downunder

Sorry to hear about it falling down, it was really impressive, whether or not it was a record breaker. I really appreciate the amount of effort and time it would have taken to construct it. I'm also curious how most people could afford that much knex or are you one of Bill Gates children?

^If it was a 3 hour drive I would have contemplated it, with a stop by Buffalo Bills for the Desperado credit on the way and have fun in Vegas while I'm at it. I'm staying at an LAX hotel, so I'll think I'll just go to the beach instead or maybe sleep after the 14 hour flight. Star trek sounds good but not good enough to be a destination attraction.

This thread has definitely inspired me to try and post daily updates from the East Coast / Behemoth trip, there's free wi-fi at every hotel by the looks of it - so we'll see how it goes. Great updates, and now only 3 and a bit more weeks til I start my own little adventure. I never realised that the space mountain at DP has inversions, surely it must be better than the US ones? And Casey Jr is a credit, I wish the US ones were, it will give me a bit more of a buffer for getting to 300 in August (203 at the moment).

^Thanks for pointing that out, I changed my use of words there. His delight is probably riding the Eurofighter he has loaned his name too, that would be my delight among other things.

^Does the frog engage in raunchy antics, we now know who rick is, but what is his delight?

^That name certainly caught my eye when I was looking at new coasters under construction on rcdb. It seems Japan doesn't have the monopoly on bizarre/funny coaster names. I can only imagine the things that would delight a dutchman, red lights and Amsterdam keep coming to mind. At least it's a good coaster.

Although details are scarce and photos non-existent, on Rolling Cycle the coaster has pedals and you may indeed have to pedal through part of the course: http://www.rcdb.com/id4221.htm I love this one just for it's name and interesting location (partly on a platform in a dome) - Hyper Kid Coaster (sponsored by Ritalin?). http://www.rcdb.com/id3512.htm

If I had known this was so good I would have definitely done it, oh well. I have a day and night in LA before heading onto the TPR trip on the 1st - how long does it take to get to Vegas?

Great updates, I'm glad the trip went really well. Hope you're catching up on some sleep now before the fun begins again in August.

That's just Cedar not Fair - pretty piss poor.

Excellent trip report, very nice photos. I will be there in just over a month, so you're tips were very helpful.

It didn't affect me all, I've ridden close to 100 new coasters since seeing it. Jaws, on the other hand, I'm always wondering what's underneath me when I'm in the water at the beach.

^^Those were the considerations I had against an SLR, I just can't be bothered getting a locker, and with a compact I can just strap it to my belt and I'm ready to shoot anywhere. Plus I don't do just coaster travel, so with things like going to the top of Half Dome at Yosemite or to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, I can certainly do without the extra weight of an SLR.

Thanks for the updates, I know from experience how busy Robb gets on trips so I hope your cool reports are giving him a break. Shame 30 June is the end of the Australian financial year or I would have right there with you. Say hi to Jes and Erik for me.

I think the consensus is not too heavy, not too light, something moderately thrilling without inversions maybe. I like this topic, it made me think about what not negotiables I have in the relationship stakes. I'm also shocked, saddened, and amazed that George Clooney is scared of rollercoasters, or is it Bruce Willis, or maybe Johhny Depp? In all serious, I hope it goes well for you, Dcody (but I can't get the possible headlines out of my head "Hollywood Identity Seeks Relationship Advice on Coaster Nerd Forum").

Natatomic, do you mind if I use some of your Domintor photos for Coaster of the Week on the East Coast Trip board? Another nice batch of photos, I checked out that camera you said you used, I was hoping it was some super compact which I would consider buying one myself but it was SLR city - damn I'm too lazy to lug an SLR anywhere.

I have to note though that you can be decapitated for extra marital sex in some countries, though not by inverted coaster.

This is good news, I'll be there in mid-August and I'd love to ride it, fingers crossed. Not getting my hopes up though.

I'd say Ninja, it's thrilling but not threatening. I'm bad the other way, I don't even mention coasters because I'm too scared that would wreck my chances. I was at Cedar Point in 2005, and this girl got on next to me in the front row on Raptor and the first she said was: "are you one of those coaster freaks". I said no of course because she was good looking, and better still we were both staying at Hotel Breakers. Totally killed my coastering for the day but I still had fun. When will I come out of the coaster closet, when I want to stop having realtionships with girls.

A bit further north, my experience of French Canadian Hamburgers was that they tasted like ham.

^I'm with you there, marathoning SFMM Goliath is like training to be a fighter pilot. Even when the mid course brings the train to a stop, those helix g's are still mighty powerful. My next vote goes to Time Warp at Canada's Tortureland, those cage trains just look messed up. http://www.rcdb.com/ig2516.htm

^Very wise, it could be a very painful ride.

^^I rode the Beast last year back row in the morning, I have never been punished more on a coaster.

Ghostrider is funny I rode it in September in 2004 & 2005 after it's annual rehab, and it was fine. Then last year I rode it in August before it's annual rehab and it was awful, I got pounded and I couldn't wait for the ride to be over. Do the coasters at SFMM have to be built strong enough to withstand (or at least minimise damage from) earthquakes? I've heard that Psychlone was damaged by an earthquake which certainly wouldn't have helped it's rideability. So I imagine a hybrid structure wouldn't be out of the question. I'm thankful it's not going to be a Dull Knight Coaster or a Tony Hawk clone.

I'm sure those master trip planners Robb & Elissa will get this one in on the 2009 TPR West Coast Trip, though everyone will have to dress up in little sailor suits and look real young.