(Original photo stolen from this guy)
BOSSY posted a picture of steep hills on her site today, and it reminded me of something.
You know that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you crest a hill in a car, a little too fast, and you catch just a little air? For a fraction of a second you are airborne, weightless, even if the tires haven't completely left the road's surface. I think all kids know this feeling, whether or not they have the words to describe the event.
My brothers and I called it "feeling our guts." We tried to egg my implacable father into speeding up for hills. On the rare occasion that we did catch air, we would yell, "Feel your GUTS!"
I explained this to my own daughters a few years ago. Smedley was old enough to understand, and she yells "FEEL YOUR GUTS!" from time to time when we're driving. Sparky was, at the time of the explanation, old enough to grasp only the thrill of yelling in the car. She didn't understand what she was yelling but it didn't matter.
Months went by and Smedley saw hills approaching as our car speeded along a country road. "FEEL YOUR GUTS!" she yelled. And Sparky chimed in joyously after her, "FEEL YOUR NUTS!"
We probably shouldn't volunteer for any car pools.
The only "car pool" in which you should participate is one where you and Chas bet on which goofy girl will crack you up next.
Posted by: Mantel Man | February 03, 2010 at 11:52 AM
Supposedly it's the fluid in your bladder that causes that feeling, but I love that feeling, too.
Posted by: ɹǝƃƃolquǝʞoʇ | February 03, 2010 at 08:28 AM
Now I'm thinking that could spice up some car pools.
Posted by: KathiD | February 02, 2010 at 08:45 PM
I'll see your nuts and raise you a wee little pee-pee:
There is a very hilly road in PA that we call the "Whee! Road." Because you want to say "Whee!" like on a roller coaster. Well, when each of my boys was around age 3 or 4, they declared on that road, "It makes my pee-pee tickle!"
Posted by: Meg | February 02, 2010 at 01:47 PM
Bossy's hills have nothing on your SF hills!
Posted by: grandma j | February 02, 2010 at 11:24 AM
Been on that Powell/Hyde St. car line a little short of one million times. What I remember is bumper-to-bumper cheek-to-cheek. I been squished by a lot of boobs on that car.
Posted by: Audubon Ron | February 02, 2010 at 06:19 AM
When I was in my teens and we spent a lot of time riding around in our wheels, we called those hills "kissmequicks".
Gosh that's been a long time ago. Think the 50's.
Heck .. MY 50's has been a long time ago.
Think the 80's.
Heck .. MY 80's ain't far off.
:(
I'm going to bed.
Posted by: Bob Cleveland | February 01, 2010 at 09:11 PM