Really enjoying the snow, because it’s more than pretty scenery.

Last night, I went online and found out that the big sledding hill in a park a half-hour from my house is still going strong after all these years.

So this morning, I look again for my childhood sled. Nowhere to be found. I call Target, and am told they have sledding stuff on clearance in Sporting Goods! I was happy they still had some, but on clearance after a snowstorm?

I ask my daughter if she wants to go to the big sleigh riding (what we always called sledding) hill from my childhood, and she does. While she gets ready, I waste no time shooting down to Target. I’m in Sporting Goods, looking near the bikes where the large merchandise is. I ask a team member, and he takes me to the right section. Guess what? “Sleds” come in boxes now. There are three different types of inflatable “sleds”.

I buy two different models (at half price!) and an electric air pump. Our inflated sleds just fit in the back seat.

When we get to the park, the parking lot is full, so they direct us to another lot. For some reason, I miss its entrance, and end up in a third parking lot. As we trek along, following a few people lugging various forms of sleds (none like my runner sled from my childhood), we wonder how far we are from the hill. When a ranger pulls up, he says we are heading to a place I never even knew about– the unsupervised snowboarding hill. He says it’s just as good as the main hill. My daughter likes the unsupervised aspect, and to be honest, so do I. I work well without supervision; ask any of the places to which I’ve applied for a job. And sleigh riding shouldn’t involve regimentation. Soon we pass a couple of guys on their way back who assure us that this hill is better than the other one.

Well, it is. Not crowded. The rides are faster compared to what I remember and what I see of the main hill on YouTube. They are also longer, which you only appreciate on the way down, although my HDL (good) cholesterol is peaking after all those walks back uphill.

We had a blast!

After this storm, I did what it takes to say that I REALLY enjoyed the snow.