Your Neighbors Vacation Slides

Dear Reader,

First- There is no bike related content in the post. Not that all my posts are bike related, but this one is definitely not.

Diane and  a Minion. I'll let you decided which is which.

Monk and I spent the past few days crashing at my brother and his lovely wife’s timeshare in Orlando. It was really an amazing trip. The bulk of the trip was spent poolside reading a book (the Iron War), drinking some Bud Light Limes chasing my niece and nephew around the pool, and just relaxing. I don’t think either of us realized how badly we needed some real downtime, but man it was glorious.

Editor’s note on the Bud Light Lime. While not my beer of choice, but for a quick, cheap, light pool side refreshment- I’m not going to argue. It’s not like we were drinking Coors Light or something…

But I digress…

Monk and her "Hangover Baby Glasses" with the Missy Tilly (the ship at the center of the story shipwrecked at the top behind)

always someone looking over your shoulder...

Our final day we went to the Disney Typhoon Lagoon water Park. Let me say that generally speaking, we are not theme park people. Further I think I've only been to a water part once before- like 20 years ago. So my expectations were pretty low. BOOM! Mind Blown.

We got there right when the gates opened, set up our little spot on the beach and proceeded to hit all the water-slides in the park. Maybe twice.  It was so much fun. We chased each other up the stairs, and raced down a variety of slides with tubes, drops, waterfalls and lots of smiles.

I drank a milkshake each day of the trip. I did not share with Captain Hook!

While the slides were fun, my favorite moment of the day came a little after lunch when Monk and I waded out into the wave pool with our nephew Farticus and his sister Taylor. The waves were coming out steady, but at a predictable pace, and we wandered out to where the water was about 5 ft. deep or so…  We hadn't noticed initially, but there was a red line on the floor of the pool where we stood. Hmm, isn't that interesting… We goofed around a bit and then noticed that the waves stopped. Again we played with the kids, really kind of oblivious to anything that was happening. Suddenly, out of nowhere a loud horn sounded, and then we heard a loud thundering clapping noise. We noticed a big wave had just been launched. Kids behind us began to scream in anticipation. The roar of the wave and the screams were amazingly loud. Monk looked at me with great urgency as the Typhoon in Typhoon Lagoon was quickly bearing down on us. She said, “Grab Farticus!” as she grabbed Taylor. The wave quickly rolled up on top of us.  My feet were swept off of the bottom of the pool.  I felt the man-made current carry us toward the shallow end. As I was released from the wave, I stood up with Farticus in my arms looked for Diane. I saw her a few feet over from us looking a little disheveled with her hair in her face. My niece was smiling  ear to ear. I looked at Farticus and asked him if he was okay.

The Pools did not suck...

Young Farticus thrust his arms in the air victoriously and yelled, “THAT WAS AWESOME!!! CAN WE DO IT AGAIN!?!?”  We all laughed because it was awesome, and the fact that we had cluelessly wandered into the big wave was silly, and really fun. So of course we did it again, and again, and again….

All Smiles! 

  It was really a great day. While I admit I’m not a huge theme park guy, this was done so well. Tons of fun slides, a great atmosphere, and beach boys/dick dale inspired music piped in all day- plus that amazing wave pool… And just when I was cracking a bit, a gentle tube ride around the lazy river was just what the doctor ordered. Such a great experience, and just one of many high lights from this amazing trip…

Thanks for reading.

respect.
Vanderbacon