Southern Adventures, Space and Rocket Center, Get-A-Way

[TheRapidsNerd]

Had some time after work, so I grabbed my camera and stopped into

Southern Adventures for a little while. SA is an FEC that's on the QT

here in HV, sands SLC, but that's OK. It does have some carnival flat

rides, go carts, bumper cars that look like bumper boats, water slides,

mini-golf, arcade, climbing wall disguised as a garage door, etc...

 

The main reason to visit was to see the Lil Renegade kiddie coaster and

the Max Flight VR 2002 coaster simulator. Why? Lil Renegade is also a

rare 1960's Herschell / Bradley Kaye Little Dipper coaster that's also

basically the same model as Opryland's Little Rock'n'Roller Coaster.

Translation: 1 degree of Opryland, Kevin Bacon not included. It's also

really close to my apartment!

 

Since I asked so nice and the place was dead on a week day, the manager said have a look around and take pics. Score! So what about Lil Renegade PoV video? Access GRANTED...when it runs on the weekend. Still a yes in my book.

 

Yes there will be jokes galore after the curious see the pics. Say what

you will, it's a fun place to go.

 

Also took pics at the US Space and Rocket Center and the remains of Get-A-Way skate park. Blah blah blah, on with the pictures...

And lastly, I'll leave you with the charming picture of my dimpled pink balls. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed this tour of Huntsville. Ya'll come back now, you hear?

I'm back home and enjoying my small putting green in the living room. One of my friends says it's missing a ball-eating dinosaur.

Across the street from McDowell's, on top of Parkway Place (aka Taj Mah Mall) is Carrabba's. Mmmmm....lasagna...

Footer are all that remain of "Tables: The Experience". According to Mr. McDowell, they're getting an Aquatrax next spring.

I took a #2 (combo) in public and just had to get a picture of it.

All this picture taking calls for Elissa approved cuisine! Sadly, according to Mr. McDowell, one of the golden arcs was in the shop.

The new Education Center near the Marriot.

The path leading away from Uranus. Just couldn't resist.

The pathway leading up to the main entrance.

And another. The scientific community voted to change the planet's name to end that horrible joke. It's not called Urectom.

Here's another.

There were these signs along the walkway leading up to the front entrance. Guess they need to update this one.

That was my room. There were 7 of us to a room, and I had the only bottom bunk. There was noisy plastic on the mattresses that woke everybody up at night when somebody would roll over.

This is what that funky metal building on the left looks like inside. It's the campers' Habitat.

Spacecamp! Yay! I went here in high school.

There's even an S&S tower called Space Shot. It's a real up-lifting experience.

The highway sign, through the fence. Well, everybody else puts 'em in thier PTRs...

Engineering marvels, falices, or statue credits? You decide.

Ooooo! Shiney new building and front entrance.

Harry Potter on Imax! Yay!

It's the US Space and Rocket Center! Yay!

Now, the main entrance building is a Christian Church and is all that remains. Well, skating always a was a religious experience.

There used to be lots of skateriffic goodness here, like a C channel, key-hole bowl, clover-leaf bowl, etc...

And a couple blocks down from what used to be Get-A-Way skate park.

Southern Adventures is handily across the street from the local baseball stadium.

Stop cart track. Next up, some random pics.

Stop carts.

If Maynard takes one more daggum swing at me, I'm a turnin, I say, I'm a turnin his butt in for rolly coaster tickets!

Apparently, some cagey people got a little batty.

Scrambler with a side of tree. You want pancakes and maple syrup with that?

Greeting swingers! Pull up a groove and get fabulous!

Hey, I like this version of Bench: The Ride.

Ooooo! Tister! Right foot green!

Man! I'm a plastic animal behind a fence and I could've come up with a better caption than that last one!

This where the slides come out and you get wet. Thank you Captian Obvious!

Whoops! Sorry, went to get a snack...anyway, Southern Adventures has a small water park too.

Sooooo many inuendos......

Nope. Not convinced.

Lift hill, through the station!

This Herschell or Bradley Kaye (take your pick) is one car short of a full train. You know...so am I...

LR and the many of the other park rides are vintage 1960's. I still like 'em!

The parrot holding the clock with no hands say's the ride is "timeless".

There it is: Lil Renegade or The Little Rock'n'Roller Coaster clone.

"You never saw me! Don't let him get me...ok?"

"Yeah, so I got kicked outta Cypress Gardens. S'ok. I did guest spots on Miami Vice and Golden Girls for a while..."

Sure, you can TRY to hide from Terry...

Horses with barcodes and people who golf by them...next Oprah.

There was an elephant joke here somewhere, but I forgot. Maybe it's in the trunk.

Most people snarf out the nose. This guy snarfs out his neck! Solid!

Somebody around here likes Giraffes, so here you go with more later on.

Outside, there's 2 mini golf courses or a ton of statue credits. The Rhino says, "Don't even THINK about it!"

Max Back. Let's hear it or illiteration!

Yes Maxflight or "Cement Mixer: The Ride" will eat you.

Fast forward to 2007. It's that coaster simulator Maxflight VR 2002...ack! Temporal flux captain!

The slides at night, are big and bright, deep in the heart of Huntsville...

Bumper cars that look like bumper boats, or skid/steer loader driving school. One of my friends was REALLY drunk when he went on this. Nope, he's not in the picture.

In 1997 several of us played these "knock the quarters off the shelf for tickets" games and spent about $40 per person. I had to eat Raman Noodles for a month! This time, my friends and I all stopped after $1.

These first few pics are from a 2006 outing with friends. Thanks Mom for the "decent at playing ski ball" gene. Hooray! Slap bracelets for everybody!

Welcome to Southern Adventures...the day the park stood still. Klaatu,

Boradda, Nektar...ya'll

[JamminJ]

Excellent photo TR. Those benches KICK ASS. If only more parks were that creative..

 

FEC's are really the backbone of the amusement industry, but often get overlooked by enthusiasts because of their small size and usually limited ride selection. Its good to see that they have not been completely forgotten.

 

-J (Who is off to make www.FECReview.com ..)

 

Edit: I wanted to go to Space Camp all throughout my childhood (damn you Nickelodeon commercials) but never could, its good to get a look at this too.

[Holtskee]

That Southern Adventures place looks like it belongs in Pigeon Forge or Myrtle Beach, lol! Nice little selection of classic rides. I enjoy seeing photos of small attractions like that, as they tend to disappear without much notice due to their size.

 

Also like the vintage McDonald's sign. Thanks for sharing.

[TheRapidsNerd]

Hey Thanks! Honestly wondered what kind of reaction I'd get for doing a TR on an FEC nobody's really heard of, let alone a kiddie coaster. Took the chance that it might be different and entertaining.

 

The reason I ended up going to Space Camp was my dad "suggested" it and took up a collection over a couple years from family. If you have a chance, go. It's really worth it and there are several different ways to do it now. There's an all adult camp, business/team building for coworkers, adult and child (which came out the year after I went and dad was bummed), and regular old Space Camp for kids. Those same tracks also hold true for Aviation Challenge (fighter pilot training) I think.

 

So many things happened during that week, but, in brief:

 

*ERT on IMAX movies after the museum closed

*ERT on the multi-axis trainer (spins you 3 different ways at ounce), always right after dinner

*Built and launched model rockets

*1st communal showering experience with 30 of your closest naked friends in a big room full of shower heads. Yeah, that was uncomfortable.

*Did 2 simulated shuttle missions. 1 on ground crew, 1 on orbit.

*I got to put on an space suit during the orbital mission and got to do "The Right Stuff" walk with my partner out to the training floor in front of about 150 museum visitors.

*Tried most every dehydrated space food available. Stick to the ice cream. Trust me.

 

McDowell's is also an SC tradition. After a week of cafeteria grub and dehydrated ice cream (though still tasty), everybody rockets over to the arcs for REAL food after graduation. The burgers tasted AMAZING!