Ode to My Favorite Toy - The Green Machine

Chuck — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 01:38:00 -0500

One of my fondest memories as a 5 or 6 year old child was riding my Green Machine around the block. My older brother and I shared the Green Machine and a Big Wheel. After riding a Green Machine, it was pure torture being relegated to the Big Wheel.

Back in the day, I was a shy kid. At age 5, I was still learning to speak English and adapting to American culture after immigrating from Vietnam. However, once on my Green Machine, I was transformed into the coolest kid in the neighborhood, at least in my mind.

My hood consisted of a square block around Bridge and Third Street in sleepy New Cumberland, PA. Nonetheless, I patrolled that block like no other on my Green Machine. I pretended to be a police officer or a fireman from the TV shows of my youth, namely S.W.A.T. and Emergency! I spent endless hours power sliding around the block and enjoyed every minute on that green tricycle.

I loved my Green Machine because it was the coolest toy in my hood and it was also my first mode of transportation that allowed me to explore the world. The world at the time was a square block, but grew bigger over time with my first BMX bike, a 10 speed in junior high, a mountain bike during college and road bikes in my 30s. You can attribute my love for cycling and desire to explore the world to that Green Machine.

Much to my surprise the Green Machine was re-introduced by Huffy in 2003 and updated again this year. The 2006 Huffy Green Machine “is designed and engineered for today’s kids. The new version of this old favorite is high tech, durable and cool.”

That’s one bad-ass tricycle! The new version has a steel frame, 20” rubber front tire and a hand brake. Check out the product details and an interactive tour at Huffybikes.com. If memory serves me right, my Green Machine was retired due to holes in the front plastic wheel. The only way to stop the original Green Machine was using your feet or stopping the pedal motion and sliding on your front wheel. Kids these days are spoiled with all this great technology.

The best feature of the 2006 Green Machine is its maximum weight capacity of 180 lbs. Today’s kids are either extremely large or Huffy knows parents may want to re-live their Green Machine experience every once in awhile. I certainly hope it’s the latter. I wonder if one could put clipless pedals on the new Green Machine?!?

I can’t remember whether my parents or my American grandparents (the lovely folks who sponsored my family when we arrived in the States) gave the Green Machine to my brother and me. Whoever it was, I want to thank you again for the best toy of my childhood!

And to you, my Green Machine, I’m not sure what became of you. For all the joy and happiness you brought to my life, I thank you. I will always remember the awesome spin-outs you allowed me to perform. In the end, I hope you were recycled into another cool toy and provided more joy to another shy kid ready to explore the world.

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Ode to My Favorite Toy - The Green Machine