Roller Coasters, Here I Come...Next Summer

With the first week of September comes the Labor Day holiday. Traditionally it marks the "unofficial" end of the summer season. The beach resorts on the sea shore close for the season and so do the nation's amusement parks. This means that another season has passed where I've been unable to partake of the fun a day riding roller coasters and other thrill rides because of my size.

Like many Americans I have enjoyed amusement parks since I was a kid. During my teenage years a day at our local park, Dorney Park, was, what we called, our annual family vacation. I really looked forward to that day the entire summer. I have so many memories of those times together with my family.

But I haven't been able to experience a day at an amusement park without stress for quite a while. The worry of whether I would fit in the ride seats or the safety belts, bars,or harnesses will close around me limited the degree to which I could relax and have fun. There's nothing more embarrassing than having to get out of a roller coaster car and walk past the other waiting already loaded passengers toward the exit; simply because you're too big for the ride. It was an ultimate embarrassment that even brought me to tears, once.

My 2004 trip to Walt Disney World was the exception to this. But only because I did extensive research and found some resources that helped prepare me. They gave information to larger Americans about the "do's and don't's" when it came to deciding which Disney World rides were "big guy" friendly and which were not. Also the Disney company is also very responsive to the needs of it's biggest fans and tries to accommodate as much as any park I've ever been to.

Now back to the reason I'm writing all of this. My enjoyment of amusement parks has been quelled for a good 10 years or more. But this is the last year for that. Based on my successful weight loss so far I'm projecting that by next June or July I will be able to go and enjoy riding the rides once again. So look out roller coasters. Here I come.

Next summer I want to make triumphant returns to Kentucky Kingdom, Kings Island in Ohio, and Dorney Park in Pennsylvania. I would also like to go to Beech Bend, a local park here in town, Cedar Point near Cleavland, Holiday World in Indiana, and Hershey Park, in Chocolate Town USA, Hershey, Pennsylvania. Of course the ultimate joy would be a return trip to Orlando for my 2nd trip to Disney World or a first time trip to Disneyland in California. But those won't happen for a while.

Just the thought of the morale victory I will be achieving when I sit down and buckle up to ride the "Son of The Beast" or any other roller coaster or ride I may choose. It may seem like a silly thing to be shooting for but it's a very important goal for me. I am determined to achieve it.

So during the summer of 2010 if you're wondering where you can find me perhaps you'd better get on Googel Earth and zoom in on any of the parks I've mentioned. You just might see me "catching some air time" on the hill of a gigantic roller coaster. Even though I may not know you're looking in you will be sure to recognize me I'll be the one smiling.