Aaaah!  Summer is finally here!  The piping hot days have most of us flocking to a water park at some point to keep cool.  While some head straight for the water slides or the wave pool, there’s one water ride I won’t miss that always cools my heart in the summer heat.   I stand in line, finally make it to the front, and pick up the big round inner tube.  I place it in the water and finally climb aboard… and float and float and float!  Round and round I go on the lazy river!   Sure, the lazy rivers can be just that – lazy.  But, thanks to technology this little trough of a river in the center of the park has grown up to be much more!   Most lazy rivers are a simple concept.  A large water pump slowly circulates a long ribbon shaped pool that snakes around and around a designated area of a water park.  Riders board at a certain point and lounge on an inner tube as the current gently sends them on a long, slow ride.  Some parks require floaters to get out once they’ve made a lap (quite annoying) while others will let you float until the park closes.   The water level is usually quite shallow, anywhere from 2’ to 4’ deep and the width is enough for several tubes to pass.   While a lazy river is found at most water parks, they can also be found at resorts, casinos, and even in the Mall of America!   Some of the more sophisticated rides include tunnels, soft water falls, or even interactive buttons that riders can push to release a flood of water or a rapid onto the course.   One of the...