About the time I decided to ride the fastest wooden roller coaster in the world

I am still not sure WHAT in the world I was thinking.

Our son, Isaac, loves roller coasters. Like, he has a book on them that he reads ALL THE TIME. And this book doesn't have pictures. It's a grown-up book with all the facts and stats of the biggest and best roller coasters.

He draws pictures of roller coasters. He compares my speed when driving to which coaster it matches. He asks me, daily, what my favorite roller coaster is. And he's been asking when he can ride Lightning Rod for months.

We have season passes to Dollywood which has seven (I think?) really amazing roller coasters. We've been waiting for an opportunity for him to ride the new coaster at Dollywood: Lightning Rod. We only go to Dollywood during the week when school is in session and when it is not blazing hot. We never wait in a line this way and it is much more fun.

So a few weeks ago, we went. We took our friend Shane which excited Isaac. JB gets bad motion sickness, and I can only ride one or two coasters before I remember why I don't like them.

So Shane and Isaac are heading up to Lightning Rod, and I've been seeing this thing advertised all over and am like, "Just do it once Wendi. See what all the fuss is about."

And, seriously, no idea what I was thinking, but I got in line with them. I did not have to ride. Isaac had a partner. And yet I thought I needed to. This is truly so out of character with me as a person. When our five-member South African group decided to Bungy jump from the highest jump in the world, I saw no need to participate. I didn't feel I was missing a thing.

And yet I needed to ride this coaster?

I am not sure what in the world came over me. Honestly. This coaster was HORRIBLE. Like, it felt I was free-falling the entire time. I honestly just wanted it to be over so badly from the moment it started. I think it last less than 90 seconds, but it was the scariest and most terrifying 90 seconds of my life. You could not pay me money (under maybe $10,000? to ride it again. Honestly.)

This ride launches from 0 to 45mph more than 20 stories up. It races down a 165-foot drop and then propels you along it's 3800 foot tract at 73mph -- the fasted speed for a wood coaster in the world.

Apparently there are 20 seconds of airtime. I don't know what that means, but it isn't good. Here is a video I found online of the experience.

Unless you LOVE roller coasters, do NOT do this ride. Seriously. Horrible.

P.S. Isaac loved it.
P.S.S. He rode it twice.