The NITRO

It was May 2004 and my graduating class (all 5 of us) went to Six Flags NJ for our senior trip. Now, most people would be elated to go to a theme park for their senior trip. Me? not so much! I would have been much happier to do anything ELSE but go to a theme park. My mission for this trip was just to simply survive. Now, don't get me wrong..I love a good thrill as much as the next thrill seeker BUT I can't help but wonder what all could go wrong. For those of you who are scoffing me right now...you obviously know NOTHING about me!


It was an overcast day in May and I was doing what I do best at a theme park...bench hopping. I sat at every bench in front of every big roller coaster at the park watching my classmates excitedly wait in line.I kept thinking some other scaredy-cat would join me on the bench and we could chat over an icecream cone about our hatred for theme parks and roller coasters, but no..it was just me! Even the kids half my age didn't even blink when they saw the massive roller coasters they were about to ride.My classmates were all laughing and joking when they got off of the rides and I made a pact with myself that I would ride one roller coaster before the day was over. I actually enjoy riding roller coasters contrary to what you might think reading this. I just can't help but think that I will be a statistic in the small group of roller coaster fatalities...


It was toward the end of the day and there were 2 roller coasters left to ride before we called it a day. The Nitro and the new Superman ride. I decided to put on my big girl panties and ride the Nitro. I was so over my classmates calling me a baby! I nervously waited in line...my stomach in knots! I just wanted to get it over with! Finally it was my turn. My friend Sonya, her brother(who happened to be our teacher) and I sat down ..and then it hit me..." I could die on this ride!!!" I jumped up to run away and my other 2 classmates(i won't call them friends) Skippy and Joel grabbed me as I was running down the line full of people! They drug me back, one of them actually sat on me while the other one put the harness down on me just as he jumped off my lap!!! A few seconds later..we took off!! Skippy, Joel, and Sarah were waiting for the next ride. Skippy and Joel looked quite smug as they waved goodbye to us!

It was the climb of death! It felt like it took forever as we slowly chugged to the top...233 feet to be exact!!! As we reached the top I felt the coaster go backwards a few feet and then click..click...stop. It simply stopped in mid-air!! I asked my teacher who had rode it before,"is this normal?!!!" to which he replied,"No!!"  That is when the panic hit me. I started hearing people behind me having panic attacks. We waited for 20 minutes!! At this point it was starting to rain and we were so high I cold barely see anything through the fog. All I could think was," If I ever live through this I am going to kill Joel and Skippy!!!"


After about 20 minutes, we saw someone walking up the million plus stairs to the top of the drop where we were. He said something "had gone wrong". All I could think was, " No! you don't say?! I am hanging here suspended 233 feet in the air for the past 20 minutes and everything is just peachy?!"  I still remember begging him to let me go back down the steps with him..I just wanted off of that ride NOW!  He told me I had to finish the ride! Another 10 minutes passed and the ride carried on...I had visions of our coaster flying off of the track and plummeting to my death! When the ride was FINALLY over our coaster came whipping through and Skip and Joel were laughing and Sarah looked like a nervous wreck! 


This could ONLY happen to me! Of all of the rides my classmates rode the whole day..I decide to face my fears and ride the Nitro and then it gets stuck! Why didn't it happen to Skip, Joel, and Sarah? I will tell you why..because I WASN'T ON THAT RIDE!