November 2, 2008.......Best day I've had in a long time!

I had an absolutely amazing day on Sunday November 2nd! Allow me to give you a brief history so you may better understand why it was so spectacular for me.

I've been overweight my whole life. I was just shy of 10 pounds at birth and have never looked back. Living about an hour from CP, I went at least once a year for most of my teen years, until 1991.

In June of 1991 my friend Dennis and I made a trip to The Point. We headed straight for Mean Streak only to find it closed for repairs so we decided to ride Magnum! After waiting in line for a good bit it was finally our turn to board. I sit down but find that I can't fit. I couldn't ride and because I couldn't climb over Dennis I had to exit by way of the Entrance ramp. It sucked to say the least.

Over the next 14 or so years I continued to put on weight. Knowing I couldn't fit in the coasters anymore, I stopped going to the park. At my heaviest recorded weight in the spring of 2005 I was 452 pounds with a 70 INCH waist and knew things had to change.

Cut to Summer 2007. I've gotten my weight down to around 325 pounds and want to see how my weight loss as affected my coastering chances. My siblings and I decide to gather some friends and make a Labor Day weekend trip. At the end of the day the only coaster I could fit in was ID, but I was back on a coaster!!!!! Oh the bliss!!!!

Cut to November 2, 2008. I've lost another 40 pounds and am now wearing a size52 pants. I discover my new friend Anthony is the biggest coaster geek I've ever met. It's Closing Day! Let's go!!!

We turn off of First St. onto the Causeway at around 3pm and find the main parking lot to be maybe half-full. This makes us quite happy. More riding....less waiting!

First stop: Demon Drop....I hadn't been on it since the late 80's sometime so I made Anth ride it. It's good for a rush.

Next: Blue Streak....I had no idea if I would fit. Went up the exit ramp to try the seat and I FIT!!! You'd have thought I was about to get on The Voyage with the stupid grin on my face! Went up the Entrance ramp but waited a few minutes while they transferred down to one train. Yes it was THAT slow at CP that day.As we walk away from BS Anth informs me that ".....MS also uses PTC trains so you'll be able to ride that also. Not that you'd want too...." I say, "At this point, I want to ride everything I can! Even if it's the LAST time I ride it."

Next: Raptor....no go as per the test seat, but OH so close. Next year baby! Anth proceeds to tell me about the footer they had to replace shortly after the Cobra roll. I told ya....MAJOR coaster geek.

Next: Wildcat....I fit!!! Now it's only Wildcat, but it's been 17 years!!"Feels like the first time....." :) Anth is going on and on about General Schwarzkopf or someone designing this ride. :P A little coaster geek humor.

Next: Iron Dragon.....I knew I could fit and it was ONLY ID but, again, I wanted to ride everything I could. The misting machines were in full effect today! Anthony: ".....KI next year. Flight Deck is way better........" LOL Love this kid!

Next: Millie (and eventually TTD).....uhhhh no. I couldn't get the seat belt more than half way on TTD. With 167 pounds of weight loss comes a LOT of excess skin around the middle. So my 52 inch waist expands to something closer to 60 inches when I sit. Hopefully I can ride them next year. Anth: talk of Millie being kinda boring after the initial drop.

Next: Well we were heading to Mean Streak. I was figuring there was NO way I was getting into those Maverick seats. It was one of the new rides that I was having so much trouble with; Raptor, TTD, Millie, Maxair, Sky Hawk....but we were walking right by it, I HAVE to at least try the tester. I FIT!!!!!! OMG OMG OMG OMG

Next: MAVERICK!!!!! Look....up until this point the most intense ride I'd been on was Gemini. I was NOT prepared for the awesomeness that is Maverick! I decided then and there that if I didn't lose another pound by next summer, I was getting a Platinum Pass! I was so giddy I bought the on-ride photo in a key chain. Anth: Mostly talk of how they should just burn MS to the ground and have GCI build a new one rather than re-track it. Something about "lipstick on a pig".

Next: Mean Streak....No suspense. I knew I would fit since it uses PTC trains. It made me nauseous but I think I was tired from not enough sleep the night before and actually needing to eat something. Anth said it was smoother than he remembered it but went on and on about the trims at the top of the drop.

Next: Gemini....I wasn't sure I'd fit. Went up the exit ramp to try and I fit better than I did in BS and MS. Since there was only 5 or 6 people in line they just let us ride without going back around to the entrance. Not as fun when they're only running the Blue line but still the great ride I remember from my younger years. Anth: "I've gotta get some fries but we'll probably have to get them up front."

Next: Happy Friar IS open! mmmmm....cheese fries.

Next: Magnum....my nemesis from many years ago. However there really is no suspense involved since they're basically identical trains to Gemini! Oh man....my first time at 200 feet! Our first ride was in the last seat and the air time was ridiculous!! NO TRIMS!! My thighs hurt from bringing me back into the train on the return trip. Our second ride was in the front seat! I loved it just as much. I just loved being able to conquer 200 feet for the first time ever! Anth: "....LOVE it when they don't trim the pretzel...."

We talked about riding Maggie again but after all the excitement of this amazing day, I was spent! Wasn't feeling like doing Corky. We walked to TTD. I tried the seat even though I knew I wouldn't fit. I told Anth he should ride and I would take a break in the bleachers while he did. 20 minutes for the front seat!

Caught Sky Ride back up front. Raptor looked to be walk-on so I told Anthony to catch it before we headed home.

So that was my day at The Point! I've spent many years THINKING I was a coaster freak, but as I said earlier, Gemini was the biggest coaster I had been on. For all I knew I could get on Maggie and spaz out! But I didn't. I am officially a coaster freak! Thanks for reading.

Doesn't Holliday World have some coasters that use PTC trains? :?)

Congrats on the weight loss! That's pretty incredible. I'm glad you were able to have a great time. And yes, Holiday World has 3 amazing coasters with PTC trains.

Thanks Chris. And Holiday World is now a guarantee for next summer! Can't wait!

This is seriously a great story no joke, many people would see someone try to get in a coaster and not fit and the people would be like wow he has no self control but they dont stop and think about it. It amazing to see were you have come from and Im glad that you have gotten on some. keep up the good work man. Im pullin for ya

How cold was it on November second? You know, after I seen your post on my thread, I thought that I would check out yours. You know, I think Cedar Point brings out the best in a lot of us, even health wise. I never wanted to give up my love for rollercoasters and Cedar Point, so I got my surgery done as soon as possible, and I was up and running by 2008. And as far as your weight loss, you have 2 positives: Losing weight will keep you healthy, and you get to go on more rides! If it means improving ourselves to enjoy the Point, its totally worth it!! I say CP is thereputic in its own way.

It wasnt that cold, I cant remember the exact temps, but I remember being comfortable in a fleece jacket during the day. Come night, I added a hoddie, and under armor though. I never needed the hat and gloves though.

Yeah it was a nice Autumn day. It MIGHT have hit 60 that day but I'm thinking more mid-50's.

Getting back on coasters has been a big motivator for me! I'm already making plans to visit Holiday World for Memorial Day Weekend next year. Probably Dollywood since my sister lives in Tennessee. Probably Waldameer in Erie, PA to ride Ravine Flyer II. And with the Platinum Pass I'll be getting; CP, KI, probably MI Adventure and maybe some of the other CF parks in this half of the country!

Being thinner is SO much better than being.....thicker. LOL

That was one of the best trip reports I have read in awhile. Congrats on all the fun.