pete4winds

^ Awhile back this thread did branch off into limericks, so it looks like you've got it covered either way.

Here we go again. Dig up more Tatsu haiku. Please please make it stop!

^^ Yeah, I understand...that's why I included "unofficial" in my question so that if anyone has plans to go next year, maybe some of us can just try to get there around the same time. I'll be looking forward to anyone else's thoughts on this!

They're advertising 2007 as their hundredth...I don't know if the park has any specific events planned, so my question was geared more toward "something during the '07 season."

After doing a search with not much luck, I thought I'd ask... Any thoughts on the possibility of a TPR event (either official or unofficial) for Hershey's 100th anniversary next year? I'm going anyway next year, but I think a TPR shindig (again, official or otherwise) would be very cool.

I agree, but, as I said, it's pretty funny in hindsight. Besides...it certainly made for a memorable ride, if nothing else.

Years ago when I was in the Navy, my ship went to the Portland Rose Festival (maybe 1994 or 95), and I went on this thing that was then called the High Roller (obviously nothing like the Stratosphere Vegas ride). I wish I could find a pic. Maybe if this sounds familiar to someone they can help...? Anyway, it was owned by Funtastic Traveling Shows of Portland, and it was a little like an enclosed coaster trainy thing on a shorter rectangular version of a Ring of Fire track. It moved forward around the track, and the track itself rolled a full 360 degrees right and left at the same time. The ride itself (forces, experiece, etc) was awesome, but the ride op played a prank on us by asking us to hold a spare cotter pin, identical to the one used to lock our door. He did it in such a way that it seemed like we were holding THE cotter pin that was SUPPOSED to lock our door. I was pretty horrified at the whole thing, but in hindsight it was pretty funny.

My vote is for closed attractions, and long queues is next...mostly because closed attractions tend to CREATE long lines in OTHER attractions. High ticket prices don't really bother me because I usually take advantage of every discount I can, be it season passes at SFNE to AAA tickets for others (or, even cheaper than AAA, discount tix from the military base I work at). Besides...even paying full price, you can USUALLY get your money's worth (barring any aforementioned closed attractions). As for other costs, high food prices are annoying but tolerable, but parking fees are outrageous...paying $8-$15 (or more in some cases) just to walk TO the gate? Suppuse I decided after parking that I didn't want to stay? Would I get a refund? Prolly not.

Roughest for me was the back seat ride on SFNE's Cyclone during Superhero Celebration 3 ('04). Hardly the WORST ride I've ever been on, but obviously this was before the recent retracking, so it was pretty painful. Despite that, it was then (and is more so now) one of my favorite woodies.

Part 4 - last for now until I get performance photos from the museum. Finally, a picnic pavilion...kinda looks like a queue and loading station. Pretty self-explanatory - this is attached to the museum and serves as a Grandma Moses Gallery. We even have sideboob!!! ...and the story of the dogs. ...on the right... On the left side of the main door... Interesting statue at the entrance...seems to commemorate Lincoln's commitment to freedom for slaves. The museum's main entrance.

Part 3: And another angle Slightly different angle. The view from our room at the Hampton Inn. Maintaining a sense of self. 1970'2-ish. Keeping his balance in front of the Chrysler Building. Smoke Break! Yes, that IS a red-hot rivet he's lighting it with. Ironworkers

Part 2: Another Mohawk ironworker during recovery operations. Ground Zero - this is a Mohawk ironworker just after the first plane hit. Ground Zero Ground Zero Ground Zero Information plaque about the sculpture. Rear view of the sculpture... Side view...that's my father to the right, looking at more of the exhibit. This sculpture is made from steel recovered from Ground Zero, NYC

This past Friday and Saturday (May 19-20), I was at the Bennington Museum in Bennington VT with my wife and some other family members to help open a traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution. The exhibit is titled "Booming Out: Mohawk Iron Workers Build New York." I happen to be Mohawk, as well as a performer and lecturer on contemporary Native American dance and custom. The museum hired me to give one of my presentations to commemorate the opening of the exhibit. Day one was for museum members and benefactors, and day two was the public grand opening of Booming Out. Since I'm the one taking the pictures in this PTR, there are no photos of my actual presentation (yet), but as soon as I get them from the museum, I'll post them as well. Apologies for the poor quality...they were taken with my camcorder. Part one: The whole statue... This statue was in the foyer of the lecture hall. This was a huge space...this view is above where I would perform, looking FROM the seating area. The view to my right...that's where the food was! My dad and stepmother in the middle of that group of four. The view to my left... The performance space my lecture was held in, looking toward the soon-to-be-seating area.

MMMMMM...Mooring lines! Bits and Bights! Monkey Fists!!! Tasty!!! OOPS, sorry...got a little off-track there.

...and thanks EVERYONE for the good wishes.

Great minds think alike...I'm already banking on it! TPR CreHo Kid Rentals, Inc! Thanks for the well-wishes

I think I'll manage to get some airtime in here and there. My father-in-law's giving us first refusal on his house when he either moves or passes away, and it's about a ten-minute drive from SFNE (I'm currently about 90 minutes away), so I'll still be able to squeeze SOME time in. Thanks for the well-wishes!

^Thanks! The good news (for me) about Child Swapping is that my wife really isn't a coasterer. She's into flats, and while I like them too, I can take 'em or leave 'em...so she waits for me while I ride, and I wait for her on the flats. Of course, I'll be properly indoctrinating my kid(s) early, so the very second they're big enough to go riding with Daddy, they'll be doing exactly that! On my quote, it is indeed an actual CSI quote, from the episode "Turn of the Screws" (episode 21 of season 4). Basic plot (spoiler-free): A roller coaster runs off its track, leaving six people dead. The CSI team investigates whether this was an accident or foul play. One of the deaths, however, is not what it seems, and this takes the case in an unexpected direction. The episode takes place in Vegas, as do most in the series, but it was shot at Pharaohs Lost Kingdom. Another great quote from the episode (one which could sum up many ride ops - though not all, of course) is this: Captain Jim Brass: What kind of training do you get? Joey, Ride Operator: I release the brake. I hit the button. It's green. It's marked "Go".

^^ I lost that long ago (probably around the time that I got married), but thanks for the advice and the congrats!

Ouch, that hurts...

My thoughts on this week's videos, in no particular order. Dave Arnold – From a quality standpoint, this video is nothing spectacular, but sometimes the topic is everything, and from that standpoint, this video ROCKS!!! On its own, the courage to actually go to this park should merit a win! I absolutely loved the PTR, so it’s nice to get a video to REALLY get a feel for this place. Albert Lam – Like most videos so far, this one has its pros and cons. Pros: I’m as big a Hallowe’en fanatic as I am a coaster fanatic. This video was AWESOME from that point of view. I’ve done my share (well, more than my share) of Hallowe’en events, attractions, and overall fun stuff, but it looks like Knott’s knows how to do it right. This video made that fact very clear, and captured the atmosphere (atmosfear? - sorry, couldn't resist) nicely. I’m also a big fan of the ambush flash/shock flash/screamer/startle video concept, and this video definitely had a couple of those moments going for it. Plus, the ownage at the end was a huge bonus! Cons: For me, the music was a little tough to sit through, and the pacing was a little slow in places. Dan and Jackie Collison – This was another that was paced a little slowly, but I happen to love EPCOT, and I really don’t get to go too often anymore, so it was a treat to watch this. The cuts were a little out of sync in the beginning, but seemed to get better. In my opinion, the music again took away from the video (I’ve never been a big REM fan, but they do have much better singles than Orange Crush). One music-related thing that I really liked was how the Taiko drummers were synched with the drum fill in the song. Well done on that. Kevin Gillan – For this video I’ll start with the cons first, since they’re all more or less in the beginning of the video. I found the intro to drag on a little more than necessary, and one of my first thoughts was that if it wasn’t entered in the same contest as Phil Hart and Alan Martin’s video, it would almost seem like a rip-off of “How to Use Your Camera.” But then the music started. Excellent editing, great pacing (not a big fan of the music, again, though), and it definitely had some funny moments. I liked the extra show and entertainment shots…we don’t get enough of that around here. One last con: the music…again, it was a song I didn’t much care for, but the overall quality of the video made it easier to tolerate the song. Staying away from the one-park concept certainly didn’t hurt this video. Final thought? This is a family that knows how to have fun. Nick Collins – It’s easy to see why Nick won all the marbles last year. Plenty of fun in this video, and it’s yet another video that doesn’t stay at one park, which is a huge bonus for me. The only real downside is the music again…that seems to be the theme of the week, but I know music choice is subjective, so I’m offering that thought merely as an opinion. Overall a great video. Overall thoughts? It’s down to Nick and Albert this week. Tough to choose between the two.

^^Elissa! The VERY INSTANT baby-sized TPR stuff comes into existence, I fully expect a phone call/email/carrier pigeon if necessary! Me LIKEY the thought of dressing my kid in a TPR onesie! Of course, my father is an identical twin, and my wife's family history ALSO includes twins, so I might need two of everything. ^Thanks, Eric! I have two brothers who are young enough to be my kids, so I do have a LITTLE experience...and you're right. I WILL enjoy it. I haven't quite reached the nervous self-doubting stage yet.

^So noted...thanks. That's THREE cigars for you. Seriously, though...I agree that it's a frightening thought to have at least one more of me in the world, but since we've been a couple for nearly six years, and married for nearly three (actively trying to have kids our entire marriage) I couldn't be happier.

^ Y'know...I've been saying that all weekend...what does that tell you?

Actually, we found out Thursday, but the doctor confirmed it Friday. We're about 2-3 weeks along. All of the family and most of the close friend notifications are made, so we're moving on to sharing the news with online friends, chat buddies, etc...so here I am, sharing with my TPR family! Naturally I'm already planning to mold my child(ren) into little TPR freaks, just like me! They WILL be coaster fanatics...but not ACErs. Even I have limits! Cigars all around to everyone here, and cigars for real when he, she, or they are born! Send me your mailing addresses around January or so, so I can send them! My wife has decided that she wants me to keep a photo/video journal of her progress, but don't expect a PTR...that's just a little weird. I'll post the occasional progress report. Pete "What the hell did I get myself into" FourWinds