Sledding

I'll die on that hill 🤣

Imagine, if you will, a glorious hill, near half a mile long. It’s just outside the trailer park in Alaska, where I lived in 9^th and 10^th grade. My bicycle strapped legs complained about it endlessly, having but a single speed to pedal with. Yet in the winter…

(this is an AI reconstruction. The road conditions in winter however, are quite like this.)

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The road graders would always leave an inch of ice on the pavement that persisted from December well into April. It was the sledding hill of our dreams. Worth the 10 minute hike to the top, a short little rope gripped in one mittened fist, trailing a Red Flyer that could cover it much faster.

Too old for sledding? Yeah, my classmates were of a similar opinion. Particularly that one day, rather late in the afternoon, when I hiked to the top under heavily overcast skies. There’s just enough light left for a run or two…

I make a short dash to get up launching speed, and then confidently thrust the sled out in front, spring into the air in a flat dive, and belly flop onboard, executing the technique to perfection.

You’ll recall that tow rope? There is this thing that happens when the runners of the sled try to cross over the rope you forgot to tuck under one hand. They turn, 90 degrees. For the next 20 yards or so, my face becomes the sled, one cheek firmly grinding the ice while the rest of me grips that sled like it’s frozen to my chest. No doubt the car that suddenly appears behind me found my face-stand comical, as my face was the only part of me making contact and my legs were straight up in the air. Or maybe they were wondering if they could brake in time to avoid adding to my predicament.

The headlights caught the attention of the eye that still cleared the ice, and as I skidded to a near halt, I threw my feet off to the side of the road and up against the guardrail, sled still glued to me. The car flew safely by.

Daunted? Well no, would you be? I gave it another go, this time with that treacherous tow rope safely in hand. At the bottom, I cast a longing look up the hill, but decided I had pushed the daylight far enough. My face was beginning to sting a little too.

Next day, is a school day. The 4 inch wide scrape starts at my forehead, covers nose and right cheek, and most of my chin. A badge of honor, to be sure. Went well with my copper corduroy pants too, I thought. School, was less kind. Even, dare I say it, a little embarrassed for me. I mentioned I only had three dates in high school, yeah? This was one of the reasons 😁 Four weeks later, the last of the scab fell off, and the mirth found other targets. Mostly. I doubt it was the pants…