Newspaper Page Text
THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
f,
Nick Campbell
In the nick of time
nickscampbell@hotmail.com
To kill a moccasin
This Sunday started out
like any other. I got up, took
a shower, ate breakfast, and
went to church. After that,
it got a little out of the ordi
nary.
When I pulled into my
driveway and parked my car,
I noticed a long, dark rope
like figure underneath my
window.
Realizing the gravity of
the situation and knowing
that a misstep on my part
could result in deadly
venom being sent through
out my body, I made the
command decision to aggra
vate it before sending it to
an untimely death.
I found a shovel that
looked like it could with
stand a venomous bite or
two, and then went back to
investigate. I technically
was not sure what type of
snake I was dealing with,
since I never bothered to get
a good look at the head.
When I returned to the
site, I found that my two
dogs had made their way
over to the snake. In true
guard-dog fashion, they
were sitting down and look
ing at me with their backs
backs to the snake.
After ushering the dogs
away to safety, I stood back
at a safe distance and poked
the snake to try to figure
out what kind it was. I soon
found out that it was a
water moccasin.
At this point, I had two
things on my mind. On one
hand, if I messed up, I would
probably end up in the hos
pital for several days. On
the other hand, I hadn’t
been able to think of a topic
for this week’s column.
The next problem I faced
was finding an effective way
to kill the snake before the
rest of my family got home.
Since I don’t routinely carry
loaded firearms with me to
Sunday services, I had to
resort to the shovel.
At some time during this
whole ordeal, my Tonto
gene must have been acti
vated. Instead of doing the
logical thing and beating the
snake over the head with
the shovel, I decided to get a
running start and throw the
shovel at it like a spear. I
think I speak for shovel
owners everywhere when I
say that the Good Lord
never intended for a shovel
to be used in such a way.
After letting out a fierce
war cry and missing the
snake altogether with my
throw, I regrouped and
finally killed, it while my
dogs cheered me on by not
moving. Goodness knows
what they would have done
if the snake had actually
attacked me. They probably
would have gone to sleep.
After performing an
impromptu coroner’s check
to be sure it was dead, I
decapitated it and threw the
head deep into the woods.
Next, I covered up the head
less part of the snake in
pinestraw and left it so that
the rest of my family would
be alarmed when they got
home. It was a good thing
that I was the first one
home, because they were as
observant about it as the
two dogs were.
And so ended the day’s
work of the fearless reptile
hunter.
QUIZ
From page 8A
Vanderbilt’s son almost
every weeknight?
Last week's extra:
Henry Wallace was vice
president of the United
States. Getting it right were
Bill Harrison, Jim Worrall,
Jolene Pierson, Betsy
Bazemore, Laurie Jones.
THRILL
From page 8A
Dahlonega Mine Train, the
park’s original steel roller
coaster, travels through
hills and a covered tunnel
as riders travel around a
wooded area.
Rides for the family include
a high-speed, indoor scram
bler ride that mixes great
thrills with ’sos music, and
Monster Plantation, an
interesting journey through
a monster-filled flooded
mansion that mixes a water
ride with a classic dark
house.
On Friday, park officials
plan to unveil Skull Island,
a two-acre, pirate-themed
water park that features
water slides, play areas, and
a six-story high bucket
shaped like a pirate skull
that tips 750 gallons of
water over the play area. A
50-foot-high play volcano
also erupts with a geyser of
water at random intervals.
Skull Island is free with
park admission. For more
information, call (770) 948-
9290 or visit
www.sixflags.com/parks/ove
rgeorgia/index.asp.
Part zoo, part thrill
park, part concert hall
Wild Adventures theme
park began just more than a
decade ago. In 1991, owner
Kent Buescher and his wife
Dawn bought a 100-acre
horse farm. A birthday
prank brought the couple a
pet goat, the first in a series
of animals brought there.
In 1992, the family bought
an additional 70 acres and
opened a public petting zoo,
a favorite field trip spot for
local schools. In 1996, the
Liberty Farms Animal Park
opened with exotic animals,
playgrounds, free concerts
and a few rides. In 1997, the
park was renamed Wild
If you remember a few of
these tips, you might not
run into many of the same
problems I did during
recent summer visits to Six
Flags Over Georgia and
Wild Adventures.
1. Plan your attack -
Make sure to do your
research before you set foot
out the door. Visit your local
library or check out the
park’s Web site. Make a list
of the rides you can’t miss
and make a plan of attack,
mapping out how you and
your group will move
through the park.
2. Get there early - Try to
be there at least a half hour
(To submit your event for the
Night Life listings, fax the details
to 988-1181, e-mail to
hhj@evansnewspapers.com or
mail to Houston Home Journal,
PO. Box 1910, Perry, GA
31069.)
Thursday, June 23
• karaoke, Our Place, 2132
U.S. 41 North, Perry, 218-2299
• DJ Oronde, The Ville Case,
2607-A Moody Road, Warner
Robins, 918-0660
Friday, June 24
• Ceylon Bleu, The Ville Case,
Dogs, signs and Captain Underpants
A number of programs
for kids are planned next
week at Houston County’s
public libraries.
The Perry library will
hold a Dog Safety Show
and Tell program on
Wednesday, at 10 a.m.
This program is open to all
ages.
The Centerville Library
will hold a sign language
storytime for first through
third graders on Mondayat
11 a.m. and for fourth and
fifth graders on Wednesday
at 11 a.m.
Kids can be really, really
silly at Nola Brantley
Library in Warner Robins
during all scheduled activi
ENTERTAINMENT
Adventures and continued
to expand through the turn
of the century. In 2004, the
Bueschers bought Cypress
Gardens, Florida’s first
amusement park.
Adventure Parks Group
LLC was formed in the fall
of 2004 to manage both
parks.
Wild Adventures is part
thrill park, part zoo and
part concert hall. The park
features eight coasters,
some for families, some for
adults. While children and
their parents may get a kick
out of “Bug Out,” a wild
mouse style box coaster
that takes some unexpected
turns, or adults may enjoy
signature thrill coasters
like “Hangman,” a sus
pended looping coaster with
an old west theme, or
“ Boomerang, ” an
Australian-themed coaster
that takes riders forward
and backward at speeds of
up to 60 mph. The park
includes a total of 59 rides,
including Wild Adventures’
newest attraction, “The
Gauntlet,” a 60-foot-tall
screaming swing ride.
Wild Adventures also has
its own water park, Splash
Island, that features the
“Rain Fortress,” a tropical
themed interactive water
play complex with slides,
fountains, water cannons
and a tiki-god themed buck
et that dumps gallons of
water periodically on
unsuspecting swimmers
below.
The park also functions
as a working zoo, with 84
different species of wildlife,
from African lions and
Asian elephants to
American alligators and
Bison. The park features a
petting zoo area with goats,
sheep and llamas; a safari
ride that features ele
phants, giraffe, camels and
zebra; and a swamp board
walk that features alliga
before the park opens. This
will allow you to get your
bearings, make last-minute
adjustments to your plans,
and get an idea of crowds
and weather conditions. If
you arrive early enough,
you can ride everything you
want without the crowds
that will hit the park
around mid-day, saving you
hours in line sitting next to
someone who might not
smell as pleasant as you do.
3. Bring sunscreen and a
washcloth - these are three
essentials during the sum
mer months. I’d suggest
even buying a fanny pack
2607-A Moody Road, Warner
Robins, 918-0660
• Deep Fried, Shenanigan’s
Case, 1291 S. Houston Lake
Road, Warner Robins, 988-
8252
• karaoke (Dwight’s Delight),
Hangar One Lounge, 120 First
St., Warner Robins, 922-1657
• Silver Hammer, Our Place,
2132 U.S. 41 North, Perry, 218-
2299
Saturday, June 25
• Ceylon Bleu, The Ville Case,
2607-A Moody Road, Warner
Robins, 918-0660
• karaoke (Dwight’s Delight),
ty times this week. All are
invited to participate in
the wild, wacky and weird
boxer shorts contest as the
library celebrates the silli
ness of Captain
Underpants.
Wear your strangest pair
of boxers over your clothes
when you come to story
time this week. Winners
will receive laughs, giggles,
chortles and prizes.
The Tale of the Tab
Six Flags Wild Adventures
Pricing At Park
General Admission $43.99 $38.95*
Children $26.99 (under 48” tall) $31.95 (ages 3-9)*
Children (2 & Under) Free Free
Seniors (55 & Older) $26.99 $31.95*
An online discount of $9 off is for visitors who buy their general
admission tickets through the park’s website.
(all prices do not include tax)
includes 2 n< * day free
Season Passes $59.99 (valid to Sept. 25) $64.95* (valid to
Dec. 31)
*price includes season pass to Cypress Gardens Adventure Park in
Winter Haven, Fla.
Websites www.sixflags.comwww.wildadventures.net
Robins AFB USAF Information, Tickets & Travel Office
Six Flags Wild Adventures
Everyone (3 and older) $25 $33
Season Pass $47 S6O
Web site www.robins.af.mil/services
tors and a black bear habi
tat.
The park also attracts
thousands with a variety of
concerts, with such big
names as Boyz II Men, REO
Speedwagon, Clay Aiken
and Jeff Foxworthy/
General admission is free
with a ticket to the park,
but reserved seating usually
costs between $lO and S2O.
For more information on
tickets and concerts, call
(229) 219-7080, option 2.
For more information on
the park itself, call the same
number above or visit
www.wildadventures.net.
lips of the trade
that will allow you to keep
other items like tissues, eye
drops, aspirin, and even a
rain poncho for afternoon
showers. Sunscreen will
save you from a painful day
of sweat and sunburn.
Keeping a dry washcloth in
your fanny pack can be used
to wipe the sweat away or
even dry off after a water
ride. I’d even suggest rent
ing a locker at the park for
an extra set of clothes or
shoes.
4. Wear comfortable shoes
- I’ve made the stupid mis
take of wearing both dress
shoes and a new pair of
NIGHT LIFE
Hangar One Lounge, 120 First
St., Warner Robins, 922-1657
• Scott Snyder, Shenanigan’s
Case, 1291 S. Houston Lake
Road, Warner Robins, 988-
8252
• Silver Hammer, Our Place,
Live Entertainment Every Wed.-Sat.
Appearing June 22 thru 25th
THE BIYEB
BUOWEISER HOTBODY SWIMSUIT CONTESi
S3OOO Cash To Be Won! 1
MEN’S HIROBODY CONTEST
4570 PIO NONO AVE. - MACON. GA
478-788-3000 • 478-785-3155
www.whiskeyriver.tv
Robins delivers
Active military personnel
and their families can also
buy reduced-priced tickets
for both parks through the
USAF Information Tickets
and Travel Office located in
the Smith Community
Center, Building 767 at the
corner of Macon and Ninth
streets on Robins Air Force
Base. The base ITT ticket
office offers a variety of dis
counts for everything from
Walt Disney World in
Orlando to Dollywood in
Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
The base ticket office also
sells movie vouchers that
can be used at both the
Parkway Cinemas on
sneakers to a theme park.
You’re going to do a lot of
walking, and if you don’t
like blisters or throbbing
heels, try wearing a com
fortable pair of sneakers,
maybe even a junky pair
you cut the grass in. If your
feet swell in the heat, you
might be in for a painful
day.
5. Have fun - Remember,
you can’t expect to ride
everything in the park.
Long lines are a fact of life
for theme parks, especially
in the summer when kids
are off for school. But try
visiting the park either
2132 U.S. 41 North, Perry, 218-
2299
Wednesday, June 29
• DJ Bill Barker, Our Place,
2132 U.S. 41 North, Perry, 218-
2299
IMntsfty Hm Sari*.
Bring a group to hear the best
comedy anywhere. Ule feature
talented comedians as seen on HBO,
BET’s Comic Review, Talk Shows, etc.
m S rover Includes Free Admission l# HHp
River Sight Ckb^^jjSSßM l
»
COMEDY SMORCASBORD
i at\ t 11am-2pm Lunch Buffet
A (Monday-Friday)
/rtc/wrfes Coffee or Tea |
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2005 ♦
Russell Parkway in Warner
Robins or the Galleria
Cinemas in Centerville. The
base travel office will also
help military families by
offering discounted travel
packages. For more infor
mation, contact the base
ITT ticket office at (478)
926-2945 or the base ITT
travel office at (478) 926-
0093 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday through Friday
and from 9 a.m. to noon on
Saturdays through August.
You can also visit their
Web site at
www. robins. as. mil/services
and hit the Information,
Tickets and Travel tab on
the left.
early during the week or on
a Sunday. Once the crowds
hit the park, there’s really
not much you can do but sit
back, relax, and enjoy the
time you have with friends
and family.
Driving directions
To Six Flags:
-Take 1-75 North to 1-285
North, to 1-20 West, to the
Six Flags exit
To Wild Adventures:
-Take 1-75 South to Exit
13, the park is four miles off
the highway on your right.
• karaoke with Billy Williams,
The Ville Case, 2607-A Moody
Road, Warner Robins, 918-
0660
• karaoke (Dwight’s Delight),
Hangar One Lounge, 120 First
St., Warner Robins, 922-1657
SSI