"My sisters and I had the true Mayberry experience. Free range kids roaming the woods and fields around town. Walking down the railroad bed to go fishing with friends at 9 or 10 years old. I fell off my bike way out on the railroad bed and broke my wrist at 9 years old. Sure I cried but I never thought about someone coming to the rescue. I picked up my bike and pushed it the mile and a half back to town. " Yup.
Sounds like my childhood. You forgot about eating the wild berries and other fruit and swimming in the ice cold creek, etc.