Trares
Every year he gets a little more daring.
But Anthony has really found his rollercoaster-riding groove.
The Trares family took their annual excursion to the shores of Lake Erie a few weeks back, headed for America’s roller coast — Cedar Point. My father lives just minutes away from the thrill-seekers’ paradise, and we’ve created a tradition of going for a visit each fall while working in a trip to the famed amusement park.
Anthony has always been excited to go. When he was younger, he stuck to the more age-appropriate rides. He’d settle into the little kids train, twirl on lazily spinning hot air balloons and pilot antique cars along a track. As he grew older, he also grew bolder, stepping up to the more aggressive Scrambler and one of his favorite, the Matterhorn, a whirling dervish of a ride.
Last year’s trip was a turning point, though. Anthony was ready to try an honest-to-goodness roller coaster.
We contemplated the best options for a first-timer. Cedar Point for its array of increasingly absurd coasters and rides, with multiple versions taking you hundreds of feet into the air only to plunge you back down to earth at speeds nearing 100 miles per hour. Others corkscrew around in a series of loops, or dangle you in mid-air before dropping you like a stone.
None of those were appropriate, we all agreed.
But the park also has some more approachable coasters that, while providing a jolt of adrenaline, don’t go too overboard. Anthony found his favorite, a ride called the Iron Dragon. The coaster train hung from a track above you, as you dipped and dove around trees and over water before finishing with a series of sideways loops.
Though tentative the first time around, Anthony loved it, enough to want to do it again. It was the first ride he wanted to try when we returned to the park this year.
The ride was just as heart-pounding as he remembered. But he was ready to try something new, too.
We found the perfect option in the Mine Ride — a Cedar Point classic that was a favorite even when I was a little kid coming to the park. The mine train-like ride is more fast misdirection rather than big, steep hills. Anthony couldn’t stop giggling the whole time.
He liked it so much we got off and immediately got back in line.
By the end of the day, Anthony was coastered out, and headed back to our car. The day had been a good one, even if we were all a little worn out and ready to sit down somewhere for dinner.
As we left, I eyed some of those monster coasters that towered above us. Soon enough, Anthony is going to want to go on those.
I guess I better get ready.
Ryan Trares is a senior reporter and columnist for the Daily Journal. Send comments to [email protected].
