Up Close: From the Editor

Kathy Barnett, Editor In Chief

Up Close:

From the Editor

When is the last time you felt goosebumps or a chill run down your spine from excitement? I admit a couple of my most memorable adrenaline rushes came from standing still and viewing a long-awaited scene in person. The first was the castle at Walt Disney World. The other was the Macy’s Day Parade balloons in New York City.

One Christmas, I sat on a tiny stool in the kitchen to listen as my aunt told about a recent family vacation to Disneyland in California. Her detailed description of Tinker Bell floating from the castle during the night-time fireworks made me feel like I was almost there. What would it really feel like to see that castle in person, I wondered. As time passed, my best friend moved to Orlando, Fla.

I was an adult before the occasion finally arrived for my first visit. As I crossed the lake on the ferry boat toward the Magic Kingdom. the spires of Cinderella’s Castle towered above the trees. The view of the castle from the lagoon as we arrived at the park was the most thrilling sight I’d ever experienced up to that point.

I was already a grandmother when I made it to New York. Seeing how large those balloons were made me feel like I could reach up an almost touch them. A personal visit is a thousand times better than watching the parade on TV. It was definately a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

However, this issue has taught me that I’m not finished with exciting adventures. There are so many more items I’ve added to my bucket list after reading these articles. I’ve learned you can go sleep in a barn with giraffs in Texas, come nose to nose with alligators on airboat rides in Florida, cross a bridge 2500 feet above ground in Alaska and that’s only three of the many, many adrenaline rush experiences our writers have found to share with you. So let’s get busy and start planning our next extended weekend getaway. Until next time...

Under new ownership, Goofy Golf, located in Sandusky, OH is opening this month for the summer season with 3 go-car race tracks, a climbing rock wall, mini-golf courses and arcade games. See Page 66-67 for the whole story.