Yesterday, Wolf was tell me about how excited he is to be going to the Attack of Danger Bay this coming May long weekend. It will be his third time at that race/ festival. It is hard to believe that it was two years ago when he was only fourteen when we agreed to let our boy go off on his own to that race. He's been hooked ever since.
Recently, he was at Salt Spring Slasher. He camped with the other riders on the hard dirt and rock ground next to the race course. His tent, which relied on stones to hold in the pegs, occasionally fell in on him in the driving rain. I was happy to be many kilometres away listening to the howl of the wind and rain from inside my house. He's fine, I said to myself--convincing myself.
He was fine, didn't sleep well, but he was fine. Then the truth comes out... weeks later, crash. We knew he crashed, he told us. Like all racers, he periodically meets the hay that lines the track face-to-face. This time, however, he met the ditch! He took the hard line and couldn't hold it; he went skidding down the road and into the ditch and lay there. There is footage, apparently. This is what I am not supposed to see.
"It's a good thing you weren't there," he told me.
I could just imagine it, the speakers calling out, 'clear the course... hysterical mother on the track!"
I know it would not have been good for me to see, not at the time at least. I am still fearful, but I have to trust that he knows himself and his skill. He wears his full leathers, his spine-protector, special padded gloves, and a full-face helmet. He loves his sport, and well, I love him, so there we go. He is off again this weekend to 'shred the gnar' with his newest competition on Vancouver Island. I spoke with the boy's parents; they too are fearful, but fully support their darling speed-demon just as I do.
Here are a few photos of my speedy Wolf.
Wolf is in the middle of the pack above, red with silver full-face. The pack in longboarding is also known as the 'gauntlet.'
