Close, middle and far views

Today we made great progres in the Wilderness Trail area. We concentrated on the more difficult elements first, starting with the 'woodwork' around the waterfall and pond and then working our way westward. We also finished off the beams that will hold the climbing bridge up to the treehouse. With each piece the park was transformed yet again.

Liz, Chris' wife came by to take a look at the park progress and we immediately pressed her into service as our guest carver. Liz sculpted one of the support posts that will hold the barrel bridge. Even though it was her first attempt at this kind of thing, she did a great job!

Delightful spaces in theme parks don't often happen merely by chance. Every detail is purposefully designed and positioned. It is important that each element works together, starting with a close view, a middle view and a long shot. As we mudded and carved the last pieces in this area the planning we had done became evident. Our guests won't notice the forethought but they will see the effect subconciously. In the foreground the barrel bridge (not yet built) will 'float' on the water. Behind is the lookout and a waterfall and the shallow rock pond with the water tumbling into the larger pond. (mid-view).

The short view and mid view are framed by the background dirtbanks, the treehouse and by the cable bridge that will soon be susoended between the posts.

Because we design real worlds where guests can freely move we have to not only thnk of viewing features from one direction. The closeup, middle and long views have to work from every angle. Here's a shot of the same area from the opposite angle.

And here's yet another angle photograph of the same area.

We take that same design approach all through the park, purposely delivering to our guests something that will visually appeal close, midview and long distant - no matter where they stand. Each and every possible view from any angle is carefuly designed to be pleasing to our guests and to draw them into the world we have created.

Some areas of the park still need a great deal of work. As we place each feature we are thinking ahead of what will be in proximity, close behnd and in the distance. We think about guest interaction and how traffic will flow through.  Photo opportunities are not randomly placed but instead carefully planned. It is all in the hope of creating an immersive and pleasing environment for the guests.

It is very satisfying to watch the park come alive as we rapidly work to completion. Stay tuned for more as we finish.

-grampa dan

Bringing in an expert

Today was another wonderful day and the crew again pulled out the stops to make great progress. The 'dirt banks' in the Wilderness adventure are now all mudded and textured. It changed the look of the space dramatically, taking us one step closer to completion.

As we looked things over and thought ahead to the next steps, Peter came up with a brilliant idea. All of the walking surfaces in this area are to be covered in a recycled rubber decking to make the play area safer for kids. We can incorporate different colored shapes in this coating. Peter's thought was to have animal tracks. There was only one thing we could do. We needed to hire an expert animal consultant and I knew just who to talk to.

I talked to my expert at suppertime. Phoebe was eager to help and dug out her reference books and a notebook. We headed up to the lake while there was still light. Phoebe first got the tour of the entire facility as it has been a while since she had been up there. She approved of all she saw. Then we headed into the Wilderness Adventure. We looked into each area and along the way Phoebe took the time to explore every nook and cranny and to try everything out, including the hand pump - all in the name of research of course.

Then Phoebe found a comfortable perch and began her work.

As she scribbled her notes and sketches she shared her thoughts with me. A racoon named Rodney would definitely live here, with it's home in the treehouse. The tracks would lead to the creek where he would wash his food. Over by the gold panning area there would be magpie (Maggie) tracks for they are fond of shiney objects. The cave would be home to BOB the bear cub and his tracks would go from there to the giant hollow log where he would visit his friend Blackie the wolf. The wolf would have one splayed foot which would leave distinctive tracks on the ground. A fox name Trixy lived in the smaller cave. Bucky the Beaver lived near the pond of course.

When we got home Phoebe continued her work, looking up each animal's track prints. She filled many pages in her notebook until it was time for bed. I am sure her research will continue through tomorrow and into the weekend. An illustrated story is promised and I look forward to passing everything on to the owner next week.

It is so good to be surrounded by creative people to help me out with this project.

-grampa dan

Watermelon Wednesday

This week has been unseasonably warm for these parts - in the high 20's C (low 80s F) - pretty awesome for mid-May! It is great weather to paint and do concrete work with a little sweat. I've been so impressed with our crew as they push hard to get this project done on time. With only six weeks to go the pressure is on!

Yesterday and today, we have been working in the Wilderness Trail concentrating first on the 'dirt banks'. Marty gave the new mixer a real workout with well over a hundred batches of concrete mixed in only two days - a record! Fletcher and Jeff have worked up a sweat as they wheeled, loaded buckets and carted in more than 500 buckets of mud to Peter and I to trowel onto the lath. Then the crew has sponged the surface smooth and Kendra has sprayed on the texture. The walkway walls down into the lower area are now largely finished.

Today's task was the small mountain inside the play park as well as the planters around the pond. There is a lot of surface area on this feature! Peter and I stayed late for the final bit of detail work and cleanup. In this shot he is detailing the lower rocks on the waterfall.

Matt has set the pace for the mesh crew, working hard to keep ahead of us as we apply the mud. They finished off the wiring in the wilderness area and are making good time in the rocks and fences of the western area.

Up on the trading post the painting crew is working hard to finish off as much as they possibly can before the concrete slab in that area gets poured on Friday. The whole lower side of the building is now finished with the front portions well underway.

Hailey and Janis have been working hard to keep everyone supplied with everything we need to do our work, including paint, mesh, wiring supplies, tools, rags, rubber gloves, watermelon and a whole lot more!

As always, it is a team effort of monumental proportions. Through all the hard work and sometimes very tough conditions the crew has remained cheerful and helpful to each other. They make my job pretty easy. In recognition of their dedication and hard work it was officially declared Watermelon Wednesday. Afternoon coffee break featured plenty of cold watermelon.

Tomorrow we'll blast away one more time with the paint before the next concrete deck gets poured on Friday. In the Wilderness Adventure it will be the last day of dirt banks and then on to a ton of posts and woodgrain. Our hope is to be substancially finished the concrete in this area this week.

-grampa dan