Just The Fries, Please

I am out of shape.

Seriously, it has been too long since I last road a roller coaster. Forget about me getting on the Steel Curtain. I can't even do the Thunderbolt.

Maybe I'm exaggerating, but you can't take a decade break from riding coasters and then just jump right back in. Don't get me wrong. There have been a couple Racer runs and maybe one Jack Rabbit adventure since 2009 but not enough to keep me in shape.

The problem is my teens do not like roller coasters and my youngest isn't tall enough. My older kids fall into that category of people who could live, dare I say it,  without Kennywood. Sounds crazy, right? (Although, they would probably go there to get the Potato Patch Fries.)

I've tried for years to get them to go on coasters and at least I got them on the Racer and Jack Rabbit once. But that's where the fun ends. During the summers, when my family has been at Kennywood, there have not been opportunities when my husband and I were able to ditch the kids and just take off for the Thunderbolt or Phantom's Revenge (previously known as the Steel Phantom.)

These are rides he and I enjoyed at one time. Heck, we even spent the day at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg BC (Before Children) and road EVERY coaster, even the ones that go upside down,  multiple times!

Well, that was then. This is n-OW. He and I had the chance to do something we haven't done probably since the late 90s. Go to Kennywood alone. It was a much needed kid free afternoon and I thought, "What better way to loosen the knots in my neck and shoulders than by strapping myself to the Thunderbolt?"

Yes, the Thunderbolt was my first choice because it is the ride I've missed the most. But due to long lines and wait times on a beautiful Sunday, late in the season, it became our only ride. And boy, was that 1 minute and 48 second trip, up hills and down dales, an eye opener.

I screamed almost the whole time, partially because I forgot what it was like and secondly because I seriously thought something was going to get dislodged - my neck bone, backbone or pelvis. I didn't remember that many hills and I certainly didn't remember the part - like the Jack Rabbit - when you hit a double dip and almost fly out of the car.

Of course these are the things that make it fun but when we pulled back to the station it took me a few seconds to get out of the ride. My husband and I kept shaking our heads in disbelieve that we even presumed we were primed to take on the Thunderbolt after such a long absence. As we disembarked, he wanted to know if I wanted to go get our fries and I said, "I'm gonna need to walk for a bit."

When we finally did sit down to eat, we were plotting out our next move. I really wanted to hop on my all time favorite ride the Bayern Kurve but we knew we needed to ease back into riding - especially after just eating. I suggested the Merry-Go-Round or the new Thomas Train.

His reaction made me laugh out loud. "Ohhh, the train! Let's do the train." This coming from a guy who tackled Busch Garden's Alpengeist - which climbs to 195 feet and hurtles riders through six staggering inversions at speeds up to 67 miles per hour. Of course, I have no room to talk. I was right with him.

So we made our way over to the train and upon seeing at least four rides worth of people already in line - we decided to pass. Although, we did watch a train load of people pull out of the station and we waved to them as they went on their way. Does that count?

As luck would have it, by the time we got to the Bayern Kurve it was closed for maintenance. My husband looked at me and said, "Are you ready to go?" To which I replied, "Almost. We still have to go to our place."

Almost 22 years ago, back when the ski lifts were still running, I had my best Kennywood date ever. My boyfriend, at the time, and I drove from Johnstown to West Mifflin and spent the entire day at the park. We rode just about everything but my favorite memories include: riding the lift, eating ice cream sundaes by the lagoon, and sitting by the fountain (tucked away near the Bumper Cars) and tossing wish pennies.

That boyfriend, now husband, may have only rode one ride with me last Sunday, but we still made penny wishes at the fountain. I don't remember what I wished for 22 years ago and if my wish ever came true but one thing is for certain - I still have the best date.