After 1600 miles and 3 parks,I'm not going to go into redundant details that always get repeated. I'm going to cover the 2 most interesting parts of my journey, MF and North Coast Parasail.
After arriving early on Tuesday after an aborted SFO trip (left after 3 hours)I ran to MF at 5 pm and waited 1 hr 20 minutes for the first ride ever. The hype is real!! I have never exited a ride and had to sit down to absorb the experience before. Man, serious speed happening!! I did MF 8 times during my visit, managing the front seat, back seat and middle and rode in all three trains. Yes, it seems to speed up more as the day goes on. I'm also breaking from the majority and saying the most cranking airtime is in the back seat. Hey-my opinion! All in all, this is what other new coasters will now be judged against. 4 stars and easily one of my Top 5 rides.
I spent the last 2 days with a good friend Dave who had a business trip in Cleveland and stayed with me at Breakers to do Friday and Saturday. I liked this to finally have someone to talk to in line. After a great time on Friday with easy lines, by 1 pm on Saturday, we were becoming dejected as everything had over 1 hour waits. Dave suddenly suggested Parasailing as a way to kill the afternoon, then return to the park later. I always wanted to try parasailing and since I never had a problem with any ride before, I figured this would be easy. I chose poorly.
We arrived at the Parasail place and I saw someone in action on the sail over the lake, but REALLY paid attention. It looked really high but I was sorta sure I could deal with it. Something was telling me that this was pushing it a little much. I had been cranking everyday nonstop since PKI the previous Sunday and was overtired, hungover and sore in places I didn't even know I had. To fail to do this ran the risk of being called "Girly Man" which is unacceptable. I told Dave I'd go only if we got the "easy" ride, the 400 foot. The other, 800 feet, seemed too much seeing as how neither one of us never did it before.
We got out on the boat and got ready. I assumed (yeah, I know, never do that)that you had some type of chair you were securily fasened to, and there was some way to signal if you had a problem. I was fitted into something that resembled a rock climbing harness which was attached to the sail. You basically had 2 nylon straps to sit on, your butt hanging through the center of the straps. This was not what I envisioned.
Dave and I were able to ride together, so off we were. With about 50 feet of line out we were just hanging above the water. No problem. Then they let it rip. We began rising really really fast. I immediately knew this was bad. I started yelling to abort mission, but the guys in the boat either couldn't hear me or didn't care. We kept rising and I started to really have a problem. There was also no way to signal the operators if you were in trouble-once you're up there, that's it. What followed were the most terrifying 15 minutes of my life. I was hyperventelating, shaking, whining, screaming and basically having the worst freak out meltdown I've ever had. I decided to shut my eyes and told Dave to talk me through this and let me know when we were coming in. Dave was able to get me through it by talking about anything except what was happening, although I could tell he wasen't really enjoying it either. But at least he was under control and not the quivering mess I was.
After what seemed like 50 years of hell, Dave said we were headed down. When we got to the boat, I collapsed into it a shaking, pale hyperventelating disaster. The boat guys asked Dave "Guess he didn't like it much?" I would have pushed him overboard if I could have moved. When we got back to shore, I layed on the sand thanking God I lived. Dave had paid for the on ride photo with our tickets,but decided not to get it. He said it wasen't something he needed to be reminded of. He also said he no longer had any interest in jumping out of a plane anymore.
I slowly headed down the walkway outside Breakers, went to Soak City, went immediately to the Swim Up Bar, and sat there for 3 hours getting numb. At 6 when it closed, Dave tried to get me to go back in for another MF, but I couldn't do it. That parasailing did me in for the day. I went back to Breakers, ordered a pizza and got to sleep so I would feel better for the long ride home. I've never had a bad reaction to any ride before- now I know a little better not to annoy someone I'm with to ride something I think is good. Everyone has their limits. I just discovered what mine was. I returned from the Point tired, sore, and also learned something about myself. If you made it this far, thanks for reading!!
wow!!! what a trip!! what more can i possibly say?
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ride early, ride often!!!
Whoa! Now I'm SURE that I'm never going to try parasailing! I heard that unlike coaster riding, it requires control on your part (like you can steer yourself into a building if you're not careful.) Too much danger for me!
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A bad day at CP is better than a good day at work.
If it requires control, it didn't get any from me. I was unable to control ANYTHING almost including bodily functions- no joke! You just hang out up there praying for it to end. The moral here is if something looks like you might not be able to deal with it, don't do it. You'll thank yourself. I'll stick with coasters and leave all the extreme crap for the truly suicidal.
Man that sounds awesome! Now I really want to do it! 800 feet! How much was it and does it cost more to go up to 800 feet?
It costs the same with either height. I would HIGHLY recommend trying the 400 first. When you actually do it, it's not as much fun as it looks. I was pretty gung-ho and thought I could handle anything too. Be careful.
And it's $50. I still would rather have gone through elective dental surgery than do it again.
Really? I thought it was awesome when I did it last season. I must admit that I was the exact same way at first. Afterward, however, I wanted to go on the 800! I ended up riding Ripcord instead.
Have you ever rode Ripcord?
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Dispatch Master, This is Transport one! I'm losing control, I'm losing control!
They can keep Ripcord, the Skyscraper, hangliding, bungee jumping, skydiving and all that other crap. I'll stick with coasters. Maybe as I get older, I get lamer, I'm not sure.
i dunno, Dave..i feel the same way. i'll go on any coaster you put in front of me, but i avoid all of the above AND PT too. it's something about the heights. i LOVE the rest of the ride, but the height really gets to me. my boyfriend did Ripcord, says he'd do it again. not me. no way. so don't worry, you are not alone!!
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ride early, ride often!!!