Click Click Click

Click click click is a sound that changed my life. I refer to it whenever I refer to peace, tranquility, and utter bliss. The infectious nature of the repetitive click is unparalleled in my experience. To understand my, and many others', love of the click click click rhythm, you have to understand the root of it all. Most roots are nearly the same so I will base this explanation on mine. It all started 16 years ago…

When I was seven, my father took me to Six Flags Great America. I was scared terrified. I hated heights and to this day am not a fan of them. I would barely ride White Water Rampage (now Roaring Rapids) due to the sort-of high bridge that led to the loading dock for this decent raft ride. Then when I was about 14 I went to Disney World and got in line for what would have been my first roller coaster: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and then I hyperventilated from fear. Finally, when I was around 16, I rode the Whizzer at Six Flags Great America. I almost had tears in my eyes as I climbed the slow, circular lift hill. Then we dropped and my life changed as soon as that click click click disengaged. I will never forget that last slowing click sound as we left the lift and dropped down that ever so slight decline.

Ever since I have a large fear coupled with anticipation with the sound of the security on the lift hills of roller coasters. Peruse my writings, you will see my love of the steel and wooden beasts that instill supreme adrenaline rushes and sometimes that wonderful tunnel vision. As many of my friends, myself, and other coaster junkies sit in the off-season (winter) we make jokes as we drive, in silence, someone will mock an OTSR and quietly start "click click click" and so it goes: we feel that little churning in our stomachs. Many describe smells as rousing memories but for us: it is that sound. That incessant click click click that can trigger our Pavlovian response that is, to most coaster junkies, one of the greatest thrills known to man: the adrenaline rush.