Passing the torch

Every summer when I was a kid we went to the local amusement park, and despite the dorky matching t-shirts we had to wear, I looked forward to that day all year. I loved the coasters, give me a few old wooden roller coasters and I'd ride until my legs were wobbily.

I'd always meant to take the kids, but it never seemed to come to fruition. Then, a few weeks ago Curt's work gave us tickets for the family to visit the park here. And I realized that I'd get to take the kids on their first rides, and began to really anticipate the trip. Sans dorky matching t-shirts.

Curt's mom and sister came with us and very nicely offered to sit with the four littlest ones, while Curt and I took Mike and Brett to the biggest coaster in the park. Brett was pretty silent the whole time we waited in line, and when I turned around and saw him, buckled in, ready for the ride to start, he was as white as a ghost, and I was glad we hadn't had lunch first. Mike and I screamed with glee the whole time, arms up in the air. Brett got off, paler than ever, and then said "Whoa. What are we going to ride next?"

We headed over the the kiddie rides and Evan made a beeline straight for the airplanes. Then the motorcycles, then to the helicopters. Filled with trepidation in real life of new things, he was utterly fearless at the park. Curt and I even took him on the baby roller coaster.





We got in line for the Jack Rabbit, one of the few grown up coasters Emma was tall enough for. I'll never forget seeing her and Curt sitting in the very front car smiling at each other and laughing.

I took all of them on the Log Ride and Lucas got his first taste of what a drop felt like. Emboldened I talked him into getting on The Racer, and he clung tight to me the whole ride, looking shocked. We pulled back in to exit, and still not cracking a smile, looked up at me and said "That was awesome."

Michael was fearless, cut from the same cloth as Curtis, always looking for something bigger, faster, more thrilling. And they found it, the Skycoaster. Which isn't really a coaster at all, but a free fall. Suited in a harness, suspended from cables, and then dropped 180 feet. *gulp* I toyed with the idea of going, I really did, but apparently by bad-assery only extends to things with seats. Here's the pic from the website. Just sitting here looking at this makes my hands sweaty.



I handed my ticket off to Curt's sister and they headed to the ride, as the rest of us watched safe on the ground with funnel cakes. I couldn't believe how fast they came down, or how loud Michael was. They flew threw the air with such speed I had a hard time getting good pictures, I did finally snap this one when they slowed down.


The day was a huge success, and as I was loading the pictures on to the computer this morning, Emma came up and asked if she'd be big enough for "the really fun coasters" next year.

I can hardly wait.