Wild Adventures

Was it just Private schools, or did/do Public schools take an end of the year "School Trip"?? I looked forward to that time with much anticipation when I was in school. It usually happened the beginning of May and most trips were educational.

I've really been thinking that we should award our kids a fun trip for an end of the year celebration, as well, so when some friends invited us to join a group

going to Wild Adventures (and a Mercy Me concert in the PM), we thought that would be a perfect "award"!!

While this trip wasn't exactly educational in a "book knowledge" sort of way, I think we all learned a few things...

We spent the day Saturday at Wild Adventures in Valdosta, GA.

Now, you need to know that it hasn't rained here for weeks, so what are the chances the rain would come on this particular planned out, May day? I guess pretty high! :P We knew that rain was predicted, a whole 50% chance. But we went anyway! We got into a few showers on the ride there, and everything was wet when we showed up as the park opened.

Ready for a day of fun.....

First we rode on a small roller coaster right inside the park. The Ant Farm~

Emily and Hannah Redmond on the middle car....

When we got off the ride, I noticed the sky was a very dark color to the ?? east, I think.... I became very directionally challenged in that place!! ;) And then *crack*, thunder and lightening were seen and heard, so we found the closest shelter to hide under. And hide under we did....for a good hour or more!

We had promised the children we would all go on the Go-Karts together, so when the rain let up a bit, the guys went to check it out. We weren't sure if they would run it if the track was wet. Soon Dan called and said that if it didn't soon stop raining they weren't even going to open the tracks at all. In a little while he called again and said that they were for sure not going to open the track at all that day. BUMMER!!

So, Tamara and I went and found them and we all traded our sneakers for flip flops. (We had to wear sneakers on the Go-Karts) Dan so kindly took all the sneakers out to the van, so we wouldn't have to tote them around all day! While he was out there, it poured some more and some more and some more!! I bet it rained for close to 2 hours total!! :(

Soon we saw they were re-opening rides, so I called Dan....he had stayed in the van....and had fallen asleep!! :) While he made his way back to us, the kids and I took a ride on the Ferris Wheel.

Then the guys rode "Go Bananas", a ride I went on once, and said never again!! :) I might change my mind sometime, but for now.....nah!

Danny & Tamara on the Aviator.

Dan and Emily Redmond on the Boomerang....they were on the second car. I wish you could see their faces!! :) The coaster is pulled backwards up the incline and then, woosh.....released! This was right as they were released! :)

A new ride....the Falcon Flyer. They really liked this one. At one point you would swing out over the water! :)

This is what the sky looked like when we finally headed back to the van for lunch....

After we ate, we dressed for the water park. But alas, they had shut that down while another storm passed....and a nasty storm it was!! Torrential rain and hail and people were still running around rather then hiding under shelter! Crazy people!! (We saw so many people slip and fall from running on the wet pavement!) :O Come to find out they decided not to reopen the water park anymore that day. Again, BUMMER!!

Oh, and our most favorite ride, the Tasmanian River Rapids, was shut down for maintenance....and the Safari train was also closed down when we got to that part of the park!! :(

BUT, we still rode the Pharoah's Fury, Blackfoot Falls, Dizzy Dragons, Firecracker and the Viking Voyage. AND....we still had a Mercy Me concert to look forward to!! :)

So after we found out the water park wouldn't be reopening, we got some food to eat and then went and changed into clean dry clothes.

Thanks to Dan R. for taking our picture (for free!!) :) while we waited for the concert to start.

About an hour before the concert, we saw they were reopening some rides again since the rain seemed to be past, so we took a few more rides....

And then we got to listen to an hour or more of Mercy Me!! :) :)

The lights around the water on the way out......

So today we learned.....patience, flexibility, patience, tolerance, forbearance and more PATIENCE!! :)

Despite all the disappointments, we really did have a good time!! Subway on the way home was a bonus, too!! About an hour from home, neither Dan or I were doing too well at staying awake, so we pulled off interstate and took a 10 min. snooze. The kids were both sleeping too, but woke enough to see what was going on.

But, that 10 min. snooze didn't help too much!! :( So a few miles later, as we approached a rest area, we decided we better pull off again. Usually I would take over for Dan, but I was having a hard time staying awake while trying to keep HIM awake!! :O We slept another 1/2 hour and then I felt good enough to drive home....though I did struggle a bit the last 15 minutes to home!

I guess next time we need to be caught up on sleep before we spend a long day away!! :)

It was a good day to spend as a family....with a sprinkling of friends in it, too!! :) :)