Oops, wrong nest

For years we’ve joked that Splashin’ Safari is a showroom for ProSlide Technology.

After all, the majority of the “cool stuff” in our water park is from them.

Let’s see … Zinga, Bakuli, Hyena Falls, Otorongo, Mammoth … the list goes on and on.

So when another park wants to shop around for a new water-park ride, they just may want to drop by here and kick the fiberglass (so to speak).

A week or so ago, one of these test drives – with reps from a very well-known park that I really can’t mention – took a turn that you’d only expect to find in a cartoon.

Here’s what happened:

Maintenance Director Tony had Wildebeest tested and ready to go early for our guests-from-another-park. (We really do all get along well – this industry is like a club.)

As our visitors took off in a Wildebeest boat for their test ride, oops … it didn’t make the full circuit.

When a “fault” occurs, it’s a good thing (for those concerned about safety). It means the system detected two of the boats were too close together and told the linear induction motors to halt so that the boats would stay put.

But how could just one boat cause a problem?

Remember the old Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons?

This might help shake out the cobwebs: Bullwinkle: “Hey, Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat.”
Rocky: “A-gain?”
Bullwinkle: “Presto!”
Lion: “ROAR!”
Bullwinkle: “Oops, wrong hat.”

Well, it appears old Rocket J. Squirrel has retired to the hills of southern Indiana. And he must have heard that Wildebeest is a ProSlide Hydromagnetic Rocket ride.

Yes, it’s all starting to make sense now.

That’s right, a flying squirrel was the culprit. Our little Rocky was looking for a new place to build a nest and managed to cross in front of one of Wildebeest’s sensors at the just the right (er, make that wrong) moment.

Tony informed the winged creature that far happier and quieter places exist in our woods.

He then returned to the waiting riders with a quote from that classic cartoon:  “And now, here’s something we hope you’ll really like!”