Mark's post because I was napping:
Got up, got showered and dressed, and ate. Seems like any other day, doesn't it? Well, when there are 8 people to get ready and 4 of them basically can't or won't fend for themselves and you're outside (and have been all night) it just gets a lot more....interesting. Thankfully, Josiah and the other kids slept well overnight, so we were pretty much ready to hop up and go. Josiah woke up first, around 6:30, so he was tired pretty quick. We had extra chores this morning because Papa &Grandmere had to pack up all their stuff and be ready to head home after lunch, not to mention the battery in their vehicle was dead because something (trunk light?) had been on for a very long time.
We made it to the Crossroads area and immediately got in line for the SkyHike. This place is basically an ultra-safe ropes course. Each person wears a harness and is attached via rope to a channel above you. The channel allows you to slide your rope with you along each challenge and on the platforms between challenges. Zoe decided she wanted to do it with Abbie and I, so we waited in line for nearly an hour while Papa and Grandmere played with the boys on a smaller course and playground. We would have been able to do it about 2 minutes sooner if the folks in front of us had not kept allowing more kids to "literally" jump the fence and join their party. It made me think of an adaptation of an adage I learned in school..."Failure to prepare for the adventure (i.e., wearing the proper footwear) does not constitute me allowing you to jump ahead of me in line."
Nevertheless, we suited up and got locked in the channel. There were various spans you had to cross via 2 possible tracks - one was relatively easy and the other more difficult. Zoe did a great job of overcoming her fear and focusing on crossing the 25 foot or so span. Some were just narrow boards to walk on, others were various adaptations of a rope bridge. She got scared a couple of times but with some encouragement and direction made it all the way around the lowest level of the course (12 feet off the ground). Abbie enjoyed it, too, but after trying some of the "hard" obstacles stuck with the easier side for most of the level. I enjoyed watching Zoe do so well and being able to help her and swing along off the ground without fear of falling (because of the harness). >>Abbie note: Zoe also had several people on the ground cheering her on through one part. And a gracious Stone Mtn. worker helped her through the low course which was very sweet<< Abbie & Zoe graciously allowed me to go up to the top level at 48 feet off the ground and do that course. It was fairly short and did not have any new obstacle, except for height.
Abbie here:
After the ropes course, we got to watch Ace and Liam go through the smaller course. Zoe did it too and liked it much better. There was a neat zip line at the end and all three of them enjoyed it. It took Zoe a little time to get going on it for fear but she decided to try it and made it through.
We grabbed lunch and then waved farewell to Papa and Grandmere, while the dark clouds loomed overhead. We decided to try and quickly make our way over to the train since Ace and Liam had been asking for it all morning. As we approached, it got darker and darker. When we reached the station and were just about to get in line, they called for the train to stop going because of the passing storm. Hearts were broken, tragedy insued...tears and wailing commenced! Mark and I both felt sorry for the boys so we decided ice cream and funnel cake would make it better. Okay, I know, treating sorrow with food was bad but we had four tired young'uns and sadness to boot...we were also hot...there's all my excuses.
As we finished off the funnel cake and dug into the ice cream, they called for passengers to start loading the train...summer storms never last in the south...at least not right now. We rushed and got everyone on board after finishing off the ice cream and the boys got to ride the train. We actually got in a real train car that I believe was being restored when we first visited Stone Mountain 2 years ago.
Back to the campsite for naps, supper and the pool and in bed at a pretty decent hour.
We headed back home on the 6th and enjoyed getting home early to rest and unpack and unwind!
Got up, got showered and dressed, and ate. Seems like any other day, doesn't it? Well, when there are 8 people to get ready and 4 of them basically can't or won't fend for themselves and you're outside (and have been all night) it just gets a lot more....interesting.
We made it to the Crossroads area and immediately got in line for the SkyHike. This place is basically an ultra-safe ropes course. Each person wears a harness and is attached via rope to a channel above you. The channel allows you to slide your rope with you along each challenge and on the platforms between challenges. Zoe decided she wanted to do it with Abbie and I, so we waited in line for nearly an hour while Papa and Grandmere played with the boys on a smaller course and playground. We would have been able to do it about 2 minutes sooner if the folks in front of us had not kept allowing more kids to "literally" jump the fence and join their party. It made me think of an adaptation of an adage I learned in school..."Failure to prepare for the adventure (i.e., wearing the proper footwear) does not constitute me allowing you to jump ahead of me in line."
Nevertheless, we suited up and got locked in the channel. There were various spans you had to cross via 2 possible tracks - one was relatively easy and the other more difficult. Zoe did a great job of overcoming her fear and focusing on crossing the 25 foot or so span. Some were just narrow boards to walk on, others were various adaptations of a rope bridge. She got scared a couple of times but with some encouragement and direction made it all the way around the lowest level of the course (12 feet off the ground). Abbie enjoyed it, too, but after trying some of the "hard" obstacles stuck with the easier side for most of the level. I enjoyed watching Zoe do so well and being able to help her and swing along off the ground without fear of falling (because of the harness). >>Abbie note: Zoe also had several people on the ground cheering her on through one part. And a gracious Stone Mtn. worker helped her through the low course which was very sweet<< Abbie & Zoe graciously allowed me to go up to the top level at 48 feet off the ground and do that course. It was fairly short and did not have any new obstacle, except for height.
Abbie here:
After the ropes course, we got to watch Ace and Liam go through the smaller course. Zoe did it too and liked it much better. There was a neat zip line at the end and all three of them enjoyed it. It took Zoe a little time to get going on it for fear but she decided to try it and made it through.
We grabbed lunch and then waved farewell to Papa and Grandmere, while the dark clouds loomed overhead. We decided to try and quickly make our way over to the train since Ace and Liam had been asking for it all morning. As we approached, it got darker and darker. When we reached the station and were just about to get in line, they called for the train to stop going because of the passing storm. Hearts were broken, tragedy insued...tears and wailing commenced! Mark and I both felt sorry for the boys so we decided ice cream and funnel cake would make it better. Okay, I know, treating sorrow with food was bad but we had four tired young'uns and sadness to boot...we were also hot...there's all my excuses.
As we finished off the funnel cake and dug into the ice cream, they called for passengers to start loading the train...summer storms never last in the south...at least not right now. We rushed and got everyone on board after finishing off the ice cream and the boys got to ride the train. We actually got in a real train car that I believe was being restored when we first visited Stone Mountain 2 years ago.
Back to the campsite for naps, supper and the pool and in bed at a pretty decent hour.
We headed back home on the 6th and enjoyed getting home early to rest and unpack and unwind!
No comments:
Post a Comment