Roller Coaster Challenge

Roller Coaster Challenge

Roller Coaster Challenge Day 1 - What is your favorite roller coaster?

Maverick, Cedar Point

No surprises here; it’s got to be Maverick, Cedar Point--the world’s most ridiculously awesome creation. (For the record, I coined “ridiculous awesomeness.”)

Why is Maverick the world’s best roller coaster? VARIETY. I can’t pick what my favorite part of the ride is: every element is designed flawlessly.

Maverick starts with an electromagnetic launch up a lift hill, so it only takes about 10 seconds to climb 100 ft. The first drop is steeper than straight down, the steepest in Ohio. Maverick then twists through sharp turns at ground level and through rock formations. Next is a small hill, which is shaped perfectly for maximum airtime (and maximum everything-falls-out-of-your pockets as well).

The train continues through two zero-G rolls, in which one feels weightless while upside-down. This is a rare treat and makes these my favorite inversions on any roller coaster.

At this point, Maverick is only halfway through its course. Most rides have all the excitement early in the ride, but Maverick’s closing is an impressive as its opening. Brakes slow down the train at this point, but electromagnets launch it to 70 mph inside a tunnel! The ride concludes with high-speed changes of direction, powerful turns, and a final perfect airtime hill.

Cedar Point has a long history of building the biggest and the fastest of whatever newest type of roller coaster is available. Maverick was never the biggest, fastest, or even the steepest. Instead, every element on Maverick was given special attention to be as effective as it could possibly be. Maverick is the only roller coaster to feature launches, a 90+ degree drop, inversions, tight changes of direction, and perfect airtime hills. It is possible to create a better-designed and more diverse roller than Maverick…but just barely.

Psalm 98:1-9

Sometimes when we lack words we coin our own—words like “ridiculous awesomeness.” David, the writer of the Psalms, had a similar roadblock when singing praises to God. The old songs just weren’t expressing his intense feelings and unspeakable praise. “Sing a new song!” he shouts, “for God has done wonderful deeds!” (Psalm 98:1).

Life is the best-designed ride you will ever strap yourself into. Yes, you experience the highs and the drops, the changes and the rolls, but you have the assurance that His love and faithfulness will turn inversions into joy.  Half-way through, burst into jubilant song because He is in the tunnel with you. Empty your pockets of the trinkets of this life. Be grateful for every element of the ride. Know that He gives special attention to you. What a thrill to clap your hands at the end of the ride and praise the Maker, for it could not have been better designed!


Psalm 98:1-9

1 Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things;his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. 

2 The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousnessto the nations. 

3 He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 

4 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; 

5 make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, 

6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn-- shout for joy before the LORD, the King. 

7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. 

8 Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy;

9let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.