26.2 Grandma: Cornbelly's Corn Maze

Tonight's activity: Find our way out of a corn maze. I have everything ready... shoes, light, good weather and my secret weapon: MiKe WiTT. Yes, I will get out of this maze in good style. Mike is a wonder, he looks at the maze map and knows just which direction to head. It's like he has a sixth sense about it. He orients himself like a compass. It's amazing.
This is the opening night of the corn maze this year. I am hoping it won't be crowded. There are 40 different activities going on at Thanksgiving Point so hopefully the people will be spread out. I bought our tickets online through K-Bull 93 at a big discount, $3.93 each! What a deal!

Utah’s original corn maze is embarking on an out-of-this-world mission to space this fall and Utahn's are invited to come along! Featuring a new maze design each year, Cornbelly’s Corn Maze & Pumpkin Fest at Thanksgiving Point is one of only seven mazes nationwide recently selected to work with NASA to honor the U.S. space program. Participating in a special outreach program titled Space Farm 7, Cornbelly’s will feature the solar system & a space rover in its maze design, offer space-themed food & activities all season long.

Our departure time to pick up Mike tonight was a little delayed but by about 7:15 we were on way to Cedar Hills. All the construction along Timpanogos Highway slowed us down but soon we arrived, picked up Mike and headed back to Thanksgiving Point.

Rest for the weary.

We traded my online receipt for 3 wristbands. We located the maze area and entrance. We got our instructions and decided to play Maize-O-Poly during our maze experience. The maze was separated into parts, Phase 1 and Phase 2. We decided to do Phase 2 first, they said it was longer and more difficult. In this part we would find clues 6-10. We went right in, then I noticed that we had not been given a map like I was use to. So we came back out and looked at the big one they had on a wall. Mike took a picture of it with his mind (well that is what it seemed like when he referenced it while we were winding through the corn). When we began I pushed the start button on my Garmin. I want to see our path and how long it took us.

This was Jan's first time in a corn maze. He prepared himself by working on his feet all day in the yard. Maybe not the best thing. On went the flashlights and we started walking though the corn. They do have some rules as noted in the signs below:

There were a few times, especially in
Phase 1 where we stayed on the path
but still got corn-fused.

We were quite the corn maze team. I was the photographer and game board keeper. Mike was our maze leader. Jan was our clue texter. So here is how we worked. We just started walking through the corn to find the first clue sign. Once we got to the clue sign, Jan sent a text for the clue to keep us from getting lost. We would get a clue hint to help us to choose which way to turn. The answer to the clue is either Left or Right. I'd mark off the squares on our Maize-O-Poly board and we'd go on.

I'd mark off the squares on our Maize-O-Poly board and we'd go on.

Mike kept us right on track through our first maze, Phase 2. We rocked this maze. We took very few wrong turns to dead ends. It was fun to see Mike guide us through like he could see a map. Mazes are always fun because people are always walking the opposite way that you think is the right way. And many times you will see the same people over and over. It is funny because you both can't be right.

Jan on one of the lookout bridges.

It wasn't long before we solved all the clues and we were out of Phase 2. It took us 38:31 minutes to get through. We walked .87 miles. We went and bought a drink before we went to tackle Phase 1, the shorter one.

Marsha and Mike on bridge in the corn maze.

Mike studied the map again outside the corn field. Ready, set , go. And we were off again. It was funny we got a little confused at the beginning and did a loop. Hmmm. We started again. And then started finding the signs. We did a lot more looping and got corn-fused a few times. We met a lot of young couples pulling kids through this one in little corn wagons or in strollers. It made it harder for us to move around. Eventually, we found all the clues. But then we couldn't find the way out. We made a couple of attempts. It is interesting to see our Garmin path afterwards. Finally, because Jan was tired and it was late, we backtracked and went out the in. It was still great fun.