Lots of fun on our Wild Adventure!

Summertime always brings up the question, "Where are we going on our family vacation?" This year, it was a little difficult. We had several ideas, including Palmyra, NY, but because of finances (of course!) and Austin's new job, none of our ideas were do-able. I'd pretty much resigned myself to the fact that we weren't having a family vacation this year, but at the last minute, I had the idea to go to Wild Adventures, a smaller, friendlier version of Six Flags or parks of the like.

We made the trip there two years ago with a friend's family, and we had a blast. This year it was just us, plus a friend of Matthew's (Keegan, who lives in Holland and is visiting his grandparents for the summer). It made it a bit more difficult going, because there were no other adults to "trade out" with for ride time. But it didn't stop us. In fact, Jonathan because Austin's riding buddy! For the rides he was big enough for anyway. When we went two years ago, Jonathan's favorite ride was the "Goldrush" roller coaster. It's a fun little ride for young kids, and for the faint at heart (like me!). It has some hills, and some sharp turns, but nothing radical. This year, however, Jonathan's favorite ride turned out to be something a tad bit bigger!

Have you ever seen the skycoaster type rides? If not, they are a big bungee cord type ride that pulls a couple of people at a time way up into the air (180 feet in this case), and when the riders are ready, the riders themselves pull the rip cord to release them soaring through the air, hanging only by this one huge cord.

The one at Wild Adentures is called the Gyronimo Skycoaster, and it's huge. As previously mentioned, it's a 180 foot ride. Can you say "OMGosh?" I did, several times over. I had already told Austin that he was going to do it this time. (Austin is an adrenaline junkie, but never wants to spend the money to do the things he wants to do. So this time, I was prepared to insist, and go buy the ticket myself if he wouldn't agree.) Amazingly, he agreed, and tried to get Matthew to join him. My heart quivered a bit at this, but Matthew was pretty quick to say no. However, Jonathan put in to ride! I was sure that he wasn't tall enough, so I didn't think too much about it, but once we got up to the desk to buy the ticket, it because obvious that Jonathan was EXACTLY the 42" required for the ride. (As Austin said then, if he'd had a haircut before vacation, he would have been too short!) I voiced my protest at Jonathan riding, but Austin insisted; if he wanted to ride, he would ride. I was over-ruled. The tickets were bought ($25 for this one ride!) and they were scheduled to ride at 2:15. When the time came for them to go get suited up, I got a little teary, and I gave Jonathan a big hug. I was scared.

We couldn't see them getting ready from the viewing area, but we waited expectantly for them to walk out on the path that led to the loading zone. 2:15 came and went, and they didn't come out. I was beginning to wonder (and hope!) that Jonathan had changed his mind. Finally, however, Austin and this tiny boy walked down the path, suited up and ready to go. Jonathan's harness went from his neck almost to his ankles. I'm sure they didn't get many requests for harnesses for four year olds, so his was a bit too big.

Jonathan was smiling and waving at us, as Austin pointed out our location to him. Other people were gathered around to see him ride; they were amazed at his bravery, and honestly, the were also probably silently condemming of us for letting our four year old ride the skycoaster. Anyway, the were hooked up and slowly pulled up to the release point. Austin said Jonathan had been very excited, anxious, and animated during the wait. "This. Is. Going. To. Be. TOTALLY AWESOME!" Jonathan said as they neared the front of the line. However, I believe the ride up was pretty quiet until the following conversation happened:

"Um, Daddy?" asked Jonathan.

"Yes Jonathan?" returned Austin.

"This is really high."

To which Austin replied, "Yes it is."

Again, from Jonathan, "Um, Daddy?"

"Yes Jonathan?"

"I don't want to do this." Jonathan stated quickly.

"It's a little late for that bud," Austin told him.

They got to the top, and Austin asked Jonathan if he was ready. Jonathan wrapped both of his arms around Austin's left arm, and Austin started the count. "One.....Two....." "Three!" Jonathan finished, and Austin pulled the ripcord. They soared through the air, Jonathan now having a grand time, and on their way by, and then up and over us, Jonathan waved and smiled big. Complete strangers were waving, clapping, and cheering for him, and I was grinning a huge grin. My heart, which had been in my stomach a few moments before, was bursting with pride at how brave he'd been, and how people - adults, even - were looking at him and saying how cool that little kid was.

We ran around to greet them coming off the skycoaster after being unhooked, and Jonathan and Austin both sported the same silly smile I had, only a bit bigger. And people waiting in line were just in awe of my brave boy. Later on, at another ride, a young woman recognized Jonathan, and said, "Hey! You...you're the one....man, you are my hero!!!" It was a really neat feeling.

Anyway, here are a few of the pictures I managed to take:







That was the highlight of the trip, but we had fun on other rides too. The Goldrush, which I've already talked about, was a fun one. Annah enjoyed it, along with the rest of us. We managed to get a stranger to take a picture of all of us on it:

This weekend was military appreciation weekend, on top of being July 4th. Hense the matching USA shirts! (Plus it was easier to keep up with all of us that way!)


There were a few more I managed to get pictures of; the Double Shot and the Frog Hopper, which is the baby version of the Double Shot (more my speed...I'm a wuss!).





The Superman:



We really had a great time. We got there before the park opened, left briefly for lunch and dinner (we picnic'd in the parking lot and the provided picnic tables), and stayed for the closing fireworks at 10:00 p.m. Everyone was exhausted, and the thought of going back to our motel wasn't a pleasant one. We'd managed to book one of the worst motels I've ever stayed at. But once we'd gotten there, we couldn't change motels; everywhere was booked because it was the 4th of July! So we endured.

Anyway, we made it back to the motel, put the then-sleeping little kids in bed, got the big boys quiet, and went downstairs to fill the cooler with ice. As we got down there, two men came in carrying a third man, who was unresponsive and not breathing. Austin was immediately available to help; it helps having a trained firefighter/first responder around sometimes! We spent about 20 minutes helping out until EMS got there and transported him to the hospital, then we went back upstairs to our sleeping clan, where we drifted off to sleep ourselves.

Of course, as our luck would have it, Austin spent the better part of the night with some kind of stomach bug. Guess we just have to chalk it up to annual tradition; someone ALWAYS has to get sick during our vacation!