rollermonkey

^OT: Whoah! Julie, that's quite the phallic Avatar you've got there! On Topic: I'm one of those "I was afraid of rollercoasters" guys. When I was growing up, I went on some kiddie coasters at York's, Benson's, Canobie Lake and Salisbury Beach, but nobody could get me on the Yankee Cannonball. My family would be pulling on my legs, and I'd be whiteknuckling the railing in the queue. (I guess it would've hurt if they ever broke my grip!) I even went to BGW in '84, but I was terrified to go on the coasters. Later, after I'd joined the Navy, I was on a date with this beautiful Guatemalan girl, and she wanted to ride the Giant Dipper at Belmont Park. I was petrified, but I rode it, and I was pretty much hooked, but I wouldn't say I was quite an enthusiast just yet. I started going to the SoCal parks, Disneyland, when Indy was the latest thing; Knott's, before and after the installation of Windjammer; (Yeah, I liked it d'y wanna fightaboutit?) and of course, 6FMM, back before Goliath went in. I met some ACE'rs at 6FMM, and thought they were freaks! :? I went to a Navy school in Florida and went to BGT, WDWMK and EPCOT. I rode my first coaster outside the US, in Singapore, in 1996. I recycled the SoCal parks and started hitting places like Pharoah's Kingdom, Santa's Village, Marshall Scotty's, and the Las Vegas coasters. I went to the 6F parks in NJ and MA while on leave, but I wasn't a true enthusiast yet! When I transferred to MN in '97, as happened to so many others, I got on the internet, discovered RCDB, and started playing RCT. I was done! I started planning trips around coasters instead of coasters around trips, the true sign of a coaster junkie. Dementia truly arrived with my trips in '01: 9 European parks in 11 days by train, without hotels; and 22 parks (108 coasters) in 11 days in PA, NY, MD, VA, OH and ONT. I chose orders to Japan mostly to hit the coasters here! I'm an ACE'r myself now! (Although I only need one plate at the buffet!) I check Screamscape, RCDB, RCT and of course TPR several times each day! Chris B 418 and counting,

Do you and Robb talk at all? I'll be in town on the 10th, my family flies in on the 11th, I get married on the 17th, honeymoon from the 18th to the 21st. I have no idea if that works with your schedule, but I'd love to meet up with you! Chris B

I ate a bug during a night ride on Beast during the first drop. I tend not to scream so much on coasters anymore. A bug hitting the back of your throat at 50 MPH is not fun, kind of like a backwards sneeze! Chris B

I am so there next month! R, E, Are you coming? Chris B Live from Japan!

Damn you're fast Robb, I was so going to ask if Fabio was at the mountain today! Chris

And the rest of the track will show up! Chris B

I love the plywood mockup of Superman attached to the back of the train! How long do you thit will be before it ends up on EBay? Chris B

Hey CanobieFan, I forget, did you grow up in the area? I grew up near Newburyport, MA, and I remember going ot York's as a kid. Do you remember Benson's Animal Farm? I heard that they do Halloween stuff there, but the old park is closed. Chris B

Wow! That looks very innovative for Mack! I'm pretty impressed. I wonder which not-in-America park will get one first? Chris B

Er, wow. I am really getting impressed by this one. The colors sure didn't make me say wow, but the layout sure does! The Nemesis reference definitely applies, too! So much of it is below grade! Near Cologne, you say? Isn't that fairly close to Europa Park, or am I turned around? (I haven't been to germany in 3 or 4 years.) Chris B EDIT: Never mind, there is a Bruhl between Mannheim and Heidlburg, but you, being from Deutschland, would be referring to the one between Bonn and Dusseldorf. For some reason I confused Koln with Strasbourg.

Like me! No Daylight Savings in Japan! Just 4 AM sunrises in the Summer and 4 PM sunsets in the winter! Chris B

Arrowfanman, your update was the shizzle! Robb, in spite of your rodents and WalMart funny , he really beat you this time. Chris B Does this mean I'm banned, too?

Unfortunately my trip to Hong Kong was called off by the Navy, so I hope to get the following parks in this winter: Escape Theme Park, Pasir Ris, Singapore Starlight Express, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Cosmo's World, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Genting Theme Park, Genting Highlands, Malaysia One World Plaza, Genting Highlands, Malaysia Funtastic Park, Dededo, Guam Don Quixote, Tokyo, Japan (when the new halfpipe opens) Return trips to: Yomiuriland (d@mn Bow Wow Coaster) Fuji-Q Highlands (For construction photos) After that, it's mid-January, and I'm not too sure of my plans that far out. Sadly, all those parks add up to only 14 credits for me. Chris B DO NOT JOIN THE NAVY TO RIDE COASTERS! A public service announcement against joining the military for silly reasons.

^ I hope the UK trip itinerary includes this one! Chris B

I added myself, and boy, does my little pin look lonely way over there on the left! Chris B

Ooh, you said planet! Gotta disagree there! Aska, Nara Dreamland. You like Twister's lateral air? Aska pops it better. Twice. Totally have to agree with the strong physical ride assesment. Aska's laterals aren't so strong, and I can't think of many that are. Avalanche, perhaps? Phoenix overrated? Wow, don't hear that assessment often. I like P better than T, but I think they are one of, if not the best one-two woodie coaster punch around, but I haven't been to Holiday World, much to my dismay. Chris B

Ooh, my first moved post! I feel so special! Thanks, Robb Chris B (I'm sort of unoficially using RCDB as my online home for photos, but maybe I can work my RCT TR's and my photos together here. Maybe I'll try a vid, but I can only use my regular digital camera for that.)

Hmm, odd replies in here, I guess I'll put my $0.02 in: I have ridden Air, Batwing and X-flight. I found the station and lift hill position on the Vekoma's uncomfortable, with the blood pounding in my head. The restraints are interesting (rather like a race harness IMO) and not uncomfortable, but I just didn't find the track as smooth as others are saying. I especially didn't like when I ended up stacked on the pre-station brake for about two minutes at 6FA. Air isn't particularly an intense layout, but there are G's to be experienced. It's more of a terrain coaster, as Alton Towers can't build above tree height. I like the position better, and I like the restraints here too. I don't know if they are exactly the same as found on the S:UF coasters, though. Most of all, I prefer to be in the "flying" position as opposed to on my back, which is my #1 reason why I prefer the B&M. Air is also as smooth as you'd expect from any other B&M. I really hope that Tatsu combines some of the elements of Air (terrain) and the Flying Dutchmen (inversions), just without lying on it's back. One of the coolest things about Air, IMO, is the T-shirts that say: Assume the Position! Chris B

^ I think he's right. While 90 degrees is too much banking for the turns it has been used on, (Hades, soon Voyage) most people consider overbanking to be more than 90 degree banked (Think Millenium Force, first and last turns), and I do not believe that has been done YET in wood. I give it until 2007 before it happens! Chris B

Forgive me Father, for I have waited... One hour, twenty minutes for the Wacky Worm named "Family Coaster" at Arakawa Yuen, this past Sunday. Sigh... Chris B (Riding a Wacky Worm is penance in and of itself!)

^Is Bugs checking out Robb's @$$? Chris B

Nobody?

Family Coaster at Arakawa Yuen. I tried to get Bow Wow coaster at Yomiuriland, but I got there too late. Now my work computer isn't letting me post pics, so thanks to Duane, here's my pics at RCDB! http://www.rcdb.com/ig3304.htm Chris B 418...

So how old is Robb these days, anyway? I've heard some crazy rumors about the man, but since he isn't responding to this thread, I'll have to wait until I meet him to ask why some of the few acer's I met were so catty when his name came up! Chris B

I believe it was inferred that there was a problem with the train. That could make it very difficult to push it out of the loop! Chris B