On the first run, Marley and Heather raced Ethan and Melissa... It was neck and neck the whole way down, and we ultimately tied the race!
The second run, Mark and Marley rode down together. They had a slow sled, but still came in for a strong finish.
After that we decided to ride the zip line. Since it wasn't there when we were kids, none of us had ever ridden this one before. It's 2,300 feet long, almost half a mile, with a top speed of 50 mph! The average grade is 23%, and it's the longest zip line in the continental United States.
We decided to take turns with Marley and Ethan so all of the grownups could have a chance to ride down. Mark and I went first. We rode the ski lift up to the top and had to wait in line. Every time someone else went down, I noticed how steep the cables were, and how long people screamed as they went down the hill. My heart started to race a little.
Finally, it was our turn... We had watched several people make it down to the bottom - screaming but unscathed. (or, at least as far as we could see - by the time they were at the bottom you can no longer see them) We sat down in the harnesses, got strapped in, and placed our feet straight out in front of us against the retaining gates. Then the gates opened and we were free falling! It was a blast! Here are Scott and Melissa coming in for a landing.
You can see the Alpine Slide in the background.
Here's a picture of Melissa and Ethan as we were leaving the park. Ethan is trying to be incognito so no one will ask for his autograh.
That evening, we had a picnic in Scott and Melissa's backyard with some of their friends while all of the kids played in the inflatable pool. Ranger showed some of his tricks to Marley.
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