Every woman should go on the Extreme Flyer at Paramount's Great America (obviously, that's not me in the video!) at least once in their life, but especially women over 60. It's just the best, most amazing, relaxing, and exciting ride I've ever been on.
This is the only ride I've ever been on where I had to make the decision to pull the cord. I thought I would have some nerves even though I am never nervous on rides and, in fact, find them therapeutic. I just relax my body and keep my eyes open and let the ride take me where it goes. My back gets stretched out, my arms and legs are pulled out by centrifugal force and I feel enormous physical relief and psychological joy when I ride the big rides.
But this one is the best I've been on so far and to my surprise, with the exception of about ten seconds when they told us we would have to actually make the choice to pull the cord to go, I was in my usual attitude about going on an extreme ride: relaxed anticipation.
First, I was put into a harness and then walked out to a platform. There, I was flipped onto my stomach by falling forward while being held securely by the harness to the lift wires. I felt like I was preparing to be guillotined dangling face down, body fully horizontal to the floor.
Then you are pulled up to a height of about 150 feet where you hear a countdown. On "one" you have to pull a rip cord straightforward -- this took both hands for me to do -- whereupon there is that amazing moment of hesitation before you plunge down, first turning head first, and the coming horizontal to the earth.
I zoomed down and swung up in an arc, then up to the top of the swing. My whole body was alive and I was laughing with joy at the sensation of no pain in my body anywhere; I felt only the complete freedom of flying. I swung back and forth two more times, to a lower height each time and then was given a loop to grab with both hands that slowed me to a kind of stop whereupon I was sadly back on my legs again.
My friend Tracy rode separately but at the same time and the crowd of young kids and macho guys were all getting a huge kick and an even bigger shock at seeing two old women having the time of their life.
Years ago, it dawned on my: Why would I get on something that I really thought would kill me. I'm so glad I figured that out so I could enjoy the closest thing to physical freedom I've every felt.
Next up: Skydiving.
This is the only ride I've ever been on where I had to make the decision to pull the cord. I thought I would have some nerves even though I am never nervous on rides and, in fact, find them therapeutic. I just relax my body and keep my eyes open and let the ride take me where it goes. My back gets stretched out, my arms and legs are pulled out by centrifugal force and I feel enormous physical relief and psychological joy when I ride the big rides.
But this one is the best I've been on so far and to my surprise, with the exception of about ten seconds when they told us we would have to actually make the choice to pull the cord to go, I was in my usual attitude about going on an extreme ride: relaxed anticipation.
First, I was put into a harness and then walked out to a platform. There, I was flipped onto my stomach by falling forward while being held securely by the harness to the lift wires. I felt like I was preparing to be guillotined dangling face down, body fully horizontal to the floor.
Then you are pulled up to a height of about 150 feet where you hear a countdown. On "one" you have to pull a rip cord straightforward -- this took both hands for me to do -- whereupon there is that amazing moment of hesitation before you plunge down, first turning head first, and the coming horizontal to the earth.
I zoomed down and swung up in an arc, then up to the top of the swing. My whole body was alive and I was laughing with joy at the sensation of no pain in my body anywhere; I felt only the complete freedom of flying. I swung back and forth two more times, to a lower height each time and then was given a loop to grab with both hands that slowed me to a kind of stop whereupon I was sadly back on my legs again.
My friend Tracy rode separately but at the same time and the crowd of young kids and macho guys were all getting a huge kick and an even bigger shock at seeing two old women having the time of their life.
Years ago, it dawned on my: Why would I get on something that I really thought would kill me. I'm so glad I figured that out so I could enjoy the closest thing to physical freedom I've every felt.
Next up: Skydiving.
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