When I was a kid, my three brothers and I would wait by the window after a heavy snow. We’d stare through the glass hoping that maybe - just maybe - Les Richio would visit with his snowmobile.
Les was a family friend. He was a retired truck driver. But most of all, he owned a snowmobile.
Our house boarded both the ComEd power lines and a golf course. We lived on a 90 acre farm. Thus, Les had good reason to visit on his snowmobile. The terrain was perfect.
He would typically drop in once a year and offer everyone a ride. If Santa Claus and Les arrived simultaneously, I’d be hard pressed to tell you who’d get bigger reaction.
It wasn’t until after we all four of the Ludwig boys graduated from college that my dad bought a pair of used snowmobiles. By then, much of the thrill was gone. Still, I’d make it out to the farm for an annual ride.
The past two years, I’ve been taking my sons with me. Bubba is 3 1/2 years old. Peter is 2 years old. (The picture here is from 2009. Bubba and my youngest brother, Tom, went snowmobiling on the farm.)
My dad and I took the boys for a 30 minute ride last week. Bubba would occasionally punch the throttle. Peter mostly just hung on tight, wearing snow pants, boots, a thick jacket, hat, gloves and a big smile.
Later that evening, I told The Wife about the days events.
“Is that safe?” she asked.
“I think so.” I replied.
Honestly, I didn’t really consider safety until she asked. I did make a conscious effort to keep my speed down. I kept thinking to myself, “If I fall off this thing with Peter going this fast, are either of us going to get hurt?”
With that in mind, I drove cautiously. Yet, I wonder if this sort of activity is one of the subtle differences between my boys being raised by a stay-at-home dad versus a stay-at-home mom. I’m not saying women can’t love snowmobiling too, just that men are more likely to participate in the activity.
I doubt that it will matter much when my boys become men that they went snowmobiling as toddlers. What I’m curious about is how all these subtleties add up and impact my sons as adults. I guess we will have to just wait and see.