I will mention only one ride, the first one we saw, an all-wooden coaster affair that damn near killed me. Undoubtedly, my reinitiation into the world of amusement thrills after such a long hiatus upped the adrenaline rush, but the sensation of hurtling to the ground strapped to a missile on a track was, in a word... cool. Predator is not the longest, tallest, fastest, twirliest, or most dangerous coaster in the country, the state, or even in Darien Park. But the 'High Thrill'-labelled ride delivered a primal punch to the gut.
Waiting for the Predator, I realized that the day was to be spent, not on the rides, but in the lines. As such, I adjusted my expectations and enjoyed myself thoroughly. We melted in the summer heat which hit us from above and radiated from below, but we jostled and punched each other in the lines, laughing at the punchlines, the three of us a high-school joke ourselves - "A Jamaican, a Mauritian, and an Ethiopian are in a theme park..."
Shortly after Predator, I sat and had my caricature drawn. The artist was a 20-year-old with hair that flopped in his eyes, and we struck up such lively conversation that at times he stopped drawing. After a lengthy exchange of ideas and contact information (we might collaborate on an animation project), I beheld my cartoon self. I'll add it to my 1991 and 2001 versions.
The day passed at the perfect pace, leaving us with just enough time to savor each portion. After having our frail bodies tossed, turned, splashed, spun, bounced and bumped in every direction, we capped the experience with a cool evening sit-down in the giant ferris wheel; from on high, we surveyed the careful haphazardness of the park and the controlled mayhem of the rides.
I spent too much and shouldn't have eaten the fried dough, but I'd do it again in a skipped heartbeat.
Best ride
The softball pitching machine.
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