Oh boy....we are in for a real adventure today! We are taking the kids to Valleyfair, the upper Midwest's largest amusement park. I don't think we have ever been to an amusement park together, other than when we have gone to the teeny tiny little Oaks Park in Portland. The kids and I went to Silverwood in Idaho when we went to visit Mike and Kami a couple years ago, but this is our first time going to a big amusement park as a family. We have been really excited, especially after reading about some of the thrill rides online. Excited...and a little scared!
Our first ride was a the "Highroller" a 40 mph wooden roller coaster than has been here since the park opened in 1976. The fact that it is older than me, and made out of wood (which makes terrifying "this ride is going to fall apart at any moment" sounds) did not install a lot of confidence in me. We waited forever in line...I think this ended up being the longest wait of the day at close to an hour. It was totally worth it though, and got our blood pumping for the rides to come.
We did a few more coasters, ate a picnic lunch and then went back for more fun. We headed over to the back of the park where the water park rides were. After a quick change into swimsuits, we claimed some inner tubes and went for a float down the lazy river. I *loved* the lazy river ride at Silverwood's water park, but this one was sort of a let down. It was super crowded, so it seemed like there were more inner tubes and people than there was water! It was nice to get wet and cool down though, as the temperature was well into the 90's. There were a couple other water rides, but I am kind of a big weenie about these - they look like fun, but I am really scared to go on them. There was one that I worked up the nerve to try, and right when we walked up they shut it down. Dang it! So we dried off and walked back to the main park for more thrill ride action.
We went on Thunder Canyon, which is a white water rafting ride - should have kept the swimsuits on for this one! We got soaking wet! To dry off, we walked over to the nearby Excalibur roller coaster, which, unlike all the other rides so far, had no line at all. So we went on it...again and again and again! Its a 55 mph ride with the highest point being around 100 feet. SCARY! But really fun.
Our next ride was not so much fun, at least for me.We went on the "Renegade", a 52 mph, 104 foot peak wooden roller coaster that contains a "twisting first drop, low to the ground high speed S-turn and high speed station fly-by". I knew right away that I hated it, and spent the remaining 2 minutes of the ride wanting to cry. I don't know what it was specifically, but this ride totally freaked me out! The best part of the ride? Besides it being over? The picture they snapped as we were going around one of the turns. Omg...we nearly died laughing. Matthew is having a blast and totally loving it, Killian looks sort of confused, Rowan is amazed and me? Absolute terror. I am clenching that bar so hard that I am surprised I didn't pull it loose. Best picture ever!
That was it for me for roller coasters for the day, but the boys had one more left in them, and they chose the biggest, meanest, fastest roller coaster in the whole place - Wild Thing. From the website, the Wild Thing is:
I didn't take my camera into the park, but I did get these pictures of Wild Thing on the drive in. I have never seen a bigger roller coaster in my life!
In hindsight, I really wish I would have gone on this one with them, but I was feeling a little rattled after my last ride, and Rowan didn't want to go on it, so I stayed behind to wait with her. The boys LOVED it!! They said it was absolutely terrifying, especially that first 200 foot drop, but they both agreed it was the best thrill ride ever. Maybe if we ever come back I will work up the nerve to give it a try!
The entire day had been blazing hot and sunny, to the point where we were all sweaty, burnt and drinking water like it was going out of style. We were planning on doing just a couple more rides before heading home, when all of a sudden out we were hit by a huge thunderstorm! The rain came pouring down, the winds were howling, rides were shut down because lighting was striking all around, and people crammed into the gift shops and began to completely panic. There were cries of "Tornado!!" and that made people freak out even more. I guess tornadoes are a pretty common thing here, they have sirens all over town to warn of their approach, though we never heard them. That's probably a good thing! We tried to wait the storm out for a bit, but it became obvious that it was going to rage for awhile, so we made a mad dash for the car like everyone else. It was a little crazy to see the place empty out within a matter of just a few minutes. Even crazier to go from 95* shorts and tank top weather to being completely drenched in the pouring rain. I have to say though, I do love the weather here. We hardly ever get thunder and lightening storms at home, and I like how the rain just comes in quick flashes, instead of a constant drizzle all day. I just didn't really like being caught out unprepared! We had a very wet ride back to St. Paul, but got warm and cozy at home and listened to the thunder storm work its way through town. We only have a few more days here, and I am already dreading heading home. Not just because I am going to miss Matthew terribly, but also because I have completely surprised myself and fallen in love with St. Paul. I never thought I would say that, but I really have. Its such a great city, with so many amazing and fun things to do with kids, I love the crazy weather and Midwesterners are some of the friendliest people ever. For the first time, I am sad that the transfer here didn't work out. Now I have seen what I am missing, and it's a lot. Well....never say never. Who knows where we will end up in the future, but we are going to enjoy the time we have left here to the fullest!
Our first ride was a the "Highroller" a 40 mph wooden roller coaster than has been here since the park opened in 1976. The fact that it is older than me, and made out of wood (which makes terrifying "this ride is going to fall apart at any moment" sounds) did not install a lot of confidence in me. We waited forever in line...I think this ended up being the longest wait of the day at close to an hour. It was totally worth it though, and got our blood pumping for the rides to come.
We did a few more coasters, ate a picnic lunch and then went back for more fun. We headed over to the back of the park where the water park rides were. After a quick change into swimsuits, we claimed some inner tubes and went for a float down the lazy river. I *loved* the lazy river ride at Silverwood's water park, but this one was sort of a let down. It was super crowded, so it seemed like there were more inner tubes and people than there was water! It was nice to get wet and cool down though, as the temperature was well into the 90's. There were a couple other water rides, but I am kind of a big weenie about these - they look like fun, but I am really scared to go on them. There was one that I worked up the nerve to try, and right when we walked up they shut it down. Dang it! So we dried off and walked back to the main park for more thrill ride action.
We went on Thunder Canyon, which is a white water rafting ride - should have kept the swimsuits on for this one! We got soaking wet! To dry off, we walked over to the nearby Excalibur roller coaster, which, unlike all the other rides so far, had no line at all. So we went on it...again and again and again! Its a 55 mph ride with the highest point being around 100 feet. SCARY! But really fun.
Our next ride was not so much fun, at least for me.We went on the "Renegade", a 52 mph, 104 foot peak wooden roller coaster that contains a "twisting first drop, low to the ground high speed S-turn and high speed station fly-by". I knew right away that I hated it, and spent the remaining 2 minutes of the ride wanting to cry. I don't know what it was specifically, but this ride totally freaked me out! The best part of the ride? Besides it being over? The picture they snapped as we were going around one of the turns. Omg...we nearly died laughing. Matthew is having a blast and totally loving it, Killian looks sort of confused, Rowan is amazed and me? Absolute terror. I am clenching that bar so hard that I am surprised I didn't pull it loose. Best picture ever!
That was it for me for roller coasters for the day, but the boys had one more left in them, and they chose the biggest, meanest, fastest roller coaster in the whole place - Wild Thing. From the website, the Wild Thing is:
- The tallest and fastest roller coaster at Valleyfair, standing 207 feet at its highest point with a first drop of 200 feet at a 60-degree angle and reaching speeds up to 74 miles per hour.
- Wild Thing features four drops of more than 100 feet along its 5,460-foot-long course (207', 103', 130', 103')
- Out and back steel coaster with two "S" curves, one tunnel and a 360-degree spiral.
- Longest low-gravity section of any coaster in the world.
I didn't take my camera into the park, but I did get these pictures of Wild Thing on the drive in. I have never seen a bigger roller coaster in my life!
In hindsight, I really wish I would have gone on this one with them, but I was feeling a little rattled after my last ride, and Rowan didn't want to go on it, so I stayed behind to wait with her. The boys LOVED it!! They said it was absolutely terrifying, especially that first 200 foot drop, but they both agreed it was the best thrill ride ever. Maybe if we ever come back I will work up the nerve to give it a try!
The entire day had been blazing hot and sunny, to the point where we were all sweaty, burnt and drinking water like it was going out of style. We were planning on doing just a couple more rides before heading home, when all of a sudden out we were hit by a huge thunderstorm! The rain came pouring down, the winds were howling, rides were shut down because lighting was striking all around, and people crammed into the gift shops and began to completely panic. There were cries of "Tornado!!" and that made people freak out even more. I guess tornadoes are a pretty common thing here, they have sirens all over town to warn of their approach, though we never heard them. That's probably a good thing! We tried to wait the storm out for a bit, but it became obvious that it was going to rage for awhile, so we made a mad dash for the car like everyone else. It was a little crazy to see the place empty out within a matter of just a few minutes. Even crazier to go from 95* shorts and tank top weather to being completely drenched in the pouring rain. I have to say though, I do love the weather here. We hardly ever get thunder and lightening storms at home, and I like how the rain just comes in quick flashes, instead of a constant drizzle all day. I just didn't really like being caught out unprepared! We had a very wet ride back to St. Paul, but got warm and cozy at home and listened to the thunder storm work its way through town. We only have a few more days here, and I am already dreading heading home. Not just because I am going to miss Matthew terribly, but also because I have completely surprised myself and fallen in love with St. Paul. I never thought I would say that, but I really have. Its such a great city, with so many amazing and fun things to do with kids, I love the crazy weather and Midwesterners are some of the friendliest people ever. For the first time, I am sad that the transfer here didn't work out. Now I have seen what I am missing, and it's a lot. Well....never say never. Who knows where we will end up in the future, but we are going to enjoy the time we have left here to the fullest!