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If I could, I'd bash the poor spelling and grammar that is still rampant, but I'm not a mod, so I'll let them handle that and worry about other things. Eric

Thanks for a great update, Jahan. Everything going on at SFMM makes me glad I continue to get the Xtreme Play Pass because I get to enjoy the park more times! "Is the Revolution ACE sign out for cleaning? Or did something really bad happen to it?" (Erik Johnson) It got tagged by some gangbangers. Last Friday when I was there, I came down from the Sky Tower with Dan from here (TATSUFAN) and he mentioned it to Jay and Neal when we ran into them by the upper Orient Express station. They were unaware of it, but promised to look into it. Obviously they have, since the plaque is now missing. I hadn't been by the plaque, so I wasn't aware of it either. Just before leaving for the day, I took a run over by it and saw the damage. Had I had my camera, I would have taken a picture. Eric

^ The thing is, if you never knew the park's charm, then all you know is what it is now. No, it's not a "terrible" or even "bad" park. From the standpoint of the first-time visitor, there's plenty to see and do. And that's a good thing. Eric

If you ask me, the OTSRs a LOT high. A vertically adjustable system would be ideal. Some Schwarzkopf trains have such a thing. But we'll never see those here. Eric

"I grew up going to Magic Mountain and don't think I have ever seen the ride race, other than on TV commercials or promotional stuff." (montezooma) Oh, it did race. But it's really not a fair race because there are more right hand turns than left, so the right side always wins. It was always fun, though, when they ran one side backwards in the early-mid '80s and you raced with one train facing forward, and one backward. Eric

"I believe right after the loop, your body goes slamming forwards" (vedved82491) Actually, going into the loop puts a sudden downward/forward pull on your body. I've heard tales of people banging their face on the headrest ahead of them, which was a factor in OTSRs for that ride. I rode Revolution in 1976---before headrests even. It was a great ride then, and I hope will be again. But I'm not holding my breath. Eric

"It's all due to the need for idiot-proofing here in sue-happy America." (niiicolaaah) Couldn't be more correct, and I couldn't agree more. People are idiots, all right. "Hmmm...how does you work these here 'seat belt' thingies?" Some things to remember: Mere atmosphere doesn't bring in the numbers---it's the rides that do. More rides = More ROI. And Cedar Fair is in business to make money. Concrete lasts longer than wood. Saves repairs/replacement. More trash cans encourage people to put their trash inside instead of just dropping it on the ground. Fewer sweepers saves money. Removing things that "take up room" (the mission models, for instance) frees up space for new stuff. And so on. I don't agree with everything that's going on at Knott's nowadays, but I understand why. Eric

I really enjoyed watching that! My first trip to Las Vegas was in July 1981, and I visited all of those now-imploded hotels (except the Hacienda). For some reason, I think The Riviera won't be there much longer. Eric

Stupid videos are the least of Knotts' problems. I enjoyed going there more back in the '70s than I do now. Why? Atmosphere. To me, the park was always somewhere right in between Disneyland and SFMM. Not just geographically, but in terms of what it offered. There were a few thrills, but their theming was quite good. The park had some charm. For instance, the now-gone models of the California missions. Reflection Lake, which, sadly, is a mere reflection of itself. Knott's was a very different place when there weren't coasters zooming overhead everywhere you looked. Ghost Town felt like an old Western ghost town. It appears that SFMM has learned its lesson and will be focusing more on family rides. Knott's needs to re-evaluate itself, but that won't happen under Cedar Fail. Eric

^ Remember that while Disney parks tend to be run very well, they do have their flaws, too. Eric

B&M---doesn't that stand for "Buttersmooth Machine?" So I'll say yes. Have you ever spilled Coke in your car?

When I talked to Jay and Neal last week, Jay asked me how I thought the park looked. He knows that I've been there several times a year---every year---since 1971. I told him that I hadn't seen the park looking that nice in quite some time. And that wasn't a kiss-up, either. It's the honest truth. I'm perfectly willing to let things happen when they happen. If it's a bit later than expected, so what? It'll be worth the wait. One thing that does annoy me is when people are talking to Jay or Neal, and they say, "You know what you guys should do/put in...?" To me, that's just so...amateurish. Park management already knows what they're doing three years from now. But they aren't going to tell. Just to give you an indication as to what I think of the "new and improved SFMM," I've been there five times already this year---more than the last two years combined. And the year is young... Eric

Is it true that some Japanese parks don't allow old people to ride some of the coasters? That would leave me off of a lot of rides... Eric

The "lighting effects" on Colossus are just a bunch of different colored lights that shine on it. The same could be true for X2. Eric

"The moose out front says you're closed, I say you're open." (Carnage) Last Friday, they had about a third of SFMM's parking lot roped off for "a later event." And the park closed at 6pm instead its usual 8pm or 10pm. That didn't bother me personally, as I don't usually spend more than a few hours there anyway, but I'm sure some people were annoyed. But as Robb said, the parks reserve the right to open and close when they want. Eric

^ Beautiful! Thank you, Chris! Eric

The thing about tornadoes is that you can tell when they're coming. Certain weather conditions warrant their formation and you get some warning in most cases. Out here in Earthquake Country, they just show up uninvited and without any indication. Eric

No, and I've never illegally downloaded music at any time. Are you enjoying all of the retro amusement park threads here at TPR?

^ You have sort of a "twisted" interest. For me, tornadoes just blow. Where I live, earthquakes are where it's shakin'! Eric

^ With all due respect, I'll trade with you. I have no work and spend too much time here. Not that TPR is a bad thing, mind you, but working is a bit higher on my priority list. Eric

^ Absolutely. I'd buy a copy of that book. I know that people make fun of Toomer for his use of bent wire for coaster designs, but personally, I think that was a good way to visualize the various inversion elements. My only gripe with any of Arrow's designs is the fact that the guide wheels weren't spring loaded to assure constant contact with the rails. Because of that, Arrow coasters tend to be rather bumpy and some don't age well. Eric

^ I look forward to those construction pictures. "Space is 100% gravity" (Alpenguy) Does anyone else see the humor in that statement? Eric

Yes, it is TEH PAYJ OF TEH DEVVIL!!!11!111 RUN FOR YOAR LIFES!!11! Did you do something nice for someone today?

I hate old people, so I trip them whenever I can. And I tag buildings in my spare time. Eric

^ That would be interesting stuff! Please do share! Eric