Experienced by Kimatni D. Rawlins
My youngest daughter Kaiyana (Aya) and I love summer road trips no matter the distance. Whether we are visiting family in South Jersey or headed to Virginia Beach for the waves, the one-on-one time together is always exciting. So, to all our Fit Fathers please make sure to hit the road to escort your kids to their favorite destinations before time is up and “back to school” anxieties kick in. It’s always ideal for the creation of intimate memories. For us the target was Kings Dominion in Doswell, VA this past weekend for the roller coaster experience including the speedy Intimidator 305.
Aya and I were coming from Silver Spring, MD which is about 2 hours down 95 South. However, Kings Dominion is just 15 minutes from Richmond, VA for the lucky ones. Our ride of choice to warp us there — a Hichroma Red 2018 Kia Stinger GT2 AWD V6 loaned to Fit Fathers for such purposes — was perfect in alleviating time concerns due to quick acceleration and racer like agility. Aya kept telling me to stop acting like I was operating a roller coaster since the power from the Twin Turbo 365-horsepower V6 was so addictive. I told her not to worry because we were blessed with Brembo brakes for immediate stopping power. “Brembo” she asked? We also laid down the 2nd row seats and loaded our mountain bikes in the rear. Another reason why I love sporty hatchbacks!
Offering education on the trip down I tuned to SIRIUS Satellite to honor Aretha Franklin so Aya could understand her history and importance to the music world. She enjoyed many of the Queen of Soul’s melodious flows like “RESPECT” blasting out of the Harman Kardon premium audio system. We arrived in what was no time. Upon arrival I directed the attention-grabbing Stinger towards the Preferred Parking Lot which I purchased the day prior for a $5 discount and $20 total. Unbeknownst to us it was National Roller Coaster Day Weekend which was right on point with the objective. With 12 superlative roller coasters to choose from our day was set before it even started.
First up was the King of Kings. After learning of the Intimidator 305’s hype and stats we couldn’t wait to rip the railway. That’s right, the blistering 91 mph super coaster climbs 305 feet before dropping 80 degrees at hyper speeds while your vision becomes blurred from the performance. Trust me, not even Beyonce would dare try this ride before a concert because all the screaming would leave her voiceless!
Next was the Dominator and its five thrilling inversions and 67 mph top speed. The line was longer than expected being that we arrived 30 minutes after opening. Kings Dominion says it’s a favorite among park visitors and enthusiasts. The Dominator also holds a world record as the longest floorless roller coaster at 4,210 feet.
Since it was so close to Dominator we jumped on the Berserker pirate ship which is a classic ride for any thrill seeker. However, I do believe we were hanging upside down longer than usual.
Afterwards was the historic Racer 75 which pits two trains side-by-side in a race up the initial incline, down the hill and along the wooden tracks until they split after about 30 seconds. The kid in the other car was definitely confident in a win as he had his game face on. This attraction was not the most exciting but Racer 75 is a classic and actually has given more rides than any other at Kings Dominion.
The newest roller coaster to the amusement park is certainly one of my favorites. Twisted Timbers launched in the spring and surely did not disappoint. The rustic, aged cars look inept, but that’s certainly not the case here. This is a ride even the Man of Steel would have enjoyed. Designed from wood and steel, the newfangled technology allows for a 109-foot-tall barrel roll drop, two inversions and 20 airtime hills while moving at 54 mph.
The last ride we caught was Anaconda with 2,700 feet of twists, sharp turns, coiled loops and an underwater tunnel. When the excitement was over I remained dazed and simultaneously amazed. My stomach was empty and my equilibrium was off balance. Quickly I headed for a BBQ Fest location to snag a good ole, grilled corn on the cob using the Tasting Card. Aya and I high fived each other and headed for yet another roller coaster in the Kia Stinger GT2. However, this time we would be cruising slowly to the Westin to ponder on our electrifying day together at Kings Dominion!
