spoken for

We went to Six Flags again on Monday, the last time we went was April 14th, and I think this past Monday was nicer weather than it was then. It ended up being the perfect day to go. It started out a bit hot (we got there around 2pm) but soon the sun went behind the clouds for about 90% of the day so it was quite nice.

This time, Sarah and I took my sister and one of my brothers. My mom watched E. :-) The photo to the left was taken when we entered the park. They practically tackle you and make you get your photo taken, give you a card, and tell you where you can view your photo and/or buy it. There were several other photos taken of us during the day (snapped while on rides) but this is the only one I bought. I was actually impressed that we all look good, even if the photography itself leaves much to be desired.

But not only was it the perfect day to go because of the weather, it was perfect because we hardly had to wait in any lines, there was just no one there. I was surprised, though, because it’s not like school is in session right now. I guess most of the kids didn’t have a ride on a Monday.

There was one thing that disappointed me greatly, though, and it happened right away. We headed to Batman The Ride – a marvelous roller coaster where your feet hang free. My bro and sis got on the ride, then Sarah, then I was going to be in the last seat (there are four in a row). Only I realized something very quickly… I was too fat for this ride.

Now, something that does make me feel a bit better is that I remember it being a tight fit when I was just out of high school and still skinny. Wide hips just run in both sides of my family, there’s nothing I can do about that. But I wasn’t going to sit there and try to wiggle in, though if I would have kept trying, I maybe could have made it. So I just got up and walked through to the other side. Sarah chickened out immediately and joined me. More consolation came when they took off and returned literally a minute and a half later, if that. At least it was over before it started.

I mostly did okay the rest of the day but there are a few other rides where I found it uncomfortable to be fat. The Screaming Eagle – which is another roller coaster, built in 1976, I believe it was, they say it was the longest and fastest in the country when it was built. The fit is kinda tight there, though I can ride pretty comfortable. Same with the new ride, the Superman Tower of Power. This ride has hangy-seats like the Batman but all it does is go straight up up up up up up up upup and then you hang there for a minute and the seats drop one at a time. It is awesome and I was glad I could ride it. I think the rest are okay for me, the Boss included, as if I remember correctly, it was more like a bench seat that you share with the other person and a lap bar, no seatbelts or barriers between the seats. I didn’t ride The Ninja though, I’m sure I wouldn’t have been able to or would have been uncomfortable as it has separate seating, too. But Sarah didn’t want to ride it, so we sat out. (She doesn’t want to go upside down.)

But I wonder about someone who’s heavier than me. Because, to tell you the truth, there are a lot of people. And I wonder why some of these rides aren’t more accessible to people. And if you want to get technical, this doesn’t just include fat – I’ve known some big people who are just tall and broad and, I tell you what, even for me, there is absolutely no leg room on the Mine Train. That’s the worst for as far as leg room goes and so there, it’s not my fat that would make me uncomfortable. But why can’t rides like the Screaming Eagle have the last car couple of cars or so made for a larger person? Wouldn’t that make sense? And, yes, of course, I know that there are other disabilities we could take into account here, but I’m just concentrating on person size here…

Oh well, moving along.

Here are some more of my favorite photos from the day…