059 - Top Gun

Location : Paramount's Great America
Date first rode : June 2002
Still there? : Yes
ECC : Yes
ERS : No

This, coaster fans, is my favourite coaster in the world and so I'm going to break the 5-word rule on this one. I'd be surprised if it made the top 10 in most enthusiasts lists, it's not fast, or big, or whatever but for me it was perfect. I will even go so far as to put it above Nemesis which is a similar style of ride.

The first reason why is that I'd got fed up with the Stealth ERS and had made my way over to this waiting for it to open. The ride ops saw me waiting and asked if I wanted to ride the first train - Perfect! The first train of the day and it was all mine. Of course I took the front seat and off I went.

The second reason is that towards the end there is a helix over a lake and if you sat in the right hand seat your legs would be swung through some reeds growing at the water's edge. I really like that. Whereas with Nemesis you get close to the scenery, on Top Gun you went through it.

The third reason why is that the park was open 2 hours later than usual and the ride had been picking up speed all day, by the end of the day it was so fast I could feel myself blacking out. A bad thing to most people but I loved the feeling and it made me want to ride it more.

The final reason is that as well as getting the first train, I'd also got the last train of the day and a run in the dark. This time round I'd chosen to sit in the back. It was worth getting the "late" chant when I got back to the coach. It's the only time I have put the need to have "one more go" above everyone else on the trip and the need to get away on time.

So all of this together just made this ride perfect for me.

" :) "