Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Texas Freefall

While we were in Houston last week visiting my sisters,
we spent a day at Splashtown, a totally awesome water park.
And, for some reason, the first ride we decided to tackle was something called
The Texas Freefall.

That's a five-story free-fall water slide.
I honestly don't know what I was thinking.
Donny went first. He seemed a little stunned.
Remy went next...he TUMBLED at the bottom!
I was stuck up top (5 stories high!), freaking out. I could tell he was crying and hurt.
But, I still had to go down to get to him...and the fastest way down...
I think I flashed the entire waterpark during MY freefall.
And received the worst wedgie of my life.
It wasn't pretty.
It wasn't graceful.
I thought I was dying as I went over the edge.
I'm never gonna do it again.

Remy received a friction burn on his arm that we had to go to the first aid station for treatment. He's fine and was so brave that he went on more water slides after that.

We didn't do this slide again though.

More posts about Splashtown coming soon...

It was a BLAST!



27 comments:

Karen said...

Oh, your "buttomic wedgey" didn't sound very fun. OW! Glad that Remy was OK. If my kids had done that first, they would have been done. That is awesome he was willing to try more slides.

All Things BD said...

Not. in. a. million. years. would I go down that. How brave of all of you! Glad you had fun the rest of the day.

Anonymous said...

Brave Brave Soul...that's all I can say;) LOL

Debbie said...

I love water parks, but as I was reading this, I got that tingle in my belly that you get when you go down a slide like that or when you go on a roller coaster. Thanks for the warning about freefall slides. Thanks, but no thanks!

i beati said...

your boys have had the best summer !!good for you keeping them happlily engaged ..sk

Angie's Spot said...

Poor Remy! What a trooper. Disney's Blizzard Beach has a similar slide called summit plummet that I will NEVER go on again. It combines my fears of heights and drowing all in one scary little package.

CrystalChick said...

Strange that I can ride a 456 foot rollercoaster but do not like water parks much.
Hmmm.... life flashing before your eyes and the wedgie to top all wedgies.... uh, NO, thanks.

Glad Remy is okay and back to having fun!

Anonymous said...

I'm with Remy once on that slide was enough!!

I don't like rollercoasters or monster water slides..because I am not into self inflicted fear or pain. (well, most of the time..I do go on air planes now). :O

Sounds like all of you are having a grand summer! :)
Thanks for sharing your world!

~gypsy-heart

Jen said...

OH I know you wedgie pain. What were you thinking? I would have never ventured up there.

Jennifer said...

OMG!!!

OMG! OMG! OMG! O! M! G!


xoxoxo

Jennifer said...

OMG!! okay, I promise I'm done with the OMG's for a while. I just can't even imagine. I had heart palputations just reading this... and all that went on... Donny... BRAVE... Remy... BRAVE... but they are kids they might not totally grasp the entire thought of flying 5 stories down on an open water slide... YOU ARE THE BRAVEST!!

I have a slight issue with heights... not a problem going up.. or looking down but getting down from them is always the difficult part for me... I know, I know... I'm strange!!

And I'm not at all into the free-fall feeling... ugh!! and when I say... not into it... meaning I HATE IT!!

You are one fun, crazy and brave family!!

I'm so glad that Remy was okay and did more rides, but I'm so sorry that he got hurt to begin with. Those body slides are the worst with burns. :(

We went to Splashtown while visiting TX about 12-13 yrs ago, but it was the one is San Antonio. It was so much fun!! :)

xoxoxox

Insane Mama said...

THAT IS MY FAVORITE RIDE! Love it!
A friction burnon his arm? I had one on my butt and an enema... But Fun stuff I tell ya fun stuff

Mama Dawg said...

That looks awesome! I wish I lived where you live (or where you visit).

Unknown said...

B.R.A.V.E.!! OMG! There is no way I could even make it up those stairs. I am terrified of heights. My Hubby sent Tristan down the BIG slide at Lifetime and I HAD A COW! I freaked out and couldn't believe it at all. I had no idea they only let one person down at a time.

Dirty White boy said...

I hate rides, but as far as texas water parks, nothing beats schlitterbaun. The new braunfels version is a lot better than the galveston version, but hey, whats closer to houston? Galveston.

Heather said...

I did a similar ride once. ONCE. I was like you and got the wedgie of my life. NOT. PRETTY.

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

No freakin' way would you even get me up those steps. I'd use my standard excuse of "I must photograph it" so I could stay at the bottom. I can't believe you went up. Brave is not the word I'd use :-)

And poor Remy. Madalyn has a friction burn on her back. From when she demanded that Michael drag her up the carpeted stairs. It has left a pretty good scar.

Melissa said...

oohhhhh that looks fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Unknown said...

P.S. Plates at Dillards clearance at Stonebriar.

~*Paty*~ said...

I've had those wedgies before. They are the most ackward to get out without anyone seeing your cheeks!

Rhea said...

Thanks for all your comments, guys. It was the buttomic wedgy of my life.

I haven't really done roller coasters and stuff like that since having children...I became a total wuss about that for some reason...so I decided to tackle my fear head-on with this ride. It kicked my butt (literally) but I got over my fear.

This was my FIRST time to Splashtown, and I think I only went to Schlitterbaun once in my childhood. Weird, I know.

Shannon said...

I'm not sure I would even be able to make it up the stairs, let alone go down the slide.

The Travel Channel had a show recently about the 10 best water parks in the country. I don't remember where it was or the name, but one place had a slide, where when you got to the top you were shut inside what basically looks like a phone booth. The attendant person outside pushes a button (of course, not telling you when they're going to do so)... and the floor. drops. out. from underneath your feet!!!! YIKES!!!!

Skeller said...

NEVER in a million years would I try that ride myself. Maybe that's why I hold the camera. So I take the pictures. I don't get wedgies.
So glad you and Remy survived to enjoy the park longer. It really looks like an amazing place.

Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? said...

The things we do for our kids!!

And, FYI, even if you weren't freaking out, you would still have a giant wedgie! That's just the fun of the ride!

angela | the painted house said...

Ain't no way I'd go down that thing. I salute you, Rhea!

Jennifer said...

So I showed this pic to Trevor... my 4 1/2 yr old and he got this HUGE smile on his face and started jumping up and down, wanting to know when we can go there. lol

KIDS!! They have no sense of FEAR!! Do they?? And I think they are desensitized (sp?) to wedgies!! lol

Just thought I'd share that my lil' guy has wayyyyyy more guts than I do. Which is totally apparent in his coaster riding frenzie while we were away camping. :)

xoxoxo

Anonymous said...

yikes. that's one o' those that looks like a good idea at the time...until you get to the top of the steps. you are brave!!!