TR: Knoebels 5/26

[Jim S.]

I was at Knoebels today from about 12:30 to 6:30. Phoenix and Twister both seemed to be running smoother than the last time I was there, although I only rode the front of Twister and Phoenix only has one rough spot anyway. But the real highlight of the day was the Flyers. When I got there, there were two operators, an old guy and a young guy. It looked like maybe the younger one was being trained. A few rides ahead of me, the old guy gets in for a ride and proceeds to snap all over the place, not just a few times but constantly. Then on the next ride, something incredible happens: he starts telling people, while the ride is running, how to snap! The ride after that, he tells me that they've had to lower the speed of the ride 4 times in the last few years because they had someone spin 360 degrees and twist the cables. Then it's my turn, he asks me if I know what I'm doing, I say I've got the general idea, he gives me a few pointers and then says that I shouldn't worry, if it gets too bad he'll just slow it down a little. I had a pretty good flight, although when the wind picked up it didn't seem to take much effort. It was a very long ride too. I got some pretty good slack but didn't have any really violent snaps. The flyer behind me must have though, because as I'm walking out I hear him telling the rider that when they snap that hard he likes to check the cables before the next ride. I was pretty stunned at all of this after reading all the complaints about snapping being banned at PPP last year.

[CoasterEricHP]

Nice.. the last few times I was there the ride op would go insane when people snapped on purpose!

 

Good to hear that the Phoenix and Twister are running great. Twister is becoming a coaster that I'll do one or two obligatory rides on and then spend the rest of the day on the Phoenix and other rides.

 

I've been trying to hold off the urge to go to Knoebels this year until Flying Turns is open.. but I dont know if I can wait that long! Plus gas will be $5 a gallon by then

[kidcoaster]

Some guy on the Flying Skooters at CLP scared the crap out of the guy operating the Paratrooper when he was snapping the Para Op keep yelling at the op of the flying skooter to shut off the ride thats dangerous. I never seen anyone snap before I was on the Tilt A Whril and just watched the whole thing.