8 Is Enough!

I truly did start this yesterday and life got in the way. Imagine that? So you're lucky enough to get a DOUBLE DOSE today.

So ... good people of the internets (all 11 of you that follow this, I guess? :) Oh .. wait. 10. I follow me, too.) here is Entry #8 on the countdown...

8. Ride Roller Coasters

Oh yes. You read that right.

I used to be a card carrying member of the American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE). I've ridden over 200 unique coasters and have traveled all over to different amusement parks just to ride these amazing contraptions. Riding a coaster makes me feel FREE. Well, it used to.

Sad story -- a few years back, my ex boyfriend (Brian, who is still a very treasured and trusted friend) and I went to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg on a whim for their opening day. I was SO excited to go. We drove down and were the first couple of people in line to enter the park, and after traipsing around the park and meeting up with some friends who were local to the area, we all stood in line for the newest ride -- Apollo's Chariot. I remember standing in line, laughing about how at the opening Fabio was hit in the face with a bird.

When it was our chance to board, I didn't fit in the cars. Was this some sort of strange karma backlash for making fun of Fabio? I was DEVASTATED and EMBARRASSED and had to leave the ride. Really. It was one of the worst moments of my life and depressed me greatly.  I was able to ride the other coasters, but that single moment in time NEVER left me. Even the last couple times that I went to Kennywood or other parks, I would get a lump in my throat, worried I wouldn't fit and would have to go through that horrible embarrassment again.

The final nail in the coffin was when my daughter wanted me to ride with her on a ride and I couldn't fit. I couldn't even take my kid on a ride. My embarrassment mixed with her disappointed little face... I felt like a total failure.

I've since stopped going to theme parks. I hate it. I miss going so badly, but I know that the size I am now wouldn't make it on the ride at all and it would just be TORTURE for me to even try to just go an not ride. Plus a colossal waste of money and time. And I would have to walk all over the place. In the heat. And that's really just not fun for a fat person either.

So, I'm REALLY hoping that I lose enough over this spring and summer that I can make a late summer trip to Cedar Point and Kennywood.

And someday, I'm going back to Busch Gardens and I'm TOTALLY going to ride Apollo's Chariot. Even if I do take a bird to the face.