Don’t you love it when the unexpected outshines the planned?

Our son spent Saturday night with my local in-laws while my wife and I had a date, and snow began falling. It piled up to 9 inches by the time I woke at 7:30 a.m. — and still was coming down hard.

I wandered around alone a while with my camera, then picked up Benjamin, who wanted to go “back to the forest where you went this morning, Daddy.”

(video clip after the jump)

The water was rushing over the top of the Allen Train Dam when we got there, but unlike the previous weekend, there was no heroic kid-carrying while crossing submerged stones. Back off — it was 32 degrees with a 20-degree windchill. Benjamin liked the snowy scene, but he lost interest once it was obvious we couldn’t get across the stream to hike in the woods.

As we started home we noticed several people standing at the top of an onramp’s earthen embankment, holding various innertube-shaped, brightly-colored swim toys. At the bottom of the hill was an open field next to a hotel.

“Daddy, we could do what they’re doing,” Benjamin said. “I have one of those at Grammy’s house. We can go back and get it.”

“You want to do some sledding?” I said. He never had.

“Yes, Daddy.”

I turned us around at the next exit and we went back.

There was no donut-shaped flotation device, but my mother in-law had a lightbulb moment. “Hey, would this work?” she asked as she pointed to a large collapsible dog cage.

I tried to figure out what she meant, and then I saw it — a black plastic tray lining the bottom of the cage. It looked like an oversized cookie sheet. A few minutes later we had that tray and one from a smaller dog cage and were out the door.

Besides occasionally plowing the snow when we careened off the packed surface, the cage liners worked great. I tried using an old windshield shade from my trunk as a toboggan, but it only shredded as I slid down the hill. After grabbing a few pictures and video clips, I put the camera back in the car so Benjamin and I could have fun without worrying about anything.

We attained exciting but not Clark Griswald speeds. I loaned the smaller tray to a grampa and his granddaughter so she could have more fun.

Slide, laugh, hike back up. Repeat.

I only wished that Shannon could have been along to see it if not take part. I hadn’t known when I left the house that I would go ahead and get Benjamin without going home first. That’s just how it goes with impromptu activities.

I dare say it ranked up there with the most fun we’ve ever had together. I’ll never forget it, and I doubt he will, either. If you don’t believe it, watch the video below (with sound).

The player will show in this paragraph