Written By James Rada, Jr.
There are only so many neckties or “World’s Greatest Dad” mugs that you can give your dad for Father’s Day. Try something different this year. How about an adventure? Something that breaks up his 9-to-5 routine: action, thrills, excitement. Maybe something to look forward to doing with you and something that he can remember long past Father’s Day. Maybe a walk on the wild side.
Race a car
Does your dad have a need for speed? How about driving a car on a professional racing track? Summit Point Motorsports Park in Summit Point, W.V., offers “Friday at the Track.” You provide your own street car for a day of racing and racing instruction.
The day includes classroom and skidpad instruction and, of course, four races on the track. Summit Point offers sessions for both novice and experienced racers. It is a day of racing fast cars under the guidance of professional instructors.
The day-long session costs $250 and you can purchase insurance to cover any damage to your car. Make sure to get your car checked out before you go (especially the brakes).
Summit Point Motorsports Park, 201 Motorsports Park Circle, Summit Point, WV 25446; 304-725-8444; www.summitpoint-raceway.com
Whitewater Rafting
Think you know how to raft? See if you can handle Olympic-level whitewater rapids. Adventure Sports Center International in McHenry, Maryland, is a man-made whitewater training course that is more than 1,700 feet long and drops 24 feet over its length. The course is filled with natural rock outcroppings and wave shapers to create different rafting experiences.
Whether your father has never rafted or considers himself an expert, ASCI can create a course that challenges him. After he finishes rafting, he can challenge himself on the 35- to 50- foot rock cliffs at Fork Run. The sandstone rocks have a variety of interesting holds. If he wants more after all that, he can take a 90-minute bike tour of the area.
Adventure Sports Center International, 250 Adventure Sports Way, McHenry, Maryland 21541; 301-334-7495; www.adventuresportscenter.com
Skydive
Want to experience the thrill of plummeting to the earth at 120 mph only to land safely with the help of a parachute? Get your father a gift certificate for Skydive Maryland. The trained professionals with Skydive Maryland can prepare your father for his first tandem skydive.
Going tandem is an easy way to get started skydiving. An instructor straps your father to his chest and then both of you jump out of the plane. The instructor will be able to help Dad know when to pull the ripcord and how to land safely.
Most important, a tandem skydive will allow your father to enjoy the experience without worry. You can even have a video made of your first skydive. Afterward, you can continue training to become a certified skydiver.
1-888-519-2719; www.marylandskydiving.com
Fly a Plane
Want a bird’s eye view of the area? Give your father a gift certificate for a Discovery Flight at the Dream Flight School at the Carroll County Airport.
A Discovery Flight is 90-minute lesson that will give your father a taste of flying to determine whether or not he would like to pursue a pilot’s license.
The lesson includes 40 minutes of flying time in a Cessna 172 and 50 minutes of ground instruction with an FAA-certified flight instructor.
Dream Flight School, 200 Airport Dr.,
SPC 12, Westminster; 443-244-9218;
www.dreamflightschool.com
Hike the Appalachian Trail
For a low-key adventure that won’t cost you a lot of money, why not spend the day hiking along the Appalachian Trail? Although the trail runs 2,184 miles from Maine to Georgia, 41 miles of it are in Maryland. You can pick up the trail at Pen Mar, Md., and hike south to Harpers Ferry, W.V.
The entire hike would probably take you three to four days, but the good news is that the Maryland section is considered easy terrain so you don’t need to be an experienced hiker to complete it. If you do hike the entire Maryland section, you can camp in designated shelters and campsites. The best times to make the trip are mid-April through mid-June and September through October, allowing you to avoid the oppressive summer heat.
www.appalachiantrail.org
www.nps.gov/appa/index.htm
Zip Lining
For an afternoon of fun, go zip lining across the Maryland treetops with your father. Depending on the course you choose, you can spend a few hours sliding across lines hundreds of feet long and dozens of feet in the air from platform to platform. Guides make sure that you are safely harnessed and your carabiners are securely connected to the zip lines. It’s a fun way to get scenic views of Maryland’s forests. Many of Maryland’s zip lining courses also offer other fun activities like obstacle courses and rope swings. You can find half a dozen places in Maryland to enjoy zip lines.
www.ziplinerider.com/Maryland_Ziplines.html
Shoot Ôem Up
Why not challenge your father to a duel? Go head to head in a paintball challenge and see who comes out most colorful. Make sure you dress in pants and a long-sleeved shirt that you don’t mind getting dirty. You might also want to wear an extra layer to blunt some of the sting of paintballs. You can rent a face mask at the field to protect your face. Make it even more fun by putting together teams. Maybe you and your father can challenge another father and son for bragging rights.
Paintball Adventure Park, 3939 Old Taneytown Rd., Taneytown; 410-756-4200; www.pap-md.com
Have Fun
Whatever gift you choose to give your father, just make sure you both have a good time.
That will be the best gift that you can give him.
