We knew when we pulled into the Canobie Lake Park lot around 5, that something was off. There were parking spots everywhere. There was no parking attendant. Then we walked through and paid our admission with no line. We walked straight to the Log Flume, which usually has an hour wait, and boarded it in ten minutes. There was extra water in the ride's canals today too, and we got a little extra wet. The four of us fit into one log, and it was hilarious. Then the automated photo, snapped during our final decent looked so funny that we actually bought it. Me, my 12-yo daughter, and 6-yo son have our mouths gaping open, screaming, and my wife is just grinning ear to ear.
Then we played some carnival games, ate some ice cream, and noticed that the crowd was getting thinner by the minute. I rode the race cars with my son. Then rode The Frisbee, with my daughter. Frisbee is like a Pirate Ship pendulum ride that also spins. This ride made me feel very nauseous. Not good. I'm thinking, "Oh no, am I done?" Is that it? Has all the fluid drained from my aging inner ear? Now am I doomed to be the smiley old man, waiting on the park bench? Nooooooooooo!
We played a couple more games of balloon-dart-pop and water-gun-race, and I felt a little better. Then a Bruno Mars cover band started playing, and they were really good. It's like a group of professional dancers from New York came up to NH for the summer or something. And right across from the stage, is one of the biggest rides, the Yankee Cannonball. My daughter and I waited only 15 minutes, and the next thing you know, we're in the first car, in the first row. I didn't put my arms down the entire ride. I yelled and laughed, and so did she. The rickety wooden coaster sped down the track at a high speed. The best part was, my stomach didn't turn one bit. I was back in the game, baby! I felt great.
As the crowd got thinner yet, we found ourselves standing in front of Untamed. And this ride's a monster. The track goes straight up and down. I'm not joking-- straight up, and straight down, into a giant loop that goes upside-down. Yes, upside-down! My daughter was terrified. She doesn't even do cartwheels. She hates the whole idea of upside-down, on every level. "But there's no line!" I smiled. We've got to do it. She refused. "It's now or never!" I said. We have no time in line to think about the dangers. And then she smiled. We told my son our plans, and he said, "Bye. See you in Heaven." We laughed. He couldn't stop us now. We walked right up the Untamed ramp, and were seated in the front row. We conquered that damn ride, and it was a blast! She was so happy and proud that she survived, and actually enjoyed it too. I was laughing. We couldn't stop smiling.
There was one more major coaster to check off the list... The Corkscrew. While my wife and son did the Junior Davinci Swing, my daughter and I literally ran to The Corkscrew. The park closed in 20 minutes, the rides were bound to shut-down at any time. We hopped up the steps and right into... the front row! This ride was not as good as the Cannonball, or Untamed, but it went upside down, so we had to ride it. We were pros now.
It was a great night. Memories made. Goals reached. Fears conquered. I felt a rush I hadn't known in years, and damn it felt good. Kids take you places. They keep you young. They show you awesome stuff. They revive powerful feelings you totally forgot you had.
I remember being terrified of looped coaster tracks. Then I conquered the Shock Wave at Great America in IL, years ago, with a friend... while my dad probably sat on a park bench. What an honor and privilege to share that milestone of fun with my daughter.
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