DerekRx

I think Zamperla does offer great package deals. They're probably also very accommodating with themes, and they must have 1 heck of a good salesman!

Maybe he's looking at chartering his own 737 for the trip. That, or the value of the Canadian dollar has gone WAY down!

I've got 2 so far with a third coming probably this Spring. The one I got near my shoulder blade didn't really hurt too bad, I'd say about a 5. Eventually, after the first 100 pokes, you really don't feel much, just numbness. The sound is kinda annoying. Total time to do it all was about 3 hours, stopping to take a soda break after outlining. I have no regrets at all about getting it. I was 18 at the time, and think I picked a good place to get it done. Being professional, you don't see my tattoo there, unless I'm shirtless, which really only happens at a waterpark or the beach. That one cost me about $180 I think. The redness lasted for about 3 days, but there was no infection. The second tattoo I got the day my best friend (my turtle) died last February. The pain this time was less, probably about a 3 or 4. Total work time was about an hour, and again the location is good for my profession, though this is visible when I wear shorts. Redness lasted about a day, though there was scabbing, and I had to put lotion on it a lot for about 3 weeks (getting it done in the winter is harder because of dry skin). This one cost about $100. My memorial to Lily. The Japanese characters mean "friendship" (I hope!) My tribal turtle, catching a wave

Eureka! I've found a way to drink this to make it pretty good! Its like a root beer float, only without the root. Pure dessert goodness Eat an Eskimo Pie, THEN take a sip of the (not so) Black Chocolate Stout Aha! I've discovered the goodness way!

Started off the day with something I was really anticipating, the Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. Conclusion: Not very exciting. Its no Storm King or Heresy No taste of hops, no taste of chocolate, no taste of black (whatever that tastes like), just stout Look at me, I'm a beer!

Gwazi usually alternates which side it runs on empty days in the off season. Recently, the only times I've known them to run both sides is in the summer and during their HOS event days. The dueling effect isn't really that amazing, and the ride is so annoying with Busch's loading procedure that I've honestly skipped the ride since like 2002. I believe on our visit there in October, they were only running Lion the whole day, which I believe was a Friday. As for Sheikra, the riders won't get wet, except if you sit in the back row, then you will get a little damp from the watersplash. It is because the tubes are located on the underside of the 3rd car, and as the water is pushed thru them, some flies up above car level. Its not very noticeable, though unless you sit towards the outside near the tubes I believe.

Next up, a Winter Ale I never had, by Brooklyn Brewing out of, um, Brooklyn, NY. The beer distributor dude said this beer was very popular and the only way I could get it was in a variety pack, which works for me because its like 6 credits in 1 case! Its ok, nothing to write home about IMO, but then again, I'm not the biggest fan of winter ales To get more in the winter spirit, I turned the heat off, and donned my winter hat. I would have worn my skeleton gloves, but I think Robb stole them I was told Brooklyn's Winter Ale was good

Here's my submission. No matter how much I like this beer, if he's holding the last one, I may have to finally drink a Busch product! Avatar-sized good beer drinking yeti We're running out of beer! Wonder why?

^I don't know how you do Robb, so we're even! The trick to the really hoppy ones is to not intend to have anything else for several hours, as you'll be tasting the hops for quite a long time. This type of beer as a really aquired taste to it, and its nowhere near the lagers and such that are mainly thought of as "beer". You'd be amazed how the people at work react when they drink one of my IPAs when we go out in comparison to their standard Miller Lite. Maybe sometime soon I'll sample another Red that compares to your favorite High Roller.

With only 6 partial cases of beer in the garage, I figured it was time to visit the distributor and pick up something else. Tried a different place, and WHAMO! different stuff. So, like a kid in a foreign candy store, I picked up stuff I hadn't had yet but heard good stuff about. First on the weekend agenda, the King.....Alpha King! Maybe its because the hops killed my tastebuds or perhaps I'm just glad its the weekend and I'm at home drinking beer, but this is one of the best IPAs (though its no HopDevil) You can probably tell, this bad boy's extremely hoppy. CHEW CHEW CHEW And so we shall see... Three Floyd's Alpha King Pale Ale, supposedly one awesome IPA

Its still cold here this week, so apparently its still winter. Perfect time to enjoy another Weyerbacher Winter Ale. Sure is better than some other Winter ales I've had, though I'm starting to have less desire to drink these hearty winter brews. Bring on the Hefes, Springs, Summers, and IPAs! Maybe if I drink all of these, winter will be over?

Thanks for the photos, Erik. Glad you got to ride it and share some stuff with us. Its also a relief that even on "opening" day, the line wasn't that bad for you, gives me hope when I finally get there in 3 months. Hopefully they'll keep the Single Rider Line as a constant thing too!

This park will definitely be a dump! ....or at least on one...... I just HAD to, sorry.

Wow, wonder how expensive it would be to get into this park, considering it costs $10 just to LOOK at a bunch of Ferrari's in a showroom at the Wynn in Vegas.

Now this one I may actually have to get. I never was interested in the regular DS for its "huge" size and touch screen (if I want a touch screen, i have a Palm Pilot or 7 laying around the house), nor am I big on the PSP with its Sonyisms and screaming for scratches and dings on the screen layout. But the DSLite actually looks good, like the SP, only now I can get Animal Crossing and some other games. Of course, another 2 years and we'll have the DSSPAdvancedUltraLite no doubt...DS with 2 touch screens, better graffix, half the size, double the battery life, built in wifi, bluetooth, cell phone, radar detector, and cranial link so you don't even need to use your hands to operate it

Tonight on Derek and random other people drink beer.... Derek goes to Buca di Beppo! Derek, Donna (DeeDee), and the Pope all chilling out after a little too much alcohol before Lost. Nothing quite like drinking with the Pope! When his 1 meatball arrives, Derek thinks: "Why is everything so freaking big at this place?!" Derek vaguely remembers ordering Mozzarella Caprese, just to make Elissa jealous. Suddenly....30 minutes later, Derek decides to order a Warsteiner Dunkel. When it arrives, Derek says "Dude, this is NOT good! 2 good beers, only 1 already confused liver!?" First up, 22oz of Sam Adams Boston Lager! Derek thinks: "Holy cow, this is a lot of good beer!"

Maybe with the addition of another launched coaster, PKD needs to build their own nuclear (its pronounced "nuculer") power plant. Since they don't have neither the time nor the money now, they just randomly decided to close down the oldest launched coaster they have until 2007 when the plant is opened. They would have chosen Hypersonic, but they may finally have that thing running consistantly! I'm with the "retheming" peoples, as the Flight of Fear is kinda pointless and confusing without the Outer Limits portion of it. Now the big question, "is it another credit, Jeff?"

Yeah, I'm in the "sure it looks like it will be a unique and fun wooden bobsled" camp. If and when this finally does open, I'll be happy to ride it, as its an extinct brand of coasters brought back from the ashes. I don't see it as being some super thrill machine slaughtering dogs, pigs, and small children though. If its anywhere remotely similar to Avalanche at Blackpool though, its definitely an attraction worthy of Knoebels, as that thing had some great airtime and directional changes for as short as it is! I'm guessing these things were so "terrifying" back in the day because they were trackless and people didn't really have physics classes and stuff like that, so everyone thought a ride on one of these meant certain death and carnage. Like mostly every ride back then, you were "held" in by a seatbelt (which pretty much stood for "this means you're supposed to remain seated until the ride comes to a complete and final stop"). Somewhere along the way, we forgot restraint meant sit, and so every ride now has like 2 ways to keep you from getting out before your time. Think how many rides today would be more terrifying if you were only held in by a seatbelt?

"Coming Undone"- KoRn

"Rough Landing, Holly"- Yellowcard

I'm starting off today with one of my favorite Lagers, Victory Festbier. Try to take my beer and I'll pop a cap in yo @$$! Beer make Derek happy! mmmmm......beer

"Killing Loneliness"- HIM

I'm with Jew on this one. At least now, when I see someone who looks perfectly capable of walking and waiting in line like the rest of us and is in no way disabled, I can say to myself: "Obviously that person is sad and pathetic and had their feelings hurt. That explains why they aren't waiting in line!" I'm CERTAIN the "man with a deep voice and glasses" got what he had coming to him, because we all know there are only like 7 people in the whole world who have deep voices and wear glasses. If anything, I'd say ARN&R is still just as baffled now as they were when they first saw your story.

Had to go with another Stout today, and decided upon Storm King, since its so good. Its beer! In 3-D!!! The King reigns supreme as far as stouts go

Hinder- Nothin' Good About Goodbye