Panic

  SANDPOINT, Idaho - If you had an amusement park to build, and looked at a map to determine where you'd have a large population base, you would not consider far northern Idaho. It's seriously three times farther to the state capital of Boise than to Canada.
  In any case, Silverwood Theme Park somehow makes it work. Spokane, Wash., is an easy drive, Coeur d'Alene very close. License plates in the massive parking lot indicate most visitors are from Washington, Idaho, Oregon and British Columbia. Our Colorado plates were lonely.
  And the rides are worthy. One called "Panic" was the worst (maybe that means best), and the one pictured here, "Aftershock," was nearly too outwardly menacing to attempt. But my nephew and I did, and we survived and nearly enjoyed it. I'm not even sure what my body was doing, being thrown here and there, but at one point I was staring straight down at the ground.
  Sheer fun. Sheer panic.

Taking off

  If you're looking at my web site, you'll have to click on "read more" to see the photo. Check out this "airplane" my nephew and I saw near Bonners Ferry, Idaho. It appears to be made out of a bunch of metal scraps from around the ranch, complete with a "pilot" stuffed with straw and a doll head.

  Gotta love art for art's sake.