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It is nice to see some cool new stuff for SFHH because that park doesn't get very much. Eric

Honestly, I like Scream!'s current color scheme and hope that if it is repainted, it'll keep its maroon-yellow-blue. Eric

^ Teenager looking down here. < Oldtimer looking over there. V Just looking like he was dragged through the mud!

I rode X at SFMM about two weeks before its media day, but that was a special preview that had been promised to season passholders. It was delayed because the ride wasn't ready. Also, I got to ride Superman---The Escape about three months before its opening for the same reason. And, as has been mentioned, park staff and employees, as well as the ride designers have usually ridden long before anyone else has. To me, the "first ride" is really just symbolic. Eric

The last couple of times that I rode Terminator, the audio was freaking out a bit. On one ride, just as you entered the storage shed at the end of the ride, you heard "HERE THEY COME!" (which normally is heard at the top of the lift). I've also heard "TAKE THE TUNNEL!" just after leaving the first tunnel. Meanwhile, over at X2, no problems that I can think of. Perhaps it is a matter of the relative smoothness of steel vs. the relative roughness of wood---though Terminator is far from rough. Eric

I don't mind the enthusiastic people at the ride control panels, but a few of them have voices that are quite annoying---one particular one at Goliath comes to mind. She almost sounds like the "Allison" who makes the in-park announcements, only SCREAMING! The high-fives on the way out are cool and I don't mind doing that. Even Mr. Six has high-fived me a couple of times during my travels around the park. I'm not sure what to think about the suggestion to try "fill-in-the-blank" attraction. Most people are capable of figuring out what they want to ride... As for the above-mentioned, gum-popping "Allison," I find her to be quite annoying. To me, she sounds like a 16-year-old baby sitter. Her spiel might as well say something like, "Hi everyone, it's me, Allison! *POP!* I just got the kids down for a nap and had a few minutes to tell you something..." Honestly, I'd like to hear these announcements made by the same guy who makes the announcements at the loading platforms. (The guy who says, "An attendant will be by to check you momentarily...") To me, he has a soothing, straightforward, easy to understand voice. Eric

Regular virus scanning and adware scanning will keep this stuff away. I've had it a few times, and have gotten rid of it every time. Sometimes, though, I've wondered whether the anti-virus software makers actually create some of the spyware/adware/junkware that their products are supposed to delete. Think about that... Eric

No. Have you ever been to the '80s?

Park management at both SFMM and Knott's went above and beyond to give us a great weekend, as did Robb and Elissa here at TPR and Chris at Ride World. I can't even imagine how much work had to be done, but rest assured, this ancient relic appreciated it more than you know. The food was good and plentiful, and there was a lot to see and do. Thank you all for a great weekend. Eric

Arriving at 12:40pm, huh? Remember the amount of time it will take to claim your checked baggage, getting a rental car, etc. That could take an hour or so in itself. It's about 80 miles from the airport to SFMM, so that in itself will take you most likely two hours or more getting through the traffic. Regardless of which date you're coming, be sure to check the calendar here for park hours before you even leave home. Honestly, I admire you for wanting to take on this challenge, but realistically, you may not be able to spend much time at SFMM. And on a Saturday, you'll need all the time you can get. Should you decide to go for it, I wish you the best of luck. Eric EDIT: This may well be one of those times when Gold Flash Pass is your friend.

Back in 1984 and 1985, Colossus did run one side forward and one side backward all year long. But at the time, they ran trains of four three-bench trains, and the ride was only about six or seven years old and not as rough. Also, running it backwards all year would take away one unique feature of Fright Fest. The way it is now makes it sort of a training ground for newer riders for their first experience on a big wooden coaster. Eric

^ That means your punch will either pack a punch or it's just full of crap. Eric

^ Colossus was built on a section of the original parking lot. Like with Scream!, you could see painted lines underneath it for years. Eric

^^^ Brattius, check your PMs! Eric

I learned how to get a laptop computer connected to our wireless network, so now the girls can use their laptops elsewhere in the house while I hog---I mean, use---the one in the bedroom. Eric

^^ Should I take a w"eye"ld guess? Eric

^ It is "affect" with an "a." One of the factors as to whether a wooden coaster survives an earthquake relatively unscathed is due to how well it's built, obviously. Wooden coasters tend to flex, being that they're made of a flexible material, but they too can buckle and break, depending on their design and how well they're built, and how the ground moves beneath them. GhostRider at Knott's has almost as much wood in it as Colossus, despite being only a single track coaster vs. the dual tracks of Colossus. It was built that way because of California earthquake building codes. But that doesn't necessarily mean that should a large quake hit the area that GhostRider will emerge without major damage. Again, it depends on many different factors. Eric

Strangely, no. Have you ever had a killer headache?

^ "if anyone can shed light on the purpose of the high front, I never understood it" To hide what was coming next... Eric

^ Not bad at all...for me, that's lunch with a large soda, and another large soda later on. Eric

"West Coast Bash has SOLD OUT!!!" (Robb) Oh well, there's always next year. Eric

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that if you have the Xtreme Pass at SFMM, the rental fee is waived as one of the Xtreme Pass benefits. Eric

I just noticed that the "What is Your Favorite ___________________?" thread here on the Random, Random, Random board is locked. Why is it a sticky if you can't post anything in it? Eric

^ That's the hill I was referring to in my post a few above yours. I always looked forward to that part of the ride---and the end! Eric

^ Interesting...your post says you're 24, but the info under your avatar says you're 25... Even more interesting is that you actually have a desire to ride Grizzy at CGA. Eric