As a parent of teenagers I have to admit I've heard those dreaded words - "I'm bored." For the most part my kids are pretty smart and know those comments often lead to helpful suggestions like cleaning the chicken house or mowing the lawn. However it sometimes can be challenging to find creative (and cool) ways to engage without the use of WiFi. Last summer we were invited to an EDC Open House at the Ridge Motordsports Park. It took a little cajoling to convince the entire family to join me, but families were invited to this one – and I was determined.

It felt good to be a hero. From the moment they hit the kart track there was unabashed excitement –and – no squabbling at all.

The Ridge Grand Prix kart track is a 1/5th scale version of the Ridge Motorsports Park road course and it is the only kart track replica in North America. RGP has all the same features as its big brother including, elevation change, and blind corners. The kart track is 26 feet wide and is 6/10th of a mile long.

And it is fast! The Ridge GP rental karts are 9 HP Sodi GT5 karts with gearing tuned to this challenging racecourse. Regardless of skill or experience, there is something exciting that awaits riders. Riders can reach speeds of 45+mph while experiencing the 16 thrilling turns and elevation changes.

Open through October, riders arrive to the facility and check in at the Ridge ProShop where they create a racing profile and grab a helmet (helmet/kart sanitized between each rider, by the way). Before getting on the course all riders attend a racer meeting to go over rules and be given verbal quiz to ensure racing is safe and fun the entire session.

After the checker flag is out, they will pit and return to the Pro Shop to receive a printout of the race detailing their stats for each lap. Each session is 15 minutes long from start to finish, granting racers approximately 10-12 laps.

My little group of joyful riders that joined me after my merlot were bursting with tales of corners and twist as they eagerly shared their printed race stats. My fifteen year old daughter was thrilled to have soundly beaten both of her older brothers.

Kart pricing is 25-$30 (member/non-member). Sign up for the membership as it pays back with a few uses. Initial membership costs $50 and grants the racer 2 session credits. Theses credits sit with your account and can be used at any time. Members are offered additional savings on merchandise and races during pop-up sales. Pre-load credits to your account to use at any time in the future. For more details on how to get your race on, head to ridgemotorsportspark.com. Located just north of Shelton, this is a great place to reconnect with your family, friends or just get the cobwebs out.