National Roller Coaster Day: A Tribute to Terror and Thrill š¢
Who would have thought those mechanical monsters would have a day of their own?
I have a love/hate relationship with roller coasters. I love themābut I havenāt set foot on one since I passed out on the old wooden coaster at Nantasket Beach. (Yes, Nantasketānot Nantucket. Easy mix-up, but one has lobster rolls and the other had a rickety thrill machine that stole my consciousness.) That coaster is long gone now. Torn down. All that remains is a memoryāsplintered wood, the scent of salt air, and the echo of my teenage bravado.
Stock photo
But the new coasters? Theyāre breathtaking. Literally. I watch the loops and whirls and upside-down spins with a cocktail of fear and jealousy. Fear, because I know my nerves would never survive the launch. Jealousy, because deep down, I wish I were brave enough to fly.
Loop Coaster Universal , Orlando Fl 2012- photo credit Deb Neumann
Thereās something poetic about roller coasters. They mimic life in the most dramatic way: the slow climb of anticipation, the sudden drop into chaos, the twists you never saw coming, and the moment you finally catch your breathālaughing, screaming, or both.
I stand at the edge of the platform, watching others strap in. Their faces are lit with adrenaline and joy. Mine? A wistful smile and a silent cheer from the sidelines. Maybe one day Iāll ride again. Maybe not. But today, I celebrate the wild rideāwhether from the front seat or the fence line.
Nitro at 6 Flags – Stock Photo
Happy National Roller Coaster Day, you glorious beasts of steel and speed. You terrify me. And I love you for it.
6 Flags – stock photo