Cup O’ Joe: Ho-Ho-Ho we go

Getting back into the swing of things after a vacation is never an easy task. Last week, I took some time off before the start of another school year to take the family on a trip to Santa’s Village in Jefferson, N.H. We had not taken an extended trip as a family for about a year, and with my oldest daughter turning 8 this year, I figured it was now or never for a visit to this popular theme park.
    For those unfamiliar with this recreational area, Santa’s Village is an all Christmas themed amusement park, featuring such rides as a “Rudy’s Rapid Transit Coaster,” “Santa’s Express Train,” and “The Yule Log Flume.”
It’s a long drive from Houlton, but the scenery is spectacular as you wind your way through the towns of Bethel and Rumford in western Maine before taking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Thankfully, I borrowed a GPS device from my parents so that we wouldn’t get lost and accidentally drive off a cliff or something.
As the female voice on the GPS device stated we were nearing our destination, the girls’ facial expressions were a sight to behold. The excitement and anticipation on their little faces made the hours spent in the car, and the countless questions of “Are we there yet?,” worth every minute.
We stayed in a quaint motel directly across the street from the park, which is located smack dab in the middle of nowhere. Even the motel room was decorated with Christmas décor. The owners of the establishment, a husband and wife from Massachusetts, welcomed us with their thick “Bawston” accents.
Not long after our arrival, a massive thunderstorm struck the area, which put a damper on our plans of swimming and relaxing by the pool. Fortunately, the motel provided free DVD movies to borrow, which of course featured a plethora of Christmas choices.
Feeling the need to be fully charged to better chase around a pair of energetic youths, we all turned in early. That turned out to be a good thing as the kids were up and anxious at first daybreak to hit the amusement park. Imagine their disappointment to learn it did not open until 9:30 a.m., meaning we had about an hour or so to wait. I think that wait was longer than the drive.
Outside the park, the girls were greeted by none other than Mr. Claus himself. Our 4-year-old asked, “Is that the real Santa?” Unsure how to answer, I told her “What do you think?” “I think it is,” she replied. Crisis averted.
The rides inside the park were impressive combination of things to make your head spin or your stomach leap up into your throat. My wife and I are almost the perfect combination when it comes to accompanying our children on rides. I don’t do rides that go up high in the air. She doesn’t do rides that spin around violently.
It came as no surprise that both kids wanted go on the biggest, fastest rides they had. I wanted no part of the rollercoaster, but the girls thought it was fabulous and went three times. I didn’t really want to do the massive log ride, but figured I would give it a try so all four of us could do at least one ride together. Word of advice — never sit in the back. As if the 50-foot drop (maybe it wasn’t high but it seemed like it to me) wasn’t enough, the splashdown at the bottom thoroughly soaks whichever person sits in the back, which meant me. The kids thought that part was great. I think I screamed more then they did.
Eight hours in the park seemed like plenty of time, but it passed rather quickly. We spent the final two hours enjoying the “Ho Ho H20” water park, slipping and sliding in the water. Nobody got lost or hurt or cried, which goes down as a win in my book.
Joseph Cyr is a staff writer for the Houlton Pioneer Times. He can be reached at pioneertimes@nepublish.com or 532-2281.