Whoa, great topic! (warning-long!)
My coaster story-
It started in 1991 when I went to Carowinds with my Mom, Dad, Aunt, Uncle, and 2 cousins. I rode Scooby Doo, which seemed hugmungous at the time. I remember not hating it, but not loving either, mainly because I had some stomach virus thing, and I puked at the waterpark. (remember that next time you go to Carowinds ;)) Fast Forward to 1994, at Kings Dominion, I could have ridden every coaster at the time except for Shockwave. What do I decide to do? Spend the whole damn time in kiddie land. I was just terrified of them, I wouldn't even ride their Scooby Doo, which was real bad because my 2 year old brother did! I think it was something sublimable having to do with throwing up on coasters. 1996, Disney World I again was too scared to ride Space Mountain, and Splash Mountain. But my parents did manage to get me on Big Thunder Mountain, when I got off, I said let's do it again! We didn't though. 1997, Carowinds with many of my friends in the Boy Scouts. I got up enough courage to ride Goldrusher... spent the rest of the time in kiddieland. Also chickened out on Gauntlet (a flying carpet) 1998, Busch Gardens Williamsburg. I told my parents that I would start with BBW, if I liked that I would go to LNM, then DF, then Alpie. I did ride BBW, and the mouse, but that's it. I'm really kicking my-self in the*****for not riding it too, oh well, I'll get to it within a year. Also, I rode all 3 flat rides in the Da Vinci section. I did not however ride Escape from Pompeii. 1999, June. I got RCT, started visiting sites like Thrillride (R.I.P.) 1999, Labor Day weekend, Carowinds. Started off with Gold Rusher, then went to Carolina Cyclone, my first looper, rode that 3 times, then to Vortex. I also "conquered" The Gauntlet, and White Water Falls. I would've done Powderkeg Flume, but the line was too long. Then to Top Gun... this is the coaster that I credit with making me an enthusiast. It was awesome, and it was night too, Top Gun at night, gotta love it... Note, I was still to scared to go on Hurler and Thunder Road. 2000, SFoG day 1, rode, DMT, Ninja, GS, BTR, still too scared to do the woodies. Day 2, while in line for Thunder River, my dad accidentally knocks one of my mom's lenses into the "river". They go to get her a new lens, and leave me in the park alone. I feel myself strangely going towards the Cyclone, I didn't even really think about it, it helped because I didn't have anyone nagging me. After Cyclone I immediately went to GASM, I was certainly hooked on woodies now. from there, I rode pretty much every coaster I encountered, and since then I've been to SFA, IoA, Carowinds again(where I rode Thunder Road, Hurler, and FSS) and then Kings Dominion where I rode all 11 coasters. Recently, on my last trip to Carowinds, I did the Xtreme Skyflyer.. alone. I highly recommend everyone do this at least once, ... listen Coasterman J ;) It'll be well worth it, (of course when I went, it only cost 10 bucks, instead from the regular $30)
