We used to sneak out at night to go riding the country roads on our bikes. Not just once a summer but 3-4 times a week. From 12 till 3-4am. Dad always knew we were out. Ma had no clue for many years. I had one rule from Dad (the lawman) Dont get caught and embarress me, you would regret it)!!!. NEVER!!! Done anything wrong except drink too many Ten High and cokes!
Yes those were the days!Just about every thing you all mentioned was performed by myself and many other accrossed the country. It is amazing youall bring up sooo many things I did also! Must of just been a naturally occuring thing amungst boys!
Now for the damper on this shangrila.
Its easy to blame playstation and all the other easy targets for whats wrong with this country. Here is my take as a father of three living just outside a city of 90+K. Yes I am considered living in the country, although my land and other house is really in the sticks most of the same holds true there but to a lesser extent. We now live in a place where it is a crap shoot on what the kids could do or have done to them if they were to leave at 7am and come home at dark. Our kids friends parents BOTH work or in most cases anyway. MOM is not home to make sure the kids are here or there, at the other nieghbors or maybe in the school yard playing pick up baseball. Rapes, muggings, killings, drive by shootings. Drugs (even though they were prevalent in the 60's, NOT so much with 10-14 year olds) are everywhere, even in the most remote sticky places. Families need (or almost need to) have two incomes, that means less time to influence the path they will walk down. Jobs are cutting back on vacation offered to many in the lower income jobs. Over time is heavy. All this plays into reasons we need to monitor what the kids will do and will not do. The fear of your kid being abducted is real and is scary. Sexual predators being released back into society (LIKE THEY ARE CURED!!!! DAH!) PREGNANCY!!!! WOW, I have two daughters also!!! I am affraid to death of them meeting a rat ass boy (just like I was)!!! The biggest problem in my hood, is that other parents have NO clue what their kids are doing and for that matter dont care. Those are the ones you need to watch and keep your kids away from because like it was mentioned before parents are defending their kids actions and believing everything they say!!!
Remember when the guy down the street would call your dad and tell him that he heard his kid swearing on the street? WOW!!!! To this day I remember my dad. He walked calmly into the baseball field (in back of the school) With out saying a thing he walked up to me and reached back and nailed me accrossed the back of the head with a slap. What was that for!!! I yelled! He told me, "I could hear you swear all the way back at our house!" I got to tell you this! The embarresment infront of my friends and the astonishment of how he knew? That was enough to make me respect the public places I was in at future dates! I can not ever remember swearing or talking like an idiot again infront of or loud enough for any other adult to hear me. Now a day my dad would of lost his badge, had to go to counseling, and maybe pay a fine or do some time!
Yes I miss the old days also! I am affraid they will never return though in this politically correct and this corrupt society we are now entering.

PS
I believe what you said about allergies and NOT being out side enough. My wife is alergic to the world and she was sheltered from the sun when young because of some old wives tale's and because she is fair skinned. I never had allergies and was out ALL the time. Since I became domesticated and spend more time in that out I think I have a slight case of some forms f allergies now!

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