Back in 1976, my friend Jack Gallagher drove the Zamboni at the Ice Age in Austin, Texas.

"Wow! This sure is fun!" Our sports editor, right, with Bob Hickman, fulfills just about every young boy's childhood dream. I thought it was a cool job.

Never did I dream that I'd actually be allowed to drive one.

I got my chance Monday morning when Nantucket Ice general manager Bob Hickman gave me a ticket to ride.

Zamboni is a name you never forget once you learn that it's the real name of the machine that glides across the ice at hockey and skating events. I saw my first Zamboni at the old Boston Garden, which is appropriate, I suppose, because the Garden was one of the first arenas to have one, and the Boston Bruins were the first NHL team to use a Zamboni. Out it came between periods of Bruins games, looking like an ice-eating mythological animal, ridden and controlled by its calm master, who, while efficiently twirling wheels and moving levers like the Wizard of Oz, always seemed to appear as if he was looking for quarters as he guided the thing around the rink.

The Zambonis of that era were built on Jeep frames and, yes, were invented by a man named Frank Zamboni.

It's the name all ice rinks have in common, and it's no different at Nantucket Ice where, during the winter skating season, the Zamboni will make eight to 12 trips a day around the ice. No longer wrapped around a Jeep, the Zamboni's design is so distinctive, it's been trademarked. As Hickman explained it, the concept behind the machine is relatively simple: the Zamboni shaves the ice; a spinning auger transports the shavings, or snow, into the large hopper at the front of the machine; a fresh sheet of water is applied that is smoothed by a trailing towel. "When you really think about it, it's pretty straightforward," Hickman said. "The hardest part is driving with your left hand, because the controls are operated with your right." Battery-powered by 40 cells that deliver 26 amps, the Zamboni has a top speed of 10 miles per hour. Hickman said it takes 10 minutes to lay down a fresh sheet of ice.

While the idea behind it may be basic, the Zamboni is a machine to be respected - as should any vehicle hauling a razor-sharp blade. Nantucket's Zamboni has a 72-inch blade set at 32 degrees that can make about 200 cuts before it needs resharpening. Blade replacement is done very, very carefully. "If dropped on a stack of newspapers, a sharp Zamboni blade will cut it right in half," Hickman noted.

The Zamboni also has over 60 grease fittings and needs regular maintenance. "It's basically all hydraulics," Hickman said.

The key to successful ice is to always lay it down the same way, which at Nantucket Ice means moving in a clockwise direction. Before making new ice for the day, Hickman let me take the Zamboni out for a little spin - without putting the blade down, of course. It takes up to a month of training to learn the proper method and to keep the ice as flat and as smooth as possible.

Bob backed the Zamboni onto the ice, and told me to hop on up.

And there I was, riding high above rinkside. Even though the Zamboni has studded tires, it was still driving on ice and I could feel it want to fishtail on the turns. Like being on an amusement park ride that seems as though you're traveling 80 mph when you're really going 20 mph, the sensation was that I was moving more quickly than I really was.

A couple of turns around and Hickman took over, starting the auger and turning on the water. He let me make a few passes with him, explaining how he watches the density of the ice shavings to see how deeply he's cutting the ice. With him at the helm, the result was smooth as . . . silk.

Hickman is justifiably proud of the state of the ice at Nantucket Ice. I learned that there's a lot more to it than freezing a sheet of water and keeping it cold. Just keeping the ice at the right temperature involves 13 miles of piping and a monthly electric bill that you'd never want to see.

So, the next time you're skating at the rink, realize the work that's gone into that perfect sheet of ice. It's one of the reasons the rink's reputation continues to flourish.

"Frame that picture," Bob told me as I was leaving. "There aren't many people who've been allowed to ride the Zamboni."

Which got me thinking of my old friend, Jack. I wonder when he last sat behind the wheel of a Zamboni and if it really could have been over 30

years ago.