Thought I'd share a recent experience

[smittybill53]

This weekend on the US East Coast we got a fair amount of rain. Since the place I stay has a large yard with a nice low spot for the water to pond, and due to the around freezing conditions, I though I'd try something different. Seeing as it's a busy road that our yard is located next to I waited till tonight to have some fun.

I decided to run and slide on the wet ground into the muddy and leafy water. How to dress was my only concern. The clothes had to be dark so as not to be seen. A pair of black jeans would work along with a t-shirt and black hoodie sweatshirt. I figured to wear a poncho, not for water protection but to act as a slippery surface to slide. Now as I prefer boots while getting messy, I pulled out my pair of thigh high renaissance boots for the brief session. I tucked my jeans into the boots, pulled them all the pay up, and climbed out my window. That's the only way to not disturb the others in the house and being on the first floor makes it a breeze to get in afterward.

Once outside I pulled on the poncho and walked around the ponded water breaking the just forming ice sheet. The weather was going to get colder tonight and any tracks I'd leave in the water would freeze over. Walking around I cleared a few branches that were on the ground near where I planned to go slushy sliding so as not to hurt myself in the dark. The street lights across the road were the only illumination I had.

Getting ready for my first attempt I needed to duck behind the bushes that run along the road while cars would pass. With the wind howling and noise I'd make wouldn't be heard by the neighbors whom are in visual line of sight to our front yard. My first run I took a gentle belly flop slide and went about ten feet but the grass wasn't really marshy enough to do more than wet the front of my poncho and pants. Kinda defeats the purpose of getting messy if you don't reach the mess.

Again after hiding from the passing cars and occasional salt truck I moved closer to the water. This time running along and diving forward I made a small splash as the marshy area had a couple of inches of water. This produced a bit of water that had collected in the top of my boots which upon standing trickled down my legs to pool at my feet, not enough to freeze my toes but enough to know I was on the right track.

The third time I started much closer to the three to four inch water. Remember I was out to get a messy. I decided that continuing my frontal slides was the best for not causing too much damage to that part of the yard. Running towards the water I flopped down and slid right across the deeper patch of water. This time soaking my sweatshirts sleeves and collecting more water and leaves in the top of my thigh boots. I realized upon standing that the front pouch of my hoodie had started to collect water and was getting a little heavier. Warming my hands was the next thing I needed to do since I started to go numb in a couple of my fingers.

Once I was warmed up enough I took my last run, splashing down in the leafy and now at least dirty water. I took a bit longer to get up, enjoying the feeling of the cold water being absorbed by the cotton of the hoodie and my jeans. And trying to let more water get into my boots. I was chilled but not unbearably cold and walked into the deepest section of the water which has a hole that gives it a good foot to foot and a half depth. I knelt down to allow a nice chilling filling of my renaissance boots before climbing back into my warm room and regaining my normal warmth sitting in front of my computer and typing.

Cheers