Fuzzy_Psycho

Yeti Ball goes Hollywood! (Official Entry #2)It came from outer space... (Official Entry #1) It was Yeti Ball killed the Beast Lord of the Yeti Balls

Butting in with some odd thoughts... Off the bat, I'll say that I'm not exactly a coaster expert or an engineer, but it looks to me as if what CF is doing to SOB is just a temporary fix. They're removing some of the worst of the stresses on the ride and giving it some much needed TLC, but they've still got major issues with this ride: 1) The ride was designed to push the limits of what wood can handle, and the contractor botched the job so it was never up to spec. to begin with. 2) It sounds like the ride isn't aging well. Removing the loop and making the trains lighter might help a bit, but the ride will still be a maintenance nightmare. 3) SOB has a seriously lousy reputation as both a rough ride, and now as a possibly unsafe one, and people don't seem to be thinking that the changes will be much of an improvement. Which leads to my take on the situation. There's a very good chance I'm completely off base with this, but this is what it looks like to me: SOB is a massive mountain of wood and metal. Safely dismantling and disposing of it would cost as much or more as the planned repairs, and leave a major hole in the park's ride lineup. And considering the new rides they've already ordered and the acquisition of Paramont's parks they probably can't work another major coaster into the budget for at least a few seasons. And removing one of their iconic rides without immediately replacing it with something perceived to be just as good or better would not look good from a PR standpoint Which would leave this: Use the contingency fund that they should have set aside for major problems like this one to fix the most pressing problems with the ride and get it up to code again, run it for a few more seasons while playing on it's size and speed for drawing power, then tear it out when they're ready to replace it.

Movie Faramir pic with a book Faramir quote, sized down a bit. I swear I'm not obsessed... well, maybe a little

I've got a 40 mile drive that takes about 45 min. - the one good thing about having to leave for work at 3AM - then it takes another 15-20 min to get from the parking ramp at Humphrey terminal to my checkpoint at Lindberg. (just because the money-grubbing #@!holes on the MAC councel would rather rent the employee lots to Thrifty Car Rental than let the employees park there and god forbid we be allowed to park in the four huge ramps at the main terminal) Going home usualy takes a bit longer because I have to actualy sort of obey the speed limit.

My home park: ValleyFair! My fav. was Rails, but since its gone I'd have to go with Excedrine, err.. Excalabur, even if the thing does give me a headache every damned time.

Traveling carnival octopus rides, when they're loading and your stuck at the top hanging backwards and it feels like you're going to slide right out of the car... never, ever, ever again. Strange thing is, I love Monster at VF, which is just a fancier fixed version of the same thing.

MOA is only a few min. from the airport by lightrail, but as far as I can tell there's no public transit to VF - MTC busses go to Shakopee, but unless there's a local shuttle from town or the racetrack the busses don't go near the park. You'd either need a rental, taxi, or local contact with car to get out to VF.

Hi! I'm Lisa, the not-feline Fuzzy Psycho. I love coasters, but unfortuantly haven't been on many due to severe time and budget constraints. I am forever addicted to RCT1, my home park is Valleyfair!, and my favorite coaster is(was) Wild Rails (RIP). Non-coaster-wise, I love reading, computers, am a proud Tolkien geek, and am actualy crazy enough to have owned cats and rats at the same time and let them play together.

As much as I'd love to see VF get a major new coaster, I have to take any rumors about it with a whole shaker of salt untill CF makes an announcement. As to why, go to http://deckernet.com/minn/Flood2001/ and scroll down to the last few pics. I have not so fond memories of visiting the park several different years and not being able to ride Thunder Canyon or Excalibur because the not-so-mighty Minnesota got delusions of grandure. It would be great to get a new coaster, but considering the extra $$$ that would have to be spent making it floodproof and dealing with the DNR and hight restricitons and VF's limited season... I'm not sure CP will make the investment.