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(reconstructed from memory)
We launched this morning, heading east towards Chicago. Riff looked at the road atlas, looked at the route I had planned, and suggested a slight change that would add about 50 miles to the drive but which would avoid a number of toll roads, be simpler to follow, and would probably actually save time because we would be avoiding the metro Chicago area completely. It sounded like a good plan to me, so off we went.
From Wisconsin we crossed into Illinois, then into northern Indiana, and finally into Ohio. Because we were traveling on toll highways generally dedicated to trucking and cross-country travelers, the exits were limited to standardized service and food centers. Sunoco had the monopoly on gasoline for most of the drive, and the scenery was sparse. I think it is safe to say that we did not see the best of either Illinois or Indiana.
On the bright side, we arrived in Sandusky, Ohio early enough in the evening for it to be worth hitting Cedar Point for a few hours before calling it a night.
Wow.
This is a hell of a park if you are into coasters. Everywhere you go you hear the rumble of wheels on track and the screams of the passengers. Space is at such a premium that the walkways pass directy under many coasters, so it is not unusual to glance up and see a carload of passengers roaring by upside down above you. Towering above the park are two monuments: Millenium Force, which at 310 feet was the tallest coaster in the world when it debuted in 200, and Top Thrill Dragster, which at 420 feet holds dual records as the tallest and fasted (120mph) coaster in the world. It also spends more than half of its time out of order due to a faulty launching mechanism which causes the hydraulic fluid to become fouled.
Our first ride was on the Raptor -- a suspended coaster that sends you through loops, coils, twists, and and endless array of mind-bending inversions. It was a spectacular way to start the evening.
Next up was a classic wooden coaster, the Blue Streak. This was your basic out and back wooden coaster, built in 1964 and the oldest operating coaster in the park. It runs right along one side of the park, right next to the marina, and the view was great.
From there we meandered over to the Iron Dragon. This one was another suspended coaster, and was actually pretty mundane. It had a few nice turns, but certainly wouldn't win any awards.
At that point we decided to hit the big one - Millenium Force. This coaster is a real work of art visually, with its initial climb rising 310 feet into the sky followed by the first big drop and then another slightly smaller rise and drop. Viewed from the side it makes for the stylized "M" that also serves as its logo. The second drop sends you around a 90 degree turn, through a tunnel, up and down another rise and drop, swists through two coils, and then sends you back through another tunnel and around another logn straight-away and turn to bring you back to the station. The line for the coaster is actuall tucked inside the curve of that last turn, so that as you are standing there the cares are roaring by right overhead. The wait was well over an hour, and absolutely worth it. This was a mind-blowing coaster -- in my case literally. As we ascended the first climb it was well after dark, and the coaster just kept going up and up and up. Finally we crested the top and dropped into nothingness. I actually blacked out going down the first drop, and spent the rest of the ride limply aware of what was going on but unable to really move or even scream. I have never had a coaster kick me that hard, and it was an astounding experience.
With time running out before park closing, we journeyed over to the outer end of the park where stands the Mean Streak; 1.7 million board feet of treated Southern yellow pine, and still one of the largest wooden coasters in the world. Wow. I mean really, wow. This is an architecturaly marvel, and a damn fine ride to boot.
By the time we stumbled off the Mean Streak it was time to catch a late dinner and head off to bed.
Tomorrow: more coasters. yay!
We launched this morning, heading east towards Chicago. Riff looked at the road atlas, looked at the route I had planned, and suggested a slight change that would add about 50 miles to the drive but which would avoid a number of toll roads, be simpler to follow, and would probably actually save time because we would be avoiding the metro Chicago area completely. It sounded like a good plan to me, so off we went.
From Wisconsin we crossed into Illinois, then into northern Indiana, and finally into Ohio. Because we were traveling on toll highways generally dedicated to trucking and cross-country travelers, the exits were limited to standardized service and food centers. Sunoco had the monopoly on gasoline for most of the drive, and the scenery was sparse. I think it is safe to say that we did not see the best of either Illinois or Indiana.
On the bright side, we arrived in Sandusky, Ohio early enough in the evening for it to be worth hitting Cedar Point for a few hours before calling it a night.
Wow.
This is a hell of a park if you are into coasters. Everywhere you go you hear the rumble of wheels on track and the screams of the passengers. Space is at such a premium that the walkways pass directy under many coasters, so it is not unusual to glance up and see a carload of passengers roaring by upside down above you. Towering above the park are two monuments: Millenium Force, which at 310 feet was the tallest coaster in the world when it debuted in 200, and Top Thrill Dragster, which at 420 feet holds dual records as the tallest and fasted (120mph) coaster in the world. It also spends more than half of its time out of order due to a faulty launching mechanism which causes the hydraulic fluid to become fouled.
Our first ride was on the Raptor -- a suspended coaster that sends you through loops, coils, twists, and and endless array of mind-bending inversions. It was a spectacular way to start the evening.
Next up was a classic wooden coaster, the Blue Streak. This was your basic out and back wooden coaster, built in 1964 and the oldest operating coaster in the park. It runs right along one side of the park, right next to the marina, and the view was great.
From there we meandered over to the Iron Dragon. This one was another suspended coaster, and was actually pretty mundane. It had a few nice turns, but certainly wouldn't win any awards.
At that point we decided to hit the big one - Millenium Force. This coaster is a real work of art visually, with its initial climb rising 310 feet into the sky followed by the first big drop and then another slightly smaller rise and drop. Viewed from the side it makes for the stylized "M" that also serves as its logo. The second drop sends you around a 90 degree turn, through a tunnel, up and down another rise and drop, swists through two coils, and then sends you back through another tunnel and around another logn straight-away and turn to bring you back to the station. The line for the coaster is actuall tucked inside the curve of that last turn, so that as you are standing there the cares are roaring by right overhead. The wait was well over an hour, and absolutely worth it. This was a mind-blowing coaster -- in my case literally. As we ascended the first climb it was well after dark, and the coaster just kept going up and up and up. Finally we crested the top and dropped into nothingness. I actually blacked out going down the first drop, and spent the rest of the ride limply aware of what was going on but unable to really move or even scream. I have never had a coaster kick me that hard, and it was an astounding experience.
With time running out before park closing, we journeyed over to the outer end of the park where stands the Mean Streak; 1.7 million board feet of treated Southern yellow pine, and still one of the largest wooden coasters in the world. Wow. I mean really, wow. This is an architecturaly marvel, and a damn fine ride to boot.
By the time we stumbled off the Mean Streak it was time to catch a late dinner and head off to bed.
Tomorrow: more coasters. yay!
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Re: Minor edit...