Last weekend I celebrated my birthday with a trip to one of the local amusement parks and by watching the Philadelphia Eagles lose on Sunday afternoon. It was a great weekend to get outside, ride some roller coasters and eventually watch some losing football.

We knew Saturday, the day we were going to Dorney Park, was going to be a long one. Friday night, immediately following work, we packed our bags and hit the road. Honestly, we made the trip in just over an hour, but it was nice to wake up 15 minutes from the park on Saturday.

The week before, Dorney began its Halloween programming. At about 6 p.m., the fog machines went on and the monsters (or actors) came out. This is the first time I have ever been to a theme park’s Halloween festivities, but it was genuinely a lot of fun. The fog machines and darkness really change the park’s appearance.

Throughout the day we rode all of the roller coasters and most of the thrill rides a few times. Dorney’s most famous roller coaster, Steel Force, is always a joy. Our fast passes also made sure we never had to wait in line more than a few minutes.

After the sun set, we took to the haunted mazes. Now, I have been to the local mazes, like those at Shady Brook Farm, but these were of a totally different production value. They were themed and spooky, with a few nice touches, like the names (Wentz, etc.) on gravestones in the cemetery. The only really terrifying maze, though, was predicated on complete darkness. In a witch house, each group receives one flashlight. I led the group even though my girlfriend had the flashlight, and it is much scarier when you can’t look where you want.

We finished the night off with one more ride on Steel Force, where we actually ran into someone I met through work nearly seven years ago. It was really cool to catch up while in line for the ride.

The next morning we got ready and headed home, where we were meeting my parents and other family members to watch the Eagles. The Birds couldn’t pull it out, but given the injuries, I guess I can forgive them. Plus, they seem to be on the upswing after a great win over Green Bay.

— Erich Martin, assistant editor