Fear/Fun Factor

First, there are a few things you need to know about me:

  • I’m scared of heights.
  • My stomach doesn’t like long and sudden drops.
  • I don’t usually put the words “vertigo” and “fun” in the same sentence.
It might not surprise you, then, that I’m as enthusiastic about roller coasters as I am about having a two-ton boulder tied to my ankles and thrown over a cliff.

Well, last Saturday, some of us from work went to Dollywood. I had never been to Dollywood before and, to be completely honest, never had any inclination to go. (When you grow up going to Disneyland at least once a year, everything else kinda pales in comparison.) But I love hanging out with my coworkers and this seemed like a fun extracurricular activity.

After I agreed to go, I found out there are some roller coasters at Dollywood, which made me a little apprehensive. Everyone kept talking about how fun they were. I wasn’t so sure. I’ve only been to Six Flags once; I rode three rides then decided to go home. Granted, not all roller coasters are bad—I enjoy the tame ones at Disneyland—but I didn’t know what to expect at Dollywood.

After arriving at the park, we headed for the Thunderhead. I decided that if I didn’t go on the ride, I would forever wonder if I would’ve liked it had I ridden it. Besides, I thought, what’s the worst that could happen? It’s not like I’m going to die.

Indeed, I didn’t die. In fact, I enjoyed the ride…and every other roller coaster we rode that day, including the Tennessee Tornado. My favorite ride was the Dizzy Disk. (For those who don’t know, this ride consists of passengers facing outward on a large disk that glides back and forth on a U-shaped track while simultaneously spinning in circles.) Except for the two instances when I momentarily lost sight of the track and thought I was going to die, it was extremely fun.

So, at the end of the day, I had ridden all the roller coasters in the park—and had a blast doing it. Evidently, fear was not a factor for me.