ytterbiumanalyst

All right, work has been brutal this week. I took Monday off to watch the eclipse, and I've been paying for it ever since, trying to catch up on everything. But here it is, the next installment of what surely will be (I'm calling it now) a legendary trip report. Day 4: Stay Alive Today I began the solo portion of my trip, as Coasterbill and Boldikus went back home and went on with their ordinary responsibilities. Meanwhile, I’m still on vacation! This was the biggest day of driving of the entire trip, as I had several places I wanted to visit. First up, Valley Forge. I took the scenic route back through New Jersey rather than the Atlantic City Expressway. Seems weird in a time crunch, I know, but I had one goal in mind: To add Delaware to my list of state credits. I went a couple of miles into Delaware, turned around, and went on to Valley Forge. Nerdy? Hell yes. But you’re in no position to judge. You’re reading a theme park forum. Valley Forge was really cool. I took the free method and just drove the rental car around the park, stopping when I wanted to look at something. You can pay money for a tour bus if you wish, but I don’t think the experience would be substantially different. I love our National Park Service and how they consistently provide high quality educational experiences for free or very nearly free. First stop, Valley Forge This is a mockup of the cabins that formed Gen. Washington's winter camp. Good to see military bunks really have never changed. There was one bunk on each side, and a fireplace in the middle. The park itself is beautiful. This would definitely be a lovely place to freeze to death. Arc de Triumph! Okay, not quite. Still impressive though. Gen. Anthony Wayne Gen. Anthony Wayne's eternal view. I could be happy looking at this forever. New Jersey put together a super impressive monument here. This called a redoubt. They were more or less the 18th century version of trenches. Baron von Steuben was instrumental in helping us win the Revolution. We owe a lot to this man. The Grand Parade. This is where military drills were done when the soldiers weren't busy freezing to death. Gen. James Varnum's quarters The view from Varnum's back porch. Stunning. The Valley Forge train station. Not available to Gen. Washington in 1777-8. Here comes the general! Rise up! Forget what this house was used for. Washington's stables Washington's quarters Here is where Hamilton took over writing all Washington's correspondence. This was used for strategy meetings. Washington's dining room Bedrooms for Washington's staff Washington's bed Washington's trunk Bedroom with Continental Army officers' uniforms And this is the upstairs attic bedroom where John Laurens and Alexander Hamilton were quartered that winter. I am so fanboying right now. Washington's kitchen And the other side of the kitchen Washington's quarters from the train station The world will never be the same. Next up was Gettysburg. I turned onto the Pennsylvania Turnpike and rocketed west toward Harrisburg. The tolls are a bit pricey, but wow is it a fast road. Once I got to Gettysburg, I went to the visitor’s center to get a map and set out as before on the self-guided tour. It’s a very big park that wraps all around the town of Gettysburg itself. What struck me, though, was how very little interpretive material actually spoke about the importance of this battle. There was a lot detailing what regiment did what on what day, but almost nothing on what all of this actually means. I’ve been to a number of national parks, and the interpretive material is consistently high quality and very informative, so to see this park omit it was conspicuous. I have to believe that it isn’t by accident. Kind of a bummer to visit the place where the Gettysburg Address was given, only to have the NPS act like it’s nothing important at all. It’s only a major turning point in the fight against slavery, but sure, let’s not say anything about slavery. That Mason-Dixon line about 10 miles away has clearly been strong arming this park. As an avid baseball fan, I had to pay my respects to Gen. Abner Doubleday Another beautiful park maintained by the National Park Service It has Civil War era replica cannons! It's legit! The pickup truck is historically accurate. Eternal flame Beautiful views everywhere here. Quite a number of monuments here, both Union and Confederate. This particular one is Confederate, if you're wondering. Remember, these wouldn't be controversial until a few days later.... Views from the famous Little Round Top Pennsylvania put up this giant monument. Very impressive. After leaving the battlefield, I stopped by a nearby Sheetz. I have to say that I was much more impressed with this place than I was with Wawa, which I visited on my Great Adventure days. The service was much better at Sheetz, and I felt like I was at a real deli. Whereas Wawa basically made me their employee while I was there. However, the food at Wawa is much, much better. Given a choice, I’d pick Wawa every time. Next goal was to buy a tent. I had reserved the Hersheypark Camping Resort for the next two nights and the Knoebels Campground the following two nights. I own a tent, and we do enjoy camping, but American Airlines charged a fortune to bring that stuff on the plane, so it was actually way cheaper to just buy a tent here and then donate it to Goodwill before I went home. I found a Bass Pro in the Harrisburg Mall, and although there are other outdoor stores around here, I had to shop local. Local to me, that is; Bass Pro Shops is headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, about 4 miles away from the house I grew up in. Ah, a little taste of home. Yup, that's absolutely the Ozarks. Camping gear acquired, I was now ready to check into the campground. It was super easy, and I drove over to my campsite fairly near the main office and shuttle stop. It pays to book far in advance. No time to build a tent just yet, I had coasters calling my name! I boarded the shuttle and was whisked off to one of the best theme parks anywhere: Hersheypark! My chariot awaits!

I don't really have any expertise in this area, just wanted to say have fun, and bookmark this thread for future reference when I eventually get myself to Florida. There's a lot of great information here.

^ That's awesome! Glad you got to see it. Traveling a good distance to do something you find fun is always a good thing. I can think of far worse excuses for a vacation. I enjoy amateur astronomy myself and am a bit of a NASA junkie, so this was a pretty cool event for me personally. I guess anyone who was expecting the best orgasm you can have with your clothes on might have been a bit disappointed, but for those of us who just enjoy seeing stars do cool sh*t, it was fun. Isn't that why we do stuff anyway?

Either a Twisted Looper or a Skywarp would totally get me back to this park.

Eh, I won't miss River Battle. That sort of ride is only really fun if you have good interaction with other riders and with non-riders. Tom and Huck's River Blast gets that sort of interaction being in the busy Crossroads section, but River Battle just felt like it was on the way to something else and people didn't stop to interact with the riders. They can do way better with that land. This can only be an improvement.

This looks like the water slide version of an alpine coaster. It's in China, so it's probably super sketchy...but I'd probably ride it anyway.

Knoebels has the best peroxides. If you're going to be hurt at an amusement park, Knoebels is the best one to be hurt at. Their peroxides will make sure you don't get an infection.

^ Yep, and that one comes about as close to me as this one does, albeit in a different direction. Truth be told, this never has to be once in a lifetime; you just have to be willing to go where it is. Most of us will only go when it's close to us, so for a lot of people this really is the only one they'll ever see.

It does now. Yeah, you can ride a coaster anytime. You can see this once. (And I'm writing this from the path of totality...about an hour until the show starts )

One Weekend - West Coast Bash - Sept.2018 (Or whenever it's held, just go!) It really is the best way to experience Knott's, but you'll be spoiled with it being your first visit. I say, spoil yourself. Absolutely. My one and only visit to Knott's was at the last WCB, and it's one of the best days I've ever had an a theme park. Knott's really went all out for us.

Had an idea to listen to some of the very best rock drummers tonight, so I've been going through a playlist including (among others) Pert, Mullen, Grohl, and of course, the very best ever, Keith Moon. [youtu_be] [/youtu_be]

Incredible Hulk. Very certain that if they ever got into a fight, Hulk would smash Kumba, and it wouldn't fight back. Coffee stain or bleach?

Oh man, that looks so good. Glad to see this concept gaining traction outside of NYC. Hoping it becomes a national thing. Definitely adding this to the itinerary when we eventually get to Orlando.

Japan. (She told me that's all I'm to write...just Japan.) I love it.

Hold up a second. You guys are doing a Route 66 road trip and didn't stop in Springfield, Missouri? Route 66 was dedicated on the square here April 30, 1926. There's a historical marker on the square, and a block east is the Woodruff Building, originally a department store and office building, now lofts. It was built in 1910 by John Woodruff, one of the architects of the Mother Road. You really should have stopped; those are two of the more significant places along Route 66.

Nado

They both have a B&M looper, an RMC, and great barbecue. Playland's Castaway Cove and Jolly Roger Amusement Park

Launch. Traffic jam or crowded subway station?

10/10 Sriracha

Very nice, thanks for sharing those! I love those animal shows where the animals don't go with the script. Great reminders that we're not nearly as in charge as we like to think.

No, there was no such thought put into the parent swap. They literally just had Brit stand there awkwardly while they loaded other people behind us. When we got to the exit, I got off while Bill just sat on the boat until that boat got up to the entrance and then Brit got on. It was all super awkward and weird. It really was as if they had never considered the possibility of an odd numbered group and were just making something up on the fly.

Oh you can dream. But when you dream of Dueling Dragons showing up at your local park, then I will facepalm.

What is the best experience you've ever had outside the US?

Absolutely, man. And you all were that trashed all day long. I felt like the sober one only having a couple of beers.

^ Thanks! It really was an awesome time.