On Saturday, the third day of summer break, we five girls set out for DuBois for our annual viewing of the DuBois Community Days parade. We watched the many local bands and firetrucks, Shriners trucksters and threewheelers, baton-twirling companies and a few local oddities parade the streets of our hometown. The girls caught much candy, and Daisy seemed impressed.
The next morning, my dad spent a couple of hours cramming camping stuff for seven people into his van for two nights in a cabin. Some of our things, including Daisy's awesome new wagon, were strapped to the top. We honestly couldn't have fit one more item. Then, we set off for one of the best amusement parks and best kept secrets in the world, Knoebels! Our cabin was tiny but had a bathroom and kitchen, so no late-night trips to the bathhouse! We had two sets of bunkbeds, a loft with sleeping for two, and a separate bedroom.
On our first day there, Sunday, we set up camp and headed to the pool/waterslides. The three big girls, Ali, and Pop, had fun on the tube and mat slides while Tatty watched Daisy in the baby spray area. Daisy loved some aspects of this, but hated others. One thing that she hated was a set of baby swings that allowed her legs to dangle in the water when swung. Four of us tried to swing her here, each unknowing that others had tried this and caused her great distress. Maybe next year! We also swam in the big pool and Virginia and Ruby jumped off of the dives. Virginia has been doing the three meter dive since she was four years old! We swam until suppertime, then went into the park for amusement park food. We then came back for a campfire where we told some horrifying scary stories, including my really good tale about Bigfoot.
On day two, we went into the park early for an all-day-handstamp so that we could ride ride all of the rides from 11 until 7 for only $20. This included the two wooden coasters, which are usually extra. We went to the carousel first, so that the girls could catch the rings as the went around. Even Virginia can reach out and grab the rings now, although, on this trip, only Leah got the special brass ring! We rode almost everything on Monday. Daisy liked the train ride. The park's two wooden coasters are really great; the Phoenix is like Kennywood's Jack Rabbit, only much better, and the Twister is a great wooden coaster, too. This was Virginia's first year for the Phoenix and Ruby's first year for the Twister, which is longer with bigger hills. Knoebels has a ride-through haunted house which consistently wins awards from organizations that rate such things, and the girls rode it twice this year. Every year, we take a family photo in front of it. Daisy waited near the exit, with wide eyes, listening to the scary sounds coming from inside and watching for her loved ones to emerge from within. That night, we cooked a late-night supper over the campfire and Tatty and Pop told tales of when they were kids.
The next day, we made a big breakfast and then moved out of our cabin and headed down to the park for a few last hours. We rode a couple of rides and then shopped for a few souvenirs. Every year, the girls' grandparents buy them shirts. This year, Ruby and Leah chose hoodies, but Pop bought Virginia the inflatable alien that she had been eyeing for years, as well as a t-shirt and a dragon figurine! Daisy got a new hat that she was very proud of. Lastly, we chose our final food treat: funnel cakes for Ali and Tatty, a candy apple for Virginia, an oreo frozen yogurt concoction for Ruby, and a caramel apple for Leah. The food at the park is really great. I think that their funnel cakes are the best. We had a wonderful trip, as usual, and can't wait to return next year.
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