Summer has hit Cape hard. We’ve been in the 90s the past few days, and I’m already hearing the people who complained about the cold winter wishing it would come back. I’ve been watching stuff happening on the northeast side of Cape Splash for several weeks.
(You might remember that this is just about where I thought the Heisler Heifer Highway came out.)
Five flumes
The Missourian reports that what I’m seeing is a new slide with five flumes: a three-lane mat racer this is 319 feet long and has a 30-foot-tall tower; a 265-foot partially enclosed free-fall slide, and a 259-foot triple-drop slide. The story says that the cost of the project, including a contingency allowance, is $1.27 million.
The first thing that strikes me (other than the cost) is the amount of hot concrete there is to walk on. Wife Lila, who just did her first mile swim of the year, says that white concrete isn’t hot.
I defer to her wisdom (we’ve been married since 1969, so I’ve gotten good at that), because I rarely walk around outside barefoot. I stepped on a bee when I was about two years old and came to the conclusion that shoes were invented for a reason.
Looks like a chain gang
After shooting the first two photos, I wondered what the heck those folks were doing? They appeared to be walking back in forth with grim determination. They looked like older folks, but didn’t care enough to walk back to the car for a longer telephoto lens to confirm that (you DID hear me say the temps were in the 90s, right?).
Since there was no splashing or frivolity going on, I could only conclude they were walking in water as a Good For You Exercise, not for fun.
Click on the photo to maker it larger to see if you agree.
Other water parks
Long before Cape even thought about a water park, my kids slid down the Lickitysplit Water slide halfway between Cape and Jackson. Of course, even before that, we had Hubble Creek in the Jackson City Park to frolic in.
The group walking in the Lazy River is a dedicated group of aquatic exercise seniors who absolutely love water aerobics. I knew many of them from classes at HealthPoint Fitness. They love this opportunity to get outside for the summer months rather than just the indoor pool classes every week.
I would guess that group is not going to be in the swimsuit competition of any beauty contest; they are definitely stirring the water.
I would think the Cape splash would have been better if they would have put ii a Wave. There was several people making commits a year or so ago that they still went to other towns because they had one. Cape Splash is going to be over loaded with water slides.
When I get to Cape this summer I will race anybody! Not the mile swim just down the slide…any takers?
Gene Rhodes opened Wet Gene’s Water Slide in Jackson in 1980. It later became LicketySplit.
http://www.semissourian.com/blogs/flynch/entry/51534/