When my boys were just little guys, we used to love to go out to one of the hills in our pasture and spend hours sledding. As they got bigger, we had to go find bigger hills. The boys eventually graduated to the old Happy Jack Ski Area slopes, and that’s when sledding got really fun. Of course, it got much, much more dangerous, but that’s exactly why it got more fun.
In addition to the bigger, steeper slopes, we also upgraded our sleds. Over the years, we tried out all sorts of sleds that all claimed to be the fastest ones on the market. Some lived up to the hype, and some didn’t. But the fastest sled we ever found wasn’t really a sled at all. It was my Deer Sleigh’r – the rolled-up deer retrieval gizmo I got from Cabela’s. The only problem with it was that because it was made for hauling critters out of the hills, and to be easily packed, it wasn’t made with comfort of the passenger in mind. It was about an eighth of an inch thick, and we could feel every single bump all the way down the hill.
We also got ourselves into some sticky situations. We didn’t always stick to the groomed, well-used portions of the area. Once in a while, we ventured off onto a lesser-traveled slope, hoping to find the greatest sledding hill in Wyoming. Eventually we learned why they were avoided by the other sledders. For one thing, the main sled runs were cleared of trees. Hitting a tree at 39 miles an hour can really put a damper on a day of sledding.
I’m glad my boys haven’t outgrown sledding as an enjoyable way to spend a winter day. I’m also glad they have at least some sense of self-preservation. In all seriousness, sledding can be dangerous. If you decide to hit the sledding slopes, be careful. It’s not as much fun if you end up in traction.
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