ply. She is really excited by now, or at least I am, so we head up the ramp to the entrance. The other three stand at the bottom to watch us. Yep, she just clears the bar at 3 feet 6 inches. Not long before we hand the girl our tickets and hop in a seat near the center of the train. Fasten the seat bar and off we go. After the first drop of 96 feet at a 52 degree angle, also called the "Chocolate Drop," the train goes up another hill and then makes a 180 degree turn, drops back down another hill, goes up a small hill, and then up a larger hill, making another 180 degree turn. After the turn, there is another drop, and after a bunny hill, the track makes a right turn ("dog leg"), going through several bunny hills before another 180 degree turn. Following the second set of bunny hills is a left turn, two bunny hills and the then the train slows into the station. I really didn't make this up. I copied and pasted it from the Comet web site. And.......it really is as thrilling and exciting as it sounds. The whole time Brynn is screaming, "I'm scared, I'm scared!" Her face shows her alarm. But, as the train goes over the last set of bunny hills and into the station she yells, "can we go again?" It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
Friday, February 12, 2010
The "Terrified Rider" Story
It was an ordinary day. We are visiting Hersheypark. The "We" is Carol and I and our three kids Derek age 8, Brynn age 5 and Tad age 3. Hershey is about a half hour drive from Lancaster and was a neat inexpensive day trip for a family. At least it used to be. Hersheypark opened in 1907 in Hershey, PA. Known as "The Sweetest Place on Earth." Hersheypark was originally opened as a leisure park for the employees of Hershey Chocolate Company. Hersheypark was a little different in the mid-70s than it is today. Back then it was a pay as you ride park. There was no admissions fee to get into the park. No fence around the park. We have the stroller along today to help with the transportation. Naturally we hit the children's rides as soon as we get there. We all hopped on the Merry-Go-Round multiple times, rode the Dry Gulch Railroad and then the Monorail. This is the only ride that travels outside the park, crossing Spring Creek and traveling to the chocolate factory. Lunch time rolled around pretty quickly and we had burgers, hotdogs, fries and drinks. After lunch we took in the dolphin show which no longer exists. As we strolled through the park we passed the Comet which is a wooden rollercoaster built in 1946. This is my favorite ride in the park. We stop and look up at the top of the ride towering above us. I know Carol won't ride with me so I half heartedly ask the kids, "who wants to ride with me?" Immediately Brynn says, "I will, Dad." Carols tells me, "you can't take her on that ride. She's not big or old enough." "Ahh, come on. Sure he is," I reply. She is really excited by now, or at least I am, so we head up the ramp to the entrance. The other three stand at the bottom to watch us. Yep, she just clears the bar at 3 feet 6 inches. Not long before we hand the girl our tickets and hop in a seat near the center of the train. Fasten the seat bar and off we go. After the first drop of 96 feet at a 52 degree angle, also called the "Chocolate Drop," the train goes up another hill and then makes a 180 degree turn, drops back down another hill, goes up a small hill, and then up a larger hill, making another 180 degree turn. After the turn, there is another drop, and after a bunny hill, the track makes a right turn ("dog leg"), going through several bunny hills before another 180 degree turn. Following the second set of bunny hills is a left turn, two bunny hills and the then the train slows into the station. I really didn't make this up. I copied and pasted it from the Comet web site. And.......it really is as thrilling and exciting as it sounds. The whole time Brynn is screaming, "I'm scared, I'm scared!" Her face shows her alarm. But, as the train goes over the last set of bunny hills and into the station she yells, "can we go again?" It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
ply. She is really excited by now, or at least I am, so we head up the ramp to the entrance. The other three stand at the bottom to watch us. Yep, she just clears the bar at 3 feet 6 inches. Not long before we hand the girl our tickets and hop in a seat near the center of the train. Fasten the seat bar and off we go. After the first drop of 96 feet at a 52 degree angle, also called the "Chocolate Drop," the train goes up another hill and then makes a 180 degree turn, drops back down another hill, goes up a small hill, and then up a larger hill, making another 180 degree turn. After the turn, there is another drop, and after a bunny hill, the track makes a right turn ("dog leg"), going through several bunny hills before another 180 degree turn. Following the second set of bunny hills is a left turn, two bunny hills and the then the train slows into the station. I really didn't make this up. I copied and pasted it from the Comet web site. And.......it really is as thrilling and exciting as it sounds. The whole time Brynn is screaming, "I'm scared, I'm scared!" Her face shows her alarm. But, as the train goes over the last set of bunny hills and into the station she yells, "can we go again?" It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment