1997 Family Vacation

1997 was the Sesquicentennial anniversary of the pioneers arriving in the Salt Lake Valley. Throughout the state there were celebrations and commemorations. My family decided that the we should spend our annual family vacation in Salt Lake as our own way to honor the pioneers. We went to places such as the Bingham Copper Mine and Ensign Peak. We spent a whole day in down town Salt Lake. On that day we toured the Beehive house, road a trolley, and went to Temple Square.

The highlight of the week was going to the Lagoon Amusement Park. We went during the “bounce back” promotion period so we were able to go to Lagoon one day and then come back the next day for a reduced price. We stayed overnight at the Lagoon campground so that we could be at the park right when it opened.

The first day of our Lagoon trip was spent entirely in Pioneer Village. I guess the logic behind this was to make sure we were remembering the point of this vacation was to honor the pioneers. We looked at the recreated buildings and shops. This took probably an hour. It quickly became apparent that Pioneer Village was not going to hold our attention for a whole day. My parents decided that the new water ride, Rattle Snake Rapids, was close enough to Pioneer Village that we could ride it.

We got in line for Rattle Snake Rapids. Somehow we ended up in two groups with quite a gap between us. I was with my Dad and some other siblings as we watched my Mom and Hillary, my 4 year old sister, go by as they road on the water ride. Hillary was pressed up against my mom and she had a look of terror on her face. It was the first intense ride she had ever gone on. (Years later her first roller coaster would be Magic Mountian's Goliath) Soon it was my group's turn to go on the ride. We boarded the boat and were launched on a river ride that got all of us soaking wet. It was so fun. Over the next two days we would ride Rattle Snake Rapids 7 times- once for each member of the family.

My parents also decided that the Log flume and the train ride around the zoo were part of Pioneer Village. We spent the remainder of the day riding Rattle Snake Rapids, the Log Flume, and the train. We also watched a performance of a play about the old west. At the end of the day we went to our campsite and ate dinner. I remember falling asleep to the sound of people screaming as they rode the Colossus roller coaster.

The next day we woke up when one of the zoo's lions roared. We ate breakfast and packed up camp. Then it was time to go back into the park. This day we were allowed to go to any part of the park we wanted. We must have split up into groups but I can't remember. I do remember riding the Colossus for the first time. I was so scared. I kept thinking I would fall out at the loop part of the track. My dad explained centrifugal force and I was brave enough to try it out. The Colossus became my new favorite roller coaster. We also went on my old favorite from when I was seven– the white roller coaster.

At one point all 4 of my siblings and I got on the little kid ride, Puff the Magic Dragon. My parents remarked to each other that this was probably the only time they would see all 5 of us on that ride together. I was 12, Lindsey was 10, Emily was 8, Billy was 6, and Hillary was 4. None of us knew it but this was also the only time all of us would go to Lagoon together. I'm glad we were able to experience the park and make such fun memories.