Raven Maven

You nailed it. Just look at Thunderbird's logo for confirmation.

It's sitting in my Inbox. I hope to have it added to http://HolidayWorld.com/Clubs before leaving for IAAPA ... if not, when I get back.

Regarding how many Thunderbird track pieces are in place: 57 out of 77.

^ I know that we're about 75% done with the track. I'll bug James for a number. Meanwhile, I've exchanged emails with Walter Bolliger just now. My heart sort of skipped a beat.

^ How do you think WE feel? Driving to work every morning, I'm just stunned when I see that new orange skyline. Between that and the deer running around, it's a wonder I'm still in one piece!

We'll have a car from the train on display at B&M's booth starting next Tuesday. Lori and Leah Koch got an early test "ride" in Cincy last week (cropped closely on purpose):

^ James is so happy - our first train arrives in a few weeks. So nice to have a roof to protect it!

There was a couple. I wasn't getting all mad about it. Just pointing out people take something like a phrase on a tee-shirt way too seriously, much like some of us probably take roller coasters and theme parks way too seriously. Oh, we'd already braced ourselves. Our little department had worked like fiends for weeks to get the HoliShop launched (I can finally use the word freely since we announced Thunderbird). Right before it went live and we posted on Facebook, we made jokes about what the first comment would be - because although the majority of comments on our Facebook page are positive, but the first comment on a new post is always negative. I'm just glad no one attacked that particular lady. I looked on her FB page and she's a great-grandmother. She has a right to her opinion and is clearly troubled with what shows up on "the tube" nowadays. Btw, with only one exception, all of the HoliShop orders that came in overnight were for "Orange is the new Track" shirts.

^ I had fun taking a photo of the Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain, posed around our Paul Revere's Midnight Ride sign back in 2007. Here's the link to the HoliBlog post if you enjoy ancient history: http://www.holidayworld.com/holiblog/2007/06/01/perhaps-they-left-their-red-coats-motorcoach/

^ Lauren (Koch) Crosby is our Director of Theming, so she was tasked with selecting/recommending colors. She was always packing her stack of color books along to our top-secret meetings. It was like Christmas when her new color book arrived - with European color numbers, I think. Personally, my "mind's eye" has cataracts or something - so I just sit back, grateful that others can picture what everything will eventually look like. (I'm finally memorizing what each element is for Thunderbird as construction progresses. "Oh, so THAT's the elevated horseshoe!"

Thank you! The process of choosing a color palette - and then figuring out which color goes where - is pretty involved. It means a lot to us that you like it so much!

Got you an answer from VP James: We are bringing track bolts up to full torque and sanding smooth the track joints where each piece of track joins together. After that we paint the area we sanded.

I can't imagine not riding it ... but when I look at the soaring structure? Hmmm.

^ Today, I think. It was shot yesterday afternoon. We're keeping our GoPros busy!

^ When they put the stone up on the chimney, it'll be even closer. The next Hard Hat Chronicles will be fun - we show the track for the elevated horseshoe going up.

Yes, the safety-envelope gizmo for checking clearance is on-site.

^ We've got GoPros capturing it all. Funny, though, no one has posted about what now shows up on our second construction cam. We changed the view yesterday just for you - and no one has made the discovery.

Yes, our animator used the sketches provided by PGAV, so we should end up with what is in the animation.

Ummm ... is tomorrow soon enough? Several track pieces are going up tomorrow - we'll have GoPros in place first thing.

Indeed it is. But they left out one thing: We serve Kool-Aid to all our trick-or-treaters. This year it's Orange flavor.

^ Gee, thanks. I see you're in New York. I was born in New York. Something in the water, perhaps? All the photography and editing was courtesy Stephen in our department. He's pretty darn amazing.

We're on schedule for construction to end with plenty of time for testing B&M's first launched wing coaster. Opening day is April 25. Meanwhile, thought you'd all get a kick out of the small print on this.

^ Today would have been Will Koch's 53rd birthday. Your comment means the world to Lori and their three adult children. Thank you. (Miss that guy!)

Even Ms. Pumpkin woke up early to watch the topping of Thunderbird's vertical loop!

There's a blog post, too, with more information: http://www.holidayworld.com/holiblog/2014/10/15/woods-ablaze-fall-colors/ And a pun or two.