Just for the Thrill Of It

“There’s something about a roller coaster that triggers strong feelings, maybe because most of us associate them with childhood. They’re inherently cinematic; the very shape of a coaster, all hills and valleys and sickening helices, evokes a human emotional response.” — Diablo Cody (2)

GIANT DIPPER ROLLER COASTER — The words on the wall glimmered like the bright lights that flickered in the dark sky, and illuminated the outline of the historic roller coaster. The coaster towered over swaying palm trees, local surfers and sandy tourists, and I could see its beckoning lights from miles away on the San Diego bridge.The way it glittered in the the indigo sky was breathtaking, like something out of a fantasy. Every evening, as the sun disappeared behind the ocean waves, I waited for the rolling waves of the coaster to appear. I waited, then watched its lights dance in the air and create a spectacle in the night.

Those bold face words stood at the 50 inch. mark on the white glossy wall in the corner of the kitchen. Each day my sisters and I pressed our backs against the wall and straightened our spines as far as we could, as dad accurately measured our height using the precision of a wooden ruler and a black sharpie. Each day I was getting closer to the 4 foot mark. I was almost tall enough to ride the Giant Dipper. My heart was filled with anticipation, and my sisters were equally excited that I would soon be able to ride the roller coaster just a few miles from our home.

In the early 1900’s, a wealthy sugar magnate by the name of John D. Spreckels was hard at work driving the development of San Diego. In 1925, in an effort to stimulate real estate sales and to promote his electric railway, Mr. Spreckels built the Mission Beach Amusement Center. One of the amusement center’s star attraction was to be the Giant Dipper roller coaster. The 2,600 foot long coaster was created by the noted design team of Prior and Church and was built in less than 2 months and the original cost to build the coaster was $150,000.(1)

Yet, by the late 70’s the park began to fall into disrepair and eventually closed in December 1976. The Giant Dipper started to become an eyesore and demand for its demolition arose. A new company, The San Diego Coaster Company, was officially formed to restore and operate the Giant Dipper in 1989. Over $2,000,000 was spent on the restoration of the Giant Dipper. On August 11, 1990 the newly restored, historic roller coaster was reopened to the public. (1)

In January 2001, my head grazed slightly above the bold faced letters and 100% above the 50’ inch. mark. No more bumper cars, sail boats, bungees, rock walls, carousels, and churros. I was graduating to the tall, speedy, thrilling ride — the roller coaster! On my seventh birthday I gleamed and beamed, as I proudly stood above the: Are You Tall Enough to Ride the Coaster? sign.

I could see my little sisters watching me from behind the white fence, their bug eyes looked fearful and frightened. As I left the queue, all the pride and accomplished feelings stayed in line and fear stayed for the ride. My dad pointed out to the empty front seat, but I shyed away and reached for the middle of the train. If we were to sit in the front, I would need to graduate row by row. As for the back row, that didn’t feel like the safest spot either.

The Giant Dipper Experience: Reality vs. Fearful Thoughts

Reality:
-Going through dark tunnel
-Attached to chains to get up the big hill
-Older rollercoaster= more rickety and less smooth
-Going fast because its a rollercoaster.

Fearful Thoughts:
-Why are we going through a cave? Will we be trapped here? This is scary, I hope there are no ghosts here! What if they GRAB me!!??
-The clicking noise is so loud! Its building up the tension and nerves. The trees are getting smaller and the view is beautiful but I’m also terrified!
-This is extremely rickety?! Are you sure this is SAFE?!
-Ahh! I’m going to clench onto the bar so tight!

“There is no doubt that there is a place in society for providing fun and thrills that are exhilarating and where there is a perceived sense of danger.” John Wardley, Coaster Designer (2)

The origin of the Roller Coaster dates back to the Russian Ice Slides built in the 17th century Russia. The structures were built out of lumber with a sheet of ice covering the surface. Riders sped down the 50 degree drop on huge blocks of ice that were fashioned into sleds, with straw or fur on the icy seat for passenger comfort. Sand was used to help slow down the sled at the end of the ride to keep it from crashing. Later, more elaborate wooden sleds were built with iron runners to increase the speed and intensity of the ride. The slides gained favor with the Russian upper class. Catherine the Great was a large fan of the thrills provided by the slides and had a few built on her own property.(3)

True or False:

The first American roller coaster was built at an amusement park.

If you guessed false, that’s correct. Collect your prize.

The Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway, in the mountains of Pennsylvania, was more like a runaway train than a modern coaster. This railway is considered the forefather of today’s roller coaster. The railway offered spectacular views of the Lehigh River and the Blue Ridge Mountains for the region’s visitors to see. The area became a large Nineteenth Century tourist attraction and people came from all over to be thrilled by the M.C.R.(3)

Despite feeling fearful the entire ride, the thrill and adrenaline of the roller coaster reassured my nerves. When my sisters finally reached the bold faced letters, I gladly joined them on the coaster. I turned around and waved to them, as I was sitting in the front seat this time.

Have you ever heard of La Marcus Thompson? Also known as, the “Father of Gravity”. He’s the man who brought the roller coaster to the amusement parks. Thompson took inspiration from the Johnson 5 Russian’s and their ice sleds and created the first Switchback Railway, which opened in the spring of 1884 at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. Coney Island was described as the “Poor Man’s Paradise.” It also became the “Nickel Empire”, where for a nickel, you could get a hot dog or a knish (deep-fried baked potato cake), or ride on any of the thrilling amusements. The 1920s saw the building of some of the best roller coasters of all times and people sought out the thrill of these attractions. (3) (4), (5).

The use of the word “Thrill” over the years:

This chart provided by dictionary. com, proves that people sought t h r i l l from the early 1900’s up until the 1929 — when the stock market crashed. What is ironic however, is that the chart resembles a rollercoaster, the epitome of thrill. What is so thrilling about being thrilled?

According to clinical psychologist Judy Kurianski, high-tempo rides expose us to “good fear”. Despite the plummeting drops, heart-stopping twists and nauseatingly sharp turns these thrill rides contain, our brains perceive them to be “safe” and “predictable” — so riding them becomes therapeutic. The intense adrenaline rush after a riding a roller coaster will leave you feeling excited and happy. The increased endorphin release increases alertness and makes you more energized.(5)

TOP 5 Oldest Roller Coasters in the United States:

1.Leap-the-Dips, Lakemont Park, Altoona,PA 1902
2. Jack Rabbit, Sea Breeze Park, Rochester, NY 1920
3. Jack Rabbit, Kennywood West Mifflin, PA 1920
4. Roller Coaster, Lagoon Farmington, UT 1921 4. Giant Dipper, Santa Cruz Beach Santa Cruz, CA 1924
5. tie Big Dipper, Geauga Lake, Aurora, OH 1925 (currently not operating)
5. tie Giant Dipper, Belmont Park, San Diego, CA 1925

TOP 5 Tallest Roller Coasters in the World & Arguably the Most Thrill Seeking:
1. Kingda Ka 418 ft drop Six Flags Great Adventure Jackson, New Jersey 2005
2. Top Thrill Dragster 400 ft drop Cedar Point Sandusky,Ohio 2003
3. Steel Dragon 2000 306.8 ft drop Nagashima Spa Land Mie, Japan 2000
4. Leviathan 306 ft drop Canada’s Wonderland Ontario, Canada 2012
5. Millennium Force 300 ft drop Cedar Point Sandusky, Ohio 2000 (6)

I conquered my fear on the rollercoaster, and soon the Giant Dipper’s dark tunnels and rickety twists & turns became my favorite part of the ride. When the fair came to town that summer, I searched for the tallest ride and stood in line it. I was standing among chatty teenagers and quiet adults waiting impatiently to be thrilled by the drop tower. Heights didn’t spook me like they used to, and once I checked the drop tower off my list, I continued the search like a surfer who’s obsessed with finding the perfect wave or set. Like the surfers, the rock climbers, sky divers, cliff jumpers, wind surfers, scuba divers, motorcycle drivers, racers, and pacers, runners and stunt devillers. Maybe I was becoming an adrenaline junkie?

A few years later, I was nervously shaking and almost on the verge of tears. My sisters were in the seats behind me and the fear set in once again. We were about to ride the Top Thrill Dragster at Ohio’s Cedar Point. We were about to be launched at a top speed of 120 mph and jolted 425 feet in air, only to be plunged back to the earth at an almost 90 degree 400 foot drop — all in a matter of 30 seconds. A 400 FOOT DROP!!! I considered getting off the ride, but after standing in an almost 3 hour line, where each step towards the ride chipped away my pride and reassurances, I helplessly stayed in the seats. The countdown began… 5….4….3…2…1..!!! The coaster aggressively jolted forward, I felt like I was attached to a NASA space shuttle flying up towards the moon. I couldn’t wave goodbye to my family and friends staring wide eye at us and questioning our sanity. I had already been launched towards outer space. Within 20 seconds, the coaster slowed and was at the peak of 425 feet. Mind you, it's the height of a 40 story skyscraper.

I saw the earth, and it looked like a million miles away. I was almost in outer space and soon I had to plummet back down to earth. We fell. Like shooting stars, dark angels, meteorites, rain, glitter, waterfalls and confetti. We fell lightly to the ground. Gravity pulled us away from our dreams of outer space and our desire of not falling. We fell anyways. My heart fell out of my chest too, but that wasn’t the work of gravity. 30 seconds later, I was back on the ground and back with my heart intact in my chest. 30 seconds later, I realized I just rode the tallest, fastest roller coaster in the world.

Please ❤ if you enjoyed my non-fiction piece, or if you love roller coasters!

Notes
1. Belmont Park. “History of Belmont Park.” Belmont Park. Belmont Park, 2010. Web.
2. A Z Quotes. “TOP 25 ROLLER COASTER QUOTES (of 156) | A-Z Quotes.” A-Z Quotes. A Z Quotes, n.d. Web. Apr. 2016.
3. Sandy, Adam. “Roller Coaster History.” Roller Coasters, Theme Parks & Thrill Rides. Ultimate Rollercoaster, 1996–2006. Web. Apr. 2016.
4. Pdx History. “Coney Island.” Coney Island:New York Amusement Parks. PDx History. Com, 2013. Web. Apr. 2016.
5. PBS.ORG. PBS: History of Rollercoasters. PBS, n.d. Web. Apr. 2016.
6. Dictionary.com. “The Definition of Thrill.” Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. Apr. 2016.
7. Wikipedia. “List of Roller Coaster Rankings.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. Apr. 2016.
8. Shape.com. “The Weird Reason You Love Roller Coasters.” Shape Magazine. Shape.com, 23 June 2014. Web. Apr. 2016