We still have almost 2 feet of snow in the backyard so the boys and I were out playing in it yesterday. It was 18 degrees F so we were well-bundled up...well, at least the boys were.
Inexplicably, the boys had me gathering ice chunks that they were putting in their club-house. They were licking and eating the ice. Yum.
I pulled them both around on the sled a bit and it was tough work, the snow being deep with a crunchy layer under the top 5 inches of snow.
After a half hour, Hunter was shivering and I ushered him in the house.
I continued to drag Reed around the yard. The loose rock dividing wall that surrounds the yard was covered with snow and looked to offer a short, fun downhill sled route. So, I took Reed to the top and pushed him down. "Awesome, Dad, can we do it again?"
After a few more trips, Reed wanted a longer run and we headed to the front of the house. Plenty of snow, an incline, but the bottom of the slope would dump Reed onto a snowless street.
I had tried to get Reed sledding b4, but he always declined. Now that he had a small taste, he assented to go up to the hill by Manito School --his school.
When we got there, there were a few older kids plying the gentle slope with flexible sleds. One of them tried to ride his like a snowboard and we saw him wipeout. Reed was intimidated by these older kids and would not get out of the car. "They'll just say, little kid, little kid."
There was no convincing Reed otherwise so I climbed back in the car, frustrated and decided to visit a couple of other spots.
As we drove on I thought of how I was always a rather meek kid., and never found it easy to mix with other kids. I'd often rather be alone than making new friends...than exposing myself. Even now, when I travel I am happiest when I have a place to myself. The beach at sunrise, a hiking trail, a photo spot... Is Reed's behavior handed down from my DNA or is he emulating me?
I drove off towards a couple of Oakland schools rumored to have good hills. Dogwood School has a long, steep hill but maybe a little too much for a beginner like Reed. It made me nervous looking down the alabaster incline. The slope must be over a 100 yards long. There were a pair of Dads here with a couple of kids each. Little kids Reed's age and younger. Reed took a look at the slope and just shook his head no. As I got back in the car I noticed a sign: No Sledding or Skiing.
Next stop was Indian Hills HS. Must have been a sporting event going on inside as there were cars parked everywhere. I spied a gentle, short slope, with no one nearby, and decided to circle back and find proximate parking. As I did, Reed said he wished he was in high school, so he could be with his cousin, Aaron. I explained Aaron went to a different school, a middle school, that was 90 miles away. "I wish he'd come up here," he said.
We parked the car and headed to the slope. It had gotten a little colder and there was a breeze now. The snow here was tightly packed and icy. There was a small ramp at the bottom of the hill that prior adventurers had created.
I placed the sled down and climbed on the thin, plastic shell. I wished I had on another pants layer as the cold chilled my bottom. Reed climbed in front of me and I pushed us off with my hands, realizing my gloves were sodden. Reed whooped and hollered as we swooshed down the hill. At the bottom he jumped up and was practically dancing with excitement.
We climbed up the hill, Reed with more difficulty than me. "Don't point your toes up the hill," I told him. "Point your feet sideways a little, you'll slip less. Reed didn't listen and crawled up the last few feet of the hill.
I placed the sled down to the left of aforementioned ramp, not wanting to vault Reed off of it. He sat I gave him a small push and he slid off! I watched the sled make a graceful turn to the right directly onto the middle of the ramp.
Reed caught a bit of air but landed squarely. He howled with delight, "AWESOME!"
I reveled in one of those rare moments that will forever be at the top of my memory where it will delight and haunt me forever.
Reed wanted me to do the jump next. I remembered riding a sled with my Dad once, where we hit a jump and came down hard, hurting his back. "Sure!", I said. Seconds later I slammed down hard enough to know I would hurt in the morning, falling over backwards into the snow. I could here Reed laughing hysterically as I slowly rose to my feet.
Reed made a bunch more runs and now the sun was behind the hill. We were cold in the shadows and there was a constant breeze.
"3 more, Dad!"
3 more became 5 more and for the last ride of the day, Reed wanted to ride together down the hill. I held him close and the cold disappeared, it was as if we were basking in the sun.
As we walked up the hill one last time I took note, with some satisfaction, that Reed had turned his feet sideways a bit and was able to make it confidently up the hill. I fastened my had about his head and we climbed into the relative comfort of my car.
We headed home started down Mountain Avenue, a long hill.
"Look at this hill, Reed. Imagine if it was covered with snow and we could sled down it?!"
"Yea, Dad, we could go forever and ever!"
That'd be just fine with me.
PS: written at 30k feet on my phone while flying from EWR to CLT
--Daddy
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