The forecast was... rain, scattered thunderstorms, some may be severe... not a good day for riding coasters. But the weather at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio is as changeable as it is here in Indiana. The day WAS mostly gray, there WERE some showers, and a few were even fairly strong, but the spirits of those present were not dampened in the least. As with many parks, many of the older rides must be shut down during the rain for safety reasons and this was a problem a few times during the day, but the Raptor ran almost non-stop. It's hard to describe the Raptor, but when you see the twisting green track swirling across the sky and hear the whirring noise it makes as it carries its riders through the air, the impression it leaves will not soon be forgotten. It is currently the tallest, steepest, fastest, and longest inverted coaster in the world. It's still my favorite, and if you get to Cedar Point, it's a must ride. I managed to ride eight of the eleven coasters that put this park in the Guinness Book for having the most coasters. Two were closed with problems not related to the rain and I'm too tall to ride the Gemini Jr. (sigh). I did take time to go on the paddlewheel cruise and watch the dolphin and sea lion show, both of which were great fun. The Town Hall Museum was also very interesting, giving an overview of Cedar Point's 125 year history. There were lots of other things I didn't have time for, including the brand new laser light show. The public relations staff tells me that it has received even more praise from the public than the Raptor did last year! The park is laid out in an oval pattern which makes it fairly easy to plan your day. And when you consider how many people are in this park every day, it's amazing how clean it stays! Security is readily visible throughout the park, not that I've ever seen any real problems at Cedar Point, but it's nice to know that security personel are easy to find should you need them. All the staff I talked to at Cedar Point were helpful and polite, but a special commendation goes to those ride operators who put up with the impatience that some of us show when we have to wait in line for those rides. (Or with the complaints when it's raining!) They're doing their job to keep things moving and help us to experience the thrills of a lifetime, and Cedar Point's ride-ops are wonderful! If you get a chance, get to Cedar Point this summer. I'll be doing my best to get back there before summer is over because, as Stacey Richey (Pendleton Heights High School grad and Cedar Point employee) says: It's the greatest amusement park in the country.!