You can e-mail Mark T at in2deep@xvi.net
For the second year in a row inclement weather postponed they day we had waited for since last Labor Day. Finally today for the 14th season Deep River Waterpark opened. It was 68 degrees at 12:30 p.m. when your host arrived. I have yet to miss an opening day. This one was tough. Until last August on that fateful day when I crashed my left should into the yellow bowl slide I woke up every day in no pain feeling great. Since that day I feel the aches and pains every single day and as an added bonus in September somehow I got water in my ear primarily the left ear but it travels from the left to right but usually the left side of the body is a mess. This season I truly begin the year feeling old something I do not wish to do.
The first ride of the season was to be the yellow bowl slide as I had waited along time for this slide that nearly destroyed my stair climbing career but I started with red before going over to the yellow. I rode the yellow and it was not as ferocious as it once was. I did however experience flashbacks of that fateful day on numerous occassions. In all I rode the bowl slides 10x in a row and I thought things are not good. I was about out of energy. It has been awhile since I have gone up and down the stairs. I needed rest and around the action river I went. There were many new faces. I went aroudn the action river 2x before taking "The Hike" and over to the storm I went. I was able to do "The Classic" and that is among my favorite thing to do. It goes vortex, abyss, cyclone, cyclone, abyss, vortex, vortex, abyss, cyclone, and cyclone. I could see some sort of training going on near the dragon. The dragon did tempt me but I do not know if on it ever again I shall go. We will have to wait and see and perhaps in a stair climbing emergency "The Show" will return.
I went to my favorite ride of them all whitewater and this ride I rode 5x and while I enjoyed riding it. It proved the most difficult or painful to exit from. Although I must admit compared to last year much progress has been made. Then I couldn't even lift myself off a tube. The stair count went to 1600. I returned to the storm that is where I will be spending most of my time and 5 more slides put me up to 1920 and I could not stop there being so close to 2,000 so I carried on. I went 3 more times and the stair count went to 2,112 and it was set up that I would take "The Hike" and go on the red bowl slide once and the yellow bowl slide would be "The Last Ride"
On the arrival I saw Jennifer and Chris back for another year. Isn't that grand. I was told how with no slide attendants the staffing will improve and not cause a shortage at the end of the year. I heard the very same thing about slide attendants just a few short years ago but now we will go back to how we started. Interesting and I bet Jennifer a bag of Tootsie Pops that on July 30, 2008 that Deep River Waterpark will not have enough lifeguards to be fully staffed. Jennifer assured me that they will have the 41 necessary lifeguards by 9:30 a.m. I am willing to give her until 10 and I would have been even willing to give her won't have half 20 on July 30. She marked in something young people carry and we have bet and Chris was a witness. I have moved up to Neutrogena SPF 85 sunscreen now. Although on the advice of the bosses daughter I may try the Neutrogena SPF 70 spray on sunscreen. She says that works very well. At least the spray I don't think she is using SPF 70.
I went up the stairs to the red bowl slide and down I went and then I went on the stairs of the yellow bowl slide and nothing bad happened. I did get in another ride on the yellow bowl slide The lifeguard on the red bowl slide had red hair and you know I am partial to red hair and on the red bowl slide. She was very nice and I enjoyed her. I try to make "The Last Ride" be on a slide that I have enjoyed the pusher so that is where it was but the stair count was 2,684 and that made me slightly more than 1/2 way to the Memorial Day 5,000. However still quite away from 1 million stairs.
Admission is reduced by $5.00 until June 22, 2008 so you can afford a gallon of gas. The price is only $14.95 if you reside in Indiana and $16.95 if you don't. Come on out to Deep River Watperk which is apparently now "The Midwest's Favorite Waterpark." I will be back tomorrow and I'll see you there.
It was 2:00 p.m and 78 degrees when I returned to Deep River Waterpark. It was breezy today. Through the years I have lost much of my tolerance for the cold. In the last few years I developed a problem of the body getting a shock when it goes into very cold water. For that reason often times I can not start on a slide ride. I started the day by feeling the water in the lazy river and usually in that area the water is frigid. I was asked if I remembered this lifeguard but names are not my thing. She said her hair was different and she let me see her face and then it looked very familiar but I could not honestly tell you that was Lisa. Remember she was a slide attendant last year and now she moved up to lifefguard? I am sure we will hear more about her as the season progresses.
I went to the storm and I did "The Classic" and then I switched to the abyss which is a the stair climbers best friend. Very soon up came Abbey from that cage below and with her I know I will be safe. This would be a good time to test the Emergency Exit. On many days I have a limited time to play and to win the 1,000 stairs climbed every day game it is sometimes necessary to climb the abyss 16x in a row as that is one of the fastest ways to get to 1,000. The other emergency is to climb the dragon 11x in a row but I don't know if that exit will be available to me. I therefore tried to go on the abyss 16 times in a row. Abbey was very enthusiastic every single time. I like that. She pushed me 14 of the 16 times and I did make it so the emergency exit still works and in the quest for 1 million stairs I am sure at some point in the season I will ride the abyss at least 50x in a row
The stair count went to 1,664 and I took "The Hike" to the action river and around it I went a time and a half before trying my luck on the red bowl slide and on this time it was not good as slowly I went and got stuck and had to do a lot of work to get out of there so that was no fun. I resumed my trip around the action river before going back to the storm. It was cyclone and abyss that I would ride this times 4 for cyclone 3 for abyss and then I took "The Hike" and I figured I would go on some combination of those bowl slides 5x and the stair count would be 2,556 and for sure I will win the Memorial Day 5,000. I did manage to get up and down the stairs 5x but then I could not stop. I know and so did the lifeguard that once things heat up there will be long waits for these slides. They were very nice at the top of the slides so I continued on another 5x primarily on red so did not have flashbacks on yellow and then was so close to 3,000 stairs I could not stop so I continued on. These stairs are the hardest stairs in the park to climb because if the sun hits them they burn your feet and when they get wet so slippery. The lifeguard on the red bowl slide seemed to know me from last year but I did not remember her but she was most friendly. I have been very pleased with the pushing this season maybe with all the rotating the pushers won't get worn out. Today there could have been a competition between Abbey and this gal for "The Last Ride" but I was here at the red bowl slide and energy was fading and I had ridden these bowl slides 15x although now I realize I came up one slide short of the goal. I like to ride 50 slides a day and that was slide 49 but things needed to get even again
Stairs climbed today 3,296 making 5,980 stairs climbed this season and leavign 118,230 to reach the million stair mark. Do you think your host can make it? Why not come on out to Deep River Waterpark today. Admission reduced by $5.00 until June 22, 2008 and weather permitting the park is open daily from 10 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. I'll be back tomorrow. I'll see you there.
It was a very long time ago when I last ate a marshmallow. When I was a child my grandfather God rest his soul had a wooded yard and my sister and I would go and hunt for sticks so we could roast marshmallows over the dying embers of coal in the grill. As I rember marshmallows roasted like that tasted pretty good. Now as I have grown older I could not imagine eating something roasted on a stick found on the ground. How things change. I wonder will I ever eat a marshmallow again? Things change but we have the opportunity to create memories during 2008. It was 10:32 and 73 degrees when I returned to Deep River Waterpark for the 3rd day in a row. I like that :)
Today parking was ample and I always tell you if you want to ride bowl slides come early. It can mean early in the season or early in the day. I tried to avoid the shock by getting used to the water in the action river. Jennifer and crew seemed quite confident that I will lose the bet that on July 30, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. there will not be 41 lifeguards at Deep River Waterpark. Today I think there were many more than that as nearly 2 at every single stand. Impressive as I think today the staff may have outnumbered the guests.
I went on the bowl slides 3x before going over to the storm where I did the classic and then just for fun added 2 more slides. Pushing was excellent today at the top of the storm good energy from all involved. Do you remember Alicia sister to Emily who was a good character for a few years and star of everyone's favorite game Where's Emily? Well she was back for her first day and would eventually make her way up tot he top of the yellow bowl slide. I wonder if I remember how to spell her name correctly? It is going to be hard to play Where's Emily? because I am told she is in Washington DC although I was certain she was going to Hong Kong at least that is how my storyline went. Now we must find another Emily but not an Emily that is mean we must find one that is nice. If we can find one it will be my 3rd Emily so I wonder if any of the lifguards this year are named Emily and every once in awhile when I would find Emily by a slide I got to wear her sunglasses down the slide. I love that and I haven't lost a pair yet so we will see if we can continue everyone's favorite game Where's Emily?
The stair count was 990 and I went to my favorite slide for the win whitewater where the water was extremely cold and in a disappointment there was pain in exiting the splash pool so I only rode whitewater once. The ride itself was fun. I tried to loosen the shoulder and I took "The Hike" and around the Action River I went until it was time for Alicia to go up to the top of the yellow bowl slide. I was informed just after noon she was going up but I was not near an exit. I did make my way to an exit I had to go around almost a full time but there are exits and only exits by the slides. Up I went and she said I think this is Nick and Andrew did I get that right? The were working red. I think Nick had been a slide attendant last year. At one point Alicia's shorts went flying as she had placed them on top of the yellow slide. The next time I came up they were no longer on top of the slide.
I mainly stayed on yellow facing my fear. Wait I don't have a fear of slides I only have 3 fears and you all know what they are right? I just have flashbacks on the yellow bowl slide. On occassion I went on the red bowl slide as Alicia proved to popular sometimes with as many as 4-6 people in her line then try to get them to switch. The guys left and then Alicia met someone called Brittney last name of a spice and could I remember this? She was short and blonde. I think a lot of lifeguards are blonde. I don't know if any are this short so maybe I could figure out who she is in the future. She claimed to be 5 foot 1/2 an inch. No one will ever admit to being 5 foot. This was her first day as a lifeguard. I remained concerned about why she was so short. She indicated she did not smoke and if I smoke I smoke Lucky Strikes. She does love coffee and that stunts growth. Eventually I had to giver her slide a try and Alicia would first show her how to push me down. Oh I think there may be a lot of kicks this year with lifeguards at the top of the bowl. Remember the super kick from last season and there were many more I don't even think we are allowed to mention the atomic kick.
The next time up Brittney pushed me down and our heads were put together. I have a very hard head saved me on the yellow bowl slide that one time for months I had the mark. Perhaps now I am a bit smarter if some of Brittney's knowledge was transferred to me. That was not a good pushing debut so I had to try her slide again and she did much better. I continued on these bowl slides and I must admit that I was running out of energy. These are the hardest stairs to climb in the park and this is the begining of the season. However, I could make it through Alicia's whole shift which would be like an hour and she never tired and was having a lot of fun so that was good. In all I went down the bowl slides 22x in approximately an hour. I then rode around the action river and tried to get some rest but when you don't go in a wavepool not that you shouldn't not a lot of places in water that you can remain still. I was also trying to get a splitner out of my hand. There was Brittney at this entrance. She did not look as short in a chair but nevertheless I was still concerned about how short she was. Eventually but after several minutes I found some energy to take "The Hike"
I went to the storm sticking to abyss and cyclone and I went ont he storm 7x making the stair count 3,110 and it was indeed time to stop. I had expended all the energy I had but before I started the day I knew that today I wanted climb 3,230 stairs to get to less than 115,000 stairs to go and I was so close. I could not stop like this so after sitting on a chair for a few minutes which is odd for me I took "The Hike' and I went to the red bowl slide and hey there is that red haired gal on the red bowl slide. I like that. I am going to call her Natatlie because that is what her name tag said. I went on the red bowl slide and for the 2nd time this season "The Last Ride" goes to Natalie. Actually I have had "THE LAST RIDE" at the red bowl slide every day this season. I got in 50 slides today and the stair count was 3,480 making 114,750 stairs left to reach a million stairs. The first goal is to get that number below 100,000
I had to write this a day late so I know the waterpark was closed on Tuesday because it was very cold. However, temperatures will rise as will prices so now is the time to come on out to Deep River Waterpark as you can save $5.00 on admission until June 22, 2008. I return on Saturday for one more time in May. I'll see you there.
It was 10:10 a.m. and 73 degrees when I returned to Deep River Waterpark. The sun was shining brightly. It was a bit breezy. Parking was ample. I began the day by taking "The Hike" I slowly made my way into the action river hoping to avoid the shock to the body. Eventually I made my way in and dove toward the bottom to get totally wet and this year I am suffering from water primarily in the left ear. I do not know what happened but it was pretty scary as when I came to the surface I could not hear. I know it is quite on that side of the park but I could not hear at all. Momentarily everything was quite after a few moments I could feel the water coming out of the right ear but not the left. I rode a tube over to the bowl slide and only the yellow bowl slide open today. I rode it once and then I went to the storm.
At the storm I did "The Classic" and since "The Show" is currently unavailable and may never return again although I am so tempted. I want to climb all those stairs again. The pain in the left shoulder stops me plus I know it is early in the season and with all these new lifeguards I am sure to get irritated when one of them tells me how to ride the dragon when with their methods you will experience dragon bites. I have been warned by guests 2x this year. If you lay all the way back at the begining of that ride because of poor water flow at the top you will get bit. There is a certain point you must get by and then you need to lean back but not until then. It is an argument I have had for years and despite the fact I have not ridden the dragon this season I still doub there is anyone alive today that has ridden the dragon more than I have.
Anyway with "The Show" available I am working on a new event. I tried it once earlier this year and now I think it has been named. This is when I climb the abyss 16x in a row. It is the most efficient way to get to 1,000 stairs and is 1,024 stairs climbed. I think I am going to call this "Time To Climb" We will have to see if that name sticks. Afer "The Classic" it was "Time to Climb" and remember Natalie with the red hair who most quickly became a Mark T favorite? (probably because of her hair) She was at the abyss this morning and the first time she was not as pumped as I would like. I tell my staff it is easy to come to work pumped the hard part is staying pumped throughout the day. The second time I came to the abyss she was much more pumped and have come alive with that energy we need to see all day long. I made it half way through "Time to Climb" before she left and the next lifeguard came up and I did make it 16x in a row on the abyss. The stair count went to 1,738 but I like things even most of the time so for 3 more times I went on my favorite storm ride the cyclone and the stair count went to 1,930
That number is very close to 2,000 and I wanted to climb at least 2,000 stairs today actually 2,750 since I started the day 114,750 away from 1 MAN 1 PARK 1 MILLION STAIRS. I took "The Hike" and I went on the yellow bowl slide and it nearly got me this time so no need to press my luck best regroup and perhaps I could use some rest with the stair count at 2,004. There are few good places for me to rest in this park. I came across Stephanie not to be confused with "The Absolutely Stunning Stephanie" who won Mark T's 2008 Valentine and who provided me with my favorite night this century, and who currently has the key to my heart. Doesn't absence make one yearn for someone. While her storyline ended abruptly those are my best memories and she has the open invitation wherever she maybe I'll buy her dinner any place any time well within driving distance. She would be considered the #1 Contender to be Mark T's 2009 Valentine.
Oh I am so easily distracted this Stephanie was a lifeguard last year but not a character in this storyline but she maybe one this year. Today I learned there were currently 130 lifeguards at Deep River Waterpark that seems like a lot. This Stephanie last August was in a car accident and was in an induced coma. It sounded awful but it is so great that she is alive perhaps because of wearing a seat belt. She seems to be in great shape and very healthy, vibrant, and happy. Good energy level on her. I like that. On Tuesday June 10 it is the return of Tootsie Roll Tootsie Pop Tubin Toooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosday with your host Mark T. and I have already agreed to bring her a tootsie pop although i was shocked she liked chocolate. Chocolate is really moving up these last few years. Apparently Stephanie is friends with Courtney remember her from last year I do she was short and I gave her all these left over chocolate tootsie pops and her storyline was suppose to end like this. Courtney's boyfriend was in jail and she would wait for him and then when he got out her boyfriend would commit another crime and Courtney would take the wrap and end up in jail never to be seen again and that is how that storyline was suppose to end. I am told that Courtney is somewhere in Indiana at a University with a new guy who is not in jail I guess that is good for her but I had a better story written.
I could find no distinguishing features of Stephanie. She offered they had name tags this year. I have seen name tags come and go usually they don't last more than a month before they just stop being worn. The best I could do is she had a pink bag or so I think maybe I can recognize her that way. On June 26, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. I intend to beat my sister in 5K race. She says it takes her a little over 30 minutes to finish. Jennifer gave me some tips but apparently she thinks I should do some running and training. I just need to beat my sister one day and don't really want to run anywhere unless I have too. It takes about 15 minutes for me to walk a mile. I walk alot during this time of year so I figure just have to put some running in somewhere but I seldom run. SometimesI race my nephew who is 2 from the playground to my house which is funny since he is very nice and tries to let me win and I try to let him win. I can certainly run faster than him because I take bigger strides. Jennifer is on day 20 in a row of being at work. Starting Monday until the 1st week in July I will only work 2 days in a row.
I got my rest in here and saw many famous Deep River Waterpark employees. I was told the red bowl slide was fixed and would be up in an hour. I took "The Hike" and went to the storm and at the top of the storm there had been a changing of the guard and there was no energy at all at the top in fact I would have thought someone had died. I don't like that. This certainly was not the place to be for Mark T so I did not stay on that side of the park very long. I rode each slide once and the cyclone 2x and then I returned to the the bowl slides. Yellow was stil the only bowl open. At least this group had a positive energy so I could enjoy myself despite the limited option available and I am sure ove an hour had passed since I was told the red bowl slide would open. Maybe it will open tomorrow.
I rode the yellow bowl slide a total of 10x in a row and one day I am going to ride it 50x in a row. I wonder if that day is coming soon. The red bowl slide was not open so today it was not "THE LAST RIDE" that went to the yellow bowl slide and that fun lifeguard I think brother of Justin he had some good pushing energy on the slide I like that. May has come and gone so if you haven't been out to Deep River Waterpark yet what are you waiting for? The admission price is reduced until June 22,2008 and I return tommorrow tryign to reduce the number from 111,750 to reach 1 million. The most stairs I ever climbed in a season was 112,000 in 2005. The goal now is to get below 100,000 than perhaps can fomulate some sort of plan. I went to church tonight so maybe I can come and play all day but I don't think I have the sun tolerance for that yet. Once again I digress. What you need to do is come on out to Deep River Waterpark right now. I'll see you there.