Cedar Point
Sandusky, Ohio
May 27 & 28 2010
Page Seven




After trying out Detonator at Worlds of Fun I wanted to get Bond on Power Tower figuring he'd like it.  We did the blast up and he liked it.



While sitting on Power Tower we noticed Top Thrill Dragster start to test as it had been down all day long.  Figuring that there'd soon be massive lines we headed straight for it. 

This is the ride that had been unnerving Bond for a while.  Who can blame him for being extremely nervous about getting launched from 0 to 120mph in 3.8 seconds then going straight up 420 feet and straight down 400?  It freaks me out and I had been on it half a dozen times on my last visit.  Watching it speed by as they tested I could see him getting more and more worked up and nervous.  Knowing Bond this was going to turn into a meltdown before we got into the station so I did the best ting in this situation...I got his mind off if the ride.



How did I get his mind off of the intense and scary experience that was looming over us literally?  I gave him permission to swear.  Yes I told him that from that point until he left the rides platform he could swear but it couldn't be at anyone.  Bond is extremely good about not swearing.  We have only caught a swear word crossing his lips once when he was in the shower because he knows the words are mostly used to hurt people's feelings so I knew this little infraction wasn't going to make him swear all the time. 

What it did do was make him laugh.  In the queue Cedar Point plays part of the Republica song "Ready To Go" so Bond and I changed the lyrics to "Ready To Cuss" and he laughed and laughed about it.  By the time we were about to get into the front seat for our first ride he informed me that he wasn't scared anymore and couldn't wait to ride.

We got strapped in and as the train pulled up into the launch position I looked at him and said "Let's practice" so we said a few cuss words and laughed even more.  Both of us put our hands up as the lights went down and then we were off. 

I love the launch on Top Thrill Dragster because it's so intense it kicks off a panic attack in me.  What's interesting is it takes about 3 seconds for the panic attack to kick in and then at the top of the hill my adrenaline kicks in canceling out the panic attack and then it's all downhill.

On the way down the 400 foot drop I heard Bond scream out "I f%c&ed this ride"!  He doesn't quite get how to use the various swear words but that's a good thing.  When we left the platform we left the swear words behind and Bond had a new favorite coaster.



I know a lot of enthusiasts look down on Iron Dragon (or Draggin' Iron as it's called) but this sadly is one of the few remaining suspended coasters and with it's new paint job is quite a bit smoother than it used to be and is a nice family coaster.



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Paul B. Drabek