Wild Adventures

A few days ago, a group of us went to Wild Adventures, a theme park located a few miles southwest of Valdosta, Georgia. On the trip northward on I-75 to the park, the smoke level in the area kept increasing to point where it appeared that just walking around outside would be hazardous to our health. But once we were there, the air seemed a bit better. Once we got into the park, it was time to seek out the all-too-familiar rides and have another go on them. The first ride that we went on was Bugout, a rickety old roller coaster (actually, most of the rides there seemed rickety and old) that steers you around on a high plateau on top in very sharp turns that make you feel that the car you’re in will tip over the edge. After that part, Bugout goes through a few steep drops and then, it’s over. After finishing that ride, we went over to Power Surge, a tilting, inverting, and rotating ride that is probably the scariest looking ride in the park from ground level. It is one of my favorites. On the newest ride they have, the Gauntlet, we sat strapped in a little compartment, which was swung back and forth faster and faster, higher and higher, until we felt as if we would rise out of our seats and out of the compartment (if we weren’t restrained). Then it slowed down and ended. Next we walked over and rode their wooden roller coaster Cheetah, the most bone-rattling coaster I’ve experienced. Then we rode Double Shot, which I jokingly dub the “slide rule”, your typical vertical “raise ‘em fast and lower ‘em faster” kind of ride. Some rides (Yo-Yo, Inverter, and Boomerang, and Geronimo) were inoperative. Later my party split up (some wanted to try the water park Splash Island) and the rest of us went back and tried some of the other rides such as Swingin’ Safari, Pharaoh’s Fury, Ant Farm, and Aviator (my other favorite ride along with Power Surge). There were several rides I skipped on this trip because we just didn’t have that much time. Despite this, I became exhausted walking around Wild Adventures and was relieved to be back in the car homeward.

I have mixed feelings about visiting theme parks like this. On the one hand, driving there and back (although this time I was fortunate that someone else drived), along with all of the walking through the park and having to wait in (sometimes long) lines for some rides is very grueling. On the other hand, I deeply enjoy the actual rides once I’m on them. I wish there was a special recliner-like chair I could get that simulated the sensations I would get on rides (such as drops, lifts, and turns). I’d wear a special helmet that had a surround-viewing screen within it. Then I’d punch in the code for the ride I wanted on a special console and sit back and experience whichever ride I selected sitting in this special (albeit imaginary) chair in my own living room, without needing once to set foot (or tire) on asphalt or concrete. The best of both worlds, and without the smoke or lines!