And She's Down

I can't believe it! I just wake boarded on a Flowrider at the Waterpark of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. I had gone down twice on my belly early in the afternoon. But in the evening, I watched as Nick and his friends rode tubes and inner tubes.  I know how to slide down tubes. The wake boards were fascinating. That took real technique.

This employee, a young guy who I'd watched dancing on the water the night before, taught thirty or thirty five people, kids mostly, as I sat at a corner studying how they did it. They were standing on the narrower wake board. Every ride ended in a fall. Every single one. Not a soul my age was trying. Well, a few men tried, but absolutely no older women. There were five year old kids doing it. There were fat kids doing well. There were twenty-something's doing it. It was great!

Finally, about ten minutes before the water park closed for the day, the nice guy who had been helping everyone looked straight at me and asked if I wanted a try. 

"Will it hurt when I fall?" I asked. I was already taking off my water shoes and cover-up. 

"No, it's like a trampoline," he said. 

"Yes! I want to go!" 

He let me hold his wrists until I got my balance on the board. Finally, I let go with one hand, then another. I could feel the water rushing under my feet, a memory of water skiing when I was a kid. I have only skied once or twice since I was twelve. I used to be addicted to it. I used to be pretty good at it, but I never had a chance to try a wake board.

I stood on that wake board and rode that wave, tears streaming down my face. I was so incredibly happy. 

In twenty seconds or so, I was down. It was awesome!

Thanks for listening, jb