OldJJman

Is this the one Lou?? Spinball was decent.

It was open. A valiant attempt was made in saving my "Voyage" hat while riding. Only problem was, that it was at the expense of the rest of my body getting wet, as I ate it pretty good. I'm a loser. JJ

I got a new program for my laptop to edit pictures with for the TPR UK trip (MS Digital Image Suite 2006) and it included "panoramic stitching". So I played with it a little. I really don't want to hear any critiques as I'm not very profecient on the computer anywho, graphics or otherwise. (Don't ask about the typing speed!) I took over 2100 pics on the trip. Sooner or later I'll post some. But here are some of the ones I stitched together. Hope you like 'em. JJ My personal favorite. A peaceful day at Alton Towers. Spinball Overview ...all day long! Nemesis Inferno had great capacity... No wonder we slaughtered a pigeon! Thorpe overview ...to take pics and video of BALDER!!!! I'm surprised no one has (yet) mentioned that Liseberg put us on a 30m lift... ...from every angle! Blackpool looks beautiful.... Velocity at Flamingoland has incredible capacity! G Force at Drayton Roller Coaster at Yarmouth Loopen at Tusenfryd has good capacity. What got Power Park in Finland started - The go-carts!

Great pics and captions Derek! I was surprised not seeing more bar and beer pics. No, I didn't look in the "Beer" thread. Maybe I'll get around to posting mine someday. Since you didn't mention it in that last set of pics, I will-- Does Joe realize what he missed out on?? JJ

Thunderbird at Power Park in Finland last Saturday 6/24/06 JJ

^Besides that, they also had to care for a "senior citizen" who slowed them down profusely. Looking for "Depends" when you don't speak Finnish can get tiresome. JJ

We missed the IKEA in Sweden, but at least got a picture of it. Yesterday, we did Linnanmäki in Helsinki. Nice park but nothing to really write home about. Earlier today we did Särkänniemi. WOW! A really nice park with incredible hospitality!! The views from the tower (400+ feet) were better than spectacular!! What a beautiful country!! Tornado was really good. We had quite a bit of fun today. Now were up in Alahärmä at the Power Park hotel, to do the park tomorrow, before heading back to Tempere to fly back to London tomorrow night. Robb is a bit delirious, but it makes for some great laughs! Wait for the TR's and videos. They'll be worth it. I believe Robb is doing the Blackpool update right now, and may be up and posted later this evening. JJ

At least we didn't suffer any paper cuts while we were gone! (Well, maybe Elissa did - You should see the size of the "Book") BTW- it's not quite over. Yesterday, Linnanmäki. Today, Särkänniemi. Tomorrow--never mind. You get the point. JJ

First off, I would like to thank the owners and hosts of TPR for once again, proving my complete and total innocence!! Second, I would like to acknowledge that Coney Beach Pleasure Park is a real sh*thole. It does rank as one of the worst parks ever (But, it did have 2 credits). Below I have tried to include a disturbing picture to rival that of Dereks. Below that is a shot from today of Robb taking a nap after 4 consecutive rides on Bubble Works. Enjoy, JJ Robb getting some much needed rest. Disturbing? Or not? You decide.

Yeah, I had seen that. But, I didn't have the time (I know, only 2+ hours, credit and back) because of the people I was with. It could have been worse, as I really didn't care to go. Oh well, more $$ for crap I really don't need. JJ

OK. So I'm up here in Reno for a friend's birthday. Well, according to RCDB.com, there was a coaster nearby. Had to go. Hope you like the pics. JJ See - It really is a McDonalds! Even a new retro McDonalds for Elissa! Golden Arches and all. So it was 78 degress. But snow always looks good in the distance. Wild Island is not a Derek friendly park. Awesome Miler construction techniques! Mean Miler airtime hill! Double down goodness! Speeding down the 38ft. first drop!! Yep. A slightly overgrown Miler. (BTW - #619 for me.) The reason for living! Credit whoring! OOOH! Fancy map, so I can't get lost. An average FFC, with a good waterpark, bowling, and food. On the way to Wild Island (6 miles from Reno) I noticed the Skycoaster and Reverse Bungee. I wasn't even here for 20 minutes when I paid for the weekend! This is where I stayed. Nice place, but all of Reno is still living in the 70's.

Thank you for not making me look so geeky in the video! JJ (Wondering if I should post my pics as well, including that "other" credit.)

What the heck-- Stuck on the lifthill of J2 (Tsunami) with Jack Rabbit in the background. Satan Eyes

As a person who was VERY interested in attending, beware! It's also Kentucky Derby weekend. All flights, car rentals, and hotels in and around Louisville are either booked solid, or damn ass expensive!!! JJ, who will now wait until my scheduled August trip to get his rides!

^Rode Thunderhead about a dozen times and was kinda disappointed too. Minimal airtime on the first drop as well. Good ride, but just good. I'll take the OzCat any day!! But, the biggest disappointment, No doubt: Coney Island Cyclone!! After about 10 rides during ERT, I was still like "Uh...OK...That's it???" It was much more fun getting lost with Robb in Harlem 2 hours later!! JJ

Sorry Dave. Hope that both you are Mary are OK. Jeff

Derek probably hit it right on the head. Both J2 (aka Tsunami) and Avalanche (aka AvaLAUNCH) are really great rides, IMO. I'll never forget my first ride on Avalanche (Nascar: The ride (all left turns)). Slamming into the brakes, grinning ear to ear, laughing and thinking (as well as saying) "What..the..Hell..was THAT!!" Really good first drop, and loaded with airtime and laterals. Fantastic ride. Even if it seems a bit short, I certainly didn't feel that it lacked anything. Now J2 is really my kind of ride! It does have the heavier laterals, especially the "wrong" left turn (anyone who has ridden J2, knows exactly which turn I'm referring to). Fantastic first drop, great airtime, great laterals! In Mitch's poll for 2005, I had J2 as my #2 (behind the Ozark Wildcat), Avalanche #6 out of 132 wood coasters ridden. Both rides are smooth and tons of fun. I will probably end up hitting both of them again this year! They're worth going out of your way for!! JJ

Robb--Nice style in the TR. Looks like you had fun at SFMM (Se Fuego Madrid Montana) Tarantula looks cool. But, Tornado--hmm. Was it kinda slow like Volcano? Was that too much like home, or better because the rides actually opened? JJ

I do NOT, I have NOT, I can NOT, I will NOT, And NEVER WILL, count "Powered" coasters. Period. JJ

Dahli Lamborgini! What would a blue orange taste like?

Great pics Derek! Seatcatraz! Official coach of the TPR UK 2006 trip! Jeff (Who wonders if this will aide Big Mike in his domination proliferation of Lou, Nic, Larry, Paul and anyone who crosses him.)

A butt plug. To turn on the light, why does the switch always go up?

Wow! Todd Long of Longworld and Cheer wine fame is still alive!! Will wonders never cease! JJ

This is fun, but a bit of a chore! Torn Down: Wacky Soapbox Derby Racers, KBF Windjammer, KBF (POS!) High Roller, Stratosphere Vegas Orient Express, WoF Shockwave, SFGAm Scooby Do's Ghoster Coaster, PKI Hercules, Dorney Park Viper, SFGAd Spellbreaker, Legoland California Dare Devil, Boomers FFC, Upland, CA. Storm, Botton's Pleasure Beach Thunder mountain, Flamingoland Texas Cyclone, Astroworld Relocated: Mountain Express, SFMM (Now in Mexico) Corkscrew, KBF (Now at Silverwood) Rode both locations. Motorcycle Chase, KBF (Transformed into Wacky Soapbox Racers) River King Mine Ride, SFStL (Left side moved to Dollywood in 1989) Sarejevo Bobsleds, SFMM (Moved to SFoT) Shockwave, SFMM (Moved to Astroworld) Rode both locations Rock n' Rollercoaster, Opryland (Now, altered and at GE) Rode both locations Hangman, Opryland (Moved to SFMW) Rode both locations Super Screamer, Adventureland (Moved to Pharoah's Lost Kingdom as Screaming mummy) Rode both locations Vampire, SFKK (Moved to SFNE) Steel Phantom (Greatly modified) Rode both incarnations. Viper, SFoG (Moved to SFKK as Greased Lightning) Rode both locations Orient Express (Moved to Palace Playland) Stealth, PGA (Moved to PCW) Jumbo Jet, Deno's Wonderwheel Park (Moved to a park in China) Whirlwind, Knoebel's (Moved to a park in Costa Rica) Starliner, Miracle Strip (Being moved to Cypress Gardens) My 300th! Batflyer, Lightwater Valley (Moved to World in Mineature) Klondike Gold Mine, Drayton Manor (Moved to Funland Amusement Park) Looping Star, Dreamland (Moved to Loundoun Castle) Blue Coaster, Dreamland (Moved to Khurais Plaza Shopping Mall) Wild Mouse, Dreamland (Moved to Loundoun Castle) Magic Mouse, Funland Park (aka Rotunda)(Moved to Fantasia Luna Park) Serial Thriller, Astroworld (Moving to GE) Mayan Mindbender, Astroworld (Moving to Wonderland) Batman: The Escape, Astroworld (Moving to SFDL) Greezed Lightning, Astroworld (Moving to Joyland) Wild Maus, BGW (Moved to BGT) Wildcat, MFI (Sold to Russian showman) Status Uncertain: Dahlonega Mine Train, SFoG (Rumors to be removed this year) King Cobra, PKI (All parts are still at PKI) Flashback, SFMM (Will it ever operate again?? Not like I care!!) Chaos, Opryland (Sitting in SF graveyard at Old Indiana) Wabash Cannonball, Opryland (Sitting in SF graveyard at Old Indiana) Screamin' Delta Demon, Opryland (Sitting in SF graveyard at Old Indiana) Lightning Bolt, MGM Vegas (I think it's still on site) Wildcat, Frontier City (2006 is said to be the park's last season) Silver Bullet, Frontier City (2006 is said to be the park's last season) Nightmare Mine, Frontier City, SBNO (2006 is said to be the park's last season) Diamondback, Frontier City (2006 is said to be the park's last season) Screechin' Eagle, Lesourdsville Lake (Park status uncertain) Serpent, Lesourdsville Lake (Park status uncertain) Red Devil, Ghost Town in the Sky (Park may open in 2006, anyone know?) Greased Lightning, PGA (Moved to SFMW parking lot) Bumper to Bumper Freeway Coaster, Adventure City (Park closing this year) Tree Top Racers, Adventure City (Park closing this year) Flyer Comet, Whalom Park (Rotting in current location) Megazeph, SFNO (Park status uncertain) Rex's Rail Runner, SFNO (Park status uncertain) Muskrat Scrambler, SFNO (Park status uncertain) Ladybug, Carousel Gardens (Park status uncertain) Mad Mouse, J's Amusements (Rotting in current location) Bullet, Flamingoland (???) Magnum Force, Flamingoland (???) Black Hole, Alton Towers (Status unknown) Scenic Railway, Dreamland (Park status unknown) Runaway Coaster, Funland Park (aka Rotunda)(Park status unknown) Viper, Astroworld (Status unknown) Serpent, Astroworld (Status unknown) Ultra Twister, Astroworld (Status unknown) XLR-8, Astroworld (Status unknown) Zonga, SFMW (Status unknown) Revolution, Libertyland (Park status uncertain) Zippin Pippin, Libertyland (Park status uncertain) My 500th! Wildcat, Williams Grove (Park status uncertain) Cyclone, Williams Grove (Park status uncertain) Done with a lot of help from RCDB.com JJ

The ride's announcement is scheduled for July 24. Jeff (Not saying anything else!)