Raleigh, N.C. — While much of the Triangle waited for the remnants of Friday's ice storm to melt, there were some who made the most of the slick touch of winter, enjoying the opportunity to sled, even on ice.

For Carson Gilbert, Saturday's slick surfaces were reason to celebrate. 

"I grew up in North Carolina. I remember this as a kid, and we haven't had that many events over the past 20-25 years," he said.

As drivers battled the elements behind the wheel Saturday morning, the young and young-at-heart were having a blast.

"It's great. The kids are having a wonderful time," exclaimed Emily Lawson.

Her son Jack put the family dog to work. "My dog was pulling me. I crashed and it was fun," Jack Lawson said. "That was probably the best part of when I was going."

Parents kept a close eye on the sledders. More Info     Viewer video: Snow, sleet, ice

"It's not very forgiving when you bail out, but they don't care. They are having a blast," Emily Lawson said.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, the opportunities for a long ride melted along with the ice.

The same thing was happening on area roadways. Most major routes were merely wet by mid-day Saturday. Temperatures moved past the freezing mark shortly before noon and climbed to a high of about 40 degrees, gradually melting ice left on secondary roads, parking lots and sidewalks.