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What was fun is while we waited Silver Dollar City had someone from each group that was participating in the final ride stand up and give their story about why Fire in the Hole was important to them.  Some of the common themes in the discussion was that the ride is so much fun, there were a few firefighters in the group that the ride had an impact on when they were growing up, and that Fire in the Hole is an experience that connects generations of family members.  It felt like a support group meeting for "Fire in the Hole Addicts".

When everyone finished up talking we were given the surprise announcement that we'd be given something more than the memory of our final ride to take with us as Silver Dollar City had a section of track for each of the groups with a few other goodies. 

Silver Dollar City always impresses me with how much care they give to making sure all of their guests have a world class experience when visiting the park.  To give as much respect to a ride and those who love it as they have is unprecedented.  Outside of everything that was being done for the final riders Silver Dollar City announced the final ride a year in advance giving all that love it one more chance to experience it, then on the final day they brought in bands to entertain those in line as well as giving all who ride it on the coasters final day a exclusive sticker as a souvenir.  Disney doesn't do this, Universal doesn't do this, Cedar Fair/Six Flags don't do this.  Going well above and beyond the rest of the industry is why Silver Dollar City is one of the best theme parks on the planet.



 For most of the day the line for Fire in the Hole was well over a hundred minutes long as everyone wanted one more trip through Marmaros.



With the line gone it was time for our final ride.



As someone who loves rides, and who really appreciates the impact that places like Silver Dollar City and coasters like Fire in the Hole make on people my emotions were a tanged mess as all of my memories of Fire in the Hole flooded into my head.  Part of me was sad because this was my last original Fire in the Hole ride.  The other part was like a little kid jumping for joy on Christmas morning at being asked to be one of Fire in the Hole's final riders after fifty-one years. 



Just closing my eyes I could feel the decades of laughter, smiles, and good vibrations that came from Fire in the Hole and that it was coming to an end really kind of hit hard.



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Paul B. Drabek