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I have tickets for Trans Siberian Orchestra in December! I never paid them much attention beyond a vague awareness of their reputation, and their show sounds amazing. Plus I've never seen an "explosions and fire" band, which is a huge oversight that must be corrected. The last show I feel like I missed was Tesla, Styx, and Def Leppard. Thankfully it turns out I dodged a bullet since I've been wanting to see Tesla, and many fans missed their set due to traffic. I'd like to see all three bands (although I saw Dennis DeYoung's Styx show earlier this year), but I really want to see Tesla in a smaller venue with a better setlist. I'm still debating whether to take my supposed "final" chance at seeing Motley Crue, but I've already seen Vince Neil solo and he played mainly Crue songs. The show sounds awesome but these days I'm a casual fan of the band at best.

Blastin' Barrels at Cultus Lake Adventure Park. Not as exciting a mini-spinner as the Wisdom carnival variant can be, but still a fresh, fun twist on a basic kiddie coaster design.

Coaster at Playland on Sunday, which I marathoned for 5 1/2 hours, because that's what you do, right? The crowds were phenomenal, which is why I had intentionally avoided the fair in the past, but I can now recommend it along with Fright Nights as another opportunity for elusive night rides on Coaster.

Hmm...I don't recall saying any of those things.

I'm glad I'm not alone in the Seabreeze carousel fanhood. I think this region is the biggest unexplored area for me in the US. I have actually seriously considered skipping Martin's Fantasy Island (and I'm someone who wants to ride every wooden coaster), but I'll probably have to make a go of it. I'll definitely try to fit in the Herschell museum, though. Anyway, have fun!

Well, that's awkward. There are some things I liked about the park, so I hope this doesn't lead to long-term problems.

The postponement was definitely the right move, and I was only taken aback for a split second when I saw it announced. Everyone will quickly forget the exact timing anyway. I would only be irked if they do change anything about the ride, but I think that's jumping to conclusions and don't personally predict it (though I can be naive...).

"Out of Focus" - Blue Cheer

"The Friend Catcher" - The Birthday Party

1. Banshee 2. Montu 3. Flight Deck 4. Favorite Batman #notallbatmen 5. Alpengeist Banshee and Montu really come close to a "perfect coaster experience" for me. Flight Deck is the most forceful of my favorites. I'm not a big fan of Batmans, but some of them seem to ride way better than others. I was surprised to see that Alpengeist squeaks in at 5 (barely above Talon), but it's another forceful one. I have all the US credits and two foreign ones.

For some reason I really like the idea, though I can't quite put my finger on the appeal. It seems like there are many possible reasons a typical enthusiast might not need this or couldn't justify it, but it still seems like a cool option.

Interesting, I didnt think of that, is this the newest coaster to get the makeover? I totally forgot that Medusa opened in 2000. Then again, I think CCI has more of an issue with roughness and poor aging, even though this has clearly afflicted some of the older GCIs as well.

Yeah, that's been like that forever, I've definitely noticed it on more than one visit. Cue comments on how bored we all must be if there are four posts about a grammatical error in a parking lot.

Looks like at least one person has them all; congrats! I've ridden four of them. I know there's not a huge distinction between wood and steel when it comes to RMC, but ranking them separately is just how I do things. Steel 1. Iron Rattler: it features loads of airtime, an interesting layout and setting, a consistent ride experience, a perfect inversion, and it maintains its speed pretty well. It's short, but feels complete rather than cut-off. 2. New Texas Giant: I rank this immediately below iRat, and at times it's close to interchangeable. It has plenty of forceful airtime, sometimes calling to mind El Toro, but it's been more inconsistent for me than iRat. Often, it's noticeably sluggish through the final hills. It feels a touch less memorable even though I've ridden it a fair number of times. Wood 1. Outlaw Run: of course, everything has already been said. It really tries to throw you off the train. The unbeatable setting also helps make it an easy winner. 2. Goliath: I rank this well below Outlaw Run, barely in my top third of woodies. It was the most fun on my first ride due to an unexpected twist near the end, and there's some interesting hangtime, but the first drop and much of the rest of the ride was underwhelming.

So we'll finally hear the end of it? I see what you did there. Can't wait to find out what my new closest RMC will be like. It's a bit strange to see a newer woodie get the treatment. I never thought it was one of the worst, though I've heard stories about its poor aging, and it's definitely a lower-tier GCI. Now what are they going to name it?

American Thunder Boulder Dash Coaster (Playland) Dodonpa El Toro Flight of Fear Giant Dipper (SCBB) Hollywood Dream: BackDrop Iron Rattler Joker's Jinx Kawasemi Lightning Run Maverick New Texas Giant Outlaw Run Phoenix Quicksilver Express Renegade Steel Dragon 2000 Top Thrill Dragster Ultra Twister Voyage Wild One X2 Yankee Cannonball Zaturn Lots of clear winners for me, but in a few cases I made a judgment call between a wood or steel coaster. This makes for a surprisingly solid list in my book!

An update to my 2014 post. I'm pretty sure there's nothing worth changing, so here are a few additions. Kentucky: Lightning Run Nevada: El Loco Japan: Dodonpa Mexico: Montaña Rusa (Mundo Divertido)

Raging Spirits at Tokyo DisneySea, #595. Oddly, considering the caliber of the park, it's one of my worst major coasters.

Ice Mountain Bobsled at Enchanted Forest, which was also my first roller coaster. It's pretty zippy, and really about as good as one could hope for considering its unusual homemade design.

The Wacky Worm at the San Diego County Fair. Hey, it was a fun way to cap off a nice little 3 day, 2 country, 10 credit adventure before my next trip.

Montaña Rusa at Mundo Divertido. I got denied on the Wacky Worm...

The Pinfari Looper at Mundo Divertido. I think I nailed the "about to ride a Pinfari Looper" expression there.

Here's one from the other night. Me and rock star Terry Ilous. Isn't he gorgeous?!

Joe Bonamassa on May 8th, as part of a 90% sold-out crowd at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland. While he is a polarizing artist, I was admittedly astounded by the recording of his "Muddy Wolf at Red Rocks" performance, so I started out with a fairly favorable impression. On this tour he is focusing mainly on his new, original material, so he didn't show off as much of a traditional blues influence as I always hope for (but wasn't expecting in this case), though of course there were plenty of tasty blues licks woven into his neverending solos. However, I am partial to the song he opened with (after an instrumental Hendrix cover), "Oh Beautiful!", a simple masterpiece. He mixed in some rockin' tunes, and was predictably mesmerizing to watch throughout the show. The one song that justified my ticket purchase was "Trouble Town," off his latest album, "Different Shades of Blue." He started off with an exquisite, extended slide intro straight out of my dreams. Unfortunately, this isn't part of the album cut, which has a markedly different feel and also omits the energetic percussion break. If I hadn't seen it live, I would've never fallen for it. However, the song itself, with its deliciously ear-catching riff, also had me captivated. All in all, I got a sense of why some people criticize Joe, and not every song was to my taste, but it was a very professional, high-quality performance. Personally, I feel he has a great voice to go along with his amazing guitar skills, and while nothing profound for the most part, I think his songwriting is a bit more artful than people give him credit for. Incidentally, this was my second concert in a row where we celebrated a guitarist's birthday! A random example of the most magnificent song I have ever heard performed live. Hi Joe!!! Happy Birthday!

I would call it "marginally rideable" at best, and even that might be a stretch. Then again, I have willingly ridden it twice. You definitely need to figure out how to ride it defensively. I would recommend planning your visit carefully as different offers are available for different days, and need to be purchased in advance (either exclusively, or just for the best deal). As with most carnivals, it can be tricky to determine the most cost-effective option (or maybe that's just me). The wristbands are limited to specific days, but well worth it when available, as Classic Coaster is super-marathonable if lines are reasonable. Sadly, the Monster Mouse has been gone for a few years. I don't even think it's for sale anymore. It was the second best coaster in the park. Even Kersplash is gone now. Side note, I used to absolutely despise this fair, but I've been several times and now I love it. Not to sound elitist (whoops) but the last couple times I thought the crowds were a bit more "classy" than the usual fairgoing stereotypes.