Ghostrider Nirvana (8/4)

To celebrate our one year anniversary and my little sister's 13th birthday (hey, she can start posting here now!), we headed off for what turned into one of the best days I've had at Knott's Berry Farm. My sister originally asked to go to Magic Mountain, but I was able to convince her that Knott's would be worthy of a visit (her first).

I'll leave out the details of the day and simply point out that it was one of those rare crystal clear days in Southern California with tempuratures in the low 90's and a light breeze from the West, perfect amusement park weather. We hit most of the rides, panned for gold, and talked to the guy in jail. We rode the rocket twice and Ghostrider four times.

The third trip was my best ride ever. The sun was just going down and the tracers blinked on just as the train began to roll out of the station. It was still quite warm, and so clear that from the top of the lift, I took in the crisp outline of the mountains that surround the area (50 to 100 miles distant!) as well as the sharp outline of downtown Los Angeles nearly forty miles away. Knott's georgeous animated Roaring 20's sign had just turned on and was performing corkscrew fireworks above the arcade across the park. The half moon crescent hung in the sky like a decoration placed by Knott's as the first handful of stars and planets started making their appearance.

All this coupled with being strapped into the back seat of a comfy Ghostrider train alongside my wife and sister waiting to be plunged into the chaos and fury that is Ghostrider at night literally brought a tear to my eye. Well, perhaps the tear came along after the first drop, but the sentiment was still there.

The coaster was, as usual, performing exceptionally well. Just on the verge of being too rough, we were thrown around just the way we like it. The noise, screams, laughter, shaking all meshed together in perfect wild harmony. With my eyes wide, my wife laughing, my sister's white knuckles, and that drop after the second turnaround, I was very much in tune with the moment. Oh my! For those of you not familiar with that drop, the train 'falls' into the structure after the turnaround and then up and over a bunny hill while turning. The effect is that you are simultaneously thrown up out of the seat and into the side. This section is the heart of this beast, and the heart was pumping furiously last night.

At the end of the ride, I was speaking in tongues. I'm now considering starting up a cult to worship the "Ghost". For all interested in joining, checks will be gladly accepted. All donations will go towards sending the *inspired one* on monthly pigrimages. ;)

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"I go out at 3 o' clock for a quart of milk and come home to my son treating his body like an amusement park!" - Estelle Costanza

(run-on + spelling - oops!)
*** This post was edited by janfrederick 8/5/2003 6:00:49 PM ***

Damn, what a fine little piece of writing! I miss Ghostie now :(

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- Chris

I put the "D" in DDR.

Ooops...I must have Japanese food on my mind. ;)

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"I go out at 3 o' clock for a quart of milk and come home to my son treating his body like an amusement park!" - Estelle Costanza