Rain dampens last of summer ‘hurrahs’
If I’m honest, I was looking forward to the three-day Labor Day holiday, despite a few work assignments sprinkled in, including the big hurrah of the fall sports season, the Pigskin Classic.
But with beautiful weather forecasted for the extended weekend, a friend and I opted to take advantage of the nice weather and a couple of free passes to Wild Water West that I had in my possession.
It’s been nearly two decades since I last enjoyed the outdoor waterpark, which means I was 20 years younger and a bit more adventurous than I am today. Nonetheless, I looked forward to floating through the lazy river and dipping my toes in the ponds of water on the premises.
I had no interest in hiking up to the top of the scaling slides for a quick trip down. I still remember the last time I braved the monsters that left me honking my swimsuit out of crevices a swimsuit shouldn’t go.
As I was maneuvering my way through the lazy river, a fellow lounger asked if I had tried “the Tornado” yet. I assured him that I had not, nor would I be giving the whirl of a ride a try. The lazy river and a lounge chair were about all I was up for, well that, and a trip to the concession stand for someting on the menu that was sure to tempt my tastebuds.
So, here’s how my day at the waterpark unfolded.
For starters, I parked as far away from the gate as I could to avoid any unnecessary door dings. The extra steps to the entrance were surely do-able, and again, it was a nice day for a stroll no matter how far or short it may be.
My friend and I spied a couple of chairs - strategically located near the entrance and exit of the lazy river, a short jaunt to the tiki hut for a cool beverage or two, and far enough from the concessions to keep it to a minimal one-time visit.
After soaking up the sun for a short time and a couple of halls through the lazy river, my friend and I decided a cool beverage was next on the docket.
That’s when I discovered that just because you look the part of an over-21-year-old doesn’t mean that they’re going to sell you the goods that a 21-year-old and above can legally have. So, it was back to the vehicle – mind you – to the furthest parking sport from the entrance for my driver’s license.
Not long after, I decided a trip to the concessions for a late lunch was in order. As I approached the concessions, I was elated to see their end-of-the-season half-price deals advertised on a hand-written sign. “Score!” I thought to myself, as I perused the menu. I ordered chicken strips and fries, and was nearly beaming when she gave me change back from a $5 bill.
As I was munching down my lunch, a few rain drops began to dot the pavement. No biggie, I thought to myself, popping another fry into my mouth. Then it really started to rain, so my friend and I took refuge under a recently-vacated umbrella. With no sign of letting up soon, we decided to “throw in the towel” and head for the car – mind you – in the space furthest from the gate.
Drenched to the bone, my friend and I began our trek home. And as I was pulling in the garage, the sun came out, the blue skies returned and I, once again, was in the furthest parking spot from the gate that I could be.
So much for summer’s last hurrah!
