Sunday in Spokane: Monster Jam is a learning day and fun family time at the Arena

The Monster Jam Triple Threat Series was at the Spokane Arena from Feb. 21-23, and I attended my first Monster Jam the final day at 1 p.m. with my brother-in-law Heath Harmon, his daughter Anya Harmon, 12, his son Shawn Harmon, 8, and our forever young friend Matthew Woolley.

En route, it was raining and snowing together. “It’s graupel,” Heath said. “You’re making that up,” I said incredulously. Nope, as a weather story posted on The Spokesman-Review’s website four days later would inform.

Every day is an opportunity to learn something new, kids. Stay in school. The education continued upon arriving at the Arena. After walking through graupel to get our tickets at will call, we entered the large venue to the smell of gasoline. Nobody light any cigarettes, please!

I was immediately thankful to Health for providing earplugs, as Monster Jam is loud. Really, really loud. I noticed adults all around me with earplugs. Same with their kids who also donned noise-canceling headphones.

The setup for Monster Jam included the entire floor, and the lower seats also were removed to make way for the super-sized Monster trucks and their drivers, including one kickass female driver in a Scooby-Doo truck.

During the afternoon of Monster Jam races, tricks (doughnuts and freestyle) and more for points each round to crown an overall winner – at this event, it was EarthShaker and very excited driver Tristan England – I would learn some new things about my nephew Shawn.

“Uncle Don, do you want to buy me a toy?” Shawn asked after shifting over his sister to me during a break in the action. My guess is that Heath sent him my way. “Do you mean you want a souvenir?” I asked, and he responded, “What’s a souvenir?”

So we left our seats with Matthew during the intermission and walked over to the nearby souvenir stand, which was just off the main entrance, and Shawn perused the merch. “I like Grave Digger’s sword,” he said. In the ensuing chaos – another round of competition was about to start, and I needed to use the bathroom – Matthew took Shawn back to his seat.

Moments after exiting the men’s restroom, I received a text from Heath. “Shawn’s favorite is El Toro Loco.” The same El Toro Loco that is driven by 21-year-old Elvis Lainez, as featured by The Spokesman-Review on Feb. 22? Another coincidence!

After looking the extensive merch stand up and down and texting Health for advice (“Whatever you’d like to do,” he replied), I purchased an orange El Toro Loco cap with bull horns (it’s awesome), ETL pennant, ETL model car and a plastic bag with a Monster Jam logo for $3 because there were no complimentary bags for my purchases.

I watched the rest of Monster Jam from the viewing area at the top of our section of seats because I was too lazy to walk back down the 50 feet. As the group made its way up to me post-event, Shawn saw me and the bag – OK, he saw the bag – and asked, “Are those for me?” as his eyes bugged out and he smiled excitedly. “No, they’re for me,” I deadpanned.

Shawn couldn’t wait until we returned to Heath’s truck to look through his new bag of gifts, so I gave him the bag in the main entrance area before heading outside (fortunately, the graupel had subsided, but it was still chilly outside). “Thank you for everything, Uncle Don,” Shawn said.

Walking toward the truck hand-in-hand and with the cap atop his head (adorable), Shawn said, “Please don’t feel bad, Uncle Don, but I would’ve chosen a Grave Digger mask and sword.” I felt a little deflated after spending $70. But Shawn quickly followed up, “But El Toro Loco is still pretty awesome, so thank you again.”

Duly noted, Shawn. Back at the house, Shawn still had the cap atop his head (still adorable), and he carefully removed the model car from the packaging. His sister Anya and dad Heath also asked to take a closer look at the model car.

“Can I go play with the neighbors?” Shawn asked a little while later, then took off with the cap still atop his head and car in hand after giving me a hug goodbye. Phew! I know that it will end as Shawn approaches adolescence, but it still feels good to be cool Uncle Don.