Dilemma

Hypothetically speaking, let's just say you see your seven year old son, of moderate bicycling skills, perched at the top of hill at the spot indicated by the red arrow. And, for argument sake, let's say he has his bike with him at said location. Furthermore, suppose you are at the farthest spot away from this hill, peeling off your skate pads and talking with your skatebud, who, best as he can through panic-stricken vocal chords, questions whether your son has previously attempted a descent on this massive hill.

Do you:

a) scream like an idiot at the top of your lungs trying to convince your son that this is a bad idea and he isn't yet up to the challenge?

-or-

b) support your son's adventurous nature and pray that all the life-lessons you have given him will cause him to think carefully and change his mind, and, if that fails, that serendipity and the few bike skills he has learned will help him through this successfully?







(Theme from Jeopardy now playing)








If you answered 'b' like I did, you would be very, very wrong.



Gib took a man-sized slam when he hit the concrete pad that is the skatepark at full speed. (Actual car conversation - Me: Did you hit the brakes at all? Gib: No. I didn't really think about it.) The kind of slam that takes skin from your forehead, cheek, chin, shoulder, elbow, knuckles, love-handle, and knee. The kind of slam that breaks the Styrofoam core of your helmet into pieces. The kind of slam that makes your head feel "like whatever is in it is too big to fit."

Careful, Gimpy, there is a competitor for this year's Gnar Award.