The Riding Lawnmower that Screamed!

We were at home in Sherwood Park one evening. Mom and Dad must have been gone somewhere. I was dating Shirley at the time, early 1973. 

We had this Snapper Comet riding lawnmower I bought from our Uncle Clarence. Anyway, I blew the motor on it; and, being the handy kid I was, Grandpa and I were rebuilding that motor. We were in the yard messing around. I think Joe William's was with us as well. Mike came out and we got this crazy idea to tie the lawnmower to the back of Joe's VW! About 30 feet of heavy hay rope doesn't break easily. Mike got on that mower and we proceeded up bumpy Greenview Drive. Once we got to Greenwood Ave. the game was on! The speed was increasing! Mike was back there having a blast! This lawnmower was screaming like a siren down Greenwood. Neighbors were looking out their doors to see where the ambulance was headed. Little did they know, it was the fastest lawnmower in town that night. 

We went probably three city blocks with that thing screaming behind us. We were laughing so hard and Mike was as well. We got to the T-intersection at Greenwood and Hackett Road. We stopped in the VW. Mike, however, at this time was still flying at approximately 30 mph - he even waved when he passed us on the right! Luckily, he didnt run into the VW, it proably would have totalled both. Anyway, remember that indestructable 1" hayrope? Mike and the lawnmower got to the end of that 30 foot rope (that was still tied to the VW). The lawnmower with no brakes was not slowing down. They got to the end of the rope and the lawnmower spun around, Mike went flying off and into the ditch. We thought "OH SHIT!!!" To say the least! We all got out of the VW to go check out the damages. Mike comes hobbling up out of the ditch, holding the back of his legs, which thankfully were still attached. He said, "Someone else can ride that thing home. I ain't!"  

Well with some convincing and another rope, as in seat belt, Mike mounted the mower, we told him we'd go slow. Once he was on the mower, we tied him to the seat. We started out for the trek home. Here it was once again screaming down the road, neighbors still wondering what the hell was going on but we made it safely home and all in one piece. Mike however had some really sore legs for a few weeks.