When I was a tyke, like most of us, I had a little red wagon. I also had a trike. Both of those bore the name "Radio-Flyer." I would pretend to be flying an airplane as I sped down the alley while talking into my cupped "radio" hand. I was a pilot of the airways and talked to other pilots through my "hand mike" as I flew on my 'Radio-Flyer" trike. I always felt proud as I parked my Radio Flyer plane-trike next to my Radio-Flyer wagon. My hanger was just to the right of the back steps.
Not too many years later I was wondering about the name Radio-Flyer, a rather odd name for trikes and wagons. After over 50 years of wondering about the name, only about a month ago I learned the company was co-founded by Marconi & Lindberg!
Time to confess an aging gentleman's hangover from childhood. When I am in my pickup truck, when I switch on Cruise-Control my mind tells me "Were on Auto-Pilot." When I switch off cruise control, my mind tells me "Turbulence ahead, time to Hand Fly this beast." Living in the mountains, we really do have "road turbulence."
I've never had a pilot's license, don't need one. I've got memories of flying my Radio-Flyer as I maneuver the craggy mountains while flying my Chevy pick-up.
wlgoode wrote:
I must confess I'm proud of the fact that I've always had a curious mind.
When I was a tyke, like most of us, I had a little red wagon. I also had a trike. Both of those bore the name "Radio-Flyer." I would pretend to be flying an airplane as I sped down the alley while talking into my cupped "radio" hand. I was a pilot of the airways and talked to other pilots through my "hand mike" as I flew on my 'Radio-Flyer" trike. I always felt proud as I parked my Radio Flyer plane-trike next to my Radio-Flyer wagon. My hanger was just to the right of the back steps.
Not too many years later I was wondering about the name Radio-Flyer, a rather odd name for trikes and wagons. After over 50 years of wondering about the name, only about a month ago I learned the company was co-founded by Marconi & Lindberg!
I must confess I'm proud of the fact that I've alw... (
show quote)
Lesson for the day! Thanks, that was interesting!
Jay Pat
Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA
I enjoyed the story!!
Does your pickup have an eject button?
Pat
wlgoode wrote:
When I was a tyke, like most of us, I had a little red wagon. I also had a trike. Both of those bore the name "Radio-Flyer." I would pretend to be flying an airplane as I sped down the alley while talking into my cupped "radio" hand. I was a pilot of the airways and talked to other pilots through my "hand mike" as I flew on my 'Radio-Flyer" trike. I always felt proud as I parked my Radio Flyer plane-trike next to my Radio-Flyer wagon. My hanger was just to the right of the back steps.
Not too many years later I was wondering about the name Radio-Flyer, a rather odd name for trikes and wagons. After over 50 years of wondering about the name, only about a month ago I learned the company was co-founded by Marconi & Lindberg!
Time to confess an aging gentleman's hangover from childhood. When I am in my pickup truck, when I switch on Cruise-Control my mind tells me "Were on Auto-Pilot." When I switch off cruise control, my mind tells me "Turbulence ahead, time to Hand Fly this beast." Living in the mountains, we really do have "road turbulence."
I've never had a pilot's license, don't need one. I've got memories of flying my Radio-Flyer as I maneuver the craggy mountains while flying my Chevy pick-up.
When I was a tyke, like most of us, I had a little... (
show quote)
The Radio Flyer WAS named as a tribute to Marconi & Lindberg but it was co-founded by them.
It was founded by Antonio Pasin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Flyer.
wlgoode wrote:
When I was a tyke, like most of us, I had a little red wagon. I also had a trike. Both of those bore the name "Radio-Flyer." I would pretend to be flying an airplane as I sped down the alley while talking into my cupped "radio" hand. I was a pilot of the airways and talked to other pilots through my "hand mike" as I flew on my 'Radio-Flyer" trike. I always felt proud as I parked my Radio Flyer plane-trike next to my Radio-Flyer wagon. My hanger was just to the right of the back steps.
Not too many years later I was wondering about the name Radio-Flyer, a rather odd name for trikes and wagons. After over 50 years of wondering about the name, only about a month ago I learned the company was co-founded by Marconi & Lindberg!
Time to confess an aging gentleman's hangover from childhood. When I am in my pickup truck, when I switch on Cruise-Control my mind tells me "Were on Auto-Pilot." When I switch off cruise control, my mind tells me "Turbulence ahead, time to Hand Fly this beast." Living in the mountains, we really do have "road turbulence."
I've never had a pilot's license, don't need one. I've got memories of flying my Radio-Flyer as I maneuver the craggy mountains while flying my Chevy pick-up.
When I was a tyke, like most of us, I had a little... (
show quote)
Good memories, W. Happy New Year! :)
I didn't have a little red wagon. Or if I did, I never saw it. My Dad kept telling me that if I didn't straighten up and fly right, he would fix my little red wagon. Guess it was made in China as it was always broken.
Thanks, at least I knew the source of the name.
My wife loved the story and had never heard it. As I creep into older age I appreciate my good childhood memories even more. So I decided to Copy & Paste it on my FB page. My sister read it and it brought back memories to her. She said when those two things got passed to her she could feel the adventures buried in the rust. My sister is a doll and I love her deeply.
I still have mine! In fact I have two. They are some of my most important photographic tools. They carry all my 8x10 equipment. Whether I am shooting building art downtown Phoenix or the Race Track of Death Valley one goes with me. The original wagon is all but retired since I got a "All Terrain" with pneumatic tires but I just can't part with it.
wlgoode wrote:
Not too many years later I was wondering about the name Radio-Flyer, a rather odd name for trikes and wagons. After over 50 years of wondering about the name, only about a month ago I learned the company was co-founded by Marconi & Lindberg!
Good to know.
Another one - Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, and John Borroughs were camping buddies. The story I heard is that Ford developed the idea of the charcoal picnic stove to give people incentive to use the Model T to travel into the country and cook a picnic meal, hence the name Kingsford. Maybe it's true, and maybe it isn't.
http://www.history.com/news/ford-and-edisons-excellent-camping-adventuresMore details -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbecue_grill
I like to use my GPS to with Cruise cintrol.
LOL
wlgoode,
We always wondered how far away those radio transmissions were coming from. I think we heard you more than once...
One thing..Was that you who called in the Crash Landing on that Saturday afternoon back in the 1950's?
Kingsford was Fords son-in-law. Ford helped him start a business by giving him the wooden shipping pallets to convert into charcoal. Somewhere else on History Chanel.
Thanks for the great stories, all! Brought back a ton of childhood fantasies! I will add with nostalgia, the elaborate countdowns when lighting bottle rockets to Mars! (Which were illegal in Michigan at the time!)
wlgoode wrote:
When I was a tyke, like most of us, I had a little red wagon. I also had a trike. Both of those bore the name "Radio-Flyer." I would pretend to be flying an airplane as I sped down the alley while talking into my cupped "radio" hand. I was a pilot of the airways and talked to other pilots through my "hand mike" as I flew on my 'Radio-Flyer" trike. I always felt proud as I parked my Radio Flyer plane-trike next to my Radio-Flyer wagon. My hanger was just to the right of the back steps.
Not too many years later I was wondering about the name Radio-Flyer, a rather odd name for trikes and wagons. After over 50 years of wondering about the name, only about a month ago I learned the company was co-founded by Marconi & Lindberg!
Time to confess an aging gentleman's hangover from childhood. When I am in my pickup truck, when I switch on Cruise-Control my mind tells me "Were on Auto-Pilot." When I switch off cruise control, my mind tells me "Turbulence ahead, time to Hand Fly this beast." Living in the mountains, we really do have "road turbulence."
I've never had a pilot's license, don't need one. I've got memories of flying my Radio-Flyer as I maneuver the craggy mountains while flying my Chevy pick-up.
When I was a tyke, like most of us, I had a little... (
show quote)
Thanks for the information... in addition to the two items you had, I also had a "Radio-Flyer 6' Sled"
Mike
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