Flipping. Me...Offed.

I enjoy off-roading very much. I have a truck that's not 4x4 but still take it into muddy waters or dirt roads and use the TRD to it's full potential.

And like I said before, I've rode my share of ATVs also. Those are just as fun as a truck. Luckily for me, Wifey works for Yamaha and back in the day was able to borrow ATVs.

The last time we had some borrowed ATVs, Jazz and I decided to go to our favorite off-roading spot and use and abuse those things.

We invited Conrad, since he had never been. Unfortunately we only had 2 ATVs so we also took a little mini bike. The mini bike was for the person who wasn't riding one of the ATVs which ended up being Conrad.

So Jazz and I left Conrad where we had parked with the mini bike and the keys to the truck in case he wanted to listen to some music or take a nap while we left to the dirt filled yonder. It was a great day for ATV-ing. It had rained a few days prior to our trip there so there was a lot of good mud on the trails. And of course there were a lot of places for us to test the springs on the ATVs. It was pretty damn fun I have to admit.

We followed the trail until it led us to a dirt hill about 30 feet tall with a pretty steep incline. All of a sudden the adventurous Bear Grylles in me came out. We could have easily gone around the hill but I thought it would be cooler if we went straight up and over it. Now, Jazz was riding an ATV that was 4x4 and I wasn't but I was determined to go no matter what.

Rian: "Let me go first and see how hard it is."

Jazz: "Dude let's just go around it. Stop trying to be cool."

Without any hesitation and disregarding Jazz's warning I blasted the engine and head up the hill. On my way up I tried to focus on the victory I would have once I made it to the top. I had planned on standing at the summit and yelling "I'm the king of the world!" Jack style. I was, I would say, three fourths of the way up when my front tire hit a rock I hadn't seen and....

PLOP!

The ATV's front popped up and tossed me backwards causing me to roll down the hill I had just climbed. When I finally stopped rolling and tumbling, I found myself dazed and confused looking for Wooderson. I had landed in what looked like rusted barbed wire and rocks.

From behind the ringing in my ears I hear the voice of an angel:

"Rian! Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!!!!"

It was Jazz screaming like a Japanese women at the sight of Godzilla, telling me to get out of the way. But of what I wonder for a brief second? Then I looked up, and following the same tumbling trail I had just taken was the ATV. Flipping from front to back, gaining speed, and headed right towards me. I gather my spiritual possessions and ran to the side as fast I could in the loss dirt and rocks away from my impending doom. It was hard to get footing so I ended up taking a leap of faith to avoid getting hit at the last moment.

The ATV landed exactly where I had lain seconds prior.

Jazz rushed to where I had ended up and to check on me to make sure I was ok. I was, for the time being. We rode back to the truck where we found Conrad riding the mini bike in circles. He looked like one of those bears at the circus. All he needed was a party hat. He noticed I looked shaken and stirred. We told him what had occurred and he asked if I was ok. I said I was and we loaded up and headed out.

We went to eat afterwards. I excused myself from the table and went to the restroom to wash up. In the restroom, the fear that I had just encountered overwhelmed me and I broke into my best Jazz impression and teared up.

I could have been offed by the flipping ATV but was lucky to have my very own earth angel.

Thank you Jazz