Roller coaster of love

As I was saying in my blog 'Where's the Real Food?', Erich and I went to Canada's Wonderland's Halloween Haunt a couple of weeks ago so we could check out the scary stuff and put a nail in the coffin of another of my big fears - riding a roller coaster.

After we ate dinner, during which I was looking for the aforementioned "real food", we strolled on towards the rides in the park. It was still light outside but the park wasn't open to the general public yet so we had some awesome personalized attention in the first two haunted mazes we walked through. They were great so we were already in a good mood. We stood around waiting for the rides to open; security told us "Watch out for the stampede behind you." So we turned around and sure enough, a crowd was running full speed ahead towards us, past us. They all seemed to be heading for the first coaster around which is called Dragon Fire.

Erich said "You want to ride this one?" And since I didn't have much time to think, I said "Ok!"

There were no line-ups to speak of the whole night. I think if I'd had to stand in line for an hour - like in the summer - I might've talked myself out of this stuff. But as it was, I followed him and we trotted up to the ride and got on.

Oh, this seat looked sooooooo tiny!! I only hesitated for a second then climbed in. I actually had room in the seat. I had no idea what to do with the rollbar or the strap so Erich helped me and I just did what he did. Then the guy came around and checked to make sure everyone was in and we were off. It was all very, very quick.

"I have lost my mind," I said as we started moving. When we started the first climb, Erich asked me if I was ok. "So far," I replied. My heart was beating out of my chest. Seriously. I looked down and holllllyyyy crap. "I have lost my mind," I said again and Erich started to laugh. I have to admit I closed my eyes as we went down the first hill. Here's a video POV of Dragon Fire. And I was screaming about like the woman in the video, too.



The ride is super quick. I couldn't believe it was over so fast. "People wait in line for two hours for that?" I said. Erich said yes, most rides are over very quickly. Hm. Interesting. I was a little dizzy when we got up and walked off the ride. It wasn't so bad! Actually kind of fun.

By now it was dark and we walked around soaking up the atmosphere and going through the other mazes. We stopped to ride the The Rage, which is one of those pirate ships that swings back and forth. OMG - ok, I know it's not a huge ride, but just the sensation that you're going to fall out messes with your head. Sheesh.



More mazes - all of which were really cool but we preferred the ones that were indoors. The outdoor ones were great, too, but we felt like they needed more staff to scare you. There were stretches where you're just walking and nothing was happening. We really enjoyed the staff who were in costume just walking around the park, too. Very cool and we'll definitely go back!

Next up, we went into a ride simulator called Elvira's Superstition. It was actually pretty neat though it would've been better if we'd been more towards the middle of the theater. It kinda feels like you're on a real coaster, though certainly not the same.



Next up...Skyrider. It's a stand-up steel coaster. While waiting in line (a total of about 10 minutes), there was a guy about Erich's size being strapped in. We were watching him, thinking if he can get on then Erich can. He saw us watching him struggle and laughed. They tightened the strap across his chest instead of his stomach so he was good. Erich did the same thing when we got on. I again was having problems just maneuvering the rollbar. I don't really know what to do with the stuff. LOL! A staff member helped me and she pulled the strap over my stomach and had to tighten it up. That was a moment. She had to tighten it up. "You ok now sweetie? You feel ok?" she asked. "Yeah, I'm fine." I was smiling from ear to ear.

"I have lost my mind," I said again. And again, my husband started to laugh at me. "What the hell am I doing? I really have lost my mind." And off we went.



I think this one was my favorite just because there was less jarring and moving around than on the others. I guess because they really have you wedged in, with the rollbar over your shoulders, the strap, and the bar that comes up between your legs. You don't move very much.

Last on the list (with good reason) was the Great Canadian Minebuster. Let me tell you this: I'm really glad this wasn't the first coaster I rode because it probably would've been the last. It was AWFUL. It was modeled after The Beast at Kings Island. And after I got off it, I felt like I'd been in a high-speed car crash. It shook the living shit out of me. Plus I lost my favorite headband (pout) - yes, it shakes you that much. I was almost in tears by the time we came to a stop. I was walking sideways for a few steps; I felt like I had serious whiplash and my back was messed up. It scared me because I haven't felt that type of disjointed pain for a long time, since before my surgery. It took me back to my 450-pound days for a second and freaked me out. Plus I was really dizzy. When we got to a bench somewhere, Erich sat me down till I felt better. I will never ride that thing again.



So I was done after that. No more coasters for Cindy this trip! We went through the rest of the haunted mazes and interacted with the staff wandering around. I got my picture taken with a couple who had probably two of the best costumes at the park (as always, click to enlarge):



Not long after we left, I realized I hadn't sat down the entire night except to ride and the brief few minutes after getting off the Minebuster. I didn't feel it, didn't notice it at all. I just was having a good time and not worrying about my body failing me in any way. Freedom. It's so liberating I can't even explain it to you if you've never been entombed by your own body. Breaking free of the chains my obesity put on me is the best thing that's ever happened to me in my life.

Back in 2003 or 2004, I took Erich and Ericha to Kings Island when we went to Ohio for our annual visit in the summer. I enjoyed going there even if I didn't ride anything. But this was a completely awful day and by the end of it, I swore I'd never go back to an amusement park.

I could barely walk 20 feet, let alone walk around Kings Island all day long so we rented a scooter for me so I could have some semblance of a normal experience. The straw that broke the camel's back was that I broke the scooter. There was a weight limit, and I knew I was over it when we rented it, but we decided to go ahead anyway. I really didn't know how much I weighed but I didn't think I was that far over the limit. Mistake. Oh yes, I broke the fucking scooter. That was it. I thought to myself "Well, I can't walk it and I can't even rent the scooters they have available because I'm too fat to ride them. So I guess I'm done." Now I realize I was hovering around 500 pounds back then - I was at my heaviest - so man...the poor scooter.

Someone, probably my mother, took a picture of me on that scooter. The bottom picture is of me at Wonderland a couple weeks ago:



And here is a picture of Erich and me at Kings Island, and below that one of us at Wonderland:



My main man Michael Ventrella, last season's Biggest Loser, recently gave an interview where he was asked about one of his goals he'd set for himself:

Michael, you previously said that one of your goals was to visit a theme park. Have you done that yet?!

"Sadly no! I have all these little cousins who are waiting for me. They send me texts and emails and Facebook messages like, 'When are we going to go to Disney World or Great America?' But I've been so busy that I haven't had the time to go, to do all these things. I've been reborn, I'm at a weight right now that I haven't been since I was 13 or 14 years old so I'm able to do all the things I wasn't able to do when I was a child, so I'm excited and it's like I'm living life for the first time in a way. I've been given a second chance and it's a new life to me, so I'm excited."

That is exactly how I feel! I wrote a response to him and told him to MAKE time and get on the damn coaster. Live your life out loud. He needs to MAKE TIME. Ah yes, sweet freedom. Life is good.