In about 1975, Kris got a Big Wheel. It was a plastic “trike” with a large front wheel and two small rear wheels, a low seat, and high, wide handle bars.

At that time our Painted Hills house had a 10’ X 12’ deck at the front door, a 5’ wide deck along the west side, and an 8’ wide deck 2/3 of the way across the north side. They were all on the same level and connected to each other.

Kris rapidly mastered this machine and would pedal like hell navigating from the front door, sliding around the 90-degree corner to the west deck, roar north to the 90-degree corner, and slide around to the north deck then speed to the end and do a sliding 180 and return to the front door.

We always knew when he was racing around because the wheels made a loud hollow sound when moving on the wood deck.

I don’t know how many miles he put on it, but he wore the plastic wheels clear off.

So in an effort to keep him happy we got him another Big Wheel. By this time he had pretty much mastered the deck and was getting more adventurous.

Since we had built the house on the highest place on the 1-1/3 acre lot, we had a steep, gravel, 300-foot driveway that had four turns between the house and Mohawk Drive. Of course with his new machine, improved confidence, and fearless abandon, he took to riding down the driveway at full speed and pushing the Big Wheel back up to do it again.

I don’t know how long it took Kris to grow out of the Big Wheel, but he had a hell of a lot of fun while it lasted.

Ken Kaiyala
2-14-14

Addendum: About the same time that Kris got his first Big Wheel, he also got a Rocking Horse. It was made from wood and suspended by springs from a wood frame and sat on the floor in his bedroom.

Like his use of the Big Wheel, he would get on his “horse” and ride for what seemed like hours. I think he also got a cowboy outfit complete with a hat. I’m certain somewhere there are photos of rough and tough cowboy Kris riding across the prairie at full speed.

I either remember, or maybe I just made it up, that he also wore his horse out and got a second one. It may have been a larger size, but I am a little fuzzy about this part of the recollection.