Invertalon

Just a heads up for those still interested... My Winter Chill Out photos have been upload: I would have done a photo TR post for it, but since I was late to the party with getting the pictures edited and such, I figure I wouldn't bother. Plus, plenty of other TR's floating around already!

A few recent notable mentions in the past few weeks: Fat Heads Hop JuJu Green Flash Palate Wrecker Left Hand Fade to Black (Vol. 1) Victory DirtWolf Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin Ballast Point Victory at Sea Fat Heads Prohibition Pauly Porter 3 Floyds Arctic Panzer Wolf Bells HopSlam Ale Troeg's Nugget Nectar

Looks like a fun little ride... I just hate the support color though!

1. Do you have your videos set to auto-play on your: a. desktop computer and/or b. mobile device? (or if you don't know, just tell us if the videos auto-play or not in your newsfeed.) Absolutely not... Hate auto-play! 2. Do you regularly "share" content from Facebook "page" (like the TPR page) to your own personal Facebook page? And have you shared something from the TPR page? I usually don't share much of anything. I don't believe I have shared any TPR stuff. 3. What kind of content are you most likely to share? (Videos, Photos, News Stories, etc?) Photos or non-news articles if I do... Funny stores, beer news/releases and debatable stuff. 4. How long on average do you watch a video posted to Facebook for? Do you watch the entire video? First 30 seconds? Until you get bored? I will usually watch the entire video if it interests me, otherwise skip to the content I care about. 5. How important are "video thumbnails" to you? (the image you see with the > Play icon before you click to watch a video) Not at all. 6. What do you like/dislike about Facebook? What features do you use the most and which ones annoy you? I am so-so with facebook... I like it because it's the only real way to keep in touch with people anymore since the fallout of messengers and such... I don't really have any annoyances that I can think of except for people who post idiotic things over and over, but that is not FB's fault... Perhaps the auto-play videos are a big annoyance, but that was easily fixed 7. Is there anything that TPR does or doesn't do on Facebook that you think we should be doing more/less of? Not that I can think of.

Yesterday we went to two new Ohio breweries for us... Jackie-O's in Athens and Columbus Brewing... A lot of really amazing beer! I especially liked Jackie-O's Waka Waka Waka (Imperial IPA) and Drawn and Portered (Porter) and Columbus Brewing's - Columbus IPA. Had a lot of samples though... Some pics below from both breweries.

The 70D is a very nice camera. I have not used it too much as it is a backup body for me and my 5D is used 90% of the time. However, image quality is good, features are nice and overall its a solid camera.

Lots of updates on my list since I last posted in this topic. Cameras: Canon 5D Mark III & 70D Lenses: 16-35mm f/4L IS 24-70mm f/2.8L II 70-200mm f/2.8L II IS 300mm f/2.8L II IS 85mm f/1.2L 1.4x III teleconverter for telephotos

For those who were curious about the Midnight Syndicate show during HalloWeekends that perhaps did not have the chance to see it, I have a full-length video of the show. This was recorded over the course of four different shows from multiple angles and such, with permission of course from both Cedar Point and Midnight Syndicate. Little did we all know at the time it would be the last show ever to take place in the Good Time Theater. For those who want to check it out... edit: Video removed at this time. Will repost later on when I can!

Did not drink yet but... Just lucked out and was able to snag a six pack of it here in Cleveland... Stuff is near impossible to find. Had it on tap a few times, and it's incredible. Glad I was able to find some in the bottle. Also, my brother/dad went to the release party at Great Lakes and I have a few bottles of the barrel aged Blackout Stout.

Last night I enjoyed Revolution's Anti-Hero IPA. Really, really good.

I don't think it is exaggerated at all, personally. I have been going to Pittsburgh for many years and its ALWAYS under large amounts of construction... The roads are also very congested, even at weird off-times (Sunday afternoon, for example). Pittsburgh is a mess to navigate, how you find it one of the easiest cities is beyond me! I don't mind it personally, but I find most large cities easier to navigate than Pittsburgh if your new to it with a GPS. Coming through the tunnel into the city, you best be ready to skip 4-5 lanes and hit one of the endless off/on ramps that hit you quickly. Very easy to miss the exits you need... Be sure to watch everyone else as well, I have almost been side-swipped a few times by people switching lanes like crazy due to the poor design. I only live about 2hrs from Kennywood but don't go often because the traffic/location just sucks. I always run into a half hour or more of traffic somewhere. Last time, we got detoured some stupid back way that was an absolute mess. I HATE where the park is located. That being said, it's a nice park... I just wish there was a freeway that was closer that didn't require the trek through all the residential and endless stop signs and traffic lights to get to. It's a pain, at least for me.

Lines at CP don't really get bad until July/August in my experience... We typically go once a week, for reference. I highly suggest you stay at a resort hotel with early entry. If you get this in May/June, you can easily knock everything out. My suggestions... Make sure to get to early entry on time and go right to Maverick and ride once or twice. Head to MF and get your ride or two on that. Since Rougarou will be popular this year, stop by that before the park opens. You should easily be able to hit all three in the early entry hour. After Rougarou, head over to Dragster and get your ride on that, followed up by Magnum. Now take your time to enjoy all the other rides in the back of the park... Gemini, Mean Streak, Cedar Creek Mine Ride and the flat rides. I would say just explore the park and let the front of the park crowds settle a bit, going there late afternoon to get Gatekeeper, Wicked Twister, Raptor, Blue Streak, Corkscrew, Iron Dragon... Lines should be fine. If long, just come back in the evening to the front of the park. Even on the most busy days, two hours before park closing the front is dead. I have waited 10mins for Gatekeeper and Raptor on a full-lot July 4th weekend on Saturday. It's very easy to hit all the coasters, even on busier days. I don't expect heavy crowds in May/June at all, it should be fine. Make sure to ride Millennium Force later in the evening when it warms up, it is probably the coaster that benefits most in my experience from a nice warm up period... Morning rides typically suck (slow, 'rougher'). By evening, it can be a complete 180*. As far as Kennywood goes, its a great little park. I think Sky Rocket is a very fun ride. Of course, Phantoms Revenge and Thunderbolt are also very awesome. Exterminator is fun as well, make sure to hit this one early though as lines get longer for it. They have a very good selection of flat rides (turtle, whip, bayern curve, etc...).

The last two I had yesterday: Fat Heads Rye Bourbon Barrel Aged Battle Axe Balctic Porter (Yes... Long name!) and Fat Heads Sorcerer (Belgian Strong Dark Ale). Both at their brew pub in Cleveland. Both were excellent! I really love going to the tap house here, their restaurant is always real busy and such, but the tap house they just opened up at their production brewery is so laid back and usually not very busy... It's just a small beer garden in the middle of their production facility. Very cool atmosphere! Now since I don't have pics of the above right now, I give to you Willougby Brewing's Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter.. It's only served in Cleveland at the brewery or some select local pubs. It's incredible! You can buy some to go (growler or crowlers only though, they don't bottle it) so I have two 32oz crowler cans in my beer fridge waiting for consumption. (pics below) Also, two pictures from some recent trips to Market Garden Brewery in Ohio City... Finally was able to track down Zombie Dust by 3 Floyds (excellent!! Had a few...) and Market Garden's Pearl Street Wheat, which is one of my favorite Hefe's. Delicious!

I for one think Gatekeeper was the best addition in a VERY long time, Maverick included. I didn't care for it much opening year until they fixed the vests and changed the wheel combo which sped it up considerably about mid-way through the first season. Along with Raptor, I don't need to leave the front of the park very often and happy the lines stay short in the evenings... We have gone on full-lot days at 8pm or so and waited only 10-15mins for both GK and Raptor. I can see why people wouldn't care for GK, but to me it is just a solid, fun ride with great elements and visuals. Just a great experience, even if the ride itself is not the best if that makes sense... A dive coaster will be a great addition and was on my wishlist for their next steel coaster.

Since when did Raptor, Gatekeeper and Wicked Twister receive floors?? On a side note, while very excited for this possible addition I can't help but wonder why Cedar Point has such a disinterest in adding a decent wood coaster to their already steel-impressive lineup. I am assuming Mean Streak's traditional days are numbered (If RMC steps in eventually), but even then, that basically becomes a steel coaster as well leaving only Blue Streak. Not that I care as long as the ride is good, but just thinking out loud.

This exactly!

Yep, that is where it's at! Its hidden within the museum, somewhere!

Have not taken much stuff recently, but here are a few from a model railroad exhibit at a museum here in Cleveland. 1B5A5982.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 1B5A6013.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 1B5A6018.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 1B5A6020.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 1B5A6011.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 1B5A6027.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 1B5A6014.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 1B5A6029.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 1B5A5999.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 1B5A5997.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr

I am in the minority, I am sure, but B&M makes up most of my top 10 for steel coasters... Including some of their newer stuff (Gatekeeper, Leviathan, Silver Bullet, X-Flight, Manta, Banshee, etc...) I don't have the most diverse coaster collection (mid 200's) but I always love the B&M's I ride... I do prefer the old model inverts (Raptor, Talon, Great Bear) over the newer Banshee style with it's flowy, non-snappy transitions though. The speed/hypers are getting better though IMO with rides like Leviathan... I can't wait for Fury this year... I have no doubt it will be a top ride for me. The wing coasters are just a blast for me... I love them. I have been on all three in the US and will for sure get to Holiday World next year for theirs... X-Flight remains my top pick, followed by Gatekeeper and finally Wild Eagle. I like Intamin as well, but their new stuff does not appeal to me with the excessively intense, "twisty" designs like Intimidator 305 and Sky Rush. I miss the stuff they used to do around the 2000's with Expedition Ge-Force, SROS @ SFNE, Goliath, etc... Those layouts appeal to me far more. Just my preference though!

Really awesome! I have three wing-coaster designs all done and just waiting for this update to convert them over. I have been looking forward to this!

It was $10 to enter the museum and that included (2) rides. Each additional ride was $3 if you chose to. As far as the custard, that was a special setup they had just for the opening. However, the company is located in Fairview Park, Ohio... And you can get it anytime! https://www.facebook.com/webersicecream

Here is the video:

Trailer is out!... Looks fantastic. I like the storyline with this one. I can't wait!

Another fun little tidbit... The music the band organ plays has some very familiar tunes in it... If you are a fan of RCT! (1 and 2). I thought that was pretty awesome! I should wrap up my video today and get it uploaded to share. Nothing fancy, but will show the ride/music off a bit.

I hope it does not launch, nor loop. A classic, epic GCI twister would be my wishlist attraction. No gimmicks required. If steel coasters were men and wooden coasters women, CP is a total sausage-fest. Time to diversify.