downunder

Jake, what's it's likely to be like later in the season. I'll be there for full days on a Sunday and Monday in late July. Is it worth getting a q-bot online in advance (I understand only 1 ride per day on NTAG for platinum)?

^I just caught the news, very sad, Clarence was amazing - I was fortunate enough to see him perform with the E-Street band a couple of times. No one plays sax like the big man, his sound was so identifiable. I hope Bruce continues to perform rock band shows, but it will never be the same now. It's sad that Clarence and fellow E-Streeter, Danny Federici, passed away well before their time.

LAX is terrible, but at least the Qantas Club Lounge was good there. I jumped at the chance to bypass LAX and fly direct to Dallas from Sydney next month. I'll have to get back to Japan some day, maybe next year. I want to go to Fuji Queue even though I know I'll regret it.

Better still, BGT should take it up a notch: Sylvie XXX. HOS definitely got it right last year with loads of hot girls: DED Girls, MyX girls, the nurses...

^I'm pretty sure Robb and Elissa are well past 1000, even by their high standards of what they count as a credit. If memory serves me right I believe Robb may have hit 1000 in 2008 on DelGrosso's mouse. I think JJ has passed 1,000,000 credits just after Cedar Point opened using his more expansive methods of counting. Star Wars and Star Trek fandom will keep you from many things Barry. I'll definitely hit 500 at SFOT next month, maybe earlier - though I'm running out of coasters that I particularly want to ride - GeForce, T-Express, Kawasemi, and I305 are all that spring to mind.

^Now you're scaring me Barry, calling my lawyer. I won't think of you anymore, except in court. Are restraining orders keeping you away from some parks and preventing you getting to 1000 credits? I imagine they would send a SWAT team if you tried going to SFMM.

The Blink song is actually more poignant than that, here's a sample: I can't be too cool in a tree with my pants down The air is cold and I've got splinters in my feet She caught me once, but I don't think that she cares now Unlike before, her view is now blocked by a leaf (And I wish) I wish she'd be more kind now I'm out of luck 'cause the shades are pulled down I've seen everything there is to be shown I followed her all the way home

Better still, bring back Sylvie X.

Barry, Barry, Barry... I can see the headlines now: "Fort Myers Man Steals Kangaroos from Theme Park", "Fort Myers Man Logs 500 Restraining Orders" and "Fort Myers Man Not Actually A Man". I thought you were waiting for Elissa's restraining order to expire, maybe she'll forget to renew it. BTW, whenver I hear Voyeur by Blink 182 I think of you. On a serious note, any plans for 1000 credits?

If transport is an issue, there is a bus that goes from various locations like the bus lot at Universal to Busch Tampa, there's more details on their website. I used this last October and it worked out well.

It goes without saying, anything derogatory about coaster enthusiasts applies only to males. I wonder what percentage of enthusiasts are girls, I'd say 5%, maybe less. I can't say I've come across a single female enthusuiast who was at all objectional, and I think it's quite brave for girls to step into such a male dominated area of interest. I found out well before I had anything to do with TPR that even saying you've even ridden some coasters will bring you derision from non-coaster enthusiast females, I mean positive scorn. Luckily I have other interests than coasters, so I don't have any need to talk about coasters.

Only 500, I thought you were hardcore, even I'll have that very soon and I'm not a coaster enthusiast. Man up, Barry, let's see that count hit 1000 very soon. Any publicity about someone being a coaster enthusuiast is like the opposite of a personal ad, it screams - girls stay away. I'd be suing them.* *Read disclaimer at bottom of page if you object to this.

To be fair, Wildcat might have straining with some extra heavy train loads during Coastermania. It's not a bad little ride and it's a bit of a nod to the past like Blue Streak. Cedar Point captured my imagination by pushing the envelope for coasters, I wish they'd start doing that again, I doubt it though.

^^I rode it in 2003, I'm uncomfortable with heights, even seeing a height on TV makes me uncomfortable. So ironically, a coaster with one of the most mediocre layouts ever was my most unnerving coaster experience.

^I thought it might have been that one, I've downloaded a non-TPR POV for Desperado at some stage, just do a search on youtube (I can't get youtube at work). I was more looking for any excuse to post that Manhattan Express video.

^I think you are talking about Manhattan Express at New York New York, the greatest TPR video ever:

Great report, Shivering Timbers looks so amazing, sorry to hear it wasn't running well. I've always thought MA was the batard step child of Cedar Fair, the one they hide in the basement; in a cage. If I recall correctly at some stage, the park didn't even have a sewer line or something, I think the joke at some stage on another site was that next years attractions will be fully functional toilets. Gotta love those quiet days though, I was on the bus from Springfield to SFNE years ago, and I overheard an employee say that they only got 43 people the whole previous day, and I bet they were all riding Superman.

Voertx at night at CW is definitely the most insane experience I have had on a suspended. It gives me an inkling what Eagle's Fortress would have been like, which I'm sure would have loved if I'd had an opportunity to ride it. BBW was a lot of fun, but I didn't think it got intense until the second drop down to the river, flying over the village is fun though.

If I recall correctly, when Voyage came out Mitch did an interim poll to see where Voyage would place. I wonder if he might do an interim poll for Texas Giant, which is certainly a very significant new step in coaster re-modelling. The wood - steel comparison is interesting, I'm not a fanboy either way I just either like a coaster or not. That being said my top 4 are all wood coasters (Toro, Balder, Phoenix, Dash) - 3 of them definitely provide an experience that would be difficult to replicate on a steel coaster.

Other than the obvious one's like the Disney and Universal's. I always enjoy the flume at Knott's, especially at Halloween. Also the rapids ride at SFOG was impressive, the channels are so wide, it's like being in a river.

Ditto Balder, and you don't get stapled in like other regions. Phoenix is pretty freaky, it's got the buzz bar and you are just about standing up so much of the ride.

1. Nemesis - Alton 2. Montu - BGT 3. Afterburn - Carowinds 4. Dueling Potters - Fire 5. Dueling Harrys - Ice

^Nice pick up. Let the speculation begin... The cynic in me says that it will be a spinning mouse like Sonic's Spinball at Alton, I take that back, they're atually pretty good rides. A standard standard Wild Maus would be disappointing. Maybe an x-car, but I can't see them doing one of the bigger ones by September. Oh well, wait and see.

Some clever people are offering post rapture pet care, pay $135 and they guarantee to take care of your pet after you go, that is, if you vanish in the next ten years. $20 for each additional pet. They can gaurantee the service because they are athiests and are ineligible for rapture. Sounds lucrative. Luckily I'm doing my Halloween stuff in early October.

So that's how Dinosaurs became extinct, they spontaneously combusted. If JJ bursts into flames one day, we'll know for sure. Let's not be too quick to burn SOB at the stake, you never know - there might be some Rocky Mountain loving coming.