An Evening Standing before the Fridge

By Dawn Walton

If you weren’t able to come out for the SEM event at “The Fridge” in Waterford, you must make it a point to go by and check it out on your own.   It was completely different from every other time I have stood before a fridge.  Although we saw little of our fellow club members, we had a good time and certainly satisfied our need for speed.

We saw our host, Marc Molzon, just as we arrived and purchased our tickets which looped onto our jackets like a ski lift ticket.  Then we rounded the building and flew up the path.  We came to a screeching halt at a sign that said “You’re warm”.  The line was long, really long.  Later, when we arrived at the sign that said “You’re cold”, I chuckled because it was perfectly timed. 

The kids, and I mean all the kids, had a great time frolicking in the woods on either side of the path.  They made friends quickly with the other children waiting patiently for a ride.  Each time I heard a shout from a rider headed down the toboggan run, I looked to Clare wondering if she would opt out of the ride once we got to the top. 

The line moved slowly, but mostly because of the delay in waiting for the sleds.  A county pickup truck brought loads of toboggans from the bottom of the runs to the top of the path.  An efficient method of getting the sleds that far, but much to my chagrin, the sleds needed to be transported to the top of the wooden structure. We waited about 45 minutes thus far, but the crowd was friendly and the time passed quickly.

Once we had our sled, we began our ascent to the top.  It was snowing like crazy and windy as all get out.  The toboggan was several feet taller than me and I very quickly began to miss Eric who was not able to attend.  A man behind me made a comment that he couldn’t believe a woman would be expected to carry the thing to the top.  I would not describe myself as a feminist, but I was determined not to show any sign of struggle.  That lasted five, maybe seven minutes.  Dylan and Clare were nervous on the wooden structure as we climbed two stories. I could not even hold a hand as the wind was blowing the toboggan all around and I was fearful of crushing the family behind me with the thing.  We finally maneuvered our way to the top and I flopped our toboggan onto the track.

With Dylan in front, Clare in the middle, we loaded onto the sled.  Clare never showed any signs of opting out, and I was so glad.  We had made it this far and were going down.  A vinyl flap keeps feet and hands on the toboggan.  A gentle shove from the employees and we were on our way.  The only shouts heard by the people in line were my own.  Apparently, there is a radar sign indicating your speed somewhere on the way down, I never saw it but I can tell you that we were cruising.

The first part of the run is under a canopy strung with lights.  The rest of the track was open and a smooth ride.  Being a fairly light team, we stopped well short of the stopping area, but a kind employee came and pushed us into the finishing area.  Dylan was elated.  Clare firmly announced we would not be going again.  Good thing as I could not have hauled the toboggan once again to the top. 

We finally met up with some fellow SEM members shortly there after, where the cocoa was flowing and the stories of speed were unrelated to our Porsches.  It was a satisfactory winter substitute.  All in all we had a good time, but next time, I am bringing my car guy. 

Photos compliments of Dave Burton and Marc Molzon
Click on thumbnail for larger image.