If necessity is the mother of invention...convenience must be the mother of ingenuity...or at least its distant cousin. No one really needs a sliding hill, but when it's dark all day, having a nice steep loading ramp at your disposal is certainly convenient. The ramp behind the school is a perfect hill-substitute and a favorite "sliding" spot for local kids, especially right after school. It's about fifteen feet high, very steep, and slick, slick, slick. Some kids slide down on their feet while holding onto the rail. Most prefer to fly down on a plastic sled or cardboard box, hoping to "ramp" on the snow at the bottom and become airborne before crashing. The thrill of taking flight appears to overcome the fear of pain associated with hitting the pavement of packed snow and ice. Throughout my youth, I was always dying to try this. These days I'm pretty sure if I tried this, I would die!
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Crashing is a big part of the fun...so they say. :)
Have box...will travel!
Cold? Who could be cold when we're having so much fun?
10 comments:
Love your improved quote at the beginning and your funny twist at the end. The shots of the kids are really wonderful, too. It looks like a fun place to slide (while my ribs groan, "You've got to be kidding me!")
LOL! Exactly! I actually thought about your ribs as I was writing about the "fun" of crashing. That funny twist at the end is (unfortunately) grounded in reality! :)
Thanks, Steve.
Gee, I moved back to Fairbanks and suddenly feel like I am 'missing out' on fun and culture back in Atqasuk. Last time I was at the 'ramp', Christopher kindly offered to loan me his sled if I wanted to make a trip down. I almost took him up on it, but then my good sense prevailed.
Hey, Dawn! Ha! You ARE missing out! So, why don't you come back? :)
If it weren't for the "ramp" of snow at the bottom of the hill, I'd be more tempted to go for it. I did go sledding in Kenai once. At my niece/nephew's school they had actually BUILT a hill just for the purpose of sledding during recess. I've heard that's common around the state. Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of all that extra dirt around here, so the school loading ramp will have to suffice. But, I haven't heard any complaints! :)
I had to laugh at your comment. It is so true! They did look as though they were having fun! Do any of the adults join them???
Hi, Johnny! I've never heard of adults participating, but it may just be that none have lived to tell about it! :)
I'm not completely opposed to giving it a shot. I've just got to figure out how to maintain contact with the ground! Ha! I'm such a party pooper, huh?
I think I would have to try it! I couldn't watch all that fun and not join in. You need to try it! The kids will love helping you out, I'm sure. :)
Hi, Rose Mary. Yeah, I have no doubt the kids would be more than happy to shove me down the ramp and watch me fly through the air and splatter at the bottom! :) That would probably be the highlight of their year! They'd be talking about it forever. I can hear them now..."remember the time Kimberlee was sliding and ended up underneath that passing truck...or down at the river...or on her face in a snowdrift?" I'd be famous!
We'll see...
:)
You do know, that if you decide to take the 'plunge', you will have to give your camera to one of the kids, or we will never believe you! I'm looking forward to that photo. Better make it a Friday night, so you have some recovery time.
Friday night before the long Christmas break...maybe. I'm not sure that a weekend would be enough recovery time! :)
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