The Roller Coast of America ~ Ride On

Yesterday we went to Cedar Point. I haven't been there since the Magnum XL200 was a new ride...and it's 21 years old. I remember being afraid to go on it because the hill was SO big and the drop was SO steep! Then, later in the day when I'd finally worked up the nerve, it was closed due to high winds. (which went to show me how scary it was that WIND could blow it off the track) I thought I had just gotten too old to enjoy roller coasters anymore. Which was sad...because I LOVED to ride roller coasters.
My children had never been to Cedar Point. We'd been as crazy as crazy could be riding the Big Dipper at Geauga Lake the summers before it closed. How I loved the Big Dipper ~ but that's a story for another day. But they had never shown any interest in riding the "scarier" roller coasters at Geauga Lake ~ so I wasn't going to take them to Cedar Point...the Roller Coast of America. At the ages of 15 and 12, they got their first trip. Now Cedar Point has many, many new rides that are much higher and faster than the Magnum...

I finally rode the Magnum, as you can see in the picture, and I loved every minute. (each of the 4 times I rode it) But the greatest roller coaster face is Jacob's in this picture. It says it all. (by the way, he rode it 3 times)

Some amusement park observations:

1. Bikini's are not a good fashion idea for most everyone.
2. Roller coasters made of wood are by far the truest roller coaster experience EVER. The Gemini is still a great ride, but you have to learn to brace yourself so your body doesn't get too beat up. The Blue Streak was our first ride of the day and our last. While there is no replacement for the Big Dipper, (whose hills and turns I know by heart) these two help me remember why I loved it so. The Mean Streak was closed, so we didn't ride every coaster ~ but that's the only one I missed.
3. Fridays are a good day to go. Most ride lines were 15 minutes or less (many were walk-on). We only waited 30 minutes for the Millennium Force and the Top Thrill Dragster, and we waited an hour for Maverick
4. Roller Coasters made popular in the 80's and 90's that take you upside down are the WORST. The Corkscrew just bangs my body and head and gives me a headache. Same with Raptor and Mantis. I liked the feeling of standing up and having my feet dangling while falling down the hills, but I couldn't take the head banging.
5. I LOVE THE MILLENNIUM FORCE and THE TOP THRILL DRAGSTER. They were the smoothest and fastest and most AWEsome rides. The Millennium takes you up so so so high and just lets you fly down. Lake Erie and the park looked so beautiful from that high up. (rode it twice) The Top Thrill Dragster is A-MAZE-ING. Mike really just made me go on it. To say I was nervous is a gross understatement. While standing in line you read a sign that says, "Occasionally the ride fails to clear the top of the track. If this occurs the car will slowly return to the launch position." Seriously...I would wet my pants. But we watched it go up and over many many times all day long, so I hoped my ride would follow suit. The worst part is sitting in the car waiting for the launch. Then it launches and it is truly incredible. I can not put into words how much of a fun adrenaline rush that is. You shoot straight up and arch right over. You are then looking straight down at the ground and you just FLY. I only did it once, but I would have loved to do it again.
6. Some people live to ride roller coasters. While I think it's a lot of fun. I'm not going to carry around paper to record how many times I've hit a ride. There was a guy in front of us in line for the dragster; he'd ridden it 138 times. To judge, he was weird.
7. 12 hours at Cedar Point may be 15 minutes too long.
8. You have to be rich to eat and drink...Mike thinks yesterday cost as much as our Alaska trip.
9. Once you are gross and sweaty, it just doesn't matter anymore!
10. I am not too old to enjoy roller coasters. Ride On!