Late Thursday night after picking up my brother from the airport, we decided to take a trek to Michigan Adventure the next day to prepare ourselves for our trip next week to PKI and CP. I secured a babysitter for my kids, and we finalized our departure time. I sauntered off to bed with visions of Shivering Timbers rattling in my head. I couldn't wait to ride that beast.
Morning came quickly as I dashed around the house getting my kids clothes, diapers and whatnots together to take to grandma's house. I called my brother at 10 to see if he was ready and woke him up! By 11:30, we were off to my mom's to deposit the kids. By 12:55 we were on our way. (This should not have taken an hour and half to complete and really turned into an omen as to the rest of our day)
The trip from my home to MA is 3 hours clear across the state of Michigan with mostly 2 lane roads. Let me tell you to avoid this route at all costs! Yes it is very scenic, and we laughed at many of the silly road signs and buildings (Hoops for Jesus! 'nuff said) but good Lord, I didn't think it was ever going to end.
At 4:30pm we *finally* pulled into the parking lot of Michigan Adventure. Everyone rememeber National Lampoon's Vacation? Yes ladies and gentlemen the park was CLOSED! Well to be more precise, closing. As we drove through the nearly vacant lot, I could see Shivering Timbers in all it's glory. There was the Wolverine Wildcat, and Chaos, the Wild Mouse, and even the Tilt-a-Whirl (a personal fave). All of them standing still with not a sign of life anywhere in sight.
To say I was disappointed is an understatement. I couldn't believe my eyes. What park closes at 4pm?! I could see 8pm or even 9pm would be completely understandable, but 4 o'clock? Good God man there's half a day left!
After flagging down a departing guest, I asked what was up. Apparently, they don't begin to close later till next week. Next week?! That's no good to me now. Next week, I will have already been t 洀礀 琀眀漀 昀愀瘀漀爀椀琀攀 瀀氀愀挀攀猀 琀栀椀猀 礀攀愀爀⸀ 䤀 搀漀渀✀琀 栀愀瘀攀 愀渀礀洀漀爀攀 琀椀洀攀 漀昀昀 渀攀砀琀 眀攀攀欀℀㰀戀爀㸀䴀漀爀攀 琀栀愀渀 愀 氀椀琀琀氀攀 搀椀猀最爀甀渀琀攀氀攀搀Ⰰ 眀攀 最漀琀 戀愀挀欀 椀渀琀漀 琀栀攀 挀愀爀 愀渀搀 戀攀最愀渀 琀栀攀 愀爀搀甀漀甀猀 琀爀椀瀀 戀愀挀欀 栀漀洀攀⸀ 圀攀 猀琀漀瀀瀀攀搀 愀琀 愀 最愀猀 猀琀愀琀椀漀渀 愀渀搀 戀漀甀最栀琀 愀 䴀椀挀栀椀最愀渀 洀愀瀀Ⰰ 眀栀椀挀栀 琀栀攀 挀愀爀 眀愀猀 氀愀挀欀椀渀最Ⰰ 琀漀 猀攀攀 椀昀 琀栀攀爀攀 眀愀猀 愀渀 攀愀猀椀攀爀 眀愀礀 栀漀洀攀 琀栀愀渀 琀愀欀椀渀最 㐀㘀 愀最愀椀渀⸀ 圀攀 搀攀挀椀搀攀搀 漀渀 琀愀欀椀渀最 唀匀ⴀ㌀ 琀漀 䤀ⴀ㤀㘀 愀渀搀 琀栀攀渀 甀瀀 䤀ⴀ㘀㤀 琀漀 䤀ⴀ㜀㔀 琀栀攀渀 栀漀洀攀⸀ 吀栀椀猀 爀漀甀琀攀 愀琀 氀攀愀猀琀 愀 氀椀琀琀氀攀 氀漀渀最攀爀 眀漀甀氀搀 欀攀攀瀀 甀猀 漀渀 爀攀愀氀 栀椀最栀眀愀礀猀⸀ 㰀戀爀㸀吀栀愀渀欀猀 琀漀 琀栀攀 氀攀愀搀 昀漀漀琀 漀昀 洀礀 戀爀漀琀栀攀爀Ⰰ 眀攀 洀愀搀攀 瘀攀爀礀 最漀漀搀 琀椀洀攀 琀漀 䜀爀愀渀搀 刀愀瀀椀搀猀⸀ 䤀琀 眀愀猀 琀栀攀渀 琀栀愀琀 琀栀攀 琀爀椀瀀 洀愀搀攀 愀渀 椀渀琀攀爀攀猀琀椀渀最 琀甀爀渀⸀ 䰀漀漀欀椀渀最 漀瘀攀爀 愀琀 洀攀Ⰰ 栀攀 愀猀欀攀搀 栀漀眀 氀漀渀最 椀琀 眀漀甀氀搀 琀愀欀攀 甀猀 琀漀 最攀琀 琀漀 䌀攀搀愀爀 倀漀椀渀琀 昀爀漀洀 眀栀攀爀攀 眀攀 眀攀爀攀⸀ 倀甀氀氀椀渀最 漀甀琀 琀栀攀 渀攀眀氀礀 愀焀甀椀爀攀搀 洀愀瀀 䤀 戀攀最愀渀 琀漀 洀愀欀攀 猀漀洀攀 挀愀氀挀甀氀愀琀椀漀渀猀⸀ 䤀 最氀愀渀挀攀搀 愀琀 琀栀攀 挀氀漀挀欀Ⰰ 㘀瀀洀⸀ ∀㈀ ⼀㈀ 栀漀甀爀猀∀ 䤀 琀漀氀搀 栀椀洀⸀ ∀䰀攀琀✀猀 搀漀 椀琀∀ 栀攀 爀攀瀀氀椀攀搀 愀渀搀 猀琀攀瀀瀀攀搀 漀渀 琀栀攀 最愀猀⸀ 䄀猀 眀攀 猀瀀攀搀 搀漀眀渀 琀栀攀 栀椀最栀眀愀礀 昀愀猀琀攀爀 琀栀愀渀 琀栀攀 䴀椀氀氀攀渀椀甀洀 䘀漀爀挀攀Ⰰ 䤀 爀攀挀愀氀挀甀氀愀琀攀搀 洀礀 昀椀最甀爀攀猀⸀ 䤀昀 眀攀 搀椀搀渀✀琀 洀愀欀攀 唀匀ⴀ㈀㌀ 戀礀 㜀瀀洀Ⰰ 眀攀✀搀 漀渀氀礀 栀愀瘀攀 攀渀漀甀最栀 琀椀洀攀 琀漀 爀甀渀 琀漀 琀栀攀 䘀漀爀挀攀 戀攀昀漀爀攀 琀栀攀礀 挀氀漀猀攀搀 漀昀昀 琀栀攀 氀椀渀攀℀ 吀栀攀 洀椀渀甀琀攀猀 琀椀挀欀攀搀 愀眀愀礀 愀猀 琀栀攀 猀挀攀渀攀爀礀 戀氀攀眀 戀礀 甀猀⸀ 䤀ⴀ㘀㤀 眀愀猀 愀 洀攀爀攀 戀氀椀瀀 漀渀 琀栀攀 猀椀搀攀 漀昀 琀栀攀 爀漀愀搀⸀ 伀甀爀 攀愀猀礀 爀漀甀琀攀 栀漀洀攀 渀漀眀 氀漀渀最 最漀渀攀⸀ 㰀戀爀㸀匀攀瘀攀渀 漀✀挀氀漀挀欀 挀愀洀攀 愀渀搀 眀攀渀琀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 眀攀 猀琀椀氀氀 栀愀搀渀✀琀 最漀琀琀攀渀 琀漀 ㈀㌀ 礀攀琀⸀ 䤀 栀甀渀最 洀礀 栀攀愀搀 椀渀 搀攀昀攀愀琀 愀渀搀 眀攀 栀攀愀搀攀搀 栀漀洀攀⸀ 㰀戀爀㸀匀椀渀挀攀 琀椀洀攀 眀愀猀 渀漀 氀漀渀最攀爀 愀 昀愀挀琀漀爀Ⰰ 䤀 漀昀昀攀爀攀搀 琀漀 搀爀椀瘀攀 琀栀攀 爀攀猀琀 漀昀 琀栀攀 眀愀礀⸀ 䠀攀挀欀Ⰰ 栀攀 栀愀搀 愀氀爀攀愀搀礀 戀攀攀渀 搀爀椀瘀椀渀最 洀漀爀攀 琀栀愀渀 㜀 栀漀甀爀猀⸀ 䤀琀 眀愀猀 琀栀攀 氀攀愀猀琀 䤀 挀漀甀氀搀 搀漀⸀ 㬀ⴀ⤀ 䄀猀 眀攀 渀攀愀爀攀搀 琀栀攀 樀甀渀挀琀椀漀渀 漀昀 唀匀㈀㌀ 愀渀搀 䤀ⴀ㜀㔀Ⰰ 琀爀愀昀昀椀挀 戀攀最愀渀 琀漀 瀀椀氀攀 甀瀀⸀ 圀栀愀琀 挀漀甀氀搀 最漀 眀爀漀渀最 渀漀眀㼀 夀攀猀 琀栀攀 搀爀攀愀搀攀搀 挀漀渀猀琀爀甀挀琀椀漀渀 稀漀渀攀℀ 吀栀椀渀欀椀渀最 焀甀椀挀欀氀礀 䤀 栀漀瀀瀀攀搀 漀昀昀 琀栀攀 栀椀最栀眀愀礀 漀渀琀漀 伀氀搀ⴀ㈀㌀⸀ 吀栀椀猀 眀愀猀 愀 爀攀愀氀氀礀 猀栀漀爀琀 琀爀椀瀀 猀椀渀挀攀 琀栀攀 戀氀漀漀搀礀 爀漀愀搀 攀渀搀攀搀 愀琀 琀栀攀 渀攀砀琀 攀砀椀琀℀ 䤀 琀栀攀渀 猀甀最最攀猀琀攀搀 眀攀 琀愀欀攀 琀栀攀 猀挀攀渀椀挀 爀漀甀琀攀 琀漀 㜀㔀 愀渀搀 戀礀瀀愀猀猀 眀栀愀琀攀瘀攀爀 眀愀猀 戀漀琀琀氀椀渀最 甀瀀 ㈀㌀⸀ 圀攀 眀攀爀攀 漀渀氀礀 愀渀漀甀琀 㐀 洀椀氀攀猀 愀眀愀礀⸀ 匀挀攀渀椀挀 爀漀甀琀攀Ⰰ 漀栀 礀攀愀栀⸀ 䄀氀氀 琀漀琀愀氀攀搀Ⰰ 琀栀攀 猀挀攀渀椀挀 爀漀甀琀攀 琀漀漀欀 甀猀 渀攀愀爀氀礀 愀渀 栀漀甀爀 琀漀 挀漀洀瀀氀攀琀攀℀ 㰀戀爀㸀䈀礀 㤀㨀㌀ 眀攀 爀漀氀氀攀搀 甀瀀 琀漀 洀礀 栀漀甀猀攀⸀ 圀攀 栀愀搀 戀een gone for 10 hours. The only thing we had to show for it all were 2 very sunburned arms, (one on each of us, you figure it out :-) ) a crap load of miles on the car, and a hole in our exaust pipe. But let me tell you, we did have a good time, and I suppose that's all that matters isn't it? 'Sides we didn't have to put up with any rude ride-ops like we will at PKI next week. ROFL
Thanks for sticking to the end,
-JJ
Oh by the way, I learned a very valuable lesson today: Always check what time a park opens and closes before you drive all the way there! :-)
-JJ
Man, if I went through that experience I would just lose it. Michigans Adventure closed at 4:00? Even during the very beginning of the season I have never been to a park that closed that early.
*** This post was edited by Chitown on 6/10/2000. ***
Oh guys, I could top that. When we went to MA on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend the park was closed AT NOON. It had rained most of the morning so they decided to boot everyone out and close shop for the day. So we had to stick around another day just to ride ST.
-------------
Age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill.
