Simon's 16th Birthday Week

Bob and Robin's BackyardSept 22 to Oct 1, 2000

 

 

The week before his 16th Birthday Simon is ready to go to the Homecoming Dance

 

 

For his birthday this year Bob and Robin agree to set up four identical computers on a network in the basement

 

 

Phillip, Robert, Steve and Simon start playing Diablo II and Starcraft "head to head"
and stay at it for all of Thursday night, Friday and Friday night and into Saturday with
only short breaks for Pizza and sleep.

 

 

 

Then Saturday afternoon we all squeeze in the car and go to
T K Tripps in downtown Asheville, the restaurant he chose for his Birthday Lunch.

 


 

Hot Wings, soda's, steaks and desert... They all ate like they were starved.
 

 

And a great time was had by all.
Robert and Steve had to go home, but Phillip stayed through Sunday
and they continued the games.
 

 

Simon's birthday was on Monday, so we had presents waiting for him when he got home from school.
His Aunt Cindy delivered tickets to Six Flags to him as a gift that afternoon.
Robin and Bob gave him a new Backpack, and his Grandmother gave him a trip to Atlanta for he and two friends.
 

 

Robin fixed his favorite meal, steak on the grill of course!
 

 


 

While the Mariah and the cat paid close attention
 

 

All week Simon anticipated his trip to Six Flags. Finally Friday came and we picked up Steve and Robert (with Simon behind the wheel) and headed out to Atlanta. First we drove across to Blairsville GA. Here we couldn't decide on a fast food so half got food at KFC then carried it into Burger King to eat with the other half. From there we drove down through Ellijay GA. as dark came on. Robert used to live in Ellijay and he gave us a quick tour. After an uneventful night at a Days Inn in Canton GA we stopped at IHOP for breakfast (where they ate like no tomorrow) then at 10AM we made it through the gates at Six Flags.
Here just inside the gate the boys investigate the Halloween Decorations.
 

 

 

Once in the gates it's off to the coasters.
After a quick "warm up" on the Runaway Mine Train we tackle the Georgia Cyclone.
 

 

The rest of the morning is spent wandering the park, waiting the lines and riding the rides.
 

 

A great time indeed!
 

 

In the afternoon the boys found their favorite activity, and got soaked from head to foot ..
 

 

being splashed by the boat ride. Robin and Bob kept their distance.
 


 

After a full day we leave Six Flags and drive into downtown Atlanta where we check in at the Hilton. Within minutes the boys have found the rooftop pool while Bob and Robin relax in the room. This is the view out of one window.
 

 

and this the view from the other. The boys said they had never stayed in such a place before. They could hardly contain their excitement as they roamed the huge hotel.
 


 

At dark we walked across the street to the Marriott Marquis where the boys rode the glass elevator 50 stories up in the atrium. They all decided this was the "scariest" ride of all! Then we walked to Peachtree Center and went down to the underground Marta station ( a 400 foot long escalator!) and rode the train to Underground Atlanta. After visiting the shops and taking in the sights we settled in for supper at Micks....
 

 

where we had a table on a balcony overlooking the street. We made it back to the Hotel in time for the boys to have a late night swim on the roof.
 


 

After leaving the hotel in the morning we found a Shoneys with a breakfast bar and the boys tried to eat the poor folks out of house and home. Then it was off twenty miles east to one of our favorite spots in Atlanta, Stone Mountain. Here after a weekend full of Coaster Rides, River Rides, Glass Elevators, king size Escalators, Subway Trains and even Simon's driving we arrive at another ride, the Tramway to the top of the mountain.
 


 

up we go in the crowded car ...
 


 

with the boys watching the sights ...
 

 

as we soar across the face of the thousand foot cliff to the top of the rock.
 

 

From the top of Stone Mountain the views are spectacular..
 

 

and there's plenty of room to roam about exploring ...
 


 

and exploring ...
 


 

this gang of three.
 


 

Robin and Bob relax in the sun, here downtown Atlanta is over Robin's left shoulder ...
 

 

about twenty miles distant.
 


 

finally the boys have seen enough ...
 


 

and we're ready to follow the three mile trail back to the car.
The path down starts with a painted white line on the rock ..
 

 

after a steep section it gradually turns into a broad, natural set of stairs ...
 


 

then sometimes a regular road as it descends the mountain.
 


 

The trail is a bit tame by our standards, but after all this is the "city".
 

 

By late afternoon we're back at the parking lot and ready for the four hour drive home.

 

The time we had was so short in Atlanta, but we felt we crammed a lot in. The contrast of the Fantasy of the Park, the Real World of the City and the Natural World of Stone Mountain struck a balance Robin and Bob love, and a fun time that these teens absorbed to the fullest. All three boys were perfect gentlemen and I must admit we adults learned a lot listening to their constant banter!

 

We can't wait to see what next year's birthday will bring!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIMON!
 


 

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