Harking back to the “Mad Mouse” and “Turbo” at the Sonoma County Fair during the Ford Administration, and continuing with the likes of Great America’s “Tidal Wave” and “Turn of the Century”, to “Batman the Ride” at Magic Mountain and the Stratosphere’s “Big Shot” in Las Vegas, I’ve always been a sucker for the siren call of the thrill ride.

Feeling that itch last week while covering the Colorado State Fair, this past Sunday I convinced my colleague Nick Bonham to join me on the fair’s most intimidating ride, The Ejection Seat. It’s a ride that launches you in slingshot fashion from a sitting position 10 feet or so above the ground to a height of 180 feet in about three or four seconds. You’ll rebound and tumble a few times before returning to Earth.

Prior to launch, save for some nervous banter between Nick, myself, and the ride operators, it was eerily calm. Nick cautioned me that “this better not ruin the rest of my day; I still gotta work.” There was an anxious pause, some more light banter and finally there came the “thaa-whack” of the tensioner’s release and it was game on.

Nick was a tad bit more vociferous than me during our flight, but it’s plain to see we’re both relieved when we start making our decent back to terra firma. And yeah, I’d do it again. However, I can’t speak for Nick.

By the way, you can follow Nick on twitter to get the latest on the crimes that men do in and around the Steel City and other assorted pearls of wisdom.