*Sigh* I miss being a kid and the endless hours building up ramps on the downsloaps of the mountain (a mere 'hill' to the old folks) behind my cousins house as a kid. All day we'd spend constructing and improving it, going up the mountain and sliding down, trying to get more air each time until there just wasn't any more snow to add to it or it got to big that it slowed you down too much to be better than last time!
It was extra cool if you got out of school because of too much snow. 'course they got you back in the summer time keeping you in class those extra days!
Still, riding down the home-made slope in the 'ol wooden sleds w/ metal rails was fun. Then the 'new' plastic sleads came out that put the old folks model to shame... cuz they were lighter and slipperier. And then we'd race... and sometimes the heavy wooden sleads actually held an advantage!
Then getting new models each year and testing out how much better/worse they were than the 'ol standby. I don't even know what they use these days... probably much the same I imagine.
I did miss all that having moved to and gotten older in sunny S.FL. In fact, I thought I was ready to move back--until I visited KC 2yrs ago and it snowed and rained one day while I was there, came out of the office and the rental car was a solid brick of ice! Haven't wanted to 'live' where it snows since. It was major suck having to chip away at the ice to clear the windshield and on the doors just to get into the car all while it was f-ing cold out and hands turning numb. Couldn't imagine doing that all winter long--sure there are garages and such--but--still shoveling snow sucks.
Guess I'm just old.