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Now that the Polar Plunge is over, Guy makes another obvious plea for attention.

^^^Yes, I saw you popping up in those pics, James. Remember--Freud said there are no accidents! Your sub-conscious is a camera hog! Looks like a great event; as for me, I had to "lead and serve" the state courts at work.

^So, we were ahead of our time back in 1971.

This is all I remember for sixth-grade camp at Old Oak Ranch in California: With a heel and a toe, And a heel and a toe, And slide, slide, slide! Repeat, repeat, repeat. That's as detailed as the directions got.

I concur with the others--depends on the ride. For example, hands up on Apollo's Chariot (a smooth ride with no OSRs), but I try to brace myself a bit on Anaconda (a rougher ride with OSRs).

et tu, Chuck? Actually I know you were referring to the paint job, but I can't help but stick up for my TOGOs no matter what. -James Well, now that I think about it, Volcano is probably uglier--rather "inelegant" looking at least (if a "blast" to ride--good colors, though). But my experience is rather limited compared to other folks on this site. Chuck

The last time I visited Dollywood was pre-Tennessee Tornado, so it's high time I got back there (thought the coolest ride was Blazing Fury). Daredevil Falls looks great, as does Thunderhead.

I've done WDW a few times with a friend who needs a wheelchair. I don't think you have to "buy" a special ticket, but you do have to get some sort of pass at guest relations at each park (if your disability isn't obvious). They also have brochures outlining procedures for disabled riders (for example, where do you enter--the regular queue or the exit?), which generally involve some sort of expedited boarding. I think you'll find that Disney is quite accomodating. Have a good time.

^I was thinking more in terms of Shockwave's paint job, Jeff. The coaster itself is not unnattractive--it would look better in, say, just blue and yellow. But those pastels . . .

^^All boys have the power to "sticky" once they reach adolescence.

I would say Shockwave at PKD, although it's not so much "ugly" as bizarre. Like someone went nuts with RCT2's "paint" feature.

"Tatsu is Chinese for . . . wh-a-a-a-a-t?!!"

^^I imagine the "green fluffy stuff" is the result of hydroseeding, where they spray a hilly area with a solution of grass seed and some brightly colored fertilizer glop. (They need the color to make sure they have full coverage.) They didn't mention that the "soylent green" fertilizer glop was made of people when I was a horticulture major at Cal Poly-SLO town. Learn something new everyday on TPR. Nice to see that my fifty bucks was put to good use!

^Thanks--nice "Viagra" gag, too.

Which one? Gallup? Knight-Ridder? Oh, poles . . .

You must learn the proper pronounciation of "Tatsu"! Assume the position!

Hmm--if the timing's right, you could hop on the DL Railroad at Tomorrowland Station and be at the main gate in just a few minutes; if not, probably best to just hoof it.

Is PKD the only Paramount park that doesn't have some ride named "Vortex"?

Nothing compares to the tedium of the updating and editing the annual directory of the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators. Nothing but sentence fragments listing past jobs, achievements, awards, and honorary degrees. Oh, the pain, the pain . . .

In your first "Dole Whip" picture, it looked like your ice cream was chocolate dipped, then I realized it was just some woman's hair in the background. Why does Dole Whip deliver a more deadly brain freeze than any other ice cream? It does that to me, too.

Interesting list, well thought out. I'm looking forward to checking out Nemesis with the rest of the UK Trip crew this June. The thought of an inverted coaster in a pit intrigues me, too. DarKastle is a great ride, but not up to Spider-man (so I think you're on the money there). I think I would've included Disney's Indiana Jones ride as at least an honorable mention, mainly because it's Mr. Toad on mega-steroids (with fire)--it really pushes the envelope of dark-ride mechanical effects, I think.

^DuckSoup is the Marx Brothers' funniest movie. Groucho is Rufus T. Firefly, president of Freedonia, who is running the country into the ground because they were stupid enough to make him president. (Sounds rather familiar--hmm . . .) Zeppo is Groucho's aide. Chico and Harpo are spies from Freedonia's arch rival, Sylvania. How did you get through college without seeing Duck Soup? I weep for today's youth.

Fredonia, eh? Do you get a lot of "Rufus T. Firefly" jokes? (Groucho Marx was President Rufus T. Firefly of Freedonia in Duck Soup.) "Hail, hail Freedonia!" Remember--all he can "promise you is a Rufus over your head."

Here's a piece of ERT trivia I came across at BGE: Did you know that the first-ever ERT session was on the Loch Ness Monster for the then-new organization that became known as the American Coaster Enthusiasts? It was in 1978 to herald the opening of Nessie. At least, that's what the ACE plaque next to the ride entrance says.

Southwest also sponsors the sky ride at BGE. No wonder the lines are always so long. Fun stuff, guys--thanks. I'm flying Southwest out of Norfolk to California in August for 1) my niece Sarah's wedding and 2) a trip to Disneyland to check out the 50th anniversary stuff. Wish me luck there.