Coaster Palooza

Great pictures Wally. Looks like you had some fun!

We headed to PGA on Sunday for a little coaster riding and some fun. We arrived at the park around 10:15 and the parking lot was already getting full. There wasn’t anyone directing people where to park, so people were driving all over….us included! :shock: When we entered the park, we went straight to Top Gun. The wait was already out the front! We decided to go to the back to ride Delirium, Psycho Mouse, Drop Zone, etc. Delirium wasn’t too crowded, but we have ridden it so much that we skipped it to get to the back. Psycho Mouse had no wait as well as Drop Zone. Invertigo was down with a little maintenance work…go figure. I swear this ride is either down, or it has such a long line that you have to wait forever. I rode Demon next, Gyendolynne took some pictures. Invertigo was fixed after the Demon ride, so we got on that. The wait for Vortex was too long, so I skipped that one too. I didn’t want to wait to get beat up. We had our traditional Beer and Nachos after that, Bud Light beer by the way Wally. We headed back to Grizzly and rode it, then went over to Boomerang Bay. The park was very crowded, but Boomerang wasn’t at all. If I liked water parks and slides, I think I would be happy. Maybe I will start to get into this. They don’t have anything spectacular like SFHH, but the slides look like fun. We were there around noon. As we continued back to the front, we rode Flying Eagles and then saw the line didn’t change for Top Gun. It had to be over an hour wait. They are just so inefficient loading these cars and getting them out. We decided to leave after that. We’ll be back to ride all the rides another day. Here's the other side One shot of the parking lot as we were leaving. This was strange, I have never seen a tram at PGA, and this day was no different. So WTF is up with the Tram sign???? The old Stealth queue... Logger's Run broke down also and those people up there were stuck for around 15 minutes One of the water slides that looked like fun This place seemed pretty cool MMM...Beer and Nachos, Bud Light Wally Invertigo's line, after we rode it Gyendolynne with her hands up on Grizzly Grizzly's don't stand up warning. Me coming back to the station Demon line, not that bad Here they are continuing their work on it. Demon here I come Maintenance crew on Invertigo. The ladder was a dead give away She was rather happy on Psycho Mouse Gyendolynne, not amused at the line for Top Gun Another day at PGA

PONY baseball’s equivalent to the Little League World Series is the Bronco World Series. The players are 12 years old. They play with pro rules. You can lead off of the base, steal before the pitcher releases the ball, etc. There are some other rules to protect the players, but both leagues have 12 year olds playing. PONY baseball’s leagues are Shetland (5-6), Pinto (7-8, Mustang (9-10), Bronco (11-12), PONY (13-14), Colt (15-16), and Palomino (17-18. I have umpired the Palomino World Series the last 4 years. I was asked to umpire the Bronco World Series on August 6th, and 7th in Monterey this year. I truly love Monterey. It was a fun time. It’s so great to have 8 umpires together that get along and can joke around. I hope you enjoy the pictures. Final crew on Sunday. I was exhausted. My eyes are barely open. The umpires are me, Chris, Steve, and Juan Rod pointing out how big Wilson's arms are. We were having a contest! Action shot with Jim behind the plate Wilson in action Tuck asking Jim, "Are you sure that pizza was this big last night?" Jim behind the plate. Fans are starting to fill in the stands as the day goes on. The night games get really packed out there. Here's the crew Joking around, Jim, Rod, Wilson, and Tuck Wilson directing traffic from first base Steve at second Action shot with Wilson umpiring first and Steve umpiring second Jumping ahead to Sunday. Steve, Tuck, Rod and Wilson Chris trying to figure out how big a pizza everyone wants after the game. Steve at first base Action shot, Steve at first base Chris in the ready position at 3rd base Plate Meeting Chris, Steve, Rod, and Tuck ready to work game 2 at 2pm. Just a pic of how beautiful Monterey was this day. No fog at all! Chris ready to say "Play Ball" Jim and I standing, waiting for the game to start Chris behind the plate taking warm up pitches Plate Meeting National Anthem First game on Saturday. Juan, Chris, Jim and I at 11:30am

Great TR Kristi! Nice pics.

I agree that we are responsible for what we do, eat, act, etc. Every time you point blame at someone/something/or corporate giant, you are pointing 3 fingers back at you. Don't go pointing fingers at everything else. Look inward first. As for the diet, I am working with that Intamin Diet Plan. After going to Cedar Point and having difficulty getting the seat belt buckled on TTD and MF, I figured I needed to lose some weight. I have dropped just over 20 pounds since the middle of June. I am getting into the gym in the morning and watching what I eat. Getting below 200 is just around the corner. Here's to making goals, keeping goals, and sticking with goals!

I never went camping until I met Gyendolynne. I always wanted to go, but we didn't camp growing up. I wish we did. Camping is a great time! Gyendolynne grew up in Colorado and they went camping all the time growing up. They would hike to their campsite unlike California where you drive up to it. She told me that if she couldn't carry it, she couldn't bring it. It is much different here. The first time we went camping, I was hooked. We have gone at least a couple times a year ever since. The most we camped in a single year was 4 times. We're going to Big Basin in September for our final camping trip of the year. It should be fun. All this and coasters too! Never a dull moment and why should there be?

This past weekend Gyendolynne and I went to Pfeiffer Big Sur for a camping trip. This was our 3rd time going here over the past 4 years. We have had a River Site each time. The view and sounds of the river are very relaxing. This was the first time that just the two of us camped. We usually go with a few people. Hope you enjoy the pics. Highway 1 is a very beautiful, scenic drive Trip back up the coast. There was a bit of commotion on Sunday and a rescue team was making their way up the trail. They had climbing gear and wetsuits. I didn't find out what happened though. A shot of our campsite at night. Another cold night, and a blazing fire for Gyendolynne TADA, The SMORE is made. Before shot of the SMORES... What's a camping trip without SMORES? They could really move down the river. It wasn't that deep either These kids went down the river around 4 times on the rafts. It looked like fun, but I would probably bottom out the raft. The people next to us left food on their table and some squirrels were having fun These people left on Saturday morning and didn't put their fire out! The morning was cold too. Look at Gyendolynne bundled up! Uncle Buck style pancakes in the morning...MMM See, it's cold Get that fire going, it's starting to get cold. I have been known to help with the dishes from time to time Dinner time! The next best thing I did this trip...EAT Don't move the rocks Looking down the River A shot of me doing what I did best this trip! The River Gyendolynne by the River Our Site This must be the place!

This isn't the best picture, but Robb is wearing the shirt at the Beach, B&M's and BBQ Meet. Here is the link http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1274&start=60

^^We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express too. It is really nice and super close to the park (across the street!).

^My in-laws always say to me that the drive to the airport in DC from Fredericksburg is either 1 hour and 30 minutes, or it could be 4 hours, depending on traffic! :shock: Luckily we haven't experienced the 4 hours yet....

I agree with Ted (and Robb after editing!) on scrapping Great Adventure. It is a hard park to do in a full day, much less a few hours. I haven't been to Knoebel's, but Dorney wasn't crowded for us at the end of the day (5-close) in June. Busch Gardens will definately be fun. The drive to Knoebel's afterward will be long. Washington DC traffic on a Friday isn't great. Good luck and have a fun time, Rick

Hey Squirt, Welcome! A few questions: Do you have to choose between the 2 parks? How much time to you have to visit? Do you have a SFMM season pass? If so, you might want to go to SFMW because you can use your pass there. I agree with the poster above about going to PGA (or SFMW) and then going to SCBB. Robb has some great TRs about coming up here and doing all 4 parks (PGA, SFMW, SCBB and Bonfante Gardens). It all depends on the time you have and what you want to accomplish. Both parks have their good coasters, bad coasters, and other rides/shows in the park. PGA is a good park, but on the weekends it gets really hectic. Get there before 10am on any day, and stay for a couple hours. Leave after that. If you don't get there early, then you will wait in long lines all day. Sundays are usually the best days to go to either park as long as you get there before they open.

I was searching for rollercoaster pics, etc. and found the link below. The rest is history. http://www.themeparkreview.com/solace2005/solace1.htm

This is my Mustang. I have had it since I was 16. I have had other cars and I own a 2000 Ford Ranger, but this is my car. Me Full Shot Engine Compartment Car Show 2005

35. Whenever I post a new Trip Report, Robb is usually the first to respond. I don't think he ever sleeps! 36. A ton of information on EVERY amusement park you could possibly want to go to. 37. Unlimited photo and video uploads.

I am glad you can appreciate my pain Gregg. Gyendolynne and I both gave him the bath. He only clawed me though. I felt so bad for him. He looked exhausted from chasing that bird all over, and then to have a bath! :shock: He's a great cat and I'm a dog person. I agree, Elissa, that the title did seem a little Seussish.

I am a coke person. Don't like Pepsi, it seems to flat.

In keeping up with the randomness of these Trip Reports, I have one from Monday. I came home from work and opened my door from the garage to the kitchen. When I opened the door, a bird flew from one side of the kitchen straight at the window to try to get out. Cleo, our female cat scurried away after she saw me come in. I caught the bird in a towel and let it go outside. This was the second bird that came down our chimney in 2 weeks! I have since closed the flue. I came back in the house and there was soot everywhere. Ozzy, the boy cat, was in the middle of the family room covered in the soot. I guess he went into the fireplace (again) to try to get the bird out of there. The pictures below show him in his “before” shot, “after” shot (soot covered), and “double after” shot (after his bath). It wasn’t fun bathing a cat. He clawed me pretty good. Thank goodness my wife got him off my back before he did any really bad damage. Another shot of Ozzy this morning, it is 4:30am Ozzy this morning, all clean except on the ends of his paws. I can't give him a bath again.... Another picture showing how much soot he got on him Ozzy covered in soot, now he is a grey/black/orange/white cat This is a pic of Ozzy in 2004. Kinda hard to see, but he is a white cat with orange in him

Robb, this report has been cracking me up for the past few days! Thanks for making me laugh so much.

I have been to quite a few ballparks in my lifetime, both major and minor league. I have to agree with the statements that SBC Park is one of the best by far. I have heard many good things about PNC Park. I really want to go there, as well as the older parks (Boston, NY, Chicago, etc.). The parks I have been to are below. Major League Parks SBC Candlestick Park (Old Giants stadium, 49ers home) NetASSociates Coliseum (Oakland A’s) Bank One Ballpark (BOB, Diamondbacks) Coors Field (Denver) LA Dodgers (Chavez Ravine) LA (Anaheim) Angels (Whatever they want to call it now) The Ballpark in Arlington (Texas Rangers Stadium) Memorial Stadium (Old Baltimore Orioles home) Camden Yards (New Orioles Stadium) Old Tigers Stadium Comerica Park (New Tigers Stadium) Jacob’s Field Kaufmann Stadium (Kansas City Royals) Kingdome (Old Seattle stadium) The minor league parks are too numerous to mention. Some of my favorites were: Rancho Cucamonga, CA, Lake Elsinore, CA, Victorville (High Desert), CA, San Antonio, TX, Tulsa, OK, Wichita, KS, Columbia, S.C., Columbus, GA, Savannah, GA, Spokane, WA, Eugene, OR, Greensboro, NC. Some pictures are below. The Ballpark in Arlington, Texas Rangers Stadium. I am the second from the right. SBC a little further out A closer shot of SBC from McCovey Cove McCovey Cove from the water The Scoreboard at SBC McCovey Cove from the Stadium Gyendolynne underneath the rubber chickens. These were the chickens they would hang when Bonds was intentionally walked. Our seats were right there for this game. Me, Mike and Bob in the skybox at SBC Gyendolynne and I in the skybox at SBC Me under the scoreboard at the Jake Jacob's field from Left Field Right Centerfield at the Jake on the Lake! Jacob's Field Gyendolynne and I in front of Comerica Park Comerica Park Scoreboard Comerica Park, The Centerfield Wall

^^My friend actually picked me up because Gyendolynne was already over the hill since she works in Santa Cruz. My Mustang usually doesn't make the trip to the beach.

^5 Eddie Money was alright. The 6:30 show didn't start until around 6:45, which is okay for us because it took FOREVER to friggin' park! That place outside was packed and the main parking lot on the end wasn't open when we went by it around 6:00. That sucked! We had to get back in line and go through the whole thing again. We stayed until around 9:30. We saw the beginning of the second show and left. The last car on Dipper wasn't roped off.

Hey Robb! Glad to see you're doing fine on your trip. Those hotels look like you're slumming it though.... Rides were empty. They have a free concert every Friday. The band/group/singer will play at 6:30 and 8:30 for around 45 minutes. Once the concert was over, we went on dipper and there was no wait. We waited around 15 minutes to ride double shot. People always like something free! Including me

I have to agree with Big Shot on top of Stratosphere in Vegas. Nothing like being 900 feet in the air and getting shot up to 1100 feet. What a rush! Our pic from Big Shot

I am not going to write up a big report on this one. My buddy Bob and his wife picked me up to go to SCBB on Friday to see the Eddie Money concert, ride The Giant Dipper and their new Double Shot ride. Gyendolynne works in Santa Cruz and we would meet up with her. Double Shot is only 125 feet, and after being on Big Shot at the Stratosphere in Vegas, this one is pretty small. It is a very smooth drop, though. The beach was crowded by the time we got there and we didn't get really good seats to see the concert. We did have a great time though! I hope you enjoy the pics. Double Shot, I love a good drop Inside Us on the Giant Dipper National Landmark Parting shot of Eddie, before we go ride the coasters Gyendolynne, Bob, and Babbette, we enjoyed ourselves WOW, are we far away! A little closer, but still can't really see him too well Eddie Money is that man in white Another shot of the stage with Double Shot going off Our seats, can you see the stage? My buddy Bob Gyendolynne having an "adult" beverage The stage before the show