Where Baimun was this weekend... (going 93 mph)...

On a whim, I packed up the family truckster and took the gang to Cedar Point in Sandusky Ohio for a short trip before the school year begins (Mrs. Baimun is a teacher, so "beginning of the school year" really has meaning in the Baimun household.)

Cedar point is the one park with the most rollercoasters in the world (16) and the Millenium Force was one that helped them break 10 world records in 2000.

http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/ins...thill2VERT.jpg

310 Feet High
93 MPH
80 Degree Drop
7000 feet of track covered in 2 minutes.

http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/ins...f-007-horz.jpg

http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/ins...s/mflayout.jpg

I rode the coaster with my younger daughter in typical Baimun fashion (arms straight over head, psychotic grin the entire time).

When we got off the ride, I noticed black spots all over my hands....
[img]eek.gif[/img]
... bugs had been atomized on all the skin surfaces that were facing forward. Hmm... wonder why my throat was so dry.

you couldn't pay me enough... [img]eek.gif[/img]

oh wow me and lil mort would ride that!!! woohoo [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

We rode the Millenium Force at sunset.... so cresting over the top of the hill and seeing the sun setting on Lake Erie just before the big plunge was like seeing GOD. [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

Our other favorite was The Raptor.

One where you sit in a chair with your feet dangling...

http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/ins...es/raptor3.jpg

SIX upside down turns
one large Vertical LOOP
TWO inverted Corkscrews
a ZERO GRAVITY roll
and a COBRA ROLL where you're inverted twice.

That one we rode in the daytime and at night.... at night you're flying through the dark and whipping out over the lighted boardwalk.... it's what it would feel like to have super powers and be able to fly. Front row is a MUST. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Cedar Point is a blast, but I have to wholeheartedly DISAGREE with the Raptor being a favorite.

A little background is needed here, I am 6'3" but only have a 31" inseam, so the majority of my height is in my torso.

The Raptor is NOT set up for long torso'd people. The first (and only) time I rode it the little bike seat thing came up between my legs and wouldn't lock until it was CRUSHING Cousin Jim and the Twins, and that was with my feet still firmly planted on the launch platform.

By the time the ride was over the G-forces around corners and upside down left me 3 octives higher voiced, walking funny and seriously worried that I'd ever have kids. [img]confused.gif[/img]

Both rides are a blast - but Raptor is still my favorite.

There were two people who waited in the enormous line for Millenium Force, only to have to leave the platform as the lap hydrolic pad couldn't latch in place because of their bellies. They would have flown out of the car.

In the park's defense, they post a sign and have a sample chair at the main entrance of EVERY extreme ride like that for you to test if your body will fit in the chair or not.

Six Flags in Gurney IL has a ride called RAGING BULL where you sit in a chair with a rubber lap pad that locks down on your lap and THAT's IT!!! no seat belt, not shoulder harness... Oh, did I mention that there's NO CAR AROUND YOU???? It's like driving 70mph on a BARSTOOL!!! [i]that ride also drops down the big hill and GOES UNDERGROUND. [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

I LOOOOOOOVE rides like these. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Quote:

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Originally posted by Baimun:
There were two people who waited in the enormous line for Millenium Force, only to have to leave the platform as the lap hydrolic pad couldn't latch in place because of their bellies. They would have flown out of the car.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That's hysterical, they were TRTR, Too Rotund To Ride!! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Quote:

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Originally posted by Baimun:
In the park's defense, they post a sign and have a sample chair at the main entrance of EVERY extreme ride like that for you to test if your body will fit in the chair or not.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That's the same thing my smart assed and short buddy said while I was laying on a bench in the fetal position after the ride. I told him to shut the hell up and kicked him in the nuts so he could share in my anguish.... Do you honestly pay attention to ANY signs like that until it's over and you're crying like a schoolgirl!!?!?!??!

Signs like that usually don't apply to me since I'm from the center of the universe.

We don't change our clocks in the spring and fall... everyone changes time around us.

I just happen to be the height and weight that all american products are designed around. [img]wink.gif[/img]

5'10" 189 lbs, size 11 shoe.

I can't help it if you live too close to the nuclear plant and are so freakin tall... [img]wink.gif[/img]

you didn't go on that Dragster jobbie?

Baimun,
I find your testicular fortitude impressive. I haven't been able to get on one of those things since I realized I was mortal (when I was about 21)! [img]eek.gif[/img] [img]wink.gif[/img]

Quote:

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Originally posted by Baimun:
I can't help it if you live too close to the nuclear plant and are so freakin tall... [img]wink.gif[/img]

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">So THAT'S what happened. I thought it was quite odd that my big, oaflike self came from my little 5' Japenese mom and skinny as a rail 5'10" dad.

It's actually funny seeing a big family picture. My entire family are little Scandinavians that are no more then 5'11", including my brother and sister (though my immediate family all have dark hair thanks to mom) Then there's me in the corner towering over everyone!

I always look like a stranger that just jumped into the picture, or Baby Huey!

The dragster got stuck early in the morning and was down the rest of the day.

The Millenium and Raptor are my favorite of the coasters.... but the best "Thrill Ride" is over at the Challenge Park (addition fee)... it's called....

http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/ins...ipcordlogo.gif

Right Click HERE and Download 5meg Movie

You put on a parachute-type harness and are cranked 20 stories into the air. You're just hanging from a hook on the back of the harness. You reach back and pull the release cord to fall towards the ground.

The first 30 feet or so there is NO TENSION on the cord... you free fall towards the DIRT and GRASS below. The first time I thought I pulled the wrong cord!!!!!!

Then you swing and fly like superman. It costs more to fly by yourself, but it's the best way to enjoy your first flight. Then you can go two or three people to swing faster... but being up there 200 feet in the air by yourself is the BEST!!!! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Yeah, I love roller coasters, but I have to leave platforms on a regular basis. Being 6'10" doesn't give me a lot of room to work with. Most of the machines I can squeeze myself into, but often there are the overactive staff members with their damn measuring sticks.

And then there are the carts that I just can't fit into, like the superman ride at sixflags. I have tried every possible way to fit in those, but I just can't make it work. Sucks to stand in line for an hour, and not be able to actually ride the machine.

Funny note: In Holland they also have a Superman ride, but the carts are build bigger because in general we are taller over there. I have no problem fitting in a cart there.

You know, I hated roller coasters in high school, but when I hit age 20 I fell in love with them. Go figure. [img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img] That looks like a hell of a ride [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

I haven't been on MF. I've only been there twice, and the first time MF wasn't even built yet. Second time I just didnt get to the MF, partly due to the company I was with (chickens). I love Raptor and Mantis though.

wonder how many time my defibrilator would shock me if I was to ride those beasts!

Did you ride the Magnum XL-200???

It's almost like the predecessor to the M-Force in every way.

207 feet high, 75mph similar layout... the M-Force is just higher, faster, longer, smoother, and more banked. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Quote:

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Originally posted by Peter Peeker:
you couldn't pay me enough... [img]eek.gif[/img]

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Maybe you could pay me enough...

but my family would have to use it to pay for the funeral when that thing flies off the track and slams into somebody's SUV in the parking lot.

Everyone (except Chaser) might want to download this Point of View ride on the Millenium Force from when they were building it. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Right Click Save As

It's in Quicktime 4 format and about 1.5 meg.

Obviously it doesn't give you any of the sensation, but you can see how heavily banked the turns are and what those tunnels are like. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Bugs had been atomized all over your face?

Ha. [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

I had a similiar experience.
Last year, I stuck my head out the sunroof of a car on a South Carolina highway in the middle of summer with 95% humidity and in a swampy region.

I think that between the car and I, we nailed every mosquito on that stretch.

I wish that the strobe camera would take your pic during a huge hill or something.....

... the camera was in one of the tunnels so instead of my arms being straight up over my head, my elbows are about face high with my hands up (like I'm being robbed)

I have no idea how tall the top of the tunnels are, but I'd hate to find out that my hands were 3 inches too tall. [img]wink.gif[/img]

No more typing...

What???

Because I have bugs on my hands???

Dude.... Don't worry. I licked them clean. [img]wink.gif[/img]

Holy crap! i've never been on a roller coaster that big! ....or even close to that big! [img]eek.gif[/img]

I meant no more typing in case your fingers were a little too high above your head when you went inside the tunnel.

If they're even low enough to take someone's hands off... [img]confused.gif[/img]

Oh don't worry... I'd find an appendage to type with. [img]wink.gif[/img] [img]eek.gif[/img]

[img]tongue.gif[/img]

I wonder if it would just take the fingers off or rip the entire hand...?

The worst would be to catch your fingernails and have them YANKED out of your fingertips. [img]eek.gif[/img]

That's very unlikely with me.

I have no fingernails.

[img]eek.gif[/img]

seriously???? I know a few people who don't have nails on their pinky toes... but NONE of your fingers???

I need a photo.

I went there a couple years ago, I had the same problem with the bugs. We actually had to leave because the air was so thick with them

I almost forgot to mention.... I took a PHONE CALL from Burke-S while I was in line for the M-Force. [img]smile.gif[/img]

There... now this thread is board related. [img]wink.gif[/img]

Well, I have what you would call 'stubs'.

I've got a really nasty habit of keeping them chewed down almost to the point where they're completely gone.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Baimun:


When we got off the ride, I noticed black spots all over my hands....
[img]eek.gif[/img]
... bugs had been atomized on all the skin surfaces that were facing forward. Hmm... wonder why my throat was so dry.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">....are you sure it was bugs? Was someone sitting in front of you?