Back In The Saddle Again...

 Tonight, I found myself sitting in a room once used for tennis, listening to orientation trainings, the same trainings I've heard the past half dozen years. I know it's repetitive, and I know it's repetitive for those giving the training. I also know how important it is for insurance and other reasons.

I'm signed up for another go.

It's a great gig.

I sat among forty or so other applicants, almost all of them doing something other than what I'll be doing. My job is very unique...there's only one person on the whole park who does it, and that person is me. 

We sat together. The presenter asked how long we had worked at the park. She started with two years. Almost everyone raised their hand. She uped it to five years, most put their hands down. She said eight years...it was me and another. Ten years--I alone kept my hand raised.

The fun begins next month, each weekend until after Halloween. I work with wonderful people...a truly amazing show. I can't say enough about it. Actually, I can't say anything about it. You must experience it.

Speaking of which, if you're going to Frightmares at Lagoon this fall and you are fortunate enough to see the show Séance, you'll see me. If I don't know you, please introduce yourself. If you do know me, we'll catch up.

Another year...back in the saddle again.

Bombs Bursting In Air...

 We spent the day away from home, at the home of friends. It took a three-hour drive to get there, and just as long to get home. As I write this post, bombs--albeit small ones--are literally bursting in air all around us. 

Our neighbors spent good money on pyrotechnics this year.

Fireworks represent celebration the world over. When I lived in Denmark they fired off the noise makers to ring in the new year. But to me, fireworks will always represent America...strange, considering the USA didn't invent fireworks.

When I see them, hear them, even smell the sulfur, memories of days off, cookouts, and sitting in our front yard anxiously awaiting a fireworks display from Lagoon Amusement Park come to mind. I miss those Lagoon fireworks. Back then, their displays were not stellar, but Lagoon had the best show in town.

It's later...most of the arial bombs have exploded. Tomorrow night, there'll be more possibly, then in a couple of weeks, the cycle begins anew as our state--and not our country--celebrates its existence.

More bombs bursting...

More America.

I love it.

Fan Art...A High Form Of Praise, Indeed

 I got a text message last week. It included a picture...a computer drawing of a house.

But, not just any house. It's the house where I've been visiting each fall for the past several years. It's not a real building, but a facade, a representation of where Professor Black holds a spooky ritual. The drawing was a gift, of sorts. Fan art from a fan.

My autumn side gig takes place at an amusement park. It's an attraction, something those who enjoy scary things greatly enjoy. It's where Séance, the Dark Ritual is performed each weekend and will continue until the end of this month.

I loved getting the drawing. It's something the fan didn't have to do, obviously. We live in a world where everyone looks out for themselves, does things for themselves, or at least it seems that way. This fan went out of his way to recreate the place we, that do the show, all love.

I can't remember the last time I did something like that for someone else, share a talent just for the fun of it. I hope when I see opportunities to do the same kind of thing, I'll act.

I think the picture means so much to me/us, because the show means so much to those who do the show. We've had incredible memories doing the show.

Fan art...high form of praise, indeed!

Primordial...It's Amazing

 Yup, I rode it. The ride that felt like it took forever to open finally has.

It's amazing.

To make sure the ride was safe, several employees were called upon as guinea pigs for testing, something I was fine with. I gathered with others and we climbed aboard the cars. They lowered the safety harnesses and off we went. 

There was a day when I loved roller coasters. Then, as the years have passed, something within me changed. I don't do coasters like I once did. Primordial fit me perfectly. If you want to know what it's like (without giving everything away...), think a ride that is a combination of Disneyland's Space Mountain and Disneyland's Toy Story Midway Mania. You're inside a mountain on a roller coaster, but also seeing incredible visuals with the opportunity to blast the baddies from the comfort of your car. The seats rotate to give you different perspectives and the ending is not the same for everyone.

Right now, the lines are massive. I know the park wanted to open it sooner, however, it's open now. I spoke with a patron tonight who said the wait was significantly shorter than it was last week.

Whether you go during Frightmares this season, or wait until next year, you should check out Primordial... 

It's amazing.

Séance, This Year's Version...Is Coming

August will soon fade into history, followed by September, as it has for as long as there has been Augusts and Septembers. In our part of the world September means the days get shorter and the temperatures begin to fall...

My favorite part of the year.

Back in 2017 a new attraction opened at Lagoon Amusement Park's Frightmares. It's called Séance, and it's absolutely terrifying. I've been fortunate enough to be a part of every show, every production of the attraction that's taken place on the park. It's just the best show.

Many of my readers have seen the show. If you have you know what kind of an experience it is. I can't give anything away about the show, and even if I could, I would not do so because I don't want to give anything away.

If you're in the area and you'd like to experience the show first-hand, when you reach the park during this season of Frightmares, go to the Séance ticket office because our show usually sells out within minutes of the ticket office opening--it's that popular. 

Over the years I've been involved in a lot of shows. 

This one is one in a million...

And you should see it.

Goodnight, Fawna...Definitely One Of A Kind

 Yesterday a friend of more than forty years passed away. From what I can gather, it was unexpected, not that a sudden passing makes the news any worse. To find out a friend of my youth (who is the same age as me...) is no longer with is is always a shock, but there are certain people out there who have such strong personalities, it seems Death fears them...

Not the other way around.

I think everyone who ever met Fawna knows what I'm talking about. The woman was a force of nature, a spirit that that filled any room she entered, a person you were destined to remember.

Our lives crossed many time in the past four decades. I first met Fawna at Lagoon when we were both in high school. We worked in the entertainment department. In college Fawna married a fraternity brother. And, even though we were never in the same show together, she and I were part of the small theater community where you get to know everyone--sort of a "six degrees of separation" kind of thing. 

You become a family because you share the stage, and all that that entails. 

Each show becomes a chapter of your book of life. The experiences are unique, the long rehearsals (or seasons, when it came to Lagoon...), counting on each other for support--on and off stage--and feeling that incredibly conflicting love/hate relationship when a show ends, of relief of being done and sad you won't get to see your friends until the next show...if there's a next show.

And when you lose a family member, it's painful. There are no more shows, no more final rehearsals, no more show notes, no more mic checks, and the last show you did was truly the last show.

For those of us left behind, I don't think we'll ever be able to forget Fawna. I know I won't. It's like she won't allow it. When friends of her Music USA casts gather, they'll think of her, talk of her, laugh--then cry--as the memories wash over them. When casts from any of the countless shows since come together, they'll inevitably do the same. She had that effect on people.

As I get older, I suppose I've got to get used to losing friends to the inevitable...it's the way of it. To Jim, her family, children, and grandchildren, we mourn with you. She was definitely one of a kind.

Remembering Lagoon's Mini Golf Courses...Good Times

 I found an Instagram post while surfing the other day. It's from a good account, if you're a fan of Lagoon Amusement Park in Northern Utah. It's called Lagoon History, and you can access the Instagram account: HERE.

The posts takes me back. Lagoon was so much a part of my childhood. The latest post centered around a feature I loved, something I thought would last forever...the miniature golf course. The old timers (me, included...) remember the first course, but I spent more time on the second course.

If you go to the Instagram account, you can link to an incredible page of history, photos, and memories. You can access that webpage: HERE. They have pictures of the original course. I had forgotten most of those features.

The photo at the top of this post was taken from that website (it's the 8th hole, by the way...). Many of my friends and I would go to Lagoon and golf a round. We were very competitive in those days (my friends were all sports people who liked to win, myself included...). I filled out many a score card from that course.

If you remember the course, check out the sites. You'll be transported back in time as well.

I Mean, The Lagoon Wooden Roller Coaster Is...Practically New

I find philosophy fascinating at times. The riddles, the unanswerable mind juggling found in the science have been debated for thousands of years. These debates continue because there are no definite answers. Still, I find they tickle my mind. A somewhat minor thought experience can be found in the Ship of Theseus. If you're familiar with the riddle, it goes something like this (paraphrasing...): if you take a ship and over time replace each section of the ship until eventually everything in the ship has been replaced, is the ship old or new?

See? Fascinating.

Today, I stopped by a place for which I am familiar, Lagoon Amusement Park in Farmington, Utah. I've driven by the park literally tens of thousands of times in my life. Each time, I've been able to spot the iconic wooden roller coaster. Though I've seen it that many times, I've ridden the ride most like a couple of hundred times. Having climbed aboard those cars as a child tall enough to ride to into my fifties, you get a "feel" for the ride.

To me, it always felt like the structure is only moments away from completely falling down.

I'm not the only one who feels this way. In fact, many say the feeling of an old, rickety ride, the wondering if the wooden beams will support the weight of the car and riders is part of the fun. My mind knows it is safe--I personally know many of the men and women who work tirelessly to make sure the rides are safe. Still...

There's something about it that makes me question.

Today I saw something I don't think I've ever seen before. Workers were servicing the ride (which they do all the time...), but I'd never seen sections of track missing from the ride. I looked at the ride again. Everywhere I looked I saw new--relatively new--beams. Everywhere. In fact, I didn't see an old beam anywhere on the ride. Of course, I scanned the ride, not taking all day to inspect every piece of wood, but if you stand there, you'd be hard pressed to see any wood that wasn't new.

This is basically a new ride.

I'm sure many who are more knowledge about the ride specifically and wooden coasters in general will say I'm late to the party, that wooden roller coasters are maintained this way to assure safety. 

So many times I drove or walked by that old ride, I thought how close it must be to just crumbling under its own weight. After today, I don't think I'll ever look at that ride the same way again.

Is it new, or old?

Yes.

Only Two More Weekends...To Get The Crud Scared Out Of You

 It's hard to tell from the above photo, but if you look carefully you'll see a line of people waiting to buy tickets to a show...

You'll also see the legs on the two girls in the center of the photo are freakishly strange--this is because I did a panorama shot and the girls were so disrespectful they kept on walking while I took the picture.

But, do not focus on the girls--focus on the line. It's massive. It bends around the building where others are waiting in line as well.

If you're unfamiliar with the show I'm doing this fall, it's called Séance, and it's at Lagoon Amusement Park. There are only two weekends left to see the show (fewer, if winter weather, i.e. snow, arrives early...). So, if you are planning on seeing our show, you must arrive early and wait in line. You must get a ticket for the show. Tickets are sold just to the south of the theater (located near the Arcade at the center of the park...). Tickets go on sale 45 minutes before we do our first show.

Friday: first show - 6pm (five shows total)

Saturday: first show - 4pm (seven shows total)

Sunday: first show - 4pm (four shows total).

Over the past several weekends, our shows have been selling out before we do our first show, so if you want to see us before the season ends on 10/30/22, you'll need to be in line as soon as you can.

Fellow cast member posted this picture on social media. It tells you everything you need to know.

If you are planning on attending Lagoon's Frightmares this season, please find me at the show. I'd love to see you and I hope you get to see the scariest thing you'll see all year (election results not withstanding...)

I've Known (Of...) This Bus For Decades

 I've got a side gig. I work weekend evenings at our local amusement park, Lagoon. Perhaps you've heard of it. Deep inside the park, among the rides and terraces and people having fun, you'll find a Volkswagen bus. It sits next to the water park and one of their smaller roller coasters.

And it's beautiful.

I've known of this particular bus for decades. Not that I'm stalking it, mind you. It's just, when you see a classic VW over and over, you pay attention...at least, I do.

The first time I saw this bus was at the park. Years ago there was a show at the park that included the bus. It pulled up and singers/dancers exited and put on a show. I think that's how the show started. If anyone remembers that particular show and I'm incorrect, I apologize...it's been a long time.

Because I lived in the same town as the amusement park, I drove by the park several times a week. The park owns fields that surround the property, you know, for future expansion. They parked that bus in the field and that's where it sat, sat for years. I kept wondering if they would sell it to me--I had no idea if it even ran. I never talk to the park or pursued it in any way because I didn't have the money to buy it. Still, it was a fun fantasy.

Then, the park decided to put the bus near the entrance of their newest coaster (this was years ago...). I knew then, my opportunity to own the classic German-made vehicle was officially over. It was now once again part of the park's attractions. Last weekend I carpooled with my daughter who also has a side gig at Lagoon. Her call time was earlier than mine, so I decided to walk around the park and let the memories come back to me.

That's when I came upon the bus. I just had to snap a picture or two. Yes, the fantasy of somehow obtaining the bus from the park is long over. But, I can still admire it from afar.

When All The People Have Gone...

 I cannot tell you how many hours I spent there. Not only did I begin working at Lagoon Amusement Park when I was sixteen-years old, but for at least a decade I spent every summer day (except Sundays...) as a kid running around the park and swimming in water fit to drink.

Hours and hours and hours.

There was a time when I could tell you when the park installed their new rides...it was usually two a year, sometimes less. I knew every uneven surface of blacktop--because I used to wash down the park every morning beginning at 4am. I knew every uneven terrace picnic table--because we swept and papered every terrace picnic table beginning at 4am. And I knew every pinball machine that gave out free credits--because after a long day at the pool, we hung out at the Penny Arcade and we rarely had money.

I'm sure millions of photos are taken every year at the park, but while staying late for Frightmares rehearsals, all the people with their sounds and smells and laughs and cries and screams were gone. The place is very photogenic when people are there. At night when they've all gone, it's beautiful.

I can think of a thousand places to take amazing photographs of the park at night. Last week I stood in one spot and shot what I could see. The Mother Goose Shoe that's been in Kiddie Land before I ever went to the park (and that at one time we used to be able to climb all over...), the crammed kiddie rides, boats, the jr. speedway, helicopters, and the spaceships with those unforgettable laser sounds.

People come to Lagoon for many reasons. Some love the rides, others the games, others a chance to see their kids having the time of their lives. Some come just to see the other people who decided to go, and some for the entertainment.

Me? 

Other than the swimming pool, I wasn't really a rides person. Even now, after working there for several seasons, it's been years since I rode a ride. No, I go now because they pay me to be part of an amazing team, putting on an unbelievable show. I've gone to the park when there are tens of thousands of people, and I've been there many times when there are almost none.

This is what part of the park looks like...

When all the people have gone.

If You're A Performer (Or Tech...) And Want A Summer Gig...Check Out This Link

 I happened to catch an Instagram video as it went live today. It was from Lagoon, the amusement park, and it focused on summer jobs...more specifically, summer jobs working in their entertainment department. I feel qualified to say that being in a show, or working behind the scenes for a show, at Lagoon gives you an opportunity that's hard to match.

I've worked in the Entertainment Department at Lagoon--off and on--since 1983. I've seen a lot of shows and been in a lot of shows. I worked as a costumed character (anyone remember Rascal the Raccoon...?), an usher, a lighting director, a roving entertainer, a house manager, a guide, and one of my favorite jobs ever, a stuntman in their Wild West Show. I've seen and worked with a many talented people during that time, but those creating shows at Lagoon now are world-class.

That's not hyperbole.

It's true.

Each year the Entertainment Department looks for dancers, singers, performers, as well as lighting techs, audio techs, and backstage help. If you're interested in this unique experience, you can go to Lagoon's Instagram page by clicking: HERE and watch the twenty-minute video that was posted today where those behind the amazing shows are interviewed. In the video you'll also get information about auditions times and dates and how to get your information to Lagoon.

Lagoon has existed for more than one-hundred years. The goal for the park is for people to have fun, both patrons and employees. Doing shows there can be a blast. If you're interested, check out the video. You'll be working with world-class talent and getting paid as well. It's a good gig.

Give Thanks...The First Member Of Our Family To Work At Lagoon

 Between shows last month my friend and Matt and I were talking as we were known to do did between shows. I'm not exactly sure how the subject came up (I think we were talking about Pioneer Village and how things used to be...). I told him I had a relative that used to work at Lagoon and I even had a picture of him. 

I went home, took a picture of the picture ,and showed it to Matt the next time I worked.

It's a pretty amazing thing, actually.

In the picture George Richard Knight sits beside the famous 999 steam engine, an engine that is still at Lagoon and at one point was in use when Pioneer Village first opened in the 1970s. Apparently, the little engine is on display in the village at their train museum. I didn't get a chance to check it out this season...maybe next time. 

My mother's grandfather was born in Salt Lake City in 1868, only a few years after the end of the US Civil War. He passed away in 1917. I was told the picture of him and the train was taken when he and his family lived in Ogden and worked as a railroad engineer. They moved to the Teton Valley in Idaho in 1906 so the picture is over one-hundred years old. I'm not exactly sure when it was taken.

I began working at Lagoon in 1982. I've worked there, off-and-on, since then. I worked in many departments on the park, but I never worked rides and therefore, have not had the opportunity to pilot the steam engines.

Then again, I'm pretty sure my great-grandfather never dressed up as a cowboy and fell off towers as part of a stuntman troupe (among other jobs I've had there...). I'm grateful to share this legacy with a man who died almost fifty years before I was born.

For A Couple Of Decades...I Knew This Information By Heart

 Last weekend, I arrived at my side gig a little early, so I thought I'd walk around and see some of the things I don't have time to see once I clock in. Near what was sometimes called "Gaslight Gardens," there are a couple of walls where photographs showing the amusement park during the past 100+ years of its existence are displayed.

I also spotted a large poster that listed the year certain attractions opened at the park.

And, for many of those years, I knew exactly what attractions were added, and when. Lagoon was such a large part of my life.

For example, earlier this year an incident occurred on the Sky Ride, a "ski lift" type ride that allows patrons to go from what was then one end of the park to the other. Reports said the ride had been incident-free for fifty years. I instantly knew that was wrong, because I knew the ride wasn't installed in 1971, but later. The poster confirmed what I already knew.

Back in the 1970s and eighties the park usually put in a ride or two new attractions every year. As kids we couldn't wait to see what new things awaited us. I remember when they put in the Jet Star 2--it was so cool. I mean, it almost went upside down. Seeing what new attractions were at the park became an annual event...maybe not for every kid, but it was for me.

I loved reading the dates and names of the rides. It brought back so many memories. Many of the "new" rides have come and gone, and I suppose in another fifty years, many of the existing rides they have now will also be retired. It's the way of things. I'm glad Lagoon put up the poster. It'll be interesting to see if they put up another one years from now, If so, perhaps a grown man will stop and think about how exited he was for "The Spider" or "Wicked" or "Samurai" or "Cannibal" to open.

I hope so...it's a good feeling.

Personally...I Think It's A Good Look

 In a few weeks I will begin--again--a job at Lagoon Amusement Park. I first started working there when I was sixteen years old. I could have begun when I was fourteen, but I waited. I worked for three years, then when I returned from my mission I worked a season on the Gardens crew and the year after that while in college, I started my favorite job at the park...

Pioneer Village Stuntman.

Great job.

I then took a long break...20 years, actually. 

Since 2014 I've been involved with the Entertainment Department in one capacity or another. It's been a great way to earn a few bucks--especially during Frightmares, the park's Halloween celebration. Last week I attended a required training and I took a picture of the poster proclaiming to the world that the park has "a look."

I actually like the look.

Lagoon is an amazing place--it really is. Some people diss it because it's not Disneyland, but that's unfair. Only Disneyland is Disneyland. Lagoon is what it is and the park is a testament to perseverance. They come back year after year and people still keep going to ride the rides, play the games, and eat the food. 

I know some people who have had less than positive employment experiences there--that's true of all places, I suppose. I've been lucky to have fantastic employment experiences, especially while wearing a cowboy hat, cowboy boots, a 22 revolver on my hip, and falling 25 feet into a pile of hay.

Unfortunately, that Lagoon Look is long gone.

Things Aren't Always As They Seem...

 Growing up, it was the biggest ride in the park...people would stand in line just to ride the old roller coaster. You could see it from the freeway as you flew by at 70 m.p.h., then 55 m.p.h. in the 1970s, then at whatever speed was allowed by the highway patrol.

I saw the ride everyday I worked at the park as a teenager, and in my twenties, thirties, forties, and fifties. It's an icon, a symbol of one family's dedication to having fun. When you see something everyday, you see what shape it's in. It's been years since I actually rode the ride, but I still notice, and from my vantage point, it looked like the old ride was in disrepair, as if the whole thing was one strong wind away from falling down and becoming a pile of toothpicks.

I was wrong.

Last week I had a meeting at the Biergarten. I parked right next to the roller coaster and the first thing I saw was not dilapidated old wood, but new boards holding it all together. That I didn't expect. From a distance, the roller coaster looks neglected, even though I know that's not true. I personally know many of the men and women who work on those rides and I know they would not allow an unsafe--or neglected--ride to operate in the park. Still, it just looked that way.

I realized something else as well. The reason I thought the ride wasn't up to snuff was because it wasn't white. For as long as I can remember, the coaster was painted white. Whenever they replaced boards on the ride, they were painted. I can't even imagine how much it would cost to paint that thing, and maybe I'm the only one who feels like the ride looks run down and painting it because of my opinion is a lot of money just to satisfy me.

When I took a closer look at the coster last week I realized most of the wood was new, or newer. It could be in the best shape it's been in in a long time. So, next time I drive by the park, I'll know different. I'll know the ride is in good shape. Things aren't always as they seem.

I Sure Do Miss That Band...

Just south of the old Opera House, Lagoon has put up several pictures showing the park through the century. And except for the fact they removed a photo of some very handsome--and young--Wild West Shoot-Out stuntmen, I love checking out the pictures. Everything from 1970 forward is very familiar to me. I think I spent more time at Lagoon growing up as a kid than I did at home.

Since everything has to change, many things I see in those pictures I miss--none more than the Lagoon Show Band.

I snapped a picture of the band on the wall of photos. I even recognized several of the band members. I played trumpet, then baritone in jr. high school, and even though I never continued, I knew many of the band members at Davis High. Since it was the closest high school to Lagoon, many of the musicians came from Davis. 

Boy--I miss that band!

They were fantastic!

Even though they were wacky and fun and crazy and goofy, they were above all very talented musicians. I had many friends from Woods Cross High School in the band and they had a great music program beginning in their jr. high schools.

I did a quick Duck Duck Go search to see if I could find any old pictures of the band. I found something better--an 8 1/2 minute video from the old KSL Dimension 5 program. You can see the entire video by clicking: HERE. If you remember the Lagoon Show Band, I highly recommend you click on the link and check it out. It's great. You might even see musicians you know. Also, you get to see glimpses of what Lagoon looked like in 1980.

I've worked at Lagoon for the past five seasons. I think it would be difficult--and extremely expensive--to bring back the band, but if they did, I know I'd be happy.

Oh, Music U.S.A...Where Have You Gone?

I walked to a spot on the newly-opened road and snapped a single picture. Though not exact, I figured I was standing where the stage used to be, a stage that stood for more than thirty years, a stage that was more than a place for people to perform, a stage where friendships and memories were made.

It's where Music U.S.A. once was.

As a teenager, I began working at Lagoon Amusement Park. As a pre-teenager, I had visited the park almost every day it was opened for probably ten years. Back then, you could buy a family swimming pass for something like $35. And, Lagoon let all Farmington residents into the park for free. So, when the huge pool was opened for the summer, we were there, hitting the huge (and incredibly dangerous...) metal slide, and throwing ourselves off the diving boards.

That pool...it was a wonderful place, and I miss it, just like I miss hanging out with my friends, riding bikes along the uneven sidewalks, and hiking on the mountain. 

And I miss the days of Music U.S.A. I was fortunate enough to work as a tech for several seasons of the show. We got to know the performers, the musicians, the other techs. We spent time together, and since I was a teenager and really had no real responsibilities, I had a lot of disposable income. We would go out to eat after almost every show, tech, performers, musicians. Some of my most cherished memories growing up happened with those people.

The show shut down years ago. The stage fell into disrepair--the whole thing would need to be re-built if they ever decided to do a show there again. The park decided to go a different direction--restaurants, German restaurants. It's call the Lagoon Biergarten and it's amazing! The food is good and the buildings are beautiful. 

Tonight, I went to a rehearsal. As we learned and went over blocking for a scene, an actor not in that particular scene practiced dance moves in a corner of the room. I've known her for almost ten years. As she danced, I watched, and my mind returned to that Music U.S.A. stage. Why? Because the dancer is a daughter of a friend of mine, a performer who I could watch again and again on that stage. In fact, I did watch him over and over for several years. One of his solos--I remember it vividly because he was so good--was from Pippin. He told us all that he had magic to do. And when he was on the stage by himself, that's what he had, magic, and he left us way too soon.

The stage is gone, replaced by food, beer (imported and domestic...), and incredible details. But the magic...if you stand back and look around, you can almost hear the works, feel Mark's bass, Greg's drums, and Mike's keyboards. But all eyes were on Danny. He had magic for us, just for us.