The Rockin' Roller Coaster

Just like the Gemini is a rarity---two roller coaster trains racing each other in exact mirror images across their wooden tracks, so is this entry a rarity---two blog posts in one day.

Today, was amazing. My mom ended up leaving dear old Dad at home, and came out to the "Point", too. My sisters, man, they put together quite a visit to Cedar Point. Kitty, my badass sister, is running a scam with her youngest, Simon "Sunshine"---who's quite the biggest cutest smile and tiny little afro-able curls ever. So, her and Brian, her husband, put little 5-year old Simon in flip flops so he doesn't have to pay full fare at the ticket office, but then, when it comes to riding rides, they put him in his thickest-soled shoes and pad them with newspaper and toilet paper, and pick out his hair, so he can ride the big kid rides. It works---and that kid is completely non-plussed by the scariest of rides. He also HATES it if you mess with his hair, but loves pointing out directions to you, if you are heading in the wrong way. He's got big paws and he uses them to gesture and indicate the proper path. Anyway, we Eldridges don't pay full price if we can figure out a scam (I mean, we learned this at our father's knee, I was always shrinking down at national parks and various industrial tour sites to pass as younger, and cheaper then I am). So, my sisters carted in lunch meats, cans of pop and chips and fruit---and the funny thing, I thought the kids would be bummed to not be eating the park junk food---and they could not have given less of a shit. In fact, they know the whole drill---and really just continue to amaze me. My whole family---they just don't allow their kids to convince them that they need everything to be the latest and greatest and even today, Jayna said how much she loves garage sales. She's 10. I guess it could all change---but growing up, my mom never really wore make-up, and never cared about fashion or labels and I'm proud of all that. As TVs grow bigger, and cars get more expensive, and house prices rise--I just don't want to spend money trying to get things I don't need, or want. So, in their own simple way, when our family day at Cedar Point involves coolers, and brought-in food, I feel like cheering and yelling for joy--well-done family!

I'm pretty high on my family over the last few years. I mean, I've always been pro-Eldridge, but they just really delight and make me so happy in my 30s. I think I struggled more in my 20s as I tried to figure out my own identity and they just were all getting married and having babies. Now, we're all a bit more tuned into one another, and it's simply wonderful. I'm so very grateful.

I guess I'm just high on the food consumed (yogurt this morning, a delicious iced "Americano" from Arabica on North Abbe, right by Lorain County Community College, a turkey and provolone sandwich on wheat at the Cedar Point picnic pavillion, a small handful of cheddar and sour cream potato chips, another small serving on salt and vinegar chips, and another bit of cheddar rice cakes, 3 bottles of water---all good so far.) And then, after passing the umpteenth potatoes and fries place--I gave in to fancy fries. These were homemade, delicious, crispy Cedar Point fries---but I made the mistake of getting them with cheese and chili. It was too much---and my sister Beth, always wise and always all-knowing, warned me--they will disappoint. I think I ordered them just to prove her wrong, but she was definitely correct.

Then, after leaving the park super-late with a handful of kids (my sister exchange children like I exchange sweatshirts with my friends in transitional weather), we stopped at McDonald's. I "resisted" and only had a vanilla soft serve cone. It tasted so good---and as we drove along the highway, with the bright half-moon shining down on my sister's giant conversion van (Tan Van One), I felt so full, and so happy.

Oh!

About Cedar Point---all the rides are named with an M, especially the big roller coasters--so all day long I kept getting confused on what I had riden. The Millenium Mantus Maverick Power Raptor Gemini?

I think I like the Magnum the best. Or the Millenium.

Everyone should go to Cedar Point, by the way. Imagine your favorite amusement park. For many of you , it may be the chain, six flags. Now, take your beloved park, and take it off of the highway it overlooks, and plop it smack down in the middle of Lake Erie with water on 3 sides, beaches, marina, beautiful trees and olde-tyme rides, along with literally, the best roller coasters in the US. Mix with a light summer lake breeze and nice Ohio white trash people-watching. Best served with no irony and complete embracement of fun. Enjoy!

Don't forget to ride the paddleboat ride!