Penguins

Stiff legged penguin walk terrain

Stiff legged penguin walk. I do it, you do it, the penguins in Antarctica do it, my little nieces do it.  Why? Ice is slick. Nobody wants to walk around in shoes with spikes on the bottom all winter long, so we had to improvise. This stiff legged penguin walk is handy for the moment when you are walking on ground just fine then you hit a slick spot, and your life flashes before your eyes.  Those goals you've had...long before you knew about ice...you realize you will never accomplish them.  You remember all the witty things you've wanted to say and you know you will never get the chance.  Then like magic you get your bearings. It's very surreal. You switch modes from walking like a champ, "yeah that's right I've got this whole walking thing, been doing it for 20 years," to "OH no, oh NO, are these my legs, why am I so TALL?" It is then that you remember if you straighten your legs, and barely lift them off the ground, this ice walking is really not so tough. I will admit that if you have seen documentaries on penguins; how they walk, general penguin duties, calls, eating strategies etc,  the walk comes much faster, and you will look like a pro. You are right, I lied, you're going to look like a dork.  But at the end of the day you won't have those terrifying yet exhilarating near death moments.