Twig Vaulting

I jogged right off the edge of the stone patio into the soft garden mulch! Right beside a terracotta flowerpot, I spotted a sturdy, dried twig standing upright against the clay rim. What kind of athlete walks past a natural vaulting pole? I clamped my curved hands around the smooth bark, planted the base firmly into the dark soil, and gave a mighty push with both feet. I swung clean through the air in a neat arc, kicking past a giant dandelion leaf before sticking a solid landing in the peat. Have you ever seen a twig carry that much momentum?