Slide the City

By now, you’ve probably seen it on the news. The looooong green and blue water slide, a BIG version of the “Slip n’ Slide” you might have had in your front lawn as a kid. Slide the City is making the rounds through the U.S. and Canada, setting up its slide through sloping city streets everywhere. It even broke the world record for “Longest distance traveled on a slip and slide in one hour” this summer in Fort Worth, Texas.

Enthralled with the idea, we bought “early bird” tickets for the July event in Stamford, CT. It’s a pricey investment, even when you get the early purchase discount. You can choose your price based on one ride, three rides, or unlimited rides.

What we didn’t know at the time was that the slide’s length depends on the location, and what the localities will allow. The slide can range in length from approximately 600 to 1,000 feet. This was one of the shorter versions.

Bottom line: this was a fun ride! Our kids laughed the entire way down. It was worth trying once.

Happy kids!

However, here’s what you should know about Slide the City:

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We don’t have to travel far to see a BIG Christmas lights display. Right here in the Hudson Valley, the Gay family of Union Vale, NY puts on an incredible show every year in their front lawn. It’s not just any lawn, and it’s not just any light display.

The ERDAJT light display (the name includes the initials of the family’s three kids) began on a much smaller scale in 1995, and has grown to now include 392,887 lights. They are strung up on trees, fences, poles, and suspended in air. Big lights, small lights, blinkers, solids, strobes, colored and white. Any kind of light you could ever imagine. The newest elements include: three “Leaping Light” trees towering 50 feet high, each with 15 channels and 7,000 lights.

Last year, the family earned a Guinness World Record for the most lights on a residential property. Most are LED’s, so the estimated electric cost is only about $350. They use some 2,000 extension cords, or about eight miles worth.

And what’s more, they pulse and blink in different areas to the beat of music, which is piped through a radio channel, so you can listen in your car! The soundtrack they created includes 181 songs, a mix of holiday classics and rock.

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We’ve been a part of three world record attempts so far, and will participate in two more this month. My kids get such a kick out of it. Well, technically, the six-year old enjoys it. The 13-year old feigns enthusiasm because he really has no other choice but to join us.

Next week, National Geographic is sponsoring the Great Nature Project, and anyone, from anywhere, can be a part of the attempt to set a world record for the largest online photo album of animals. This one is easy and fun, and it encourages kids to get out into nature. All they have to do is take a photo of an animal in nature and, with an adult’s help, upload it to the album site.

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Well, I’ve got good news and I’ve got bad news. Good: we were joined by 1,300 other people on the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park in the world record attempt today to form the world’s longest chorus line. Bad: we were about 300 people short of breaking the record.

Not quite the world’s longest chorus line.

But we had FUN!! Not only did we score these awesome “I ♥NY” T-shirts, we got to dance to the tune from those “I Love New York” TV commercials from the 70’s. (Some of us are actually old enough to remember those.)

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I’m becoming a little bit crazed about being part of group world record attempts. Remember last year, when we were part of the world’s longest Hokey Pokey line? Today, we participated in the world’s largest dental hygiene lesson! Sponsored by a local orthodontist, it took place at the Hudson Valley Renegades baseball stadium.

There was actually already a record in place – 250 people. Today, 374 people showed up on a sunny spring day, and sat on the field with our complimentary toothbrushes and floss.

The lesson was required to be 30 minutes long, but the orthodontist, “Dr. B,” and his staff made it fun.

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On Wednesday night, 502 Christmas carolers in Westport, CT set a Guinness World Record for being the world’s largest group of singers caroling door-to-door!  We weren’t there, but two of our friends were! You may remember Fiona from her guest post on the world’s largest Rubik’s Cube. She and Libby got their official numbers to wear in the “One Voice” event:

Ready to sing! Libby’s the “high-spirited” one on the right.

The caroling took place in Westport’s Compo Beach area Wednesday night, and raised more than $4,000 for a local charity.

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This is the year I stop telling people how old I am, so don’t ask. Birthdays are still fun, though, especially when I get gifts like this. Matt and the kids ordered an official certificate from Guinness World Records certifying our participation in the world’s longest line of dancers. Remember when we did the Hokey Pokey on the Walkway Over the Hudson back in June…along with 2,565 other folks?

I’ll never forget it! And now, with this hanging on the wall in my office, I couldn’t if I tried.

Stamped with a glossy seal and everything!

We’ve broken a world record! On Saturday, we were part of the world’s longest line dance, the Hokey Pokey, across the Walkway Over the Hudson bridge in Poughkeepsie and Highland, NY.  This bridge, by the way, is the world’s longest elevated pedestrian bridge!

Limbering up!

There were 2,569 people stretched across the pedestrian bridge for a 9:30am kick-off.

People as far as the eye could see...

Our “Go BIG” Hokey Pokey team consisted of the four of us, and two other families. I’m so grateful they came out to participate with us, but I think everyone was pretty stoked to be a part of a new world record.

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We’re going to break a world record! Well, us, and 2,996 other people. We’ve registered to participate in the world’s longest Hokey Pokey line! This event is taking place on Saturday, June 9^th, across the Walkway Over the Hudson bridging Poughkeepsie to Highland, NY. We want you to come and join us!

The organizers are hoping for 3,000 people, since the current record, set in June 2008, involved 2,350 people. The Guinness World Records organization will be there to authenticate the feat!

We LOVE the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park – the views are phenomenal, and it’s practically in our own backyard!

The View Southward from the Walkway Over the Hudson

At 6,768 feet (or 1.28 miles) it’s the world’s longest elevated pedestrian bridge. At 212 feet high, it’s also one of the highest. {gulp} We’ve written about our first visit. The Boy and I have become braver since then.

Won’t you join us? We’re organizing a “Go BIG or Go Home” Team to meet up and do the Hokey Pokey together! We’ll outfit you in nifty “Go BIG” buttons, and ply you with snacks.

If you’re interested in registering (and WHY wouldn’t you be??? You can tell your grandkids you broke a world record!!), you can do so online at the Walkway Over the Hudson site.  It’s $15 / person, which is a tax-deductible donation to help fund the Walkway’s operating costs.

The Guinness World Record organization will only count participants seven years or older. You don’t have to register and pay for people younger than that, although they can still do the H.P. with us! The Girl is working on her left foot / right foot differentiation skills as we speak.

Let us know in the comments below if you’re “in!”