MASON, Ohio (AP) — A 73-year-old man has taken his 12,000th ride on his favorite roller coaster at King's Island amusement park in Ohio.

The park says Gary Coleman of Monfort Heights took the milestone ride in the front row of the Diamondback roller coaster on Monday.

The retired minister has made 493 trips to the theme park outside of Cincinnati since 2009, when the 230-foot steel roller coaster opened. It's the tallest and fastest roller coaster at Kings Island and reaches speeds of 80 mph.

Coleman says he's loved coasters since childhood. He says he plans to continue increasing his ride count as long as he remains healthy enough to do so.