing made a ton of noise on its own, the plastic wheels scrabbling over the joints in the concrete or small pebbles in the road at San Ardo. It was not a quiet toy. Both Dan and Cece had been able to make it “spin out”, getting the front wheel to turn madly before gripping the pavement and going forward. This made buckets of noise and was always accompanied by a huge grin from the rider.

I do not remember if this Hot Wheels ever lasted until Becca’s tenure. Somehow, I doubt it and I seem to remember a smaller, quieter, pink and yellow one with her on it (Grandpa had wised up!). Toys were built tough back then, but it was not made of steel! In its last days the front wheel (probably from all the “spinning out!”) wore through and looked more like a pulley with a valley in between the two side walls. There also definitely was a flat spot on the big tire near the end of its life and it would go roll, klunk, roll, klunk, making little forward progress, much to the annoyance of the driver and the glee of the watching adults. Payback?  Whatever the fate that befell the Hot Wheels, never was a toy so depreciated and loved (except for Dan’s Raggedy Andy doll). It will always be fondly remembered by the daredevils in this family.

9-20-2010