Growin'upDisney
<font color=blue>I've been to Disney since I was k
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2003
- Messages
- 964
Cast of Characters
Me = Tausha
DH = Chris aka Panda
DM = Julie (my mom)
DSF = Erick (my stepfather) aka Dude
The good people at The Richard Petty Driving Experience (TRPDE) told us to be at the track at 7:30am. Which meant our earliest morning Mickey wake up call of the week. But for some odd reason the guys willing jumped out of bed this morning with no delay. Usually it takes about 20 minutes to get them going.
So after a short stop at the concierge lounge for some food we headed out to the valet. The moment we stepped outside I nearly froze literally. It was so cold this morning. I think the temperature was a balmy 38 degrees. Man you have got to be kidding me right?
We headed to the track. The only entrance to the track is a one car wide tunnel at one end of the track where you literally pass right under the track. Its very cool. So we get to the office and the guys check in. And thats when DH realizes he is still wearing his glasses and he had wanted to wear his contact lenses. So of course, he turns and looks at me with those big brown eyes and gives me The Other Look. Not the one I described before.
This is the look of Honey, can you please do me a really big favor and I will owe you one.
ME: So I think to myself - Hey remember that this whole trip was a surprise put together by your loving wife without your knowledge simply to celebrate your 30th birthday you owe me lots. Actually at some point in the trip he turned to me and said, I guess I had better get started panning something for your 30th to top this. Sounds good to me - Youve got 18 months good luck and dont hurt yourself!!
Back to the story. I drive back to the Poly using what I think are roads and exits for employee use only. But I figure as long as you act like you belong they wont question you. Actually there was no one around to question me. So I grab the contact and get back to the track just as they are riding around the track in a big van.
As cold as it was I wanted to wait inside the office but you couldnt see the track from there so I ventured out and braved the cold. The wind was blowing and I swear that the wind chill factor made it about 20 degrees.
We only had to wait through one group of drivers for it to be Chriss turn. I could see the excitement in his eyes and on his face. Knowing how much he had always wanted to do this made me that much more excited for him to get to do it. Before the guys could get in the car one of the instructors was kind enough to load all the spectators into the van and drive us around the track to see what the drivers where about to experience. It was very cool.
I was in charge of my camera and Dudes expensive one. So after a refresher course in how to exactly use his camera I started snapping away. Heres what I got
Both DH and Dude were doing the Rookie Experience, which gave you 8 laps around this 1 ¼ mile three turn track. DH got up to speed quickly and was comfortable by Lap 2. your supposed to stay at least 3 car lengths behind your instructor at all times. Well DH was ready, willing, and able to push the limits of the car so he tended to stay a little closer to the instructor than 3 car lengths. I think the instructor took the hint and started to up the speed.
The roar of the cars as they go by pit road where we are standing is awesome. You really get the feeling for how fast they are flying by you. And just like that DHs laps were over. I knew he could have stayed out there all day. The smile on his face as he exited the car said it all.
I was so happy for him. That smile stayed on his face the entire rest of the day
Next was Dudes turn. I snapped more pictures.
So Dude was flying around the track too. He got the hang of it quickly also. By lap 4 he looked to be at top speed.
And then on the start of lap 6 it happened. He passed by pit row and as he rounded turn 1 a commotion started in pit row and one guy took off like a bat out of you know where toward the van. We didnt know what was going on. We hadnt seen a wreck but we also didnt see Dudes car high on the track where it should have been. So after an agonizing 30 seconds and not knowing what happened they pulled into pit row and thats when they said,
He broke the car
Me = Tausha
DH = Chris aka Panda
DM = Julie (my mom)
DSF = Erick (my stepfather) aka Dude
The good people at The Richard Petty Driving Experience (TRPDE) told us to be at the track at 7:30am. Which meant our earliest morning Mickey wake up call of the week. But for some odd reason the guys willing jumped out of bed this morning with no delay. Usually it takes about 20 minutes to get them going.
So after a short stop at the concierge lounge for some food we headed out to the valet. The moment we stepped outside I nearly froze literally. It was so cold this morning. I think the temperature was a balmy 38 degrees. Man you have got to be kidding me right?
We headed to the track. The only entrance to the track is a one car wide tunnel at one end of the track where you literally pass right under the track. Its very cool. So we get to the office and the guys check in. And thats when DH realizes he is still wearing his glasses and he had wanted to wear his contact lenses. So of course, he turns and looks at me with those big brown eyes and gives me The Other Look. Not the one I described before.
This is the look of Honey, can you please do me a really big favor and I will owe you one.
ME: So I think to myself - Hey remember that this whole trip was a surprise put together by your loving wife without your knowledge simply to celebrate your 30th birthday you owe me lots. Actually at some point in the trip he turned to me and said, I guess I had better get started panning something for your 30th to top this. Sounds good to me - Youve got 18 months good luck and dont hurt yourself!!
Back to the story. I drive back to the Poly using what I think are roads and exits for employee use only. But I figure as long as you act like you belong they wont question you. Actually there was no one around to question me. So I grab the contact and get back to the track just as they are riding around the track in a big van.
As cold as it was I wanted to wait inside the office but you couldnt see the track from there so I ventured out and braved the cold. The wind was blowing and I swear that the wind chill factor made it about 20 degrees.
We only had to wait through one group of drivers for it to be Chriss turn. I could see the excitement in his eyes and on his face. Knowing how much he had always wanted to do this made me that much more excited for him to get to do it. Before the guys could get in the car one of the instructors was kind enough to load all the spectators into the van and drive us around the track to see what the drivers where about to experience. It was very cool.
I was in charge of my camera and Dudes expensive one. So after a refresher course in how to exactly use his camera I started snapping away. Heres what I got
Both DH and Dude were doing the Rookie Experience, which gave you 8 laps around this 1 ¼ mile three turn track. DH got up to speed quickly and was comfortable by Lap 2. your supposed to stay at least 3 car lengths behind your instructor at all times. Well DH was ready, willing, and able to push the limits of the car so he tended to stay a little closer to the instructor than 3 car lengths. I think the instructor took the hint and started to up the speed.
The roar of the cars as they go by pit road where we are standing is awesome. You really get the feeling for how fast they are flying by you. And just like that DHs laps were over. I knew he could have stayed out there all day. The smile on his face as he exited the car said it all.
I was so happy for him. That smile stayed on his face the entire rest of the day
Next was Dudes turn. I snapped more pictures.
So Dude was flying around the track too. He got the hang of it quickly also. By lap 4 he looked to be at top speed.
And then on the start of lap 6 it happened. He passed by pit row and as he rounded turn 1 a commotion started in pit row and one guy took off like a bat out of you know where toward the van. We didnt know what was going on. We hadnt seen a wreck but we also didnt see Dudes car high on the track where it should have been. So after an agonizing 30 seconds and not knowing what happened they pulled into pit row and thats when they said,
He broke the car
