natatomic

Day 0-1: Venice Beach, Santa Monica Pier, and driving up to the Bay Area (which everyone pronounced "B'area" and it took me forever to figure out what in the world they were saying.) (Scroll down) Day 2: Six Flags Discovery Kingdom - Page 3 Day 3, Part 1 - Gilroy Gardens - Page 5 Day 3, part 2: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk - Page 6 Day 4: California's Great America - Page 7 Day 5: Six Flags Magic Mountain - Page 7 Day 6, part 1: Universal Studios Hollywood - Page 9 Day 6, part 2: Scandia and John's Incredible Pizza - Page 10 Day 7, part 1: SeaWorld - Page 11 Day 7, part 2: Belmont - Page 12 Day 8, part 1: Legoland - Page 14 Ah, one more fantastic TPR trip notch to add to my proverbial belt. Let me just say every last minute of these trips is amazing and worth every penny spent. And then some. So...you know, do one. Today. Anyway, Day 0 and 1: Since Robbie (All Clear) and I flew out that morning, we were not around for the Hollywood sightseeing (meh) during the first part of the day, so our trip began at Venice Beach, where we and 5 other late comers stopped briefly to pick up those who did the whole day thing. We were there for, really, only about a half hour, and I didn't explore much outside of a 20 foot radius from the spot I stopped in once I entered, so I don't have much to say about that place. It looked nice from where I stood though. It was a beach and all...... But! Then we went to Santa Monica Pier/Pacific Pack and that was where the TPR magic began. For me, anyway. Pretty much every ride we did was fantastic (disclaimer: in a way that only TPR could make them, though, mostly). The the frog hopper was hysterical, the ferris wheel had a ride cycle longer than the cycle I clean my clothes on in the wash, the pirate ship just tickled me pink, and the coaster packed a mean little punch for it's small size and basic layout. And of course there was the 7 hour bus drive the next day, which, you know...it was a bus ride. But it was a TPR bus ride, so that right there makes it awesome. Nearly a credit, even. On to the pictures: But I didn't mind the drive really because 1) I wasn't in a plane and 2) I'd never seen California before and while it was 99.9% barren and yellow in the regions we drove through, every once it a while it was absolutely breath-taking. As seen here. Anyway! On to the official Day 1 of the trip! Spent entirely on a bus! Yay for a bus credit! Hell. The. What. And, um, this guy. Honestly, I have no idea. He was just...lying there. Exposing his belly to the whole world. Saying, "Hal? Hal? Are you there Hal? Haaaaaal?" And occasionally using his metal prongs to touch things. I....I just don't know. I mean... ...Projectile-vomiting dinosaur water fountains. (I know, I'm beating myself up for not inventing them first, too) Eight days later we finally got of the ferris wheel and I took this last shot of the park before heading to, um...3rd Street Promenade? Is that right? Yeah, I think that's what it was called. Anyway, it had shops, mostly, but also... And while everyone was busy sharting their pants, I just casually took pictures of my surroundings. (Okay, so maybe I peed myself a little just because of the heights thing, but I pee myself all the time, so no real story there) Yep. Still scared. ...as did Ben and Kim. Robbie clung on for dear life... Now for the Ferris Wheel of Death, which I didn't really find all that scary (not more so than I usually find them anyway, as I don't particularly enjoy heights)(and maybe I was just jaded by actually surviving our plane rides earlier that day), but apparently everyone else thought it was the most horrifying 25 minutes* of their lives. *Seriously. No exaggeration. I didn't think we were ever gonna get off. (I didn't think your mom was ever gonna get off either.) Annnnd fully terrified once again. (Also, yay for other TPR people in these photos too. Sorry that's all the commentary you get for now. This is the first part of, like, a 58-park trip report. I gotta blast through these things, people. You'll all get your picking on, I promise.) Chris mildly enjoying his terror. Again, Chris terrified. I don't know if that's some random singleton stranger next to our mister Fudgey there or if it's some local TPR person who met up with us just for the night (it doesn't LOOK like anyone from the full trip, so I hope I'm not making an ass of myself here), but either way...adorable! That's a look of two newlyweds, that is. See? Chris terrified. And, of course, some perfectly lovely TPR members hogging the first rows. Obligatory nerd shot. Ugh, so I apparently forgot to include the other photos I had here of "Terrible Pun: the Ride," and since I already uploaded a bunch of others since then, I'm just gonna slip them in now all smooth like. So, here we are on the coaster. Hooray! Us: "Heeeeeeey!" So, do you kind of see why it was so epic? No? Well, it was. So there. Them: "Heeeeeeey!" (By the way, this is the first of every shot I have of Chris at this park where he looks utterly terrified in every. last. one.) Us: "Heeeeeeey!" A "Wendy's-themed" pirate ship, as pointed out by, I think, Robbie. And actually, it was one of the highlights of the trip, because 1) it was basically a TPR take over and 2) each time one side would swing up, everyone on that side would yell "Heeeeeeey!" and then the other side would swing up, and everyone on THAT side would yell "Heeeeeeey!" and, yeah, that sounds pretty lame, I guess you had to be there, but here - let me explain in pictures. West [Roller] *Coast*er Ha. Ahaha. Get it? GET IT? West Roller Coaster? Like, West COAST? Did my math equation type thing up there helpfully demonstrate that fabulous pun? First credit of the trip! Or Pacific Park. Whatever. ...Santa Monica Pier. ...and this girl was at the end of an unsuccessful skydive. And then we left for... ...this guy slipped on a banana peel... We met up at Venice beach first, where this guy was doing an Irish jig... Soooo, I don't like flying. At all. Like, I kind of had a major panic attack last time I flew. So I did my research on plane safety tips and discovered that the most dangerous seats on a plane are basically any of the ones with a view. Which is why poor Robbie had to look at a wing the whole time. I, on the other hand, was under the influence of 2 or 3 Xanax (Xanaxes? Xanaxi? Xanaxen?) and a shot of rum. A giant shark could have leapt out of the ocean and devoured us in the air, and I would have been just fiiiiiine with that. There you have it folks - the first chapter of a trip report that is gonna take me 3 years to finish. Stay tuned for Six Flags Discovery Kingdom up next! And of course - since this is TPR - what with all that free time on our hands, we finished the night off by drinking. Even I may or may not have gotten, ahem, a bit tipsy. Slightly. (Psst...I know this photo doesn't imply a huge amount of drinking what with those measly two beers, just trust me when I say that we were all getting ready to go to Bennigan's and consume a bit more alcohol than what you see here.) No one seemed to mind it too much. Then when we were too full to eat any more, but still within the 1 hour before swimming rule, we all decided to stick our feet in the room temperature spa which was full of bugs, hair, and flakes of skin. Next was International Snacky Snack Snack Snack Snack Snack time, where everyone loved my balls. AND THEN WE ARRIVED AT OUR HOTEL AND THEY LOOKED LIKE THIS OMG! Anyone know if it's legal to marry a hotel in California? Wait, it's California. They MAKE you marry buildings and animals and 8 people all at once over there, don't they? Well, whatever, that just settles it. I'm marrying the Avatar Hotel. Plus, I was introduced to this gem of a children's program. And during each Snacky Snack Snack Snack Snack Snack time on the bus, Robb played the similarly-named musical segment from the show, and by the end of the trip, we were all salivating like Pavlov's dog at the tune of it.

Ooo, don't knock the garlic fries, Jason. Robbie had some and now he SWEARS by them. He said they cleared up his sinuses, gave him a boost of energy, made him poop sunshine and rainbows...all kinds of good stuff. Anyway, great TR. Can't wait to read more!

I gotta say, this looks incredible. Behemoth is my #1 (sadly, the closer Diamondback did not beat it), so I would LOVE for this to take over that spot, especially since it's less than three hours away from me - far less of a hassle than the 10 drive and border crossing it would take for me to get to CW again.

I was so excited when I received the e-mail! Thanks for choosing mine, uh, Mr. Editor!

Hey everyone - Six Flags is on facebook and has a tournament going on to vote for the best SF coaster. Right now Le Monstre is paired against El Toro, and Le Monster is winning 63% to 37%! Apparently, the Montreal media got wind of the competition, reported it on the news, and now the results are horridly skewed due to more people from Montreal knowing about the tournament than people from the NJ area. Let's face it, Le Monstre is a fine coaster, but it pails in comparison to El Toro. Anyway, if you haven't done so already, go vote here: http://is.gd/1VhTf It's not the most important thing in the world, but really? Le Monstre? Come on, now. Pass this along to all your enthusiasts friends and let's try to get those numbers a bit more accurate.

All Clear and I stopped at Zuma when we drove to TN for him to meet my family. I think the credit whoring was the highlight of the trip for him.

Wait, are you calling Robbie a "girl" or are you saying this girl because you got the hole in one and are writing the report? Great report! Hah, I guess that was pretty unclear. It was me. Robbie got a hole in one too on some other hole, but I didn't get a picture of it, so here I am hogging all the glory.

^How did it go for you? I'm about 95% healed - still a little stiffness/soreness if I smile super big, but it's really not that noticeable. Now the holes are all I have to worry about. I keep getting food stuck in them, but even with the syringe, I can't seem to get it out. Only brushing seems to work for me.

I agree completely. One of my favorites. I also LOVE Williams' . I'm partial to his 7th Symphony myself. Particularly the first and last movements. Some other all-time favorites of mine include: Dvorak - Symphony No. 8 (My favorite starts at about 3:11 of the fourth movement) Saint-Saens - Symphony No. 3, "Presto" ( ) Ottorino Respighi - Church Windows (mvmt II is playing in the video) Rimsky-Korsakov - Scheherazade (especially around the 6:30 mark) When I get married, I'm walking down the aisle to this: (aka "Fire of Eternal Glory") And my absolute favorite piece of all time is ( ) (I can only find some college ensemble, but whatever. It's good enough)

That's because the coaster isn't currently pregnant, silly! I was just showing what it WOULD look like knocked-up (yes, yes, minus the mucus plug - I've yet to add that ever-so handy skill to my photoshopping repertoire) to prove that it is indeed a uterus. I mean, if we're gonna get all biologically accurate, then it couldn't possibly be a penis. I mean, what's that extra appendage on top there, then? I don't want to meet the penis that has a second penis growing out the other end. Too kinky for me.

Well, now that we know that Big Bad Wolf at BGE is officially closing, I think it's safe to say that KD's giga is going to serve as both a roller coaster AND a method of transportation between the two parks, so obviously BBW's station will serve as the Busch Garden's loading/unloading point. The two parks are working in harmony (those supports that were delivered to the "wrong" park? They went to BGE of course!), and they will each basically have one giga a piece, though the two will be seamlessly connected. It's all one track, but there will be TWO lift hills and TWO stations - one at each park! Ta da!

I believe I explained this over a year ago, but obviously you're not looking at the bigger picture here, Robb. It's "Uterus: The Ride" Or it could be "Menstration: The Ride," and each cycle (har har) around the track symbolizes the lining pulling away from the walls of the uterus. How ya feelin' now, boys?

I entered this one: #46!

You're joking, right? Yes, he was being sarcastic.

^I think the amount of bleeding has to do with a lot of stuff. For instance, while all my teeth were impacted, my top two weren't as deep and were coming it at a much more normal angle; whereas my bottom two were a bit further down and at an odd angle and had to be broken to be removed. The bottom two definitely bled more than the top two, and I suspect that's one of the reasons why. I also had a friend in high school who bled for two days straight after her teeth were removed. So I think it also depends on how easily you clot and if you're prone to massive bleeding or not. I've heard that the average person bleeds for quite a few hours post-op, but there's always the lucky few who have one change of gauze and they're done, and the unlucky few who bleed for days afterward.

Best: B&M clamshells (particularly on Behemoth & Diamondback) (psst...Behemoth is better) Worst: Eurofighters - I've only been on the Mystery Mine, but they pinch my thighs. And I'm not a big girl either. Also, it gives me a bruise in my left arm. I also prefer Intamin OSTRs over B&M OSTRs, because they give me much more room to move my arms, and I can see a LOT more due to the opennesss. I'm pretty short, so my eyes don't reach over the top of the bulky B&M restrains.

^I was terrified too - heck, I was sobbing in the chair before they put me to sleep (I asked if that ever happened, and the oral surgeon told me that I wasn't even the first crier THAT DAY), but so far, it's really not been bad (as you can see, it's the day after for me). Like other people have mentioned on this board, just make sure that you have the pain pills handy BEFORE the pain starts. Any probably take your first one about 2 hours after you get out of surgery. I only needed half a pill plus 3 Ibuprofen to keep the pain at bay. Yesterday really wasn't bad (though the blood was GROSS), and today is only slightly worse, but not because I'm in pain. My jaw is just quite stiff (I can only open it about 1/2-3/4 of an inch), and slightly sore - but again, I wouldn't call it painful at all. Just annoying, but totally TOTALLY bearable and even shrug-worthy. I've not had much swelling yet, but that's could be because I followed the instructions to a T about icing my face and keeping my head above my heart at all times (yep, had to sleep propped up on the couch). If you have trouble keeping ice on it, go old-school and wrap a scarf or shawl or something around your face to hold the ice in place. You'll look ridiculous, but at least you won't swell to beach ball size. However, my oral surgeon said that swelling would peak tomorrow, so I might still blow up a bit. But I had another friend who had her teeth out yesterday, and she already looks like a chipmunk. Don't think she followed through with the ice or sitting up parts either. Anyway, feel free to cry yourself to sleep every night for two weeks leading up to the surgery, because THAT TOTALLY WHAT I DID. And then afterward, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how many tears you wasted over something that wasn't nearly as bad as you were expecting (again, so long as you TAKE YOUR PAIN MEDS, and be sure to take them with some food so you don't get sick).

I've got hydrocodone, which has worked well with the pain so far, and I've not yet gotten sick, but see this? See how I'm WIDE AWAKE AT FIVE IN THE MORNING? I've probably gotten a grand total of 3-4 hours of intermittent sleep so far, but aren't pain pills supposed to knock me out? I'm not loopy, I'm not buzzed - I'm thankful for the relief but I want to get some sleep!

THIS! I agree! Psh, the way I see it, you, Roxy, and Neil should have been with us at Deadwood. I mean, what's Universal got on Deadwood? Really?

^Psh, even better - This is what I posted on my boyfriend's facebook wall: "HI orbbrie. i'm coverd in blacknets. and ice. and stuaffed with gauze. they woulnd't give mea coat. you need to maryi me. i think 'i'm swalloing blood." Clarification: 1. His name is Robbie and 2. blacknets=blankets. I apparently was a little Chatty Cathy for the first 30 minutes or so after waking up. I don't remember much of what I said, but apparently my first words were, "I want whipped cream!" which is weird 'cause that's definitely not my favorite. Anyway, while my bottom lip is just now regaining feeling in it, I was already starting to feel pain where holes were about 2 hours after surgery. I didn't expect to feel anything THAT fast, and my uncle was still getting my prescription at the time. So I had about 15-20 minutes of some pretty bad pain while waiting for the Rx to kick in once my uncle got it to me. But other than that, it's not been too bad. It's been more gross and annoying than anything. At least the bleeding has slowed down some and the pain meds haven't made me sick. And so far I've been able to have some ice cream and chicken broth. I'm worried a bit for tomorrow though. I hear the first day is usually fine, and it's the 2nd or 3rd day that can hurt a bit. Hopefully the pain pills will keep working their magic. ADDED: Apparently my aunt took this photo of me after driving me back from the procedure. I don't really remember it. And that blood is DAMN. HOT.

^I have no idea! I actually just looked it up an hour ago and saw the report, but I don't know why I didn't think to look it up ahead of time. I guess since I'd never heard of it and it wasn't on coasterfanatics, I just assumed no one else IN THE ENTIRE WORLD had been there. Hah. And we all know what assuming does... Also, while going there I made a mental note to take a picture of the coaster sign knowing that TPR is trying to collect them, and I completely forgot once I arrived. But I almost want to say that there actually WASN'T a sign. I don't remember seeing one at all.

^Why thank you! I use a broken Rebel Xt. I say "broken" because there's a crack in the sensor that I end up having to photoshop out of just about every last photo. It's every bit as fun as non-tedious as it sounds.

OH Lord...all the blood. I'm numb, but i'm drinking my own blooooooood.

Back. I asked for ths street name for this stufff. I don't htink they told me. THen I askef for a coat because they woulnd't give me my teeth back. I'm preallyy thirsty.

Alright, I'm off to get my teeth sliced out of my gums! Hooray! (I think I'm gonna throw up)