Blue Streak (Cedar Point)

From my many experiences with roller coasters, I am rarely surprised by a less than 100 foot coaster. Blue Streak stands 78 feet tall, and only reaches a mere 40 mph. Upon visiting Cedar Point, I had not heard much positive about this ride, so my expectations were probably lower than Miley Cyrus's dignity. On day two at the park I was headed for the exit to go get some lunch and visit some thrift shops before returning to the park. However, I passed by Blue Streak in a way, and remembered that I had not ridden it yet. So after briefly contemplating, I made my way over to the woodie. I waited in the ten minute line and boarded the train. The trains are the typical Philadelphia Toboggan style, and the lap bars are a bit larger than normal. We depart from the station, and climb the 78 foot lift rather swiftly (Compared to the Beast at least). We reach the top and I notice the amount of airtime filled amazingness in front of me. We drop down the drop with amazing speed, and I was ejected out of my seat with major airtime. I finally realize that I am back in my seat, but not for long as I am hit with major airtime once more. Get this; I was out of my seat more than I was in it. The speed felt way faster than 40 mph too. I notice the ride is not nearly as rough as its age (and the critics) might have signified. The whole ride may be small and a bit rough at some parts (Not really if you sit in the 2nd row on each car) but this ride is an airtime machine! I got off thinking about how I almost missed out on the greatness that is Blue Streak. This is the surprise of Cedar Point and shouldn't be missed.

Drop: 8/10

Length: 7/10

Comfort: 7/10

Airtime: 10/10

Speed: 7/10

Smoothness: 6/10

Intensity: 6/10

Overall: 86/100 (Great)

Gemini (Cedar Point)

First off, let me say I love racing coasters. I also like riding a good ol' mine train. Well, that's what Gemini was. A giant racing mine train. Sure it didn't go through any mines, but the track felt exactly the same, with the slight jerkiness to it. Anyway, I rode this ride with two of my siblings and a friend. Myself and my sister rode on the red side, whilst my brother and one of our friends rode on the blue. Let me get this out of the way; I don't know what it is with Cedar Point and these absolutely horrid lap bars (used on Gemini and Magnum) but they flat out suck. I can say with every fiber in my body these rides would be much better with different style restraints. We immediately head up the lift, and I receive a great view of Magnum and the water park, as well as the lake. The nighttime sky really sets a calm atmosphere, as well as the fireworks exploding in front of us. I prepare myself for a fairly tame 118 foot drop. I sat in the back of the train, so the moment we went over the drop I was hit with great ejector air (As well as a bit of pain from the lap bar). While the rest of the ride was fairly fun although a bit slow in some areas, the racing aspect was awesome, and I was even surprised by how much airtime the ride had. Not an awful lot of airtime, but a good amount. The ride was a bit jerky at the bottom of the first drop, but I really didn't mind, and while the lap bar pain wasn't nearly on the level of Magnum, it was still slightly irritable. While Gemini isn't an enthusiasts dream, it still proves to be a fun ride even after all these years, so it gets my thumbs up.

Drop: 8/10
Length: 8/10
Comfort: 6/10
Airtime: 7/10
Speed: 6/10
Smoothness: 6/10
Intensity: 5/10

Overall: 73/100 (Good)

Georgia Scorcher (Six Flags Over Georgia)

There are two kinds of people: Those who enjoy stand ups, and those who don't. Personally, I am not a fan. I've had bad experience with them from the start. I lost my sunglasses on Vortex at Carowinds, received one of the worst migraines of my life on Shockwave at Kings Dominion, etc. Lets just say I wasn't too excited about Scorcher. I decided I would just get it done for a credit, and then move on. So early in the day I decided it was time to get it over with. I boarded the once again uncomfortable seat-thing (though not as bad as others), and we headed straight up the 107 foot lift. While I was praying I would still be able to have children after this ride, my friend kept telling me it was a fun ride. But stand ups are never fun. Oh well. We plunged down a decent 101 foot drop, and we were off to a smooth start. Following a forceful loop, we headed through a good number of random twists and turns, a corkscrew and then onto the brake run. The ride was short, much like other stand ups out there, but that is usually a good thing. But this particular ride was not that painful. The ride was short but sweet, and not too intense. By far the best stand up out there. (I actually rode this more than once ;D)

Drop: 7/10
Length: 6/10
Comfort: 5/10
Inversions: 6/10
Speed: 7/10
Smoothness: 7/10
Intensity: 7/10

Overall: 72/100 (Good)

Gatekeeper (Cedar Point)

Another new B&M is always a good thing right? They give very smooth rides (With the exception of a few) and produce fun floaty airtime as well as new innovations such as wing-riders. Gatekeeper was my first wing coaster made by B&M, and I was quite excited. The 15 minute line moved very quickly on this cool Monday evening, and the eagerness in me grew. I boarded the train and pulled down my (slightly uncomfortable) vest restraint. This does eliminate head-banging however. We leave the station after the "all-clear", and head up the 170 foot lift. The lift offered a fantastic view of Lake Eerie and some of the park. We finally reach the peak and are rotated upside down. The 164 foot drop was breathtaking, and it was though I was diving like an eagle towards the ground. After an inversion, we headed over an airtime hill with hardly any airtime. My favorite part of the ride was the giant flat spin, and then the keyhole heartline rolls. Lastly after the MCBR we head into a helix, and finally into the final brakes. All in all I can't say Gatekeeper exceeded my expectations. Though the ride does have a "flying" feel to it, the ride itself was forceless and dull in that category. Nevertheless, it is a great addition to Cedar Points collection, and also creates even more diversity in the park.

Drop: 8/10
Length: 8/10
Comfort: 7/10
Elements: 8/10
Speed: 7/10
Smoothness: 10/10
Intensity: 5/10

Overall: 83/100 (Great)

Hollywood: Rip Ride Rockit (Universal Studios Orlando Florida)

With my trip to Florida in 2013 came a coaster unlike any other I've ridden before, so I didn't know what to expect from Rip Ride Rockit. After a glorious day at Islands of Adventure, I entered Universal Studios, and bee-lined straight for the 167 foot tall ride. After a brief 5 minute line, I sit in the seat and choose my song on the touch screen in front of me; a very nice touch to the ride. I don't have much time before I was staring straight up at the sky headed up the vertical lift. I wasn't intimidated as I have ridden many verical lifting rides, but the fact that it is a vertical lift still unnerves me (In a good way). I don't have much time to take in the view before we plummet into the "Double-Take" inversion: A non-inverting loop. A few helices, turns and drops later we hit the mid-course brake run, and I must say I was enjoying myself. The ride ended, and I got 2 more rides before I took off to the other rides of the park. My only complaint is that the ride seems to have a rattle to it which threatened to give me a headache after three rides. The lack of intensity could also be a legit complaint, but I felt that this ride is more focused on action, music and overall fun than intensity and hardcore coaster fan g-forces. Rip Ride Rockit was however a fun, lengthy ride and should not be missed if one is at Universal.

Drop: 7/10
Length: 9/10
Comfort: 9/10
Elements: 8 /10
Speed: 7/10
Smoothness: 7/10
Intensity: 5/10

Overall: 82/100 (Great)

Carolina Cobra (Carowinds)

With the Carowinds Giga-Coaster construction beginning just minutes from my house, its quite easy to forget about the other coasters in Carowinds' collection. Perhaps one of the most neglected although just added in 2009 is the Carolina Cobra. Lets just talk about the first time I rode it. I boarded the train after a half hour wait not expecting much, y'know, just another Vekoma boomerang. Upon boarding, I immediately noticed a welcome change to the Vekoma trains; Instead of OTSR, the Vekoma's updated trains include restraints much like Banshee. A vest, I might call it. The ride other than that was just another Vekoma boomerang. Get this though. No OTSR made all the difference, I actually enjoyed this ride. There was no headbanging of course, and this is BY FAR the best boomerang coaster out there (Besides Deja Vu)

Drop(S): 7/10
Length: 6/10
Comfort: 7/10
Inversions: 6/10
Speed: 6/10
Smoothness: 6/10
Intensity: 7/10

Overall: 71/100 (Good)

Ninja (Six Flags Over Georgia)

Last year, it was a great day in June. Me and a few of my friends headed out to Six Flags in Georgia. After rides like Goliath and Batman, as well as the amazing Mindbender, we headed off to the less-popular attractions. We gave Great America Scream Machine a go, which was an okay ride, as well as Georgia Cyclone which was pretty underwhelming. Then we came across Ninja. The first thought that came to mind was "That looks pretty scenic". Y'know, it looks pretty nice over the water. Well, one of my friends who is native to Atlanta warned me, saying it was "excruciatingly painful". I excused this as an exaggeration, and besides, I needed it for the credit. Now, I've been on plenty of rough rides before, including the Hurricane at the old Myrtle Beach Pavilion (but even that had some fun airtime), and the unexpectedly painful Magnum XL-200. I ran to the station along with one of my friends and pulled down my restraint, and soon enough we exited the station up the slow 122 foot lift. After cresting the top, we slowed for a second, and I glanced at my friend with a "What is going on?" expression, and he just laughed. We finally slid down the hill, and slammed into the first inversion. As if the two butterfly elements were not enough, we were then thrown across our seats as we hit the next inversion. By this time a migraine is already forming, and the ride wasn't even half over. Three turns and two gut-wrenching corkscrews later, the train comes to a screeching halt, and I swore; "Never again". Just do not ride this ride. It is pain to the next level. The ride also takes up a large amount of space that could be used for a new coaster. Literally all I like about this ride is the scenic view of it, and the paint job. Besides that, it truly does beat you up, just like any good Ninja should do.

Drop: 4/10
Length: 7/10
Comfort: 5/10
Inversions: 5/10
Speed: 4/10
Smoothness: 1/10
Intensity: 6/10

Overall: 29/100 (Horrible)