Roy56

As it is approaching the 10 year anniversary of the Midwest Trip, I found myself feeling nostalgic and wanting to relive some of the amazing memories that came out of that tour; so I logged back into TPR for the first time in forever. I had drifted away from the site and hobby simply due to life and financial issues, and really had no idea that the trips had stopped or that this kind of drama even existed. It blew my mind. I have nothing but amazing memories of the two trips I had the privilege to go on. And that includes Robb and Elissa. I remember and appreciate all the hard work they put into those trips so that I could have these memories 10 years later. I got to do things I never thought I would be able to do. And it is just so sad to me that because of people's entitlements and terrible selfish attitudes, those opportunities are gone. 100ish people or so (I could be wrong, it seemed like a lot) were on that Midwest trip and everything seemed to go off without a hitch (barring an awesome power outage in Cedar Point) and even if there were issues, Robb and Elissa didn't let it affect the group, they made sure everything was taken care of, with some bonuses thrown in as well. How could people complain? It seemed that every night on that trip, Robb was the last one to turn in, making sure that the site was updated to keep those not on the trip up to date with all of our shenanigans and then the first one ready to go in the morning with that day's plans. There are some small petty people in this world. As others have said more eloquently than I, there is nothing more awful than attacking someone's child over issues with their parent. So yeah, I do want to say thank you, Robb and Elissa for the work you did on your tours. They were amazing. You guys were always kind to me. And thanks for letting me do the artwork for our buses! I've got to start getting back into the habit of spending hours on this site again and living vicariously through your trip reports!

I saw that you need one from Oregon, I'll pick one up today and send one from Ptown tomorrow. I may not find a coaster one, but we definitely have some of that nature stuff around these parts.

^ And yet, do you know what catches my attention more? The hair.

While being in Oregon, sitting quite comfortably away from any sort of hurricane winds, we still are being affected. A bunch of paramedics and firefighters were shipped to NOLA last night, my roommate being one of them. She called me up at work and told me that she had to pay rent early this month, because she wasn't going to be there, she was kinda going to be in a hurricane. I won't deny that I am worried for her, I read Anderson Cooper's memoirs of Katrina, but I am glad that they are getting help in early for this, just in case.

It makes me sad that the park is so well.....crappy. Why? Joker's Jinx. I heart that ride probably more than I should.

I love it when Oregon gets some love! Nice TR!

That is one of the things I don't miss when I moved up to Oregon from Saugus. The Northridge Quake was the one that convinced the entire family that the rainy forests of Oregon were a much better environment. Now we just deal with flooding and forest fires. But Portland does get some minor quakes and it's amusing to see how a baby, baby, quakes sends the natives screaming for doorways.

Loser! Finish this!!

How did I miss this thread? I figured I show some of my character designs. These are just the different examples of my art, cartoons, comics, colored on the computer, with marker and by pencil. I don't draw as much as I'd like, but I am hoping with the summer coming up, I'll get to doing more now that I am on break from University. Anyways, enjoy! And my only serious attempt at realistic drawing. I don't stray into that area too much. This is actress Jenna Dewan. Amerigo Boccacio, also from my pirate comics. This is Captain Sam Drake from my pirate comics. Two characters from a zombie comic. These two take on zombies with baseball bats and chainsaws! Here is the original version of the leader of the Six Flags, SuperX. Before she got the magenta hair of course.

Listening to that interview made me wonder, how much will this become a state's rights issue? I mean, I don't know a lot about amusement park safety laws, but are there basic, federal, minimum standards of safety and then the finer details determined from state to state? Or is solely the state's responsibility?

On the complete opposite side...I am really short, 5ft on good days and generally things are okay save for being perfect height for ear bashing on Arrows and on stand-ups are kind of uncomfortable because I have short legs so even at its shortest setting, I'm on my tip-toes. But the worst for me on the Midwest was with V2 and Wicked Twister. It was the first time I've encountered a ride like that where the floor doesn't retract and in the case of V2 they had to give me a stool so I could jump up on to the seat. All very embarrassing. Worst still because I think I was sitting next to Casey who quite easily reached the seat. I had the same problem at Cedar Point but the ride op told me if I couldn't reach the seat then I couldn't ride. I was determined to ride so I did a running leap into the seat. All very amusing to watch, I am assured as I am not the most graceful person in the world.

As someone who taught herself to draw from these Disney Classics, I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried a little when I heard the news. (I get way too emotionally invested in Disney) Ollie and the rest of the Nine Old Men did so much for animation and art; I wish the studio of today could recapture their magic again.

Ahhh yes, moment forever immortalized in my sketchbook. Good times. Can't listen to Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend" without remembering that. -Cora

Yup it totally was! Now why did you get a picture of the stuff at Cedar Point but not out in line here?

AHAH! I was wondering who took that photo! I remembered waiting in line for that (oh god totally agree with you on the 'it's HOT' thought process) and looking back to see Chris posing like that. It cracked me up! Totally one of those moments that I had to draw!

^ That's 'cause Vekoma Bus > Arrow Bus. Serious.

Ahhh Casey, that picture of me is horrible! And I still can't believe I got tipsy off of those Mike's Hard. But I learned no food + alcohol = WEEE! I love how we were all drinking fairly early that day. Is it east coast time yet?

The best part of that night was Casey's Makeshift Bar! I got me first beer credit there. And all was right with the world.

My seat belt unbuckled on Cornball too. And I know I buckled it. It just hit the bar on one of the drops. It was the ride right when it started to rain. Fun and scary at the same time. Best kinda ride! And that comic? AHAHA so true! When I first started to read that, I thought you were going to do the crazy signs on the way to the park. Cause I was reading them in the midst of the corn fields and suddenly read outloud, "JESUS LOVES YOU?" And on the back there was something about going to Hell. All very full of WTF. Good times. I love how in the picture of the Vekoma bus, I am sitting in the asile. That was when I was drawing Christiana's Casey tattoo. Ahh...more good times.

That has been delayed a couple of days because me and my gracefulness fell the other day and I injured my ankle and wrist. Actually that whole right side. Which explains why I haven't been typing much. My hand is bettter than my ankle so now it is just inking and coloring. But it already looks goofy. I'll get it done ASAP!

^ Hey, hey, Christiana is mine! So Casey, thank god there were no goats attacking Cora pics. That makes me happy, and easier for me to put that out of my mind.

YES! The sign language is made of awesome! I still have to draw it!

Eyes can spell grate!

ZOMG! I'm in a comic now!! YES! That's so awesome! I LOVE the harem! Soo cool!

Christiana! Bestest roomate evah! I seriously need a poster of that Casey picture, such a great one! It can go along with the Brittney Spears Wes one! And it was an intentional misspell of "too" to be "two". It was serious business.