downunder

^Scandi '09? Nat, aren't you the one who is scared of flying (a boat ride wouldn't seem practical)? You are so not a nerd, your group was like the Heathers of the trip (but in a nice way) - though I guess I've got my jock who's a nerd on the inside thing. I remember you saying "I'm a southern girl" you have no idea how exotic that sounded to an Aussie lad. Southern girls in Sydney are all blonde beach girls from Cronulla. Back on topic, as far as withdrawals go, I'm missing the weather, it's freezing downunder, and they make me go out on fields in shorts and a playing shirt. I'm also missing Phoenix and Boulder Dash - I think we will soon be mourning Boulder Dash, once the trims go in, at least we got her at her finest.

I pay out Rye Playland just to be a smartass, it wasn't that bad. I really regret not going out to the boardwalk it looks awesome out there.

Hey Adam, I've got the POV of you doing the tour through Pirate's Cove and I've got a POV of the wacky shack (I think with Josh screaming like he's sitting on an electric cattle prod), so I'll have to get them to you sometime. I wish Neil had sung "Who'll Stop The Rain", those rides on Rav II were fun but oh so painful. I did Millennium Force in torrential rain in 2005, at least with RF II I didn't have some coaster freak shouting at me that the ride doesn't count if you cover your face from the rain.

Great onrides Hanno, I wouldn't want to picking my nose on a ride when you're around.

^I'll act as a referee for KerryB and say she is awesome, and you'd have a lot of fun with her. Damn I'd love to do Halloween at some American theme parks.

nyanko wrote: I can relate to that, it takes a lot to keep me interested mentally. But it's my fault - any good looking girl who's interested I always go with them and wonder why I get bored after a while. Agonising decision, turn to a girl I love as a person and enjoy being with but have little or no sexual chemistry with and hope she grows on me (she's pushing hard for a relationship she won't settle for just being friends). Or just stick to bimbos because that's my lot in life.

as in a little while later, there was an earthquake, Intamins survived but Togo's were reduced to piles of scrap. Any surviving Togo's in other parts of the world were brought together into a new park in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba where the inmates of Camp X-ray were free to enjoy them. Osama Bin Laden was caught in a matter of an hour after the park opened, as compulsory ERT seemed to loosen lips. And then...

They actually wanted to call it "nu clear" to kind of sanitise the image of atomic energy but the trade mark lawyers stepped in because there was a brand of deodorant for girls private parts which had claimed the name. Therefore they called it nuclear. Who is the king of coasters?

Iron Man, albeit on one of those tiny back of the seat plane screens, and I have to say it lived up to the hype, a fine adventure and a good story. Robert Downey Jr may have issues off the screen but his acting chops are undeniable.

I love TGI Friday's, that Jack Daniels sauce could make anything awesome. TGI Friday's would be more than welcome in the land downunder. I hear good things about Quizno's and Carabba's but I haven't been to either yet, and alas they aren't in Australia either.

Nice work Adam, love the aerial shots. You need a horse or golf cart to get around that place - maybe that can be a VIP option. I wanted to go and pat the killer whales but they probably would have taken my arm knowing my luck. Imagine if they had the money all the coasters and rides that could go in all those empty spaces.

^My heart has just bled dry for you guys. Consider this fate, no coasters, in fact, no people who even like coasters -it's called Sydney, Australia. I'm not saying this because I want you to care about me but just appreciate what you have got. I've got to put with a great climate, great beaches, tons of hot women, great food, relaxed life style, sales tax included in the ticketed price, all the time in the world to play. It's just terrible down here but I'll just have to tough it out, you people give me strength. It's just amazing how many of these fun little parks like Idlewild are tucked away like little magical kingdoms waiting to be discovered. Now I finally know what Mr Rogers was all about, I thought he was a singing cowboy or an animal wrangler - I'm such an ignorant foreigner. I wonder how many people have tossed their cookies at confusion hill, I know I wanted to.

They seem to announce things very late in Australia, in particular the Gold Coast. I'm not sure what the PR logic is for this or if if there is any logic at all being applied.

I heard from the Ferris Wheel Operator at Dorney Park that they are getting an Intamin Woodie, he must have been a transfer from the lemon chill stand.

Phoenix at Knoebels (at night to boot), and I rode it a good 20 times, what a coaster to finish on, considering I won't ride another coaster for another 6-12 months.

That Mad Mouse at Quassy, was that rust throughout the structure or just an unusual shade of orange paint? Quassy was like the land that state ride regulations forgot. I should say thanks to Candace, and all the other people who were willing to lug SLR's around to capture the trip in all it's glory.

^I think it was a joint venture, first time doctors and chiropractors have worked together.

Hey Adam, nice to see you gave Hanno a taste of his own medicine, he is such a sniper with a camera - you never know when he has got you in his sights. You could be making a sly adjustment downstairs while you think no one is watching and bang, Hanno's got you from a thousand yards away. I don't think anyone got used to Tony. Dude, you popped some serious coaster cherries at Darien Lake.

Nice trip report, it was good to see a statue getting some people credits, not so newly gay Dragon Fire statue. To clear up the confusion, SLC is actually an acronym for a medical term -Severe Lumbar Compression. Vekoma's majority shareholder is the Dutch Chiropractor's association and this another way they perpetuate the need for chiropractors throughout the world. How do I know? I've been in a relationship with a chiroproctor who should learn how to not talk in her sleep. They are much more cunning than Jon Cryer's character in 2 and a half men (oh no, Pretty in Pink flashback, I'm still bummed Duckie didn't get the girl). In summary, Canada's Wonderland offered a little pleasure (emo & vortex after the acid it dropped at nightfall) and the rest - pain of varying degrees of intensity.

I look at it this way, how many people who wind up in long term relationships say they didn't like each other when they first met and possibly for a while after that. Smells like destiny to me, that Alabammy is a real catch, young lady. Cue the strains of Bryan Adams - "I Finally Found Someone". You could do it as duet on your next trip together, with puppets. Awww, young love. Damn I love to stir.

I'd forgotten about Quassy, I rode the Mouse with Rich (who is a cop) and he said he was never more scared on a coaster, I was just whatever - my indifference to near death experiences is not good. I've joked around while I'm lying in a pool of my blood waiting for an ambluance with parts of my body bent where they shouldn't be, I think I told them to prank call my foster parents with news of my demise. Little Dipper at Quassy, that should be called Lumbar Eraser along with High Speed Thrill Coaster, I got five cycles on that, lovely guy that ride op.

^I think this would be more the first time experience of a typical coaster enthusiast (which fortunately I am not, I don't think I even rode a coaster in my high school years) - clumsy, awkward, and then they find out it's a guy in drag (and keep going anyway). Nice report BTW, Sam.

Thanks Carnage, that worked.

One of the most interesting things was answering where are they now on so many artists and bands who were once big. Peter Frampton at Busch Gardens, Survivor were playing somewhere (the lyrics to Eye of the Tiger are where I find most of my guidance in life) and so on. Sad but interesting. Also Natasha Bedingfield at Rye Playland (I would have been front row, drooling). Alter Bridge (who totally rock) were at Darien Lake. I wish we had longer at Marineland, I could have run a marathon in that park, I said to the PR lady they so should do fun runs.

Love your work Jiggidy Johnson. Rye Playland, more like Rye Gunplayland, I was always on guard to be attacked there. As one of the people denied the wild mouse credit on height grounds (crikey, I'm only 6'3"), I feel vilified and suspect there was some profiling going on as other people much taller then me were being let on (white heterosexual male, the most vilified group of all). Shame you missed the Deal or No Deal session, which was hilarious. Six Flags New England, egads Superman was running like an old woman in a zimmer frame in the morning, glad you captured my moment of glory riding Superman solo before you all showed up, I felt like I was in that South Park episode where Cartman buys the amusement park. Waldameer, that was the dictionary definition of fun, Ravine Flyer II at night, it was like being on a go-kart to hell going 60mph. After you left the trip I won an award for being the biggest male credit whore (Elissa won the female category). I think I am not worthy, it's not like I give a toothless carny a BJ to ride a dragon wagon, and I refused to get any abduct a kid to ride coaster credits on this trip as well (maybe if there had been a single MILF handy to chat up maybe I would have changed my tune). If I'm Anakin then you are Obi Wan (no you are Yoda), Erik, you've got the Little Titans credit - that is true mastery on the credit whore front.