Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeam!

After years of living near the ginormous West Edmonton Mall, I've finally popped my Mindbender cherry & rode the rollercoaster. It was awesome!

I've been to Universal Studios in FL & rode the Hulk, Fire & Ice, some crazy one in Sea World Texas - all fantastic. I hated rollercoasters when they were the rickety wooden style that jerked you around & instilled the fear of mechanical & chiropractic failure. But when the modern ones became the norm with smooth fluid loops & padded shoulder restraints, I was hooked. I rode the Sea World biggie 3 or 4 times in a row & loved the feeling of soaring through the air. I was legitimately surprised when my sister joined me & was terrified by this euphoric flying experience. I got her repeating, "I'm a beautiful bird! I'm a beautiful bird!" through clenched...everything!

With all this coaster bravado, I scoffed at a mall rollercoaster. How bad could it be? It's in, like, a mall. Do we loop around the Gap? *snicker* Little did I know this mall coaster would have me screaming like a bratty teenager:

I am fully confident now that I could star in a horror flick. I had no idea my lungs even had the capacity to scream that loud! I've been to that mall probably 100+ times since moving out to Alberta, but never had a reason to go to the ride park. My girlfriend, PrettyP, had the whole park rented out for her office Christmas party & since she doesn't have kids, she brought me & her 4 year old nephew. The coaster was a blast (obviously he didn't join us), but the award for Most Fun Ride of the Night is a toss up between the coaster & the ball pit. I love the ball pit! Yes, it's a colorful germ incubator & yes, I dove right in & had a see who can kick the most balls at each other contest with a 4 year old. I won. =)