"Idiots Out Wandering Around"

 
 

  Counting the miles is much easier than counting the innumerable but memorable laughs and smiles.  We packed the explorer to its gills with humanity and luggage and headed west.  A detour through Valley Fair added only a few minutes to the total road trip time and was well worth it.  The heat was as high as the excitement for the big coasters and we headed straight to the wild thing.  Merrick, Ella and I forged a quick allegiance against the mighty coasters as the others waited in the wings.  It was great and with almost no lines we were able to ride the green beast twice in about 15 minutes.  The whole day felt as if it was our park alone. We weren't sure if the lack of lines was due to the heat or that it was a Thursday or maybe the maintence cut back on the rides.  Yup the restrictions have become a little lax.  Grace added 3/4 of an inch to her height for the Corkscrew but simply smiling at the young European worker.  Merrick and Grace were also riding the ocotopus, a large black scrambler with an altitude plane as well, when the ride abruptly stopped.  The worker told me they would be able to get the kids down.  Grace was standing up in her car and then Merrick too was standing up while still high in the air waiting to be off loaded, as the PA system sweetly played the country ballads of "anything can happen" and "we die young."  When they finially reached the ground the workers stated to work on their car.  Apparently the safety belts weren't holding them in!!  We hit all the major coasters, but finished with a big splash ride with the kids running loops for about a half hour on the same ride.  We told them final ride and as they were getting off, the next group of people was stranded on the watery ascent.  Back to the hotel and a greasy pizza joint before setting out again on our trail.  We didn't make it far before we made a stop at Minnesota's largest candy store (the yellow barn), for some morning sugar.  We made it to Sheldon in the early afternoon.  the pool was filled with kids decked out in Tyr gear.  There were canonballs for everyone including grandma and chicken fights across all age and gender categories.  If we weren't swimming then we were eating or wandering to the park for Ollie's birthday pinata.  The darkness of the evening didn't pull us from the water but rather like a moth to the flame, Kate tossed in hundreds of glo sticks for the kids to dive for in the darkening water.  Sunday found us ready to head home and although we missed the Spam museum everyone traveled very well and the hours quickly slipped away as we made the trek back with plans of doing it again.