Back on Track

I'm posting this entry from my sister's computer in Ohio. We got the car fixed on Monday morning, thanks to a fine Pakistani gentleman at Meineke Muffler in Rochester, who was honest and competent and said I did not need the $600 part that Pep Boys said I needed. An hour's work and a hundred bucks later, we were back on the road.

We had a great time at Cedar Point (just one day, instead of two, but that was probably enough). My daughters accompanied me on the Millennium Force--the 300+ foot high roller coaster--plus the Magnum, the Mantis, and the brand new Maverick. I didn't have time to ride the Dragster, which was slightly disappointing because it was my chance to ride a genuine railgun; the cars get shot down a straightaway by a linear induction motor (just like the proposed space launchers), then straight up 400+ feet into a near-suborbital loop, and then right back down. Mainly I wanted to ride the railgun. But, come to think of it, the Maverick used a similar but less extreme railgun launch up its first hill, and another in the middle, so I did get to ride one. My young niece and nephew had a ball, the highlight being young Lauren's overcoming her fear to ride the Disaster Transport--and then coming back for more.

After that, we checked into the Kalahari Waterpark Resort, where we were welcomed generously and treated like honored guests, and I held the most successful book signing of my career. Blog-reader Tsmacro came all the way from Michigan with his fiance to say hello, which was great, and many people wandering through the activity center stopped and chatted and bought books. I never would have expected it, but I sold far more books than I ever have at a bookstore or convention signing, and had lots of nice conversations with folks from all over the map. Thanks, Kalahari, and Karen who invited me to come!

We're wrapping up the trip with visits with relatives, and will be beelining back east on Saturday--with a stop, if we can possibly swing it, to see Niagara Falls on the way. We must be home this weekend--and after that we can rest from our vacation!