We were *this close* to forgoing our free Great America tickets this summer. What with camps and mission trips and more camps, it just didn’t look like there was room for a day at GA on the calendar. But sometimes the last-minute plans work the best.

Derek, Peter, Jeremy and I ended up going with my brother Brian, and Hannah and Sam two days before the free tickets expired. And we had a blast!

We rode some of the old favorites, like the American Eagle and Demon.

Six year-old Sam was a natural on those; it was so much fun to watch his response after getting off the rides.

I just about flung up breakfast on the Fiddler’s Fling. What is it about spinning rides and age? I just can’t stomach those like I used to.

We cooled off on the log ride.

And teamed up to fight against the ships on Buccaneer Battle.

The grand finale was all of us going on the Giant Drop.