I'm officially a Mass-hole

Massachusetts drivers are known for being really bad. The nickname had developed of calling bad MA drivers Mass-holes. Well, it's official. I got an out-of-state speeding ticket for driving like any normal person in MA would normally be driving. I have become one of the dreaded Mass-holes...

I took a weekend trip to Sandusky, Ohio to ride the roller coasters at Cedar Point amusement park. Check out www.cedarpoint.com if you are unfamiliar with the world's greatest amusement park (infidel!). Drove 11 hours there and 11 hours back. Not a problem. The problem was going from the hotel to the park on the second day there. Not paying attention to the speed limit. Because in MA you never pay attention to the speed limit. I think they post them for the sake of using up the budget. Nobody - including the cops - pays any attention to them within town. (Unless it's like doing 80 in a school zone, but that's just plain dumb.) There was traffic ahead, and traffic behind, but I was kind of alone for a good 250 feet or so. Just kind of casually driving based on how far ahead the car in front of me was, talking to Ronny. The top was up, because it was a little drizzly. I saw the cop sitting in the parking lot on the right side of the road, looked down, and saw the needle was above 50. Oops. It was a 40 zone. Yeah. He probably started salivating when he saw the obviously NON-Ohio plates. (OH and MA plates do not look at ALL alike.) I wasn't really going much faster than anybody else. But, like I said, I was kind of out of the cluster, by myself. $112. Unless I want to go all the way back to Sandusky in two weeks. I'm thinking no... But this will be a major headache when the car insurance renews in August!

But other than that, the trip was a blast. There were threats of thunderstorms, but that never happened. The lines were nice and short, we got to ride everything. Ronny didn't like Top Thrill Dragster (420 feet, 120 mph, verticle drop), so I only went once. But that's OK, it wasn't even running Monday, and Millenium Force is way more fun. We did that several times! The new one is MaXair. One of those rocking pendulum rides. Except you are strapped to the outside of a big spinning circle. So, while spinning around, you swing 140 feet into the air. I was a little apprehensive about going on, but it was actually quite fun.

Tips for travelers: (1) Follow posted speeds in Ohio. (2) The Sandusky Clarion Inn does not merit it's 3 stars. (3) The two-day pass at Cedar Point is SO the way to go - bring water park wear, as well. (4) The ride Disaster Transport is inside a building. They are trying for a Space Mountain effect, but the ride is short and wimpy. However, since you cannot see the ride is wimpy from the tarmac, and you cannot see the length of the line, you get suckered into trying it - DON'T. It is not worth more than a 5 minute wait. (5) About 11 o'clock seek out hand stamps. You only get two, so make them count. I recommend Millenium Force and Raptor. (6) At least for now, they won't let you in line for Top Thrill Dragster wearing glasses/sunglasses. Hide them in your pocket until you are in the queue. They don't seem to care once you're inside. (7) There are 3 water rides in the regular park, all the way in the back. (8) Sunday through Thursday, the Sandusky area restaurants close at 10pm despite the deluge of park goers coming through town at about 10:30. The only one on the main drag (Milan Road) still open is Applebee's. At 10:05 we couldn't get into Olive Garden, but the next night got in at 9:55. Plan accordingly!

Ronny is a Spongebob fan. (They have the show on in Brazil...) They had Spongebobs at the midway games. The easy Spongebob was at the Guessing Booth. I won Ronny a little stuffed Spongebob on Sunday because the lady thought I was fat. (Okay, she was 5 pounds over.) I won him another one on Monday because a different lady thought I was nearing retirement... (She said 34. I just turned 31. She thought I looked OLDER than I am. Ouch.) So, now Ronny has one to keep at his place and one to keep at my place. How Cute!! :)