Back in the day, I'm talking 20's, my grandfather said they used to send miners down a chat pile in a 55 gal. barrel for fun. And if they didn't like you, then the barrel got a little push on the end so that it would not only roll, but flip too.
I talked my little brother into a 55 gal drum on top of a hill one time. About halfway down the hill it started coming off the ground. Just like that wooden spool. He also didn't think it was very funny and for some reason he wouldn't do it again.