The Roller Coaster Ride
Although ANY roller coaster ride is sure to be a hit, there are some
roller coaster rides that are more memorable than others. Perhaps it's that
FIRST roller coaster ride that sticks in your mind. I can remember riding
The Roller Coaster at
Joyland in Wichita, KS
when I was a child... and being totally terrified.
After many years of NOT riding a roller coaster, I
had the opportunity to visit
Castles 'N'
Coasters in Phoenix Arizona and to ride Desert Storm. I clearly remember
going up the lift hill on that first roller coaster ride after many years and
again... being totally terrified. All I wanted to do was get off before getting
to the top of that hill. When it was over, all I wanted to do was to get back
on for another ride. My love for roller coasters was re-born.
Top Gun at
Paramount's Great America in Santa Clara, Calif. was the first inverted roller
coaster ride I'd done and it was the coolest coaster I'd ridden at that point.
The sensation of the inverted configuration is like no other coaster
experience. It was this coaster that solidified my fascination with roller
coasters and really began my search for the ultimate coaster.
Without a doubt, my all-time favorite
roller coaster ride was on Raptor at
Cedar Point with its smooth twists and turns
while feet dangled below me. I was there as part of a personal 11 day roller
coaster ride extravaganza of 29 roller coasters in 6 midwest amusement parks.
Cedar Point was hosting CoasterMania for the American Coaster Enthusiasts club
and others with lots of ERT (exclusive ride time) on their best roller
coasters.
Quite a bit of time has passed since that 11 day roller
coaster frenzy, and I haven't ridden allot of coasters since then. However, my
love for the thrill ride has not waned. On a recent trip to Las Vegas I took
the opportunity to ride one of it's most famous coasters located inside the New
York New York Hotel and Casino, the
Manhattan Express. While
not on par with many other coasters I've ridden, it was good to get that
booster shot of adreneline as we raced around the Las Vegas steel track.
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