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1980 was a big year for Carowinds as they added a record breaking coaster that turned riders upside-down a total of four times.



That coaster was the aptly named Carolina Cyclone.  You know one thing that I do like about some of the coasters at Carowinds is that they really wanted to tie the name back to something about the Carolinas.  Fury 325 ties back to the cities reputation during the American Revolution, and the Carolina Cyclone is tied to those states being in the path of more than a few hurricanes.



I'm a little torn on how I feel about classic Arrow Dynamics designed multi-looping coasters.  They really hold a soft spot in my heart because these rides are where my coaster enthusiasm began.  When Old Chicago was under construction my very first interaction with a coaster was seeing the lead car to the Old Chicago Loop; which was just like the lead car on the Carolina Cyclone.  For hours the three year old me crawled over, around, and even under the car getting locked into the restraints and wiggling out, unlocking the restraints, laying under it spinning the wheels and flicking the chain dog.  The car looked so magical, from then on I dreamed about speeding this way or that in a Arrow Dynamics looping coaster car.



There is all of that nostalgia and good memories and then there is the fact that these Arrow's from the 1970's and 1980's are really up there in age and they weren't that smooth back then (especially with rough transitions) and my also aging body that really doesn't want to get slammed into over the shoulder restraints anymore.



The question boils down to do I want to keep the past alive by riding an old Arrow coaster like the Carolina Cyclone or do I want to appreciate the past and my body by enjoying the ride from the ground?

For now I'm going to go with the former and keep on riding as while the Cyclone is showing its age, it is still a fun coaster.



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Paul B. Drabek