A Geek among Coaster Geeks?

So....

I am going through some personal stuff, and I need to take a little break and get away. I am planning a coaster trip and made plans to take a drive and hit a park or two in the middle of the week. Part of me says it's because I want to avoid the lines but secretly (don't tell anyone) I think it's because I like doing the coaster thing alone. Not always...but it seems at pivotal times in my life.

I'm very outgoing...have a nice share of friends and am really not a loner (aside from the occasional movie by myself).

But when I need to cleanse my soul via g-force, I find I like to do it alone. I love it 'cause I can get there as early as I want, and stay until the final gate shuts...I have the freedom to ride whatever and whenever my [current broken] heart desires.

I love it, but sometimes feel a little self conscious. Sometimes I feel like people are looking at me like the bomber in the 70's movie 'Rollercoaster'.

Am I alone in this? (pardon the pun). Are there any other fans out there that find it fun to have a one-on-one with your favorite thrills? Or am I a total geek?

Share with me so I can feel united while alone. (and if you ever see me near the rear of the train, smile and wave...I'll wave back).

-Mark *** Edited 8/4/2006 10:42:03 PM UTC by CoasterboyNYC***

Honestly, I just skimmed the post for a couple of seconds, but when I read "Cleanse my soul via g-force.." then the answer is yes. Just yes. Period.

Total geek. ;)

and I mean that as a compliment by the way. -e

*** Edited 8/4/2006 8:02:53 PM UTC by janfrederick***

g-force therapy has been on my list for years, so yes, if I feel the need, I will also go alone, although I never turn down anyone who wishes to accompany me so long as they are willing to stick to my schedule.

Of course I'll wave back. I'll probably be in the front of the same train.

I don't do the solo thing. I'm way to social and extroverted to do so. My only experience was while in Los Angeles on business I had an evening open, so I went over to Santa Monica to ride Westcoaster. Man was that weird, and not nearly as fun as it would be with somebody there with me. That was only for a few minutes; I can't imagine spending hours or even a whole day in a park by myself.

If you enjoy it more power to you, have fun! I'm just very much a "shared experiences" type, so it's just not for me.

I don't enjoy coastering alone, although I will head over to Advenureland, solo for an hour once in a while. It's just so much more fun to share the experience with someone you know or are interested in getting to know. After meeting so many new coaster friends over the last year, I look at coaster trips as opportunities to see my friends and not just going to parks.

Yes, yes, YES! I love riding the coasters with my husband, but, for some strange reason, enjoy it more when I'm alone. Have fun!!

I remember the fist time I went to Adventure World in 98', I was supposed to go with a co-worker. She bailed on me at the last minute (don't remember why), but I decided to go anyway. I told someone at work that I went alone and he thought it was really bizzare. So I could've stayed at home and done nothing (like watching TV) or gone and enjoyed a new experience. I'll take enjoying a new experience any day.

You never know who you're going to meet either going alone. I met my best friend and riding partner going solo to SFA one day. As a California transplant, there were many parks he hadn't visited yet. I mentioned I was going to HP/Knoebels/DP, and he asked if he could tag along. Another enthusiast friend met his wife on the ACE European trip.

Sometimes I ride alone and sometimes I go with a person or peoples depending on opportunities. My schedule doesn't always match up with other people's schedule or interest. For instance, my riding partner gowithgravity didn't want to go to DP for the Coasterbuzz event last year. So I went alone. Big deal. I met some new people at the event who I talked to again at the BeastBuzz event this year. I then managed to fit in Knoebels and HP the following day.

On the midwest trip we took this year, gwg and I had a rule; if we were getting sick of each other at anytime and wanted to go off on our own, we could. That moment finally struck at BeastBuzz on our last day. I don't think it was so much being sick of each other as just wanting to do something different from each other. He wanted an SOB ride and I wanted to ride Top Gun and Adventure Express, and we were both happy. And It was nice being separated for a while.

There's nothing wrong with enjoying an experience by yourself. Do I think it's more fun to go with other people? In general, yes, but, the great thing about going to amusement parks is that you're an unknown, unless you're one of those people forced to wear the same shirt as 150 other people:) You're not bound by anyone else's needs or desires. Next week, there will be three other people's needs to consider besides my own at HP. To me, coaster riding is a very solitary experience anyway, even if experienced in a group. It's either your experience is being compared to one other person's or maybe three other people's on a four-person row. Compare that to many of the newer/ish flatrides which are a collective experience. Examples: Afterburners, aka Fireballs, aka Revolutions, Freak-Outs, Frisbees, Top Spins, etc.

There are plenty of married couples I've read who go on vacations separately so each person gets what they want. That way, she's not stuck fishing and he's not stuck antique shopping (fill in other stereotypes if you wish).

I would say with about half my park vists, I go alone. I only have a few friends and none are interested in coasters and no one else in my family rides coasters.

I mainly go to Dorney by myself and I kind of like being there by myself. If I want to ride Talon, 6 times, there is no one there to tell me they don't want to or they don't feel like riding another coaster that I wanted to ride. Part of the reason it doesn't bother me is because the lines are usually minimal or non existant. If I was going to a park with normal lines on a regular basis alone I might think differently as standing by yourself in line for 30 - 45 minutes or more doesn't sound like fun to me.

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A Geek among Coaster Geeks?

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I prefer the term "Coaster Enthusiast."

Geek, Party of One? Your table is ready! ;)

mOOSH [jus' teasin]

I go alone sometime, sometime it is the best when you go to USF or IOA since they have single line. I went on Mummy 10 times on busy day at under 1 hour.

I went to SeaBreeze, USF, IOA, and TGE alone so far. But when I go to new park, I usually bring friends since I wouldn't like to get lost alone trying to find the park heh.

I used to be down with the by myself thing, but not so much anymore. The first time I did it was like many others here, I got bailed on for a trip to Cedar Point, so I said screw you guys, I'm not just going to sit at home and do nothing, I'll and have fun anyway. And, I had such a blast doing what I wanted to do, on my schedule, start when I wanted to, stop when I wanted to, pee only when I needed to, it was great. For the next year or two, I went to CP and SFWoA by myself multiple times each year. Then, my senior year of college, my job searching took me to many coastering hotbeds. And, since I really didn't have anyone along for interviews, I was relegated to do SFMM, SFMW, KBF, USH, SFGAdv, and Dorney by myself in one summer. I had a blast, but by the time that run was over, I had burnt out on going by myself.

As mentioned above, the newer flats are really geared to be group experiences, so I find it uncomfortable to ride those by myself, and I just hate waiting in lines by myself anymore. I'm not a real extrovert, but I like company, and I don't like the feeling of people looking at me, asking questions about me in their heads (I know it happens anyway, but it just creeps me out). The couple of times I've tried the Point by myself the last year or two, I usually only last an hour or two (if there are lines, Friday before Labor Day is another story) and then I leave, thoroughly dissatisfied with my decision to go it alone.

So, I would say if it's working for you, enjoy it. Being able to do the park on your own terms is worth it, but don't overdo it. Sort of my rule on just about everything in life ... everything's good in moderation, things only hurt/suck/turn for the worst when you try and do them in excess ...

I love riding alone. In fact, I refuse company when I ride a new coaster for the first time. It is just something I am used to. I have been obsessed with coasters my entire life, while the rest of my family wouldn't be caught dead on a coaster. I always ride alone, except during enthusiast events. I am also one of the true geeks who prefers to be completely silent and straight faced through all of the coasters I go on, once again except during enthusiast events.

I don't have much experiance on the subject, but I think I know how it feels.

Went to CP this year, CoasterMania day. I was going to do the event, but failed to get a membership card in time. My dad already took off work for that Friday, so we went to CP anyway. My dad is a strict no-coaster fan, but he put up with me running from ride to ride. I gotta say, it was nice to be able to hop back onto something that usually no one else wants to hop back on again. A good example of this was Mean Streak. With a minimal wait, I got on 3 times in a row within minutes! With other people, I wouldn't of been able to do that.

But there's another side to that. Riding by yourself kinda sucks. I can't make small talk in a line, and the most interaction I get is when I speak to someone behind me when going up a lift, usually something like "You ever ride this? No? Well, it's fun". I mean, it's lonely. Usually my cousin is there to ride most coasters (sans TTD), so there is someone to joke with, talk, enjoy times with.

Sometimes it's good, others it's nice to have someone else. Depends if I want to power ride or have memories.

-nesdude

Most of the time I coast either with my wife or my brother (who happen to be my staff members). However there are times when neither can get away with me for a trip and sometimes I have to go alone (sort of like what happend at Coaster Craze due to a last minute call-in of my wife to work). I don't mind coasting alone as sometime it is fun to do so -- I also like to people watch so it works out, but for the longer trips I have to have someone with... if nothing else but to keep me awake in the car. :)

*** Edited 8/7/2006 3:42:27 AM UTC by Swoosh***

This topic comes at a weird time for me emotionally. Several months ago while waiting for the computers at the library, I decided to check out a book on personality tests. These are the kind of tests that many employers give out nowadays through computers. I wound up taking the book home and scanning the tests to do later. After months and months of procastination, I decided to take and score the first test and answered all of test #2's questions.

The experience was not real uplifting for me. I felt really bad afterwards, even though I'm successful at what I do. I'm a live sound person. So while I don't like loud parties, I don't mind being the person who makes the party loud! In other words, I like being in control. The guy who wrote the book also writes these tests for corporations. It almost feels like if you're not a super extrovert, that you're inferior.

I see nothing wrong with it. For me, I'm the coaster rider among my family and friends. Like others have said, when I go to a park alone I can do what I want, when I want. Eat, pee, stand in this line or that, run right back into line, etc.

When I go with family or friends, it means I have either older relatives with me (usually at Knoebels), or friends or relatives with younger kids. In those cases, I might get anywhere from 1 to 5 or 6 coaster rides. First off, I feel they're indulging my coaster riding, so I really don't want to push it by disappearing or leavingt them to sit on a bench for hours.

On the other hand, when I'm with friends and their kids, it inevitably means we spend time around kiddie and family rides. So I have to indulge them somewhat, although at the end of the night I do think about the missed chance to ride Storm Runner, Twister, or some other coaster.

Last year, I took a mid-week vacation to 4 western PA parks. That was something I was going to do alone, since none of my closest relatives or friends would be into that, or available even if they were. What were my alternatives? I could go to 4 parks I'd never been to and ride 10 coasters I'd never ridden. Or I could sit at home and hang out here and read what everyone else is doing.

If someone else has an issue with you being in line alone, just tell them you're the only one in your family who wanted to ride this coaster. Nobody has to know your family isn't on the premises. You're not lying by saying this either.

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CoasterboyNYC said:But when I need to cleanse my soul via g-force, I find I like to do it alone.

I love it, but sometimes feel a little self conscious. Sometimes I feel like people are looking at me like the bomber in the 70's movie 'Rollercoaster'.

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I totally understand how you feel, I've hit PKI several times in the past by myself, no wife, no kids! And too, I do it at times on vacation. When we went to Michigan's Adventure this summer I rode the first day with family and friends. The second day was just me and my family...I got away for about and hour and a half and rode them all again alone. Nothing personal toward family and friends, but sometimes it good to go solo IMO.

As far as what other people think!...don't let it bother you. If they are thinking thoughts like that, let 'em, who cares. *** Edited 8/5/2006 1:07:04 PM UTC by Floorless Fan***