Sliding
Sliding on fresh snow was fun, but taking a trip down a hill, when a freezing rain had transformed the slide into sheet of glass, was the best. When we could walk across the deep snow, pretty much without falling through, it was time. One of our prime runs was the big hill at the cemetery. It was long, steep, fast, and of course the track we took had the added obstacles of gravestones to get in your way. The incredibly swift bobsled runs of the Olympics, that we watched on TV, paled in comparison to our treacherous runs, weaving around the granite stones until we reached the end across the frozen pond. Throw in the added dimension of racing down a hill on a moon-lit night, and you probably see that we spent a lot of time making our creative fun. Hey, we had to do something to make those frigid days and nights move by on the calendar. And yes, sometimes we trudged back up the hill a bit bloodied, but that was the price we paid for our dark excitement. Can't talk. Time for one more run!
I once crashed into our living room wall when I was a kid. We had a slope behind the house that we used both for skiing and sliding.
ReplyDeleteNothing tame for you as a youngster, Birdman! Amusing that you ironically chose a graveyard. Lucky you made it out alive!
ReplyDeletehaha did your mom know what you were up to?!!
ReplyDeleteit's a wonder you didn't wake the dead with your antics.
ReplyDeleteMyabe mom was dreaming of have you playing inside home during these cold days! More safe! :)
ReplyDeleteLéia
See how you describe all the fun, I can only envy !
ReplyDeleteKinda scary, Birdman! It's -20°F here this morning. Good day to say indoors, methinks.
ReplyDeleteSnow pleasures are the same for kids all over the world!
ReplyDeleteHow kids make it to adulthood is a mystery . . .
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah! I've got my toboggan leaning against a wall in my house just waiting for a real snow. Unfortunately, it looks like it will be a while before it can see any use. :(
ReplyDeleteI also remember us lacing up our skates and skating on top of the frozen tundra, icy sidewalks, and in and around the gravestones. Great memories....thanks for bringing them to life again.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you knew how to make your own fun!
ReplyDeletelove that. :)
ReplyDeleteThe excitement is what makes it fun. Nice shot.
ReplyDeleteWe went to a golf course for the best hill so no gravestones but lots of trees to avoid and huge dips that would rattle all your bones when you hit them!
ReplyDeleteYou bring back my Michigan memories that are similar to yours. Agility of body and sharpness of vision were important elements on those sled runs. -- barbara
ReplyDeletePlenty of steep hills here with no obstacles. I still love sledging, even though it seems to hurt more these days.
ReplyDeleteWhat a story! I cannot imagine sledding/sliding in a graveyard with all those obstacles. I do love this image, capturing the trudging, the slowing down, and the thrill of speed.
ReplyDeleteSteep sledding while growing up? Yes! But, no graveyards for me. What an obstacle course!
ReplyDeleteYoung daredevil! I used to enjoy sledding until my brother collided head-on into a tree. He was bloodied but okay. Still, it spoiled the fun for me.
ReplyDeleteNow that's the way to spend the day.
ReplyDeleteIn the town where I grew up, one of the two best hills in town for sliding began at the back end of my family's yard. Yes, I was a lucky boy indeed.
ReplyDeleteSounds like great fun – for those used to ice and snow, that is. I still say, "Brrrrr!"
ReplyDeleteI'm just glad I was not your mother when you were a kid, with stories like this.
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