I didn't do a paper route, per se.
But I did sell SF Chronicle subscriptions door to door for like 3 years when I was 14-17.
I was making a killing ! All cash pay, no taxes.
$800 a week in cash every saturday !
We'd roll around in a big ass white van, and just get dropped off and have blocks assigned to us. I remember being invited into hella people's homes, them giving us food, drinks, money. Hahaha...hella fun.
We used to get dropped off in Chinatown and blow all of our money on dumb shit like throwing knives and other asian trinkets.