Per a tweet from Kings Island's PR dept: "Season passholder Gary Coleman will take his 3,000th ride on Diamondback Thursday." This is great. Gary rocks!

How? Does he go everyday and ride it at least 20 times a day? It seems nuts!

How? Does he go everyday and ride it at least 20 times a day? It seems nuts!

He's there most evenings, I think. And he takes advantage of the hour long ERT on Saturday mornings. You can get a lot of rides in then and DB loads fast, especially single rider.

Wow 3,000 rides all ready. Does he not have a job?

Nerd.

Addict, who, yes, just HAD to.

EDIT: Just to make sure, I don't really mean it. I respect him for all those rides. I wouldn't and couldn't ever do that.

I believe that Gary might be retired. He is a really nice guy if you ever have the chance to meet up with him and talk.

Some people like to go golfing in their free time, while others like to go to amusement parks and ride roller coasters. To each their own.

Wow 3,000 rides all ready. Does he not have a job?

He is there every evening.

And I don't feel that Gary owes anyone an explanation about why he rides a lot, ie whether he has a job, is retired, etc. It is nobody's business. Forgive me if I sound harsh.

I can't see how any one can ride that over and over, two rides in a row gives me a headache!

Yes. My point wasn`t necessarily what his job status was, but rather the fact that he is (I believe) in his 60s. And if he were retired, he would likely have more free time.

Personally, I haven`t ridden Diamondback as much this year. That is largely due to the fact that I have worked a ton this summer between my real job (at an architecture firm) and working weekends at Coney. In fact, it has been thirty days since my last day off, on July 5th. Prior to that day off, you have to look back into around May 20th.

I can't see how any one can ride that over and over, two rides in a row gives me a headache!

Last Friday, I watched all four showings of "Way Too Much TV." Sunday I saw it twice. Weird? Yep. Do I care what anyone thinks? Nope. Its a great show, the cast is wonderful, and it speaks to me on several levels! And if it plays next year, I'll see it 100 times.

Point is, lots of us do things that others might find strange. I'm a functioning productive member of society. Gary is too. Leave all of us alone! :-)

I believe that Gary might be retired. He is a really nice guy if you ever have the chance to meet up with him and talk.

Some people like to go golfing in their free time, while others like to go to amusement parks and ride roller coasters. To each their own.

Couldn't have said it better myself,CoastersRZ.

I myself have 906 rides on DB because I enjoy it. Some people belong to garden parties, some people play bridge, some people play golf, Gary, Darlene, myself and the rest of the DB gang like to ride DB. And we shouldn't have to make any excuses for doing something we love. The insults that I saw people post about Darlene in the article about her 500th ride on DB ( which I had the pleasure to share) really turned my stomach.

Wow, kudos to Gary. I would never be able to manage 3000 rides in less than two full seasons. Although I do envy him for having enough free time to go about doing that

I can't see how any one can ride that over and over, two rides in a row gives me a headache!

Last Friday, I watched all four showings of "Way Too Much TV." Sunday I saw it twice. Weird? Yep. Do I care what anyone thinks? Nope. Its a great show, the cast is wonderful, and it speaks to me on several levels! And if it plays next year, I'll see it 100 times.

Point is, lots of us do things that others might find strange. I'm a functioning productive member of society. Gary is too. Leave all of us alone! :-)

All no I'm not saying or calling anyone strange for riding a coaster over and over, most laps(in a row) I've done was eight on Millennium Force. I don't consider Diamondback to be smooth, only the front seat is smooth. It gives me a headache after two rides in a row, I've even been on Top Thrill Dragster five in a row with no headache.

Congrats to Gary!

He along with many of the folks I've met riding Diamondback are interesting to talk to and fun to ride with.

Sounds like the 3,000th ride is scheduled for around 6:30 PM. I plan to be on hand to help him celebrate. :-)

Depending on the weather, I may swing by in the park in the evening, and may just happen to be there at that time. (It also depends how traffic is between downtown Cincy and KI at rush hour tomorrow.)

My friend Jan and I ride with Gary all the time.

It is pretty much the only ride we ride. It is the newest. We have ridden everything else. Old news.

Gary works mornings for a family business, is a minister, and has a life other than Diamondback. Diamondback is his (our) escape from the woes of everything that is bothering us at the time.

You may see us 3 together at the park when you go. A short guy, a woman, and ME....LOL

We will probably be there for his 3000th tonight.

‎3,000 x 3 minute 20second ride = 9600/60 = 160 HOURS spend on Diamondback! That's 6.666666 days!

I hope I did my math right.

Congrats to Gary on his monumental achievement. I don't think anyone could have predicted just how popular Diamondback would be :-)

Wow 3,000 rides all ready. Does he not have a job?

He is there every evening.

And I don't feel that Gary owes anyone an explanation about why he rides a lot, ie whether he has a job, is retired, etc. It is nobody's business. Forgive me if I sound harsh.

If you read my post in the "KIC What Happened?" thread, you will see that this is exactly what has made this site unappealling to some. Mr. Coleman has put himself in the public eye by parading around in that shirt bragging about how many times he has ridden DB and has promoted himself in the press and on the web. Questions like this are clearly fair game.

Wait, I'm really confused here. Is Gary Coleman dead or not?

Wait, I'm really confused here. Is Gary Coleman dead or not?

In this case, the answer to your question is, undoubtedly, yes. The man who rides DB is not the actor.

--Beatle, who, for once, knows what hes "talkin' 'bout"

Ohhhh, that clears up a lot. Thanks!

There's nothing wrong with what he's doing..let it be. Is this a little jealousy creeping up on the board?

Well he did it. Kings Island posted it on their Facebook. Didn't take long for an idiot to make a comment. He is getting plenty of positive comments though

Even more childish is all the "Isn't he dead" comments.

I flagged the dead comments and they have been removed

And how many KICers are in the photo with him? At least a few I think.

I'd link the FB pic but am mobile right now and don't know how.

Gary Coleman needs a life.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/28/gary-coleman-dead-diffren_n_593120.html

--Beatle, who never passes up the chance to make a childish pun

Mr. Coleman has put himself in the public eye by parading around in that shirt bragging about how many times he has ridden DB and has promoted himself in the press and on the web. Questions like this are clearly fair game.

Seriously? Parading and bragging? Promoting himself? You've obviously never had a conversation with the man.

People shouldn't brag about riding a coaster a lot. I don't see how anybody would really care. Honestly, it doesn't seem like an accomplishment at all. No rudeness towards Gary here, but I'm just saying, it seems kind of a stupid thing to have your goal to hit 3,000 rides on Diamondback.

And how many KICers are in the photo with him? At least a few I think.

I'd link the FB pic but am mobile right now and don't know how.

Gary had 13 friends riding with him, many of whom I believe are regular posters here. I was there, too, but didn't ride. Don Helbig was also on hand taking photos and supporting Gary in this fun and great event.