Cedar Point to NYC

Photo courtesy of monkeyatlarge on Flickr

This past Sunday, Logan and I headed to Cedar Point with a number of other grad students. It’s been on my list of things to do since moving to Michigan, but we never actually made the effort to plan a trip down there, so when the grad school organized one, I was quite happy to tag along. It was a great day – perfect weather (as long as you were in the shade or had some ice cream), good company, and the lines to most of the coasters were ridiculously short. Seriously. Some of them we could walk practically right up to the coaster. I ended up taking a dozen coaster rides, which is a pretty good rate for one day at the amusement park.

Now here’s the thing about coasters. I enjoy them after the fact – or at least, after the first hill. However, on the way up that first hill, with the loud clicks of the ratchets and the oh-so-slow ascent as you watch everything get smaller behind you and the sides drop away – that part I’m not so okay with. My hearts beating a little faster even now just thinking about how nervous it makes me. And yet, I do it anyway.

We started off the day with Raptor, one of the dangly-feet type coasters. I like those. Usually not so much of a giant hill to start off with, and the large shoulder harnesses are quite secure feeling. The twists and turns I can handle much better than huge first drops. This was a good one too, although these rides always seem so short when you’re actually on it.

Next we headed off to Millenium Force, the most popular coaster there, and the one in the first picture. It’s a good thing I didn’t know this before hand, but that first drop is an 80 degree drop, and 300 feet tall. It’s a rush, I tell you. Logan and a few others were tempted to go back and do it again in the front of the train, but I don’t think I could’ve brought myself to go on it again. ::shiver::

Photo courtesy of buschap on Flickr

Magnum XL-200 was another one of the rides I couldn’t quite bring myself to do again, but I think I would if I were to return. It’s celebrating it’s 20th anniversary this year, and was the tallest and fastest coaster back when it was built in 1989. (Cedar Point always has to out-do itself.) By the top of the second hill I could actually appreciate the beautiful views of Lake Erie and enjoy the rest of the ride, but again, that first hill…..

Maverick was the only ride there with a substantial line that day, and that induced the most drama of the day. A couple of people decided they didn’t want to wait in line, and so jumped over a number of the barriers, causing great discontentment amongst the crowd. Apparently, someone knew who to call though, and eventually a police officer showed up, and then two more, and then two more still. The crowd applauded as the jumpers were escorted out of line. The ride itself was a mix for me. It’s got a 95 degree drop in the beginning, but you’re launched and it’s not ridiculously tall, so it was fun. However, it seemed to last a couple of twists and turns too many, and I walked out of it with a pounding headache. Thankfully one of Logan’s classmates came well-prepared with advil, and I was better shortly thereafter.

I think my favorite ride of the day was Gemini. The tallest and fastest coaster of 1978 – it was just the right height and excitement level for me to enjoy the whole ride from beginning to end, and there was no line at all. It was also unique – it’s got two trains that go side-by-side, and you race. (I was on the winning train each of the three times I rode it, I’m not sure what the says about me, but whatever. And no, the same train doesn’t win each time.) Good, classic wooden roller coaster.

So yeah, I had a good day on Sunday, and after a busy week, I’m now in NYC visiting my good friend before my trip to Austria next week! I should’ve probably learned some German, huh. Oops.

And one little cell phone picture of me before I go (boldly wearing my Michigan shirt in Ohio):

I even got a couple of snarfs in while there. Good times.