My 100th Roller-Coaster, Part 7

I chose Fredricksburg because it was approximately halfway between Kings Dominion and Adventure World. It gets old checking into a new motel every day, so I reserved this room for two nights, thinking I would need the break from long distance driving. It would be an easy drive to Adventure World the next day. Plus I might be tired from a full day at Kings Dominion.

I was tired all right. I looked like a poster boy for Coaster Zombies.

I had taken a total of seven Flexurals to get me through this day. The normal dosage is two. The pills made me weak and extremely tired, but they got me through this day, and that was the best I could do. When I got back to my room I immediately took two more pills and collapsed on the bed, where I would remain for the next twenty two hours.

Before I dozed off I tried to think about what I should do tomorrow. No.... can't possibly.... Adventure World....... tomorrow........ Susan..... 10:?? p.m...... Dulles..... what if I sleep through......

Zzzzzzzzzzz.

I woke up to a party going on in the room next door. Awww, not tonight......... helloooooo, is this thahhhh fruhhhnt desk...... this is roo.... mmm..... i don't know.... where I yaaam...... yeahhhh........ can you tuuurrrn it dooowwn pleeease....... neeext doooor..... izzz a paaaarty....... pleeease jus keep it dooooowwn....... oooookay, i will........ thaaank you.

I took two more pills.

Zzzzzzzz. Zzzzzzz.

Hellooooo........... yeahhhhh........ huh........... whu.... whut time is it....... check oooout...... nnnnno.......... i need moooooore tiiiiiiiiime......... yeahhhhh...... oooookay......

I took two more pills.

Zzzzzzzz. Zzzzzzz.

Helloooooo......... yeahhhhh...... huh........ four whaaaaat...... reeealllly............ ooooookay, buh bye.

The man at the front desk said it was four o'clock. At some point in my hazy stupor I had managed to call the front desk and ask for a 4:00 p.m. wake up call. I have no recollection of doing so. I had been asleep for twenty two hours.

I struggled to get out of bed. My mind was weak, my body felt limp. I had to get up and get myself ready to meet Susan at the airport. I must have known it would take me several hours. I couldn't believe how long I'd slept. I kinda actually needed it.

I took two more pills.

I decided to take a bath - I reasoned it would be safer than standing in a shower. As long as I didn't accidentally drown myself.

The bath felt good. I nodded off for a bit and woke up to cold water. Oooooh Mommy. Is there anything else I could possibly do to mess myself up on this trip?

By six o'clock I have finished bathing. I have two more hours before I need to leave. I am stiff, I am sore. But I actually feel better than I did yesterday and the day before. Maybe all that sleep actually did some good.

At eight o'clock I had finished packing my stuff and getting dressed. No more pills tonight, I do not want to fall asleep at the wheel. I have to drive to Dulles Airport outside Washington D.C. to pick up Susan, then it's on to Allentown, PA. I can take more pills on Friday morning before Coaster Madness.

I checked out of the Econolodge Sanitorium in Fredricksburg, Virginia and hit the road for Dulles Airport.

I actually feel pretty good. Better than I've felt the past three days. I think I needed to just take a day off and give everything a chance to heal. Well, not heal, maybe, but certainly let everything calm down. Nothing felt quite as swollen as it did on the previous days. The pills were definitely a factor, they really did help numb the pain. And I was right, being in the parks kept me awake. There's something about being in a park, and experiencing all those rides, and being a part of it all and taking everything in. It just makes you feel alive, no matter what physical or mental condition you might be in. And even though riding a roller-coaster wasat times extremely painful, there's no denying the fact that you're still *on* a roller-coaster. You're riding something extremely thrilling, and that's enough to divert your attention, even for a short while.

I arrived at Dulles Airport at 9:30 p.m.. Susan's plane was scheduled to land at 10:30. If we left the airport by 11:00 we could be in Allentown by 2:30 a.m. God, please don't let the plane be late.

One hour and forty five minutes after it's scheduled landing, Susan's plane finally arrived. We greeted each other with the same exact face, the kind the says "what an ordeal." I was so happy to see her. You know how sometimes you go on vacation and it feels short, like you never really left? Well, I really felt like I'd been on a long trip, and I mean that in a good way. I'd gone to a lot of different places and had some incredibly wonderful experiences.

The drive to Allentown took three and a half hours. I chatted non-stop the entire way as Susan drifted in and out of consciousness. She's a sleepy head who needs her eight hours. We arrived at the Red Roof Inn at 4:30 a.m. Coaster Madness awaited us the following day at Dorney Park. But for now, on this Friday morning, three hours of sleep was all that the Coaster Gods would allow us.

Welcome to my world.