Skater Dude

I didn't know what to put out there as my first blog soooo...I grabbed my camera and went for a walk to get some fresh springtime air, work up a sweat, and maybe see something blogworthy. I wore my snowmobile boots, not so much for warmth , because the sun was warm enough to cause a river of water down the length of my driveway, but to keep my feet dry. I started by wandering into the woods following deer trails when they presented themselves. I used to do this all the time when I was younger, maybe early teens, trying to see if I could get lost but trusting that I would always emerge from the woods in a familiar place-which I always did. I guess it comes from living in the same spot for forty years.

Eventually, I made my way across the road and onto the trail that leads toward the Rum River. The trail to get there has meandered a little bit more with the passing years as the mature oaks die and fall across the path, but the view of the river looked as it always has. Flowing water was visible along a lot of the shoreline with a shallow coating of water over most of the ice. I was hoping to see a deer or some other peaceful scene but the only wildlife I saw were three crazy snowmobilers racing north up the river. I was thinking I could blog about them and how it seems like a stupid thing to do, but frankly I lack passion on the subject. I would never ride a snowmobile in that situation but hey...they probably do it all the time and know more about river ice safety than I do so whatever!(as I was sitting here typing, I heard some machines returning south so I bet they're just fine)

Well to make a long story even longer, I decided to start for home so I tried to retrace my steps- literally. Placing my boots in the tracks I had made to get there seemed like a good idea but in practice but doesn't work that great. When you're putting your toe where your heel was and your heel wants to slide back to where your toe was, your weight shifts unexpectedly and before you know it you're toppled over! I suppose I could have backed myself down the trail but I didn't think of that at the time and I'm sure it would have presented a whole new set of issues anyway.

I finally made it out of the wood and had just stepped onto the road...when there he was- Skater Dude! He was headed in the same direction as I was but because I had popped out of the woods behind him, he had no idea I was there. He may have heard my commotion because he was stopped at the top of the hill in front of me, peering intently into the woods. At first I thought he was checking out the empty house to his right, which I hate to say made me wonder if he was a hoodlum planning some shinanigans. He started rolling down the hill away from me so I started following him - well... really I had to go that way back to my house anyway. That's when the show started!

As Skater Dude gained speed down the hill, his steps became more animated, swaying right and left. Pretty soon he was raising his arms with dramatic flare before throwing himself into a low shuddering bow. This was followed by a big spin with his leg and arm flying out to the side. I thought for sure he would see me when he spun around but he was lost in his moment of skating glory! It was HILARIOUS! It reminded me of my long retired ice skating routine I did to "Hey Diddle Diddle" on a frozen mud puddle in my yard. I hope he felt half as fabulous in his mind as I had in mine( I did a half turn with a leg lift as "the cow jumped over the moooon!"). As I laughed at him, I laughed at myself...and it felt great.