Just the D's!: 6-Flags 2010 with the Princes

We took our annual trip to 6-Flags over Georgia this summer. The kids get free tickets for reading during the school year and we reward them by joining them in the ride fest. This year I really wasn't looking forward to going. My back has been giving me grief since March and 2 months of chiropractor and constant ibuprophen haven't helped. The last thing I needed was to ride a crazy roller coaster and make it worse. Plus, I'm old! I hurt on every day days... this day would be 10 hours of Georgia summertime heat on black asphalt with hundreds of other hot, sweaty, stinky people... all crammed in a line waiting for the abuse these coasters so readily hand out.

But, there were these eyes. Six of them. Begging to go have fun. This would be Ruth's first trip and Bennett and Maggie had been giving her the details, what to ride, what not to ride, what to expect, what to eat. We bought our tickets. We invited our friends.

This year the Prince family (Mark, Judy, Holly, Carter) joined us, as well as cousin Micah. It's always good to have a friend or two. This gives the parents freedom to say "I'm not riding this one, but you can ride with ____".

Judy and I watched the little kids (Ruth, Carter) ride the smaller rides while the Daddy's took the bigger kids on more intense rides like the Ninja. Mark tried to get Bennett and Micah on the Superman, but the line was too long! We'll have to take Mark again next year because I think he'll need someone to "take" on the ride so he can ride.

Our day wasn't too bad, but it was HOT!! It was the hottest day ever. I think it may have been 100 but we didn't ask or look. It's better not to even know. We arrived right when the gates opened at 10, but for some reason we couldn't get to the rides until 10:30... so we waited, in the heat. With lots of other younger people who were hot. And sweaty. And stinky. And it was only 10:30 in the morning.

We started at the Wyle E Coyote Canyon Blaster... the roller coaster for kids. It's their favorite but the line is always an hour long. We thought if we started there the line wouldn't be too bad. We were surprised to find nobody there!!

So we rode, and rode, and rode again. 7 times I think it went around before enough other people were in line and they would have to get off to let someone else on. They were quite pleased. We could have almost just gone home at that point.

Almost.

I was very thankful the Princes were there... they guided us back over to the area where the Mind Bender is.

Our kids have never wanted to ride upside down, even though I encouraged, begged and tried to explain I rode it as a kid and it's really, really fun. They weren't having it until Holly and Carter said "let's go!" We had to ride on two different trains because of the way we were lined up. I tried a couple pictures of Ruth coming back in, but they were moving too fast.

Very cute little face!

It was awesome. :)

We all enjoyed the Log Flumes - just a little wet. Next year, we promised to take them on Thunder River - a LOT of water. I'll have to work up for that one. Plus, Lydia may need me to keep her as a spectator!

We picnicked lunch back in the parking lot at the van. It's cheaper but it's a long walk when you already have tired little feet. And it's HOT. An air conditioned diner sure does sound a lot better... but the price of the food is outrageous.

After lunch we ended up at the water section... Skull Island! We needed a break from the heat... but for me, who didn't even have flip-flops, I didn't get a break. It was HOT! I was hoping for a quick thunder shower to make us retreat... but it never even sprinkled until we were walking to the van to leave.

We enjoyed lots of other rides too. It was a good day overall - for being so HOT and all!

We left Lydia for the day down at Grandma and Grandpa's house. We had to go back that way to pick her up and head home. Mom laid out the smorgasbord of food and fed us all until we popped. We decided to head back home late that night... just to be home. We dropped Micah off in his driveway and scooted on home. The pictures here are for memories... when I print out my book again.