Falling Off The Cliff
My friends and I were once hiking off-trail, descending the western slopes of the Sandia Mountains in New Mexico, USA, when our path was blocked by the edge of a cliff. The cliff wasn't terribly tall - maybe 15 or 20 feet - but the base was littered with boulders, cacti, and lance-like yuccas and agaves. So, if you fell, it probably wouldn't be the luxury of death, but it would be the agony of broken bones and getting bayonetted, for sure.

My friends began searching for a way down towards the left. I thought it was too dangerous that way. I started whining about the risk and began inching out towards the right.

Suddenly, I lost my balance. Gravity snatched me off the cliff, and I started falling. So, bracing my legs against the cliff face, I leaped! I was just able to manage flying into a ponderosa pine tree growing near the cliff base. Apart from a scratch on my ribs, I was fine.

Looking up and seeing me fly over, my friends said "so, you think what we are doing is risky?"
(Perv With A Dog had his eyes pecked out by scrub jays on, Fri 20 Aug 2010, 0:06, Reply)