Making our simple little sledding run out in front of our house reminded me of the great sledding we did growing up. Not far from our house in the mouth of Dry Creek Canyon the 'Second Hill' that you go up has a pretty steep grade. And when it get's slick in the winter, from snow and vehicle travel, it makes for a very good ride. Some winters I remember being able to go down the second hill and all the way up the first and down to highway 89. Of course if you made it that far you had a good 3/8 mile to walk back.
Further up the canyon is Wiki up canyon and up here you could ride down a good couple miles if the conditions were right. If the snow mobiles had made a good backed and it was a warm day so the snow was nice and slick you could ride your runner sled all the way from Mike's Knoll to Dry Creek road. Now right there at the mouth of Wiki up there was a trial that dipped into a gully and then cut over to the road so we used to play cops and robbers on sleds and try catching each other. One sledder would go down the hill at the very end of wiki up and hit dry creek road and the other sledder would take the trail and cut the corner. The road was slicker and faster but the trail was a short cut so if it was at least packed you could usually intercept the sledder on the road (the robber). I remember doing this well into my college years and even now I remember the events with fondness. I think I probably got Carter up there at least once while we were still living in Utah but the trick was always to get on the second hill after it had been packed by the residents and travelers up and down the canyon road and before the county spread gravel. I sure have a charmed childhood. Thank you Mom and Dad for giving me the important things in life. Hard work ethic, integrity, honesty, love, and charity. I am who I am because of your example.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Falling for it
The drifts, that were formed by the wind and snow this weekend, reminded me of a drift growing up. It was one of the winters after our basement had been poured but the house had yet to be built.
One morning when I was headed across the street to do chores, Dad said he wanted me to check something out. He told me to walk so many paces one way from a given starting point and then to turn and walk so many more in that direction. I did as instructed and the plan had been to have me end on the top of the drift hanging over the edge of the basement. I don't remember for sure if I simply wasn't heavy enough to break the drift or if he had not told me to walk out far enough or if I figured out what was going to happen before "falling" for it.
I would have been fine had it collapsed since it was only about a four foot drop and there was clearly a great deal of snow. My father is quite the prankster and really a clever fellow. I miss his sense of humor and I'm glad when my wife tells me I'm just like him because I want to be the kind of man he is in a great many ways.
One morning when I was headed across the street to do chores, Dad said he wanted me to check something out. He told me to walk so many paces one way from a given starting point and then to turn and walk so many more in that direction. I did as instructed and the plan had been to have me end on the top of the drift hanging over the edge of the basement. I don't remember for sure if I simply wasn't heavy enough to break the drift or if he had not told me to walk out far enough or if I figured out what was going to happen before "falling" for it.
I would have been fine had it collapsed since it was only about a four foot drop and there was clearly a great deal of snow. My father is quite the prankster and really a clever fellow. I miss his sense of humor and I'm glad when my wife tells me I'm just like him because I want to be the kind of man he is in a great many ways.
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