As flyers, we’re fascinated by gravity. We can’t escape it, but we try to minimize its effects on our aircraft through weight reduction, large lifting surfaces and efficient power sources.

Oh, and good judgment. In the hands of an inexperienced flyer, even a lightweight plane can turn into an earthbound meteor.

As Mike Nadler likes to say, “Gravity, not only a good idea, it’s the LAW!”

On Monday I was walking from my house to my eye doctor’s office—a four-block trip—not thinking about much of anything, particularly not gravity, when my foot caught on an uneven patch of sidewalk and I tumbled forward.

In mid-fall I realized that I was out of control, pavement-bound and helpless to slow the fall. An earthbound meteor myself.

I hit hard on knees and hands.

An Offer of Help. A couple offered help and voiced concern. I thanked them and explained, as I got up and caught my breath, that my primary injury was embarrassment.

But both wrists hurt. My knees were scraped and my right ankle had a sharp pain. My left little pinkie ached. Did I manage to fall on my little finger?

I limped the last half block to the eye doctor and went in, glad to get off my feet.

In the past four years, I’ve had two or three similar falls while walking Sadie, our Great Dane. Once or twice she did something that threw me off-balance. Once I did it all on my own.

The falls scared her, and they scared me, too.

Good to You? My old friend Captain Beefheart liked to greet people by saying, “Gravity’s been good you.” It’s a compliment and I used to think it was true about me but not so much any more.

I enjoy walking. When I see people negotiating the outdoors with canes and walkers or, worse yet, wheelchairs, I thank genetics and nature and my few good habits for allowing me to continue to perambulate unassisted.

Unfortunately, arthritis and sundry muscular problems have ravaged Sadie’s hips and rear knees, and she’s no longer able to join me for extended walks in our neighborhood. We’re all getting old.

But, as it happens, I had walked a circuit of Baylands—it’s about a mile in circumference—earlier in the day of The Fall.

Scenic Journey. That’s a nice walk, around the Great Meadow, by the Slough of Despond, out onto the observation pier that extends into the wetlands, around the back of the park and back through a path lined by leafy eucalyptus trees.

I enjoy looking at the birds, the ground squirrels, the joggers, the picnickers. And it’s interesting to watch the model airplanes flying from a different vantage point.

As exercise, flying model airplanes is barely more strenuous than sitting and watching television. Some of us make it more couch-potato-like by lounging in lawn chairs while we fly. (I’ve been guilty of this!)

With The Fall in my mind, I’ve decided to increase the frequency of my walks around the park. At least three times a week, maybe more.

It’s a perfect 25-minute diversion while the last of my batteries charge.

And while I walk, I’ll remember to thank gravity for not punishing my faltering balance.

Tags: Baylands, Flying, People, Radio Control.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 5th, 2008 at 7:36 pm and is filed under Baylands. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.