Sunday, June 08, 2008

We all scream for ice cream

The Springs Preserve, which we have been to once before was celebrating their one-year anniversary today. We heard about it on the radio earlier this week. The festivities were to include, "All you can eat ice cream, free concerts from Celtic bands, behind the scenes tours of the museum, and, of course, the museum itself." All for only 6 dollars a person! (It's normally something outrageous, like 20. [okay, maybe 14? I don't know. more than our family of five can afford is all]
So, anyway. We were all, "Woo! Free ice cream!? Free music (even if it isn't something we'd normally listen to)!? Free edutainmental activities!? We are so there!"

The celebration was being touted as going from 11am to 4pm. A little before noon today we were getting ready to leave, but we decided to see what (if any) food (other than ice cream) was available at the Springs Preserve. According to their site, they only have the one cafe, and it is "Cafe By Wolfgang Puck". ...which didn't exactly sound like it would be in our price range.
We opted to find something nearby (and cheaper) to have for lunch before going into the SP.

After lunch, we drove toward were the SP is. Except we found that there were construction signs and pylons indicating that due to the "Event", that the main parking lot was full, and to park in the parking lot of the Meadows Mall instead. We also saw a good deal of people walking, and practically every nearby parking spot taken. Hrm. This was starting to feel less exciting, and more like 'dealing with crowds'. But. We found a parking spot that wasn't too far from the entrance to SP, and we began walking. Fortunately it wasn't in the triple digits today, and as we were walking among the hordes of folks making their way to the line, we commented that at least the weather was comfortable.

When we got to the end of the line, we marveled at just how long it was. (For those playing along at home... it was long.) We contemplated not going in, but we'd already come this far. Plus... ice cream!

So, we made our way through the line, moving a few feet every 30 seconds or so. ALong the way, we passed a couple of vendors selling "ice cold pepsi", who were stating that the line was "long...and getting longer" (They were putting people in front of us?? How dare they!!) as well as a stream that Irina and the girls dipped their hands in.
Eventually we got to the cashier, paid our money, got our handstamps, and made our way inside. ...along with the other 50,000 people who were there.
We had brought some nature to bring to the nature-trading section of the SP, and so Harper did that. Turned out that some of the rocks she traded in were volcanic, and therefore worth a bunch of points. Hooray!!
All 3 girls used the points to pick out some shells and/or other items, and Harper still has 1115 points in trade left, for (if there is a) next time.

After that we decided to look to see about the ice cream. There were two lines - one labeled 'sundaes' and one labeled 'cones', and both snaked around and around and around pretty much throughout the entire park section and sidewalks of the place. We opted to NOT get in line at that time. (It didn't help matters that I don't think I ever saw the true ending of the line. I suspect it actually looped back in on itself.)
Instead we went into the building with the displays about the history of Springs Preserve, because it was super-air-conditioned.

It was also, of course, super crowded. We made our way through there, not really looking at any of the displays, and instead headed toward the outside zoo-area. I saw some lizards, and the girls got to take a look at a bat. And I think Irina saw a rabbit or two, but I'm not certain.

As we were heading back inside, we heard an employee asking people if they wanted to take a 'behind-the-scenes' tour of the flash flood display. We saw that last time we went [the flash flood display, not the behind the scenes part], and it was impressive. So getting a chance to see how it worked sounded pretty good to me.
We got in line for that, and followed the employee, along with about 20 other people, through a door that I hadn't noticed before, into a large room with two massive pipes and a bunch of computer equipment and whatnot. The employee rattled off a few stats about the flash flood display and how the pipes in this room controlled it all, and... that was it. Um. Oh...kay.

After that, we went to a small park-area, where Irina played on a train, and Saren climbed around on equipment that looked like desert animals.
And then we were all more or less ready to leave. There were just too many people and not enough things to do that were interesting to all of us.
We made our way through the gift shop and on the way out we of course decided that ice cream must be had...from somewhere else.

On the walk back to the van, some of the businesses near Meadows Mall had their sprinklers on. It was hot, and everyone was cranky, so to help cool off - and make everyone laugh - I ran through them like a loon. The girls quickly followed suit, and it made things a little bit better.

We got to the van and cranked the AC, and drove to Dairy Queen, and had sundaes there.

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