ZAP ZONE WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT

A Geek Daddy was invited by Zap Zone to put together a team to participate in a World Record attempt that involved playing laser tag. I couldn't turn that down! So my kids and I along with one of their best friends and her dad headed over to the Canton location of Zap Zone to do a shift in their bid to be recognized by Guinness World Records for hosting the longest laser tag marathon.

Originally starting off as a place to play video games, Zap Zone has expanded its attractions and locations over the last twenty-five years. Now the family entertainment venue in addition to being an arcade also offers bumper cars, bowling, glo-golf, go-karts, ninja obstacle courses, roller skating, trampolines, virtual reality zones and of course laser tag. There are currently 9 Zap Zones in Michigan with 5 in Metro Detroit (Canton, Farmington, Sterling Heights, Taylor and Waterford) as well as locations in Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Brighton, and Lansing.

To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Zap Zone is trying to achieve two Guinness World Records involving laser tag:

LONGEST LASER TAG MARATHON

First, the one we were invited participate in was to break the current record for the longest laser tag marathon.  This has two pre-selected teams constantly playing for the duration of the world record attempt with a third team being added from time to time into the mix to keep things interesting for the core group of players. Looking like the Ghostbusters with our laser phasers and target vests, we took on the role of the third team for a portion of this laser tag marathon.

The current record for continuously playing laser tag is 25 hours which was set in 2017 by Q-Zar Codevilla (Pavia, Italy). So that is the mark Zap Zone has to beat!  The two primary teams are planning on playing consecutively for 26 hours to achieve the world record … and if they have enough endurance may play even longer to make their accomplishment harder to beat.

This dad blogger's team had a blast jumping into the action. We had a lot of fun playing laser tag and it was made even more exciting knowing we were part of trying to achieve the Guinness World Record for longest laser tag marathon. Did we set the record? Well as I am writing this they still have another twenty hours left to play but from our interaction with the players it seems as if they won't have a problem setting it. The nice part of our role was that we got to play for a little while then go home.

MOST LASER TAG GAME PARTICIPANTS IN A SINGLE DAY

Also coming up on August 25, 2019, Zap Zone is attempting to break Guinness World Record #2 for the most people playing in an ongoing laser tag match in a single day. The record is currently 250 people.  Zap Zone is hoping to burst that with a 1,000 or more participants playing laser tag from 10 am to 10 pm at their Farmington location.

Anyone who stops in during that time can play a 10-minute match for FREE to be part of the world record attempt. You will also receive a commemorative lanyard to mark the moment you participated in a Guinness World Record attempt. Stop by and join in!

EVERYONE PLAYS FOR FREE

If you aren't able to participate the Guinness World Record attempts there is still laser tag fun to be had at Zap Zones this weekend. As part of Zap Zone's twenty-fifth anniversary celebration, on Sunday, August 25 it will be FREE to play laser tag at ALL of the Zap Zone locations. Each of the Zap Zone locations, including the Farmington world record attempt, will be running the laser tag arena in a tournament format.

Players will be grouped into 2 teams of 10 players for each match. A team stays in the laser tag arena until they are defeated. If you are good enough you could compete in 10 matches in a row, maybe 100 or even keep playing all day long if no one defeats your team. You can come with 10 of your friends to all be on the same team or if alone be randomly placed on a team. Zap Zone wants everyone who comes out to have a chance to have fun playing a free match of laser tag on August 25. Come on out and have a good time!

For more information or directions go to zap-zone.com

McCafe It Forward

Keep an eye out the next few days for people like me who will be passing around town a McCafe It Forward card which provides a FREE cup of McDonald's premium roast coffee or an Iced Coffee. To celebrate a decade of McCafe being incorporated into McDonald's restaurants, 500 influencers were provided a coffee debit card good from August 21 - 23, 2019. We have been encouraged to enjoy a beverage ourselves and then be a brew gooder by passing it on to someone else.

If you get your hand on one of these cards simply redeem it for one free cup for yourself, then spread some kindness by giving it to someone else to use. Hopefully this will create a chain reaction of kindness! Don't hang on to these cards because there is no limit to the number of people it will provide coffee for but there is an expiration date of midnight on August 23. So be a brew gooder and McCafe It Forward!



Head over to BeABrewGooder.com to check the progress of how these cards are being given out across America. If you notice a golden patch around Detroit that is from me! Whether you have a chance to use a McCafe It Forward card or not, head over to the website anyways because beginning August 26, anyone can nominate somebody you believe is doing good out in the world to win a grand prize of McCafe for Life.

Whether being given to people as a thank you for doing good in the world or to strangers as a random act of kindness, McDonalds is hoping these cards will be shared over and over again creating moments that make people smile. Thanks McDonalds for choosing this dad blogger to help get this going! Looking forward to providing some happy moments for people this week by passing on my McCafe it Forward card here in Metro Detroit.

MAYANS MC SEASON ONE ON DVD

Being a cord cutter, I've been missing out on cable exclusive television shows like MAYANS M.C.  on FX which is a spin-off series to the popular Sons of Anarchy that was broadcast on the network from 2008 - 2014. Thanks to Fox Home Entertainment sending me a DVD collection of THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON: MAYANS M.C. this dad blogger can check out a television series I'd probably of otherwise missed. This four disc set is now available to purchase from a variety of retail locations including Best Buy. Picking up cable TV series on DVD is a nice way to binge watch seasons of shows us cord cutters can't normally tune into.

Set in a post-Jax Teller Sons of Anarchy world, Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes (JD Pardo) is a prospect in the Mayans M.C. charter on the Cali/Mexi border. Once the golden boy with the American Dream in his grasp, EZ is trying to reconcile with his brother “Angel” (Clayton Cardenas) while searching for the truth behind their mother’s death. Meanwhile, their father “Felipe” (Edward James Olmos) is struggling to lead his sons down a righteous path.

MAYANS M.C. takes place four years after the events of Sons of Anarchy and is set hundreds of miles away in the fictional California border town of Santo Padre. The series focuses on EZ who is the gifted son of a proud Mexican family that has been victimized by cartel violence. He finds himself filled with a need for vengeance that drives him into a life he never intended and can never escape.



The Mayans M.C. first season DVD collection also provides special featurettes in addition to the first ten episodes of the show. These featurettes include The Creation of Mayans M.C., Hit the Ground Roaring, and Customizing the Mayans' Signature Bikes. Bonus content is always a great addition to home entertainment video releases isn't it?!

If you  haven't seen MAYANS M.C. grab the complete first season on DVD to catch up on what is going on because Season 2 premieres September 3, 2019 on FX. I've found DVD collections to be a great way to see shows I can't view via free over-air broadcasts or whatever streaming service I'm currently subscribed to. I'm going to enjoy watching season one of MAYANS M.C. on DVD.



To find out more about the show, follow its Twitter feed @MayansFX. While you are on Twitter, if not following @Geekdad248 give me a follow too! I always enjoy tweeting with ageekdaddy.com readers.

A Geek Daddy received the featured product for free from Fox Home Entertainment to promote the release of MAYANS M.C. first season on DVD. This post also contains affiliate links to Best Buy. Purchasing a product through one of these links doesn't increase the price you pay but does provide a small commission back to us at  ageekdaddy.com from any sales generated from our readership.

FRANK MILLER AUTOGRAPHED DAREDEVIL COMIC

Who is your favorite comic book super hero? Batman? Captain America? Hell Boy? Mine is Daredevil.

Trial attorney by day and super hero by night there is a lot that I can relate to when it comes to Marvel Comics' Daredevil. The man without fear doesn't let being blind handicap him as all his other senses have been ultra heightened to give him an edge when it comes to battling evil doers. Fine tuned hearing that gives him a radar-like view of the world around him puts Spider-Man's spider sense to shame. Fighting mob goons and ninja mercenaries in Hell's Kitchen provides for great noir style tales being told within the pages of Daredevil comic books.

The comic book artist who has the most impact in defining Daredevil is Frank Miller.  One of the Daredevil issues he crafted for Marvel is considered by many as one of the all time great comic books. Now Dynamic Forces is reprinting Daredevil #181 with all its original 1964 content, including the ads. That is not all though … these limited edition replicas available through Sideshow Collectibles will have their covers each autographed by Frank Miller himself.

In Daredevil #181, the psychotic Bullseye is determined to escape from jail and visit vengeance on the man who put him there - Daredevil! But when he finds a way to get free, there's something he must deal with first - winning back his position as the Kingpin's number one assassin. And to do that, he has to get rid of Wilson Fisk's deadly new killer for hire - Elektra, the woman Daredevil loves Brace yourself for two brutal life-and-death showdowns in this double-sized comic book story being republished by Dynamic Forces.

This is a collectible that any Daredevil fan would be delighted to get their hands on. I know I want one! Don't miss out on ordering one of  these limited run comic book reproductions signed by Frank Miller from Sideshow Collectibles before they sell out.

This post contains affiliate links for Sideshow Collectibles. Purchasing a product through one of these links doesn't increase your purchase price but does provide ageekdaddy.com with a small commission that helps out this dad blogger.

HENRY FORD MUSEUM STAR TREK EXHIBIT

I was finally able to get over to see Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds before this limited engagement exhibition departs to a new city. The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Michigan, has been hosting this collaboration with MoPOP (Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, Washington) and CBS Consumer Products throughout the summer. The Star Trek exhibit will be packing up and moving on to a new destination on September 2, 2019 so Trekkies who still want to check it out should head over to The Henry Ford at Warp 9!

Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds has a variety of costumes and props from the television shows and movies on display.  There are also interactive opportunities that lets visitors pretend they are a part of Star Fleet themselves. This temporary Star Trek gallery at The Henry Ford is free to explore with paid general admission to the museum.

See the Star Fleet uniforms worn by the cast of the original Star Trek television series (1966 - 1969). They even have actual Tribbles used in filming everyone's favorite Star Trek episode. Wow! The costume used for the iconic battle between a Gorn and Captain Kirk looks impressive for a 1960s era prop.

You can even see the actual navigation console and captain's chair that were used in the original Star Trek television series' bridge set. They've been refurbished to make them look new but these props are more than 50 years old. You can just picture Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov) and George Takei (Hikaru Sulu) taking their spots on the set to shoot a scene with William Shatner (Captain Kirk) and the rest of the bridge crew of the starship Enterprise. I've seen this prop so many times watching Star Trek episodes on television it was a real thrill for this sci fi fan dad blogger to be just steps away from the real thing.

Also on display are costumes and props from other Star Trek television series including The Next Generation, Deep Space 9, Voyager, Enterprise and the newest show Discovery.

There are costumes and props from the Star Trek movies too!

While you are there take a trek through a Jeffries Tube. Any Star Trek fan will know what these are though my wife didn't understand why I was so geeked to climb into one. These are tubes that can be utilized by crews for doing maintenance within Star Trek's Federation starships.  They are often used within Star Trek stories for also avoiding bad guys too. They are named for Star Trek production designer Matt Jeffries who designed many of the sets, props and ships for the shows, including the original Enterprise.

The whole family was thrilled though to be beamed into a Star Trek away mission. The Transporter Experience lets you be filmed in your own Star Trek scene. Grab your phasers and tricorders for a fantastic time in this interactive opportunity within the Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds exhibit.



Resistance is futile! Anyone who visits Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds can't resist becoming a science fiction fan! From viewing original scripts, concept art, models, props and costumes from Star Trek television shows and movies to participating in interactive experiences like climbing through a Jeffries Tube or being Beamed Up to the Starship Enterprise anyone who explores this exhibit is sure to be geeked.

For more information about visiting The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, go to thehenryford.org. Ticket prices for admission to the museum are $24 for adults (12-61), $18 for youth (5-11), $22 for seniors (62+) and children 4 and under are free.

NATIONAL AVIATION DAY

Air flight has become an integral aspect of our transportation system. With that in mind, you have to be amazed by the advancements made over the last century that make flying people and freight around the world commonplace. In the overall scope of history, it really hasn't been that long since the Wright brothers visited Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in 1903 to launch the first successful airplane.

For NATIONAL AVIATION DAY, The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, thanks to a sponsorship from Delta Air Lines, is providing FREE admission on Sunday, September 18, 2019. The museum which is home to a variety of original and reproduced aircraft highlighting advancements in flight during the early to mid-20th Century is open from 9:30 am - 5:00 pm. The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation is located in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Michigan (also hometown of Ford Motor Company's world headquarters) at 20900 Oakwood Blvd.  While there, visitors can also explore the temporary Star Trek exhibit that is at the museum for a limited time engagement at no additional charge.

Admission to the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation is normally $25 (Adults), $22 (Seniors) and $18 (Children) so NATIONAL AVIATION DAY is a good opportunity to really save some money when it comes to having a family outing there. Please note free admission does not apply to the attached Greenfield Village which will be charged to visitors on NATIONAL AVIATION DAY. Ticket prices for Greenfield Village are $28 (Adults), $25.25 (Seniors) and $21 (Children).

If you want to pay extra to visit Greenfield Village, there will be special activities revolving around the Wright Brothers as well as special access to their rarely seen private offices which normally are off limits to the public. Henry Ford purchased Orville and Wilbur Wright's bicycle shop (where they designed and manufactured the plane they flew in Kitty Hawk) and the home which they lived in their entire lives. These two buildings were transported from Dayton, Ohio to Greenfield Village in 1938 to be maintained and restored for future generations to appreciate. Historians will be stationed at both buildings on National Aviation Day to discuss the Wilbur brothers contributions to the development of airplanes and provide insight into these historic sites that have been relocated to Greenfield Village.

For those who just want to stick to Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, there is still a lot to see for National Aviation Day. The entire museum is open to explore for FREE. You won't want to miss the Heroes of the Sky gallery, especially if you are visiting on National Aviation Day.  There are more than a dozen planes to see!

View a replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer. Take a look at the 1909 Bleriot XI which was the first aircraft to cross the English Channel. Check out a 1926 Fokker Trimotor which was the first plane to fly to the North Pole. Following his success with the Model T, Henry Ford designed a plane meant to be sold to the masses, the 1926 Ford Flivver, which never took off with consumers and Charles Lindbergh called the worst plane he ever flew is also on display.

There is also a replica of Lindbergh's Spirt of St. Louis aircraft that he flew the first trans-Atlantic solo flight in and a display honoring aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart. See an actual barnstormer plane that toured the country in the 1920s delighting crowds with death defying aerobatics. There are also a number of passenger planes to view including a Northwest Airlines DC-3 which was the first commercial aircraft to make a profit by solely carrying passengers to destinations. The DC-3 opened the door to the commercial air travel we know today.

Fly over to The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation to take advantage of FREE admission for National Aviation Day courtesy of Delta Air Lines. For more information, head over to thehenryford.org

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST VISITS GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL

My daughter's favorite event in her Goldfish Swim Force swimming meets is the backstroke. So she was thrilled when Olympic Gold Medalist Ryan Murphy stopped in to Goldfish Swim School for a visit. Ryan won a gold medal for the backstroke in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and is a current world record holder in the event (100-meter backstroke). She was able to get some swimming tips from him and he let her wear one of his gold medals.

Ryan was in town to thank Goldfish Swim School for its partnership with USA Swimming Foundation's Make A Splash initiative. The objectives of Make a Splash are to raise awareness about the importance of learning to swim and providing free or low cost swimming lessons in low-income communities. Children in families with household incomes of less than $50,000 often have very minimal – if any – swimming ability. Because it has been shown that swimming lessons can reduce the likeliness of accidental drowning by 88 percent, the USA Swimming Foundation is trying to Make a Splash by helping kids obtain lessons who might not otherwise be able to get them.

Goldfish Swim School has partnered in this effort to provide the opportunity for every child in America to learn how to swim by asking the families of children enrolled in their swimming lessons to "Float it Forward" by making a donation to the Make a Splash endeavor. Ryan was in to town representing the USA Swimming Foundation to announce that so far in 2019 Goldfish Swim Schools have raised nearly $164,000 (including more than $24,000 at my kids' location alone) through Float if Forward donations supporting the Make a Splash initiative. He provided a very heart-felt thank you to the Goldfish Swim School community during his appearance on behalf of the USA Swimming Foundation, which is the philanthropical arm of the national governing body of the sport of swimming in the United States.

During his visit, Ryan was very personable and outgoing with everyone who had a chance to meet with him while he was at the Goldfish Swim School that my kids swim at. Not only is he an impressive athlete but Ryan also presents himself as an incredible ambassador for the sport of swimming. My kids were so geeked to be able to touch and wear an actual Olympic gold medal from the 2016 Rio Games.

Ryan expressed a generous interest in asking my kids about their swimming skills and interests. My son and daughter really had a nice time chatting with Ryan. They also had some fun showing off their swimming muscles with him.

I spent some time talking with Ryan too. This dad blogger appreciated getting a close up look at his gold medal. Wow … not only is it shiny but these medals have some weight to them. You have to appreciate all the effort that athletes like Ryan put into training and competing to earn one of these.

We've had some wonderful times spent at Goldfish Swim School and this was another great experience to remember. If you are looking for a swimming school for your kids, Goldfish is #1! For more information or to find a location near you, head over to goldfishswimschool.com