Idiocy
When I was about 14 I was forced up a local hill with my brother and dad. Being bored, my brother and I scarpered up this slope to the side of the beaten path. It was slick, dry dirt that had been washed flat by rainwater falling down it, and the trees had been crisped by the sun since the last time it rained.

So, we made it to the top, now what? My brother slides down on his arse at full speed, narrowly avoiding getting a faceful of branch at one point, only to grab onto a trunk about an inch away.

"Blimey" thought I "I should be careful on my way down!"

So I methodically (read: wimpily) slid my way down until the point about 30 feet away from the bottom, where the trees stopped. I thought I was near the bottom, apparently I wasn't. I stood up to run the last few stesp, only to realise I had a good 7 metres to go, and was about 5 metres off ground level. I took a few humungous steps as my momentum carried me, then I somersaulted into a patch of nettles and sharp branches at the bottom of the slope. I landed on my head at an odd angle, rolled onto my back (without damaging my skull) and got up.

Injuries? A few nettle stings and a minor headache. Feckin' miracle.

Apologies for length.
(youthink, Thu 25 Nov 2004, 16:41, Reply)