USRoadTripper

Splash Mountain at the Magic Kingdom is my favorite flume, and Bilge Rat Barges at IOA is by far my favorite rapids ride. Runners up include Ripsaw Falls at IOA, Garfields Nightmare at Kennywood, Boat Chute at Lake Winnie and...am I really gonna say it?...Monster Plantation at SFoG!!! -Julie

I'd like mine to be changed to: I love pickles. No more comments neccesary. ...please -Julie

Here you go Robb, here are five more. But I still want my "Alveys visiting the Rogaine Factory" as my entry. -Julie Every couple I know loves couples trips to the Home Depot, and I assume the Alveys are no exception. Robb people watches at the Tennessee State Fair Elissa rides out an earthquake Robb visits a landfill Elissa visits Arbys

Nannerdw - I think the fair is worth a visit. Seriously, it gets better and worse every year. The quality of people showing up has just plummetted in recent years, but the quality of rides has gone way up. Lemme see if I remember what all they had... A nice carousel (better than the crappy travelling models we usually get) The chairswings (same deal about being nicer) Orient Express and Wacky Worm, neither of which are powered Double Ferris wheel Top Scan Nitro (like a frisbee) Starship 3000 Extacy Big Ben drop tower Thunderbolt (like a Musik Express) Ring of Fire, which we haven't had recently Regular Ferris wheel Round Up Bear Affair Dizzy Dragons (and one of this type ride system with strawberries on it) Scrambler Something that looked like a mini "George Foreman Grill" Scooter Bumper cars Pirate ship Octopus Bumper boats And there were a bunch of kiddie rides and inflatables that I didn't pay much attention to. That's all I can remember. I think the armband is worth it if you get there early in the day to ride. You can use the armbands all day, but by the time the sun set, the place was shoulder to shoulder on the midway and all the rides had HUGE lines. There is also this inflatable dead dinosaur this year...you pay $2 and it is a maze through the dino's digestive track inside! Supposedly you see the heart, stomach, intestines and get pooped out the back end of it! I really wanted to do it, but the coin pushing game took all my money. There is also a small King Tut exhibit, which was decently interesting but not worth a trip on it's own. Ok, just a few more pictures since y'all seemed to enjoy them. -Julie In conclusion, I'd like to think that Tennesseans have been unfairly stereotyped as redneck hillbillies, but this man goes to prove that those stereotypes are in fact true for 90% of the state. Um...ok... Here is the milking parlor. When there are actually cows in it, people will crowd around to watch them being milked. Stop laughing, it's true. No seriously. The King Tut exhibit included stuff like this guy, who was covered in Hidden Mickeys! Soren! More food pictures! My mom got the samples too. Wow, she looks way too happy to be getting that Spam! Allison, I *did* get the Spam samples! I don't eat pork, so they will be passed along to my dad, but who am I to turn down free pork bi-products?

I made my annual visit to the Tennessee State Fair on Saturday, and every year, I get more and more astonished with the things I see. The theme of the fair was "A Fair to Remember" but the theme I seemed to pick up on was "Southerners spilling over their pants." I'd entered a photo in the photography competition, but alas, it didn't win. I also ate pizza and chicken on a stick, and played the game where you drop the coins on the tray and hope they get pushed off the edge so you can win prizes. I'd wanted to get any credits they had there, but I ran out of money quickly and refused to pay $7 for two kiddie coaster credits. Ok, onto the photos since that's what everyone is here for anyway. -Julie And last but not least, the Round Up. Hope you've enjoyed the photos! The double Ferris wheel The chairswings, which were much nicer this year than the normal Yo-yo model we get. The carousel (my favorite photo of the day) Now onto my favorite photos of the day. The Starship 3000. Lots of people had their cocks out too. Donkeys! I wish more places had these rules. I just hate when people wash where ever they want! The saddest sight at the fair I found even more food on a stick at the fair! Here is the Orint Express. I didn't ride it, but wow, what a vibrant and colorful photo. Here is my mom. She tore the cartilage in her knee about 10 years ago by jumping out of a Scrambler at the state fair. I still have to make fun of her about it every time we see a Scrambler. As we arrived on the midway, I noticed these supports for the portable Wacky Worm coaster. It's almost up to Disney safety standards, really. At least it was an Elissa-friendly fair! As we proceeded out onto the midway, there was a semi with people handing out free Spam samples. Yeah, that's just what all these tubs of lard need! This is like the Conan O'Brian "Finish the Sentance" skit. "In my spare time I like to..." Robb says: "Ride Coasters." Elissa says: "Travel." Lady in the blue shirt says: "Bankrupt fool the guesser games." This is one of those extremely oversized rocking chairs...and the woman is filling it up!!! Woah...speechless. Umm, I would beg to differ!!! And nows the time for the "Random Tennesseans spilling over their pants" photos! NOOOO!!!! Dear God no!!!! ...and please dip rodents into oil before recycling it. ...please recycle bait containers... Here are the "Three things you shouldn't have to tell civilized people yet you still have to tell Tennesseans." Please use restrooms... The Giant Weigh-off. There is a hilarous caption in here somewhere, but I can't find it! They had baby chicks in one of the buildings. They have little ferris wheels and carousels full of food to ride in their cages. They are quite adorable. Hey hey hey, it's a hay contest. I prefer my hay to sound like Vinnie Barbarino..."Heeeeeey" Mmm...lots of fudge to be had at the fair! The photo in the middle is the one I entered. It didn't win, but it's still a winner in my book

For those who believe in orbs, is this one? I've never heard of them before. -Julie

Where is the "I will only eat them when stale" option??? -Julie (same goes for Christmas butter cookies!)

So far I have been to: Magic Kingdom Epcot Disney/MGM Sudios Islands of Adventure Universal Studios Florida Dollywood Beech Bend Kentucky Kingdom Cedar Point Geauga Lake Idlewild Kennywood Conneaut Lake Park Waldameer Darien Lake Canada's Wonderland Kings Island Indiana Beach Six Flags Great America And later this season I will get to Six Flags over Georgia, Cypress Gardens, Animal Kingdom and Busch Gardens Tampa (if I'm lucky). -Julie

So now two of the six parks on my Texas/Louisiana tour for next year won't be open! Guess that scraps that idea. I think this is really sad though, as I know how I felt losing Opryland. It will leave a huge void in an otherwise great, thriving city. I wish I had the means to get there and see it before it closes, but I don't think I can. As far as rides go, I at least hope UltraTwister is saved, as there are so few of those coasters around anymore, and I'd love to get the chance to ride one. To anyone in the area, take as many pictures as you can! -Julie

-Where do/did you go to college? Middle Tennessee State University unfortunately -What are/did you studying/study? Magazine Journalism major with Spanish and Psychology minors -What made you go there? I got a full scholarship and was told that it was a good school, but I was lied to. I'd rather have $40K of student debt from a good school than no debt and consequently no education to show for my 4 years at MTSU. Moral of th story : Do not go to MTSU. I do not have one positive thing to say about my 4 years of hell there. -Julie

I never believed in ghosts until 1997 when I worked in a "Haunted Prison" over Halloween. The place was supposedly haunted, and we were all "Yeah right, it's *haunted* uh huh" But one night two friends and I were at the end of this long dark hallway where the people would come through, then we would do scary stuff at them. At the opposite end of this hallway was another room that was better lit, so you could see people coming into the hallway from that room. Well, it had been empty for quite a while, then we hear what sounded like someone throwing something down the hallway. It clearly sounded like a stick or something hitting a wall and sliding down the length of the floor (so much that it sounded like the object was landing near our feet), but there was nothing there. We were still looking in the direction of the light at the end of the hall trying to figure out who was playing a trick on us, when the door started to slam. It slammed over and over, and when one of my friends went to investigate, the door was held open by an eye hook on the back. There was no way someone would have been able to slam it and get back there to rehook it without our seeing them because of the bright light. There were also numerous instances of prison cell doors opening and closing as though someone were walking through them, then closing the door behind them, but no one was there. I never believed in ghosts until I saw those things happen and there was absolutely no explanation for them. I still wouldn't believe in them had I not seen it with my own eyes. -Julie

Lets beat this dead horse just a little bit more! -Julie Robb and Elissa visit the Rogaine factory!

I'm in the same city as Ital...can I join the club? -Julie

I definitely agree that Adventure Express' ending sucks. Whats next whats next whats next...oh, the station And I also agree about Flying Unicorn's brake run...wow I've gotten a coupl eof really hard blows tothe midsection from those brakes! Best...dunno...I remember Rockin' Roller Coaster at Opryland had some great airtime as it flew into the brakes. Went up a large hill, but it was flat on the top. -Julie

Everyone has those photos with something silly in the background that make you say "Man, what was going on with that person?" So share them here! Kevin at Cedar Point, with some girl looking really upset about something in the background!

That gets my vote for understatement of the year! -Julie

^ Yeah, the next avatar contest should be "Coasters with boobs" or something so I have a reason to stick boobs in my avatar! -Julie

I actually only called the one Carrabbas after you nixed the first one I posted! I searched for that guy on 411.com and found a home address, then looked for nearby Carrabbas. There were only three, so I assumed it was the closest to his home, but was actually the third closest. So thewhole search probably didn't take 5 minutes. And I can't believe I was wrong about the Idlewild bar. The interior of the plane you were on matched almost exactly the photos I found of the inside of the bar. The name matched, the area code matched, and it was an area that had coasters if it was a coaster trip. -Julie

Orlando tap water, baby! (If you've ever drank Orlando tap water, you get the humor!) -Julie

I am here to proudly announce that I am single and straight! Unfortunately not many people on this site seem to live anywhere near me!!! -Julie

My guess on where Robb got that ice cream cone is Lighthouse Desserts at Water World in Denver. -Julie

I correct myself: Aurora 2088 S. Abilene Street Aurora, CO 80014 (303) 338-8600 Good thing they are open at 11:35 Mountain time to answer such random questions hehe -Julie

My guess is that the guy is proprietor of this Carrabbas: Westminster 7401 West 92nd Ave. Westminster, CO 80021 EDIT: Nope, I jumped to a conclusion I guess. -Julie

#1 - SixFlagsTexas Six Flags Mount Ridesplace #2 - Me! Six Flags over Easy #3 - Wes Six Flags Wisconsin State Fair

Today the "shady" gas station near my parents was $2.99, so I figured I'd top off my tank. I put in a run of clothes and within and hour headed back out and it was $3.29! A thirty cent jump in less than an hour! The station near my place was at $3.19 tonight...everything seems to be either $3.19 or $3.29 (except the place across from work that gauges Vandy students at $3.45!). -Julie