After my first day hike, I did my dino dive!! I chose this park because I could do two bucket list items at once. I can go to Gorman Falls any time, but you can only do a polar plunge when it's cold and New Year's Day is a perfect time to do it. In Canada, it is a tradition to do a polar plunge on New Year's Day. Plus, this Dino Dive was a fundraiser for the park to purchase new bike racks (or something like that).
Since I was only about an hour from my Dallas, I convinced my friend Clarissa to meet me for the day to hang out and watch me dino dive. I didn't want her to stand around waiting for me to finish my first day hike, so I chose the shorter hike. After we got done on the hike I met up with Clarissa at the gift shop to look around and take pictures by the big statues.
OMG!! RUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN! T-Rex is chasing us.
OOOPS! I fell!!! Save me, Clarissa!!!!!! Save yourself!!!
After running for our lives from metal dinosaur statues, we headed to the Blue Hole to dino dive! I got my goodie bag that had a free beanie hat and a certificate that says I did the Dino Dive. I felt official. I love how they drew dinosaur pictures on the bags.
I loved how well they thought out the dino dive. They had different stations that you could do while waiting for the event to start. A write your bucket list (!!!) station, a "dig" a fossil station (a plastic swimming pool where you "dig" a fossil out of the sand), a ring toss station, face painting station, a costume contest, and a few others that I can't remember. Plus they fed us with hot dogs and hot chocolate and let us warm up with the firepit.
After a crowd gathered, we were able to start the dive. They had a walk a short distance down the path and then wade into the water. It was so neat because they showed us actual dinosaur footprints and we were able to walk on top of them while walking towards the area where we 'dove' into the water. How cool is it that I got to walk on the same area where dinosaurs walked 113 million years ago?!?!?!? (no pictures because I didn't want my camera to get wet)
We each got to take a turn diving into the river. They said the temperature was 53 degrees at the surface but probably a lot colder down underneath. Let me tell you, it was cold!! I came out of the water and almost said a curse word, but then I remembered there were kids around. I got out quickly.
Clarissa was able to take a video that she needs to email me. I will try and update this post when I get it. This is the only shot of me in the water I have right now. I am Instagram famous on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Instagram. Look at that, 1,800 likes. :) I'm in maroon towards the right.
I would absolutely love to do it again next year!! Depending on if I can do it again (you never know where God will take you in a year) and if the park holds it again, yes I will! If you are wondering if kids can do it, yes! There were several kids who did it and there was even a canoe life guard within 15 feet of where we jumped off to help anyone who needed help. I would recommend a life jacket if kids aren't too strong of swimmers. The cold water shocks you so even the best of swimmers can need help. The park was prepared with a canoe (like I said) and a life preserver. You can kind of see the canoe in the picture below.
After the dinosaur dive we packed it up and went to lunch. It was New Year's Day and not many places were open in the tiny town we were in and then I promptly went back to my campsite to take a nap!
Thank you Dinosaur Valley State Park crew and also to the gift shop crew! I think the gift shop was in charge of the fundraiser. By the way, the gift shop has amazing prices! My souvenir ornament (well, it's a magnet I will turn into an ornament) was only $3. They definitely do not try to gouge you on the prices, which I find refreshing. Hopefully they get a lot of business.
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