pete4winds

So, my batteries decided to suck on me last night, so this is more of a TR with some photos, rather than a Photo TR. ECZenith (Sean) and I drove out from Southeastern MA to SFNE to meet up with CanobieFan (James). We arrived at about 4:30 after a brief detour through Enfield CT. The thinking was to avoid traffic coming off the highway, but in hindsight we would've been better off just taking our original route. The first sign that it would be a great night was the nearly empty parking lot. Life is good! Getting to the gate at about 4:45, we met James out in front and stood around waiting for that stupid Looney Tunes preshow just inside the gate. That turned out to be our longest wait. Even the two haunted trails we did had shorter waits. So, finally the rope drops and where did we go? SROS, of course. Two back-to-back runs with no more than a one-train wait each, killer airtime, trains were running great. As we're in the brake run of the second ride, the herd comes thundering down the stairs, so by now it's about time to move on. We wandered over to Batman and waited maybe three trains, if that, even with single trian ops. I happen to love Batman, but I've never found it to be particularly forceful...except last night. The zero-g roll delivered! It had some of the best zero-g I've ever experienced on an inversion. Leaving Batman, we stopped at Mind Eraser for a minute, looked at it, and ...meh, moving right along. By now my batteries were starting to die on me, so I stopped in a couple gift shops to try to find some more (yes, I had spares...they ALL failed me). No luck, so we made our way to Tomahawk, but it was not to be. The gondola was in pieces behind the supports...DENIED. Moving right along. Next up we hit Pandemonium's single rider line. I rode with a family of three...the mom and kid were howling about how Pandemonium was the best ride in the park. Eeeerrrrmmmm, no, but I chose to keep my mouth shut. The dad was having a tough time. At one point during a particularly fast spin, he was all "F*ck this." The mom yelled "Steven, watch your mouth. No wonder he's always dropping F-bombs!" Cool, I thought...coaster AND a show! Next up, Cyclone. On the way up the ramp we all debated the virtues of not riding in the last row. James was all for it. I told him he was a better man than I was. Sean and I had enough after the first ride, but James managed to keep his seat (I told you it wasn't crowded). I waited on the exit ramp to tell him he was crazy, but he just had this psychotic grin on his face. From there we wandered down to Trail of Terror. Marginally fun, but Sean and I decided we'd offer to redesign it for free next year if they give us a decent budget to work with. After that we made it toward Nightmare Island. Kinda cheesy, but the human scareactor on the hydraulic lift was pretty cool, as was the giant animatronic beast. We decided on one last check of SROS, but by then the line was quite a bit longer, so we hit Nightwing...yes, it was running. SHOCKING! I have to confess that I lied about the Looney Tunes show being our longest wait. The wait from the time we boarded Nightwing to the time it actually got started was our longest. That was entirely too long to wait in that very uncomfortable position. Nightwing was desperately in need of oil, so it was making this weird donkey-bleat sound, thus officially making this TR a TPR-approved one. We managed to do everything we waned in 3.5 hours, so we were out of there by 8:30. Great time!!! I'd never been to SFNE this late in the year, so I was pleasantly surprised at how mild the weather was. On to my piddly little collection of photos. Stupid discount store bulk-pack batteries!!! The one coaster photo I was able to get. I kinda like my artsy-fartsy Mind Eraser photo! The former LexCorp arcade...hope this isn't a sign of things to come. Some decent theming in front of Lost & Found...although I could still do better. The largest crowd we encountered, waiting for the Looney Tunes preshow. Another view or Mr. M. T. Lott. Meeting my new best friend, M. T. Lott!!!

Killjoy...party pooper...boo on you. Besides, ya narc...the first response was from a mod, so I'm guessing...yup...Mikey didn't sleep well and is just in a bad mood today...can't be happy unless everyone else is miserable with him. <~~~~SARCASM ALERT!!!

^ We'll take it a step further. Since you're Italian and I'm Native American AND Italian, one of the "lands" in our new park will be Wop-ajo Land.

^ If you give me a lifetime season pass, I'll return the favor with a lifetime season pass to my Native American-themed "Noble Savageland." I'll have a dark ride called "Trial by Fire," a sim ride called "Buffalo Hunt 4D," a B&M Inverter called "Sacred Eagle," an S&S tower called "Totem Pole," and maybe a beer garden called "Firewater."

WTF I'll play along * Black LawPro BDU (battle dress uniform) top and pants. * Ridge zip-side tactical boots. * Gall's ballistic nylon utility belt (with radio case, flashlight holder, exam glove case, pepper spray case, collapsible baton case, and handcuff case, all loaded with their respective gear). * Hanes over-the-calf socks. * AcuVue contact lenses (three-week disposables). * Silver wedding band (hand crafted). * Silver bracelet (hand crafted). * Silver necklace with silver Hoop Dancer charm (can ya tell I'm not much of a gold wearer?). * Armitron diving watch. * Hanes boxer briefs. * Silver earring (one). * Finally, one Rob Zombie long sleeve t-shirt UNDER aforementioned BDU top (it gets cold here in New England this time of year).

Is it me, or is this guy totally digging for gold with his bow?

Boo clean-ish PTR...Hooray OTHER one! Pete "Sadly, probably the same place they were when I was 14 - only in my sick little fantasies" FourWinds

I think this discussion is probably pretty closely related to the whole "is it a credit or not" debate, but judging by this picture: http://www.rcdb.com/ig1449.htm?picture=3 I'm thinking that, technically, Montana Suiza does fit the criteria...that looks suspiciously like a bunnyhop to me...

No...no, you are not.

I'm all over a spelling error in a message reminding someone to use proper spelling/grammAr! Grammar: 1a: the study of the classes of words, their inflections, and their functions and relations in the sentence. 1b: a study of what is to be preferred and what avoided in inflection and syntax. Grammer: Comic actor, first name Kelsey, most recently known for portraying Dr. Hank "Beast" McCoy in X3: The Last Stand. Most famous for his portrayal of Dr. Frasier Crane in the situation comedies "Cheers" and "Frasier." See also: Down Periscope; The Pentagon Wars; The Simpsons.

Me too! By comparison, I thought Asylum of Horror (also Fall River, MA) sucked. Shame, because it's closer to my house than Factory is...but both within walking distance. I was also a huge fan of Spooky World when it was in its original location in Berlin, MA, and if I'm ever able to reopen in, my own haunt Wonder of the Woods will round out my list of all-time favorites.

Congrats, guys! Yet another future coaster geek on the way! Instead of TPR trips, all of us new parents (oh, ok...I suppose the existing ones can come, too) can all get together for "Playdates-at-the-Park" now!

http://cbs4boston.com/local/local_story_290164425.html - Link to video from tonight's 5:00 news broadcast. It's a sad day in central Massachusetts, and indeed all over the coaster enthusiast world. Excavators are on site at Whalom Park, and demolition of the Flyer Comet begins tomorrow, 10-18-06. Sadder, even, than the day I got my refund from the "Buy a Whale" campaign to save Whalom Park a few years back. Yet another old-time traditional park gone. Thoughts?

Why does it have to be a "problem" with them if they're just voicing their opinions about whether it looks painful or not? Personally, I think it looks pretty fun, too, but I don't feel the need to slag everyone else. I also happen to love Vekomas and Togos (I realize they're not Intamins and B&Ms, but I have yet to find a coaster I truly hate), but I don't feel I have to be an asshole just because many people don't like them.

OK, but where's the dog? j/k

My "furry children"...JarJar Beaks the parakeet was too busy preening himself to join us in this post...maybe next time, as he's very photogenic. EDIT: JarJar made it in! Boomer, showing his blankie some lovin'... Digit, modeling my very expensive Oakleys...oh, yeah, Digit's not the Desert Storm vet...I am. Katie-Kat, the newest addition. Cabot getting herself into trouble. We have no idea how she got the fridge open. Hope you enjoyed that week-old chicken! Digit, more raspberries. Cabot giving raspberries. JarJar Beaks.

I'll bite...this could be a pretty funny thread. First apartment with my wife (happens to also be our current one): When my wife and I moved into our apartment in early August '03 (just about a month before we were married and the day we returned from another first, a Cedar Point trip - we drove out and back thank you very much ), we happened to be moving in during Fall River Celebrates America, a gigantic multi-cultural festival that happens here in Fall River (obviously), MA. While the TPR-friendly (AKA carnival) part is piddly, the event itself is huge and world-famous. For reference, see my PTR of the 2006 event here: http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27855 Anyway, in '03, we had no real clue what the event was like, but we quickly found out that moving into our first apartment together (other than the two of us sharing a place with my mom pre-wedding - ouch!) on THAT weekend was a HUGE mistake. The traffic patterns and crowds were insane! To make matters worse, our dog had been living with a friend since the November prior because we HAD been living with my mom, who has two cats. My wife went up to the friends house on the northwest side of Boston, about an hour's drive away. I decided to stay home. The electricity had not been turned on yet, and we had no furniture, save for two of those folding nylon lounge chairs that you carry in drawstring bags. I had the distinct pleasure of sitting in the pitch dark listening to the headlining act at Fall River Celebrates.........drum roll, please......... Eddie effin' Money... The heaadliners at Fall River Celebrates haven't gotten much better since then...

^ Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park AND Independence Day... My quote: "If you're not expected, then you're not invited...so f*ck off!!!"

Sorta, but not quite. They WERE planning on protesting funerals, but were convinced (more accurately, they were offered, and they accepted, a substantial sum of cash) by a local radio DJ to cancel the protests, which they did cancel. The actual reasons were that, according to Westboro Baptist Church headquarters, the girls were "killed by a madman in punishment for PA Gov. Ed Rendell's blasphemous sins against Westboro Baptist Church." They further went on to say "Gov. Ed Rendell, speaking and acting in his official capacity to bind the State of Pennsylvania (Pete's edit: Officially PA is not referred to as a state, but is one of four Commonwealths in the U.S.), slandered and mocked and ridiculed and condemned Westboro Baptist Church on national Fox TV. Rendell also revealed a conspiracy to employ the State's police powers to destroy WBC in order to silence WBC's Gospel message. Co-conspirators identified by Rendell included state officials, citizens, lawyers, legislators and media." To my knowledge, they did not cite specific examples. At least not that I've seen, heard, or read anywhere in any of the major news outlets, although I could've missed it in earlier reports.

I actually counted once a few weeks after I moved here (Sept '03 sometime), and if you start from the highest point on this road (the flat spot just west of that McDonald's/Rocky's Plaza by the post office) there really ARE seven hills...

Is it me, or does the kid from the two-seater look like a shoo-in for next year's Fright Fest? I present a size-reduced version of the photograph he appears in as evidence...

This past weekend... You know you're totally checking out the hot a$$ over my left shoulder! My lovely wife Jen...

Jen and I got ourselves a new digital camera this past weekend, so this is my first "New Camera PTR," also known as "When is a street considered a credit?" President Ave. in Fall River, MA has occasionally come up in conversation both in chats and on the boards (particularly when the credit debate takes on odd turn), so I though I'd show you why I think it IS a credit (don't laugh...I'm not the only one who thinks so)... I'll let the photos tell the story, and YOU decide...credit or not, this street is an airtime machine unto itself, especially in the winter!!! And the same view from the living room. Yes, THAT blue one...the flat-roofed one third from the left. Another view. Returning home. My house is the blue one, second house to the left of the bridge tower. Final drop into the brake run. Nice view from the same spot. Compare the truck and house angles, and then try to tell me it's not a credit!!! That river in the background is some 150 feet below, less than 1/2 mile away (unusual for Eastern MA). "Dude, it's TOTALLY a credit!" President Ave., looking west from near the top. President Ave. from the bottom looking up (East). Oddly, this street is Main Street...North Main, specifically, but it's not really "the" main street. Best looking thing in this photo is the $155 pair of Oakleys...that I got for free! Departing the neighborhood...

I'm assuming Quiet Riot's stint in the medical field is primarily due to the fact that they haven't had a hit single in years?

Off the top of my head: Whalom Park: Flyer Comet (SBNO - barely standing) Lincoln Park: Comet (Same as above) SFNE (Riverside Park days): Black Widow SFGAdv: Viper