Sledding down the side of a mountain... Who could have predicted I wouldn't be good at this?!?!

Hello again everyone! Maybe I am finally warming up to this whole blogging 'thing,' because you are all being treated to another post from yours truly. I know, you're just so very excited. So I won't keep you in suspense. The latest adventure involved SLEDGING. Yes, I proofread. The Swiss do not sled like the rest of us... they sledge.

This is something CJ had really been wanting to do for a while. Me? Not so much. When I read about sledging, the words that stood out in my mind were "huge mountain," "icy slopes," and of course, "helmet." Not really words that inspire confidence. Also, if you know me, you know I am definitely not experienced on the slopes, that I am afraid of heights, and that I generally do not like winter or it's activities. However, not to disparage an activity without ever having tried it, I decided I could make excuses no longer. It didn't help that we had friends that also wanted to go. Three against one.

I grew up sledding down this hill (notice the use of the term "hill"):

*Mill Creek Park*

Saturday we went sledding down this mountain:

*View from the top of Mt. Rigi*

And yes, you sled from the top!

A few very scientific facts to help you get a better picture of the activity...

1. Rigi is super high (5,895 feet to be exact).
2. The only thing separating us sledders from certain death (i.e. sledding off the side of the mountain) is some plastic, orange fencing (as seen in certain pictures).
   
3. My ability to stop or steer could be equated with that of Clark Griswold in Christmas Vacation (aka I couldn't stop OR steer).

There were three sled runs from the top of Rigi Kulm. You take a train to the top, and sled down. Below are some shots from the top before we started sledding:



Taking off down the slope:

The first two runs went smoothly enough...

*Here I am almost running into a snow bank*

*Here is CJ not fairing so well at the same bend*

It was NOT easy to stay on these sleds, and as CJ found out, sometimes it felt like they had a mind of their own!

Here you can see CJ at the top... but, in the next one you can (maybe) see his sled WAYYYYY at the bottom. Off the trail, of course...

~

After a few (death defying) runs, I decided that I was done sledding... But, I was convinced to give it one last try... on the back of CJ's sled. Since he was MUCH better at controlling his sled, I figured I would be safe going down the mountain with him. I was wrong.

Here we are right beforehand:

And now riding off into the figurative sunset:

*Awwww*

However, that scene did not last long at all. But, this one happened again and again:

This was surely my last sled run for the day, as it ended with me getting a sprained ankle! Thankfully, I had CJ to carry me home from the train station (over his shoulder no less... I think people thought I was being abducted)! What a prince. :)

When it is my turn to choose the day trip I am thinking Baden thermal baths sound a little better than sledding... hopefully I can't get hurt doing that!!