Got real fed up with sore knees after weekend volleyball games. Always sliding on concrete courts like some amateur. Last Tuesday while staring at my dying rubber plant, the dumbest idea hit me: what if I just use actual rubber trees as shock absorbers?

Grabbing Materials Like a Raccoon

First thing Friday, raided my backyard. Weirdly aggressive gardening session followed. Took a rusty handsaw to those rubber trees growing wild near the fence. Sap got everywhere – sticky nightmare. Carried like 15 logs to the garage while my dog barked at me like I’d lost it.

The Failed Science Experiment

• Tried nailing logs directly to concrete = bouncy like frozen broccoli
• Threw blankets under logs = turned into soggy pancakes
• Stacked logs like Lincoln Logs = collapsed when my neighbor sneezed

Almost gave up Sunday morning. Then spotted leftover plumbing pipes from last year’s DIY disaster. Jammed those pipes vertically between logs like Frankenstein bolts. Hammered ’em deep into the dirt below.

Magic Happens (Kinda)

Stepped on that janky setup after lunch. Legs didn’t vibrate like blender machines for once! Called over some buddies – we spiked that volleyball till sunset. Wood still gave us splinters and my garage reeked of sap for days, BUT: no more concrete earthquake knees!

Would I recommend this? Absolutely not. OSHA would have a heart attack. But for backyard idiots like us? Totally works. Still finding rubber sap in my hair though.