82-Year-Old Rides Wooden Roller Coaster 95 Times In One Day To Reach 5,000 Mark

(WPXI.com [link has autoplay video])

It’s always admirable when someone accomplishes a feat that to the average person appears well, a bit dizzying, and an 82-year-old roller coaster devotee’s recent accomplishment is no different: He celebrated his 5,000th ride on a historic wooden roller coaster in Pennsylvania, completing 95 of those trips in one day over the weekend.

Sitting for more than eight hours straight, the man hit the big milestone on the Jack Rabbit at Kennywood in the Pittsburgh suburb of West Mifflin, reports the Associated Press. He chose to ride 95 times to honor the coaster’s 95th birthday this season.

“I feel great!” said the man, who’s retired from the wholesale grocery business but is a local actor. “I made sure to move my legs throughout the day to keep from getting stiff after sitting so long.”

He’s been riding the world’s fifth-oldest coaster — built in 1920 — since he moved to Pittsburgh in 1959.

To prepare for his dippy day, he drank and ate very little ahead of time since he didn’t want to take a bathroom break. Fans and friends offered him water in between trips, and a paramedic was on hand, just in case. At the end of the day, he walked off unassisted except by his cane, a rep for the park said.

His best tip for others who love riding the twisty, turny rails? Pick the fifth seat in the train, as he says it provides a smoother ride, in the middle away from the wheels.

“If you’re gonna ride over the wheels for a length of time, you’re gonna hurt,” he said.

Roller coaster fan notches 5,000th ride on historic coaster [Associated Press]