Movieguy

Sure, a B&M invert would definitely work too. When I spoke of Intamin, I was talking more along the lines of a launch coaster.

Sadly, I DON'T have a KFC in my town. I'm convinced the hippies here ran them out of town years ago. Luckily, the store I work at has EXCELLENT fried chicken, surprisingly, so that's cushioned the blow a bit. I've had weight problems in the past, no doubt about it, but I've also been working out every day on an elliptical trainer lately, and I've been dropping a few pounds by combining that with more fruits and veggies, more water, and avoiding late night snacks. I have hypothyroidism, so I don't expect miracles, but I have been making slow, steady progress. My point is, everything in moderation. I think a lot of the people in my town crusade way too much against food that they see as unhealthy or bad for humanity in some grand scheme. They tend to care too much about other people then they do about themselves. Well I think that if you pressure someone too much about what they eat, you're gonna stress them out a whole lot. And what do some people do when they're stressed? They Eat! I think a little bit of what makes you happy every so often does you good, personally. That being said, I'd LOVE to try a double down one of these days.

I think they may replace it with a steelie. I'd say KI is overdue for a nice Intamin coaster, wouldn't you?

Well said, Mr Alvey. I know that I like a lot of coasters that others dislike on this board, but I'd never stoop to the level of going after other posters like a troll because of it. I've made the mistake of doing that years ago, on other boards, and I really hate myself for doing it now. TPR is a site that I've come back to again and again over the years because it's so well-maintained by the moderators. I wanna thank you all who have been able to do it for so long, because I know what it's like to deal with unruly people, having been a store cashier for 6 1/2 years now. It's hard work, and I appreciate your doing it. As for SOB, I never got to ride it, but from the general consensus, I probably wouldn't have liked it anyway. I used to have a tolerance for rough woodies when I was younger, but after getting my butt kicked by Darien Lake's Predator a couple of years ago, I realized that day had passed. Parks like KI have a responsibility to what the majority of their guests want, and it's clear that the majority want SOB removed from the park. My advice to its fans: accept the majority's opinion graciously, and move on. There will always be other coasters out there for you to love. That's what I learned, as a lifelong CP fan, who finally gave places like Hersheypark and Knoebels a chance, and really enjoyed what they had to offer.

China huh? Better be sure to follow all the park rules, or you'll be shot on sight.

Very neat idea. If this works, CF should definitely consider this for Mean Streak, as well as DL with Predator.

Well, I think the "cure" aspect is meant mainly for Autism. The difference between them is that people with Aspergers CAN learn to function on their own in society, whereas people with full-blown Autism constantly need help. I've already noticed an improvement in my social skills just from the past two years of occasional help I've received from my therapist. She tells me that Aspergers isn't really a disability. Just a "difference" As a matter of fact, there has been some evidence to suggest that certain historical figures may have had Aspergers. This can never be fully proven of course, but the list includes people like Mozart, Thomas Jefferson, Beethoven, Thomas Edison, and Mark Twain.

Well, that's another missed credit for me. Oh well. From the sound of things, SOB was rougher than Predator at DL, so in that case, good riddance. Though I have to wonder, why is it so darned hard to make a woodie smooth these days?

Iron Man. Imagine a B&M flyer with restraints that looked like bits of Iron Man's gold and red armor, complete with arc reactor centerpieces. Better yet, with Iron Man 2 coming out, you could have a War Machine train, or separate track.

I haven't been on too many of these, but I say that Great Bear's the best of the ones I've ridden.

That's very true. When I was younger, my parents and teachers all seemed to think I was fairly intelligent and capable. But, I was always struggling at school, and they could never figure out why. No one knew about Aspergers back then. In retrospect, it's amazing I even made it through college, albeit with much difficulty.

Some of you may be wondering where I've been for a while. Maybe not, though, but it's nice to dream. As some of you may recall from older posts, my Father died in 2006, very suddenly. About a year later, I started seeing a therapist that my mother was seeing, mainly for emotional issues related to the event, as it was affecting me at work. In the course of my treatment, she made discoveries about me, that led her to believe that I had Asperger's syndrome, a condition where someone is partially autistic, basically. A colleague of hers put me through a long examination to confirm her diagnosis. Why am I telling you all this, you may wonder? I think it's to kind of explain why I can come off as rather odd around here sometimes, as I probably have in the past. People with my condition have to learn, intellectually, the social skills that come to other people naturally. And make no mistake, I am learning, bit by bit. Too many people with Aspergers, in my view, use their condition as a crutch, to excuse their odd behavior. I pledged not to become that kind of Aspie (Aspie is a term of endearment that my kind utilizes) a long time ago. I've also been wondering if there are any others in this group who may be like me? If some want to keep this sort of information private, I can understand. I'm just curious, because I think it's because I have Aspergers that I've been able to obsess so much over roller coasters, despite the fact that I rarely ever get to ride them. I'm not saying everyone here is an Aspie, of course, I just meant in my case.

Well, I recently got a laptop with Windows 7,and so far I've had no complaints. It's annoying that I have a few compatibility issues with apps that ran just fine on XP, but that's really a minor thing. In my opinion it's a major improvement over Vista.

This looks very, VERY promising for an old favorite of mine. I really hope I can make it back to Florida someday, while this incarnation is still fresh.

Oh no, I agree with you on that one. That's why I didn't ride the boomerang at Hershey this past summer. Credits be damned, you've been on one boomerang, you've been on all of them.

So, after this weekend, the Pirates seem to have another hot rookie on their hands in the form of Andrew McCutchen, with his 3 homers against the Nationals. I wonder which wealthier team he'll be traded to in the future?

^ The difference between the Pirates and the Penguins, is that when the Penguins finally got someone of exceptional talent, they KEPT him.

An open Letter to the Pittsburgh Pirates, For those who believe in reincarnation, I propose that the St. Louis Browns are alive and well in Pittsburgh. Seriously...Why do you guys keep doing this? Adam LaRoche wasn't enough, huh? You had to send off Snell, Wilson, and other talented players to other teams as well. That's the way it is in Pittsburgh, it seems. If you have talent, they trade you for 3 guys who don't. I know you're the poorest team in baseball, but there HAS to be a better way of reversing your fortunes than this. It's become clear to me, that you will NEVER be a competitor in the forseeable future. You might as well be a AAA team with all the talent you keep sending away. I have put up with this garbage for 17 seasons now...and I just can't take it anymore. I always said I'd be loyal, but even my loyalty has its limits. So, until you guys find an owner, and management that actually gives a damn about putting together a winning team, I am through with you. I am through with the Pirates. They stink, and they will stink until the day they fold. And believe me, this team WILL fold. Maybe not today, maybe not in the next decade, but certainly some time in my life. Go Red Sox! (my second favorite team, now my first) Doug

Nice pics. Though it seems you've been let down by many of the parks in this trip, except for Cedar Point. I guess we're no competition for the California parks over here. I've never been over there, so I can't make a real comparison.

^ Well, keep in mind, this was my first experience with GCI coasters. I didn't even know Wildcat was GCI until recently. I've always heard about how smooth they are, so maybe my expectations were a little too high. Looking back on my comments, though, I think I was a little too harsh on LR. It's definitely a lot smoother than other woodies I've been on, now that I really think about it. I'd like to go back there next summer, maybe, and give it another chance.

I'm surprised to hear about Kennywood's workers...they've usually been a lot better than that on the times I've been there. Kennywood isn't my absolute favorite park in this region. That would be Hershey Park. But, comparing those two is like comparing apples and oranges. Kennywood has always had a small park charm to it, that I've only experienced one other time, when I went to Knoebels. I'm not offended by anyone who doesn't think much of the place. I personally think you have to be from the Northeast to really understand what a park like Kennywood means to a lot of people.

^ I'd say 3 days was just long enough for me.

That's a real shame...but given the state of most Arrow suspended coasters that are still left, it's not surprising they have to close it. I personally think that BGE has enough Beemers. I'd like to see the replacement be something different, like anything from either Intamin or GCI.

So, as my old signature told you for so many months, I finally got a chance to go down to Hershey, PA this year. I lucked out big time with the weather, as I had 3 really beautiful days to enjoy in both Hershey, and Harrisburg, where I stayed. I'll keep the text part as brief as I can, because I have a lot of pics. I'll get right to some of my thoughts on what I thought were the two highlight coasters: Farenheit: I LOVED this coaster. Inversions, smoothness, and speed are what I like in a coaster, and Farenheit delivered in all that and more. There were even some sweet moments of airtime. Best of all, the longest I ever had to wait in the 4 times I rode it was an hour, because of the very efficient ride ops. Storm Runner: Very rarely do I ride a coaster that absolutely takes my breath away, and Storm Runner is the first one in years to do it to me. The launch is both frightening and thrilling at the same time, and the amount of airtime you get is unparalleled in anything else I've ridden. My only complaint is that my neck got thrown into the otsr's more than once. Unfortunately, after the second day at Hershey Park, I found that my 3 day flex pass had fallen out of my pocket somehow...but, I still decided to stay an extra day to relax, and found other things to enjoy, which you'll see in these photos. I should also note I ate well down there too. In addition to the park food, I got to have breakfast in places like Waffle House and Cracker barrel, both in Harrisburg, and dinner at a Red Lobster. I also went to the local DQ a couple of times for chocolate dipped cones. Good stuff! So Long, Hershey Park. I hope to come back and experience your awesomeness again someday. Hardee's! I haven't been to one of these in 10 years. Those thickburgers are great! Gotta love performers who'll put up with anything they have to dress in. Whoops...almost forgot Comet. Another great little woodie. This computerized map had to be the coolest thing they had in there. A lot of modernized displays populated the place as well. They even show you the tub where the man got his start. A theater that showed you the chocolate making process. All kinds of displays, and posters from the past. This place was very elaborate and well kept. And here's what I discovered on the 3rd day. A wonderful museum dedicated to Mr Chocolate himself. Singing cows...free chocolate. What's not to love? Of course, I went to Chocolate World too. Don't mind me kid...I'm just busy geeking out here. They've even got some old sit down cabinets. Stern Pinball credits are always good. I've never seen half of these machines in person before. A mix of old...and even older! So many childhood memories come back in this place... There are so many old video games here. Including a Name That Tune machine, which I haven't seen since I was 4! The giant Hercules table still works though. Joy! Most of them were broken, though... Pinball? *queue Hallelujah music!* Little shot of the Hershey School, from Farenheit's queue. Subway has become the new Starbucks...they're EVERYWHERE, even Hershey. Big splash time! Nice little shot of the Ferris Wheel. The ride's a bit short, but the unique layout more than makes up for it. It's quite possibly the smoothest B&M invert I've ever been on. People have said good things about this one for years, and I can see why... For the first time since 2004, I get my Beemer fix! The SuperDooperSingleLooper...an oldie, but still a goodie! (Always a short wait, too.) A Schwarzkopf looper without otsr's. I had never experienced such a thing before. After lunch, it was on to a mild, but still unique thrill. Now here's something that caught me off guard. Great place to get lunch! The Boardwalk looked nice. Decided not to do the water rides, though. The Racing aspect, however, still made this coaster a fun experience. To be honest, this one was just a little rougher that I was expecting. The lift hill... Peeps coming back from a ride, as I prepare for mine. After Wildcat, I made my way to the other GCI woodie, Lightning Racer. And the Smoke Stacks of Hershey itself. The Lightning Racer... The station even offers a good view of other things, like the Flume... This was my first ever GCI Woodie, and I have to say, it impressed me. After my Dots, I set my sights on Wildcat. You've been on one, you've been on them all. I bypassed Sidewinder. Personal trip tradition. Always gotta get me some Dippin Dots! The launch on this is awesome. Really gets your heart pounding. Luckily, the queue was always fairly short on this one, thanks to the unique double station. Next stop, Storm Runner. Great ride. Easily in my top 10 coasters now. Look at that hill! Incredible. Getting ready to go. My first wait was about an hour, but it was well worth it. First stop, Farenheit! At last, I have arrived!

Yeah, PNC park is really nice...I just wish it could actually host a winning team one of these days.