Yes! I AM a Junkie!

For my 16th birthday, my parents flew me to California to spend six weeks with relatives who would drive me up and down the scenic coastline from San Diego to Sacramento seeing the awesome sites of the Golden State. They didn't realize at the time, and neither did I, that I would discover my life's greatest passion.

It all began in 1966 as I peered upward at the Giant Dipper, a wooden roller coaster at Mission Beach, San Diego. I wanted to ride it so badly, but was hesitant. The blood-curdling screams from daredevil riders gave me butterflies in my tummy, but my thrill-seeking cousin wouldn't take "no" for an answer. It was the ride of a lifetime: My wide-open eyes gaping at the "itsy-bitsy" people below as the car crawled to the top of the first big drop, my tummy feeling queasy as the car fell over the edge, the wind blowing my hair out of control as my face contorted into who-knows-what shape, the rough bumps in the track making me scream even louder, and the screeching sound of the ride coming to an end. Cool ride!!! May I go again, please? The long wait in line was definitely worth it! (The coaster was condemned in 1976, but eventually became a national landmark, was renovated, and began it's new life in 1990.)

The only other coaster I rode that summer was the Cyclone Racer at the Pike in Long Beach. It had side-by-side tracks built on a pier that extended out into the ocean. When the coaster made the lower-end ocean turns, I could feel the splash of sea spray against my face. Another awesome ride! Sadly, the ride was destroyed two years later because the City of Long Beach wanted to improve their image! If they only knew then what gigantic coasters lied ahead for daredevils like myself, they might have rethought their decision.

It would be 19 years before I rode my next coaster, the Screamin' Eagle at Six Flags, St. Louis. As the four of us stood in line and peered at the 11-story extravaganza, I soon discovered that I had my own personal "Screamin' Eagle." His name was Jason, 8 years old. He was determined NOT to ride and told me again and again that he would just wait at the exit for us. (1/4 mile away) But I insisted that it would be fun...that he would be safe with mom. I'm sure that didn't make him feel any better as the screaming, crying, and whining continued until the ride was over. You might classify this as another "BAD MOM" moment, but I wasn't going to pass up the thrill of it all. Janelle, on the other hand, begged to ride again--YEAH!! We have another thrill-seeker in the family!

We made numerous trips to Orlando as our children were growing up, but the coasters at Disney World or Universal Studios were "baby toys" compared to those at Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay. As for Jason, he became our official "camera-purse-souvenir" holder. It would be years later before he started "riding." I'm not sure if it was peer pressure or a girlfriend that led him to overcome his fear. As for me, my children had now nicknamed me the "Coaster Junkie!" I went crazy just thinking about my next "fix."

I felt fortunate that Terry liked coasters, or should I say, "tolerated" them. Around noon one Saturday as we were driving into Dallas, he mentioned that I-35 was splitting and wanted to know which way the hotel was. I said that the hotel was 35E, but we were taking 35W. He made the mistake of asking, "Why?" "Ummm... well... we're going to Arlington." "What's there?" he questioned. "Six Flags," I responded as I tried not to watch his reaction. After a long sigh, he reluctantly replied, "Okay, BUT...we're leaving the park before dark because I don't want to be looking for the hotel in the middle of the night." Needless to say, we closed the park down (rode each coaster twice) and admired the night lights of Dallas as I navigated him directly to the hotel without a glitch. (It's a good thing we didn't own Suzie, the GPS.)

When we moved to northern Virginia, my passion for coasters grew beyond belief. We lived half an hour from Six Flags America in Maryland, less than 100 miles from Busch Gardens and King's Dominion in VA, and just a mere two hours from Hershey Park, Pennsylvania. Anyone who came to visit this "junkie" could count on spending at least a day at one of these parks. We even ventured as far north as Jackson, New Jersey, to check out Six Flags Great Adventure, and as far west as Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, to test the Dollywood coasters. (a super disappointment)

I never missed an opportunity to feed my addiction. I recall Terry asking me early one Mother's Day morning what I'd like to do. I casually said, "Take me to Six Flags today, please?" He thought that was about the dumbest suggestion ever because the park would be packed and the lines would be so long. "Are you kidding?" I chuckled. "What mother in her right mind would take her children to an amusement park on HER day?" :) We rode the coasters all day without having to wait in line once...our kind of day.

I've traveled the country to ride coasters but am so disappointed that I was never able to ride the coaster atop the Stratosphere in Las Vegas. It could only operate if the wind was less than 5 miles per hour (at 1100 feet above ground level). The morning we planned to ride it, Terry came down with vertigo...the poor fella spent the day at the ER instead. He was having his own thrill ride of sorts. (Sorry!) The roller coaster is no longer there, but I just might have to try the extreme thrill rides that replaced it the next time I travel to Vegas.

I have ridden "stand-up" coasters, "water soaker" coasters, "lie down" coasters, a "backward" coaster (the Rebel Yell which is no longer at King's Dominion). You name it, I've probably ridden it or one similar to it. I LOVE ROLLER COASTERS!!! That's why I absolutely crave the thought of riding the coasters at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, which people say have the best coasters in the world. I have put that trip on my bucket list...

...which leads me to one final note. I have informed Terry and my children that when I die, cremate me--find the fastest, tallest outdoor coaster they can, and turn me loose!! I will be smiling down upon them and having the greatest, most fulfilling ride of my life! (I suggest you choose the last car!)