Homey G. Posted August 16, 2005 Author Share Posted August 16, 2005 ^ What the shine are you talking about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryH Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 ^Did you watch the video contest winners? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OzCatter Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 There is no height limit last time I checked for Geyser Gulch, I always live it up in thar! Â -Cal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homey G. Posted August 17, 2005 Author Share Posted August 17, 2005 Part 4  August 8th, 2005  "Get it together, Grouch" - Dave Chappelle   Hmmmm. Ok, welcome back. Thanks for joining us. Now let's see here. How do you make what transpired for 12 hours sound exciting. I guess you just throw it out there and see what bites. Here goes.  We got up from Branson, Missouri and I was suddenly jealous of my suitcase which was happily staying behind in the hotel room while it's stupid owner and his bestest coaster buddy did their stupid thing and drove to Arkansas and back in a day. We snogged some continental breakfast and were out the do'ah by 8:45. For those of you who have stuck it out through my mindless TRs and are really bored at work, do something for me really quick...  Go to Mapquest and click on driving directions (I'd link you from my TR, but I'm currently on the interstate and wireless LAN at this point is not exactly doable). Then type in Branson Missouri to Hot Springs, Arkansas. It says something like 4 and a half hours. We did not, mind you, go by way of Little Rock. Look at the little map thingy there. See the interstate? Yeah us either. We were going over the K2 mountains, or at least it's little brother. Now, thus far, mapquest has overshot us by an hour, but we haven't been going through mountains. Kris chose to go directly over the top, sometimes not even on a road. Mapquest ended up being right. So imagine how fatigued you are to travel through winding mountain roads going to a park that you're marginally excited about in the first place. Magic Springs, Arkansas isn't exactly the first 100 places coaster enthusiasts talk about, but yet, it is one of those places that you feel like if you're EVER gonna hit, you need to do it while you're reasonably close. Now, keep in mind, reasonably close is certainly a relative term. 4.5 hours isn't a total hike, unless it's just one way, and you're going to be spending the night in the exact same place you just spent the night before. Yeah, if I ever claimed to NOT be an enthusiast, I really can't much anymore.  While I was miserable on the trip, on the way, we went by the old Dog Patch park. I always get sad seeing things like this. There was a sign out before the entrance that said "If you want to see this open again, honk twice". From the barracaded entrance, we could see a Rampage water slide and several old buildings that were overgrown with weeds and trees. I snapped a few pictures and we got back on our way. I hate that feeling you get knowing something that was designed to make me people happy is gone. That said, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Dog Patch would be quite the bitch to get to. Off we go, and a few mountainous hours later, and almost right what Mapquest said, the bright yellow of Gauntlet said it's hello to us. Yay.  MAGIC SPRINGS & CRYSTAL FALLS Hot Springs, Arkansas  Eric Griswold rating system again in place -3 to +5 with 0 being positive, but only slightly  *Sigh*  5 credits here. Let's get em and get on about our business.  Traveling through the town of Hot Springs, my eagle eye spotted a sign for discount tickets for Magic Springs, which was key cause we weren't excited about dropping dollar #1 in Arkansas anyway, so the more we could save, the better. 10 bucks off. Bonus. So we finally get in the parking lot and see Arkansas Twister doing it's thing back in the back of the park. Another funny thing was that general admission was $36.95 and their regular season pass was just 3 dollar more at $39.95! I can understand maybe 20 bucks more, but 3? I figured you'd want a season pass to be just less expensive than 2 visits. Leaving $$ at the gate if you ask me, but you didn't. So, we queued up to purchase our tickets and at this point, I made the proclamation, on camera no less, that we'd be in and out in an hour and a half. Sadly, I was proved wrong not even 5 minutes later as the line to purchase our tickets ended up being about 20 minutes. We were originally only 5 people deep. Kris said it was because Arkansas people couldn't just conduct business, they had to make conversation out of everything.  Kris : They can't just buy tickets they have to say. Employee : What is your name, sir? Patron : Bob Johnson. Employee : Oh really??? Do you know Mildred Johnson out of route 4? That's my cousin! Patron : No, but I went to high school with a Judy Johnson!  You get the idea. We were a little pissy. We were somewhere we didn't wanna be, and the worst thing you could make us do other than be out in 96 degree weather with a heat index of 110 is make us be out in that because people hold us up talking about pointless things. We get it, people are friendly. But be friendly inside with air conditioning, and be friendly after we've got our credits.  Ok, no more bad talk about this park. Because for where it is, it really is a nice park. Not much shading, but the rides aren't bad at all. The waterpark, obviously is the chief draw here, and deservedly so (hey, pay attention SFNO). It has plenty of theming for what it was, with some really nice signs for the rides. It's a little confusing to get to a few of the rides like Gauntlet and Arkansas Twister, but we found them eventually. May as well start your day off right with...  GAUNTLET (Vekoma SLC) Rating -2  I will say that the newer SLCs seem to have softer padding than the older ones, and it seemed to track better than some, but it's still Vekoma SLC goodness and we suffered some. Not much. But we surely didn't want more than our one ride even though it's the best SLC I've ridden. The ops were nice enough to let me shoot POV. Not sure why I wanted it, but I got it. Ride was a walkon. Big surprise, as the park was relatively dead.  Quick bathroom break after that, and it was all I could do to even leave this bathroom. The temperature in there couldn't have been higher than 70. It was wonderful. At this point, you debate lying about the credits and spending an hour asleep in a stall, but we mustered the energy to finish the day. Gotta make the drive worth it.  Next up was the kiddie coaster, which fortunately wasn't on the kiddie rental program.  DIAMOND MINE RUN (umm Taxi Jam whatever style) Rating none  Not sure what the official name for this is, but to me it will hereby be referred to as Kneebuster USA. See if you can figure out why.  After this, we took in one of my favorite flats. A Zamperla Power Surge. They're tons of fun... well once, they are. Come to think of it, there were lots of Zamperla kiddie flats here as well. Makes you wonder if they just did a 10 ride package or something. Seems to make sense for parks to do that. They were everywhere. A little disoriented, but happy nonetheless, we got off the Power Surge and walked towards their Double Shot. This particular version ate it's Wheaties today cause it was punishing it's riders. Heck yes! And no line too?? We're gonna ride this like 20 times! Well, no. We wanted out of this park. One ride, but it was a heck of a one-ride.  Up next was the relocated mine train from Dollyfood!  BIG BAD BOB!! oh sorry, Adventureland WAS yesterday.. I mean BIG BAD JOHN (steel mine train) Rating 0  Really long mine train. I can see why Dolly needed the room. I'm never an advocate of removing a coaster for another one, but Tennessee Tornado trumps this in every way. Still I think Dolly could use a mine train, but that was hardly on my mind this THIS heat. I'm reflecting here. Fun little drop at the end. Nothing to complain about. Tough break that we rode this one day after Thunderation. Walk on.  The ride of the park was up next, and I never would have thought it.  TWIST AND SHOUT (steel wild mouse) Rating +2  I had heard stories of unbraked mice. Ricochet is as close as I'd seen. It's still really really fast, but it brakes after the initial drops now. Twist & Shout on the other hand was determined that it was gonna be THE coaster to remember at this park. We got in the really small cars and took off up the hill. Fortunately I called "Quitsies" at the top of the hill. Usually on mice, I like to play the game where you try to destroy your riding partner by crushing their body into the sidewall of the car and you alternate back and forth until you hit the brakes. Calling "Quitsies" before we got started might be the smartest single idea I have come up with on my short 30 years on this planet. One of us would have certainly perished. This mouse was not in the mood to play around. Most mice out there will toy with you by letting you go through the top portion unbraked, but then they settle down. Not this one. Every bit of speed it generates, it has as the gutbusting final brakes. Seriously, this thing was crazy. Loved it. Another walk on.  Ok, at this point I looked like Pac-man on the old Saturday morning cartoon when he got bit by the ghosts. Basically, not good.  I was totally ready to leave, but we had one more credit to get. And about 20 miles to get to it. Again, this park is nice, but some of the ways to get to coasters are as confusing as a bad game of RCT.  Finally back to the front of the park up 10 flights of hills, we found the little side entrance to the woodie. Think one of those back pathways to the picnic areas at big parks. Really inconspicuous. Oh well, I was sitting on 248 and needed 249 so Ozark Wildcat could be 250 without having to ride crap first.  ARKANSAS TWISTER (wooden out-n-back) Rating 0  It ran Gerstlaur trains. It could have been much worse. However it was smooth, although not much in the way of airtime. I guess I'm getting to the point with woodies that I expect the worst and would rather be pleasantly surprised. I ended up just being happy the Gerstlaurs didn't come into play much. The anti-rollbacks on the turnaround sound like what I would imagine it would sound if Godzilla, on a rampage through downtown Tokyo, were to pick up a taxicab with his teeth and crunch it with the mandibles of death I'm sure he'd have. You get the idea. Not only did it sound horrible, it took about 20mph off the speed of the coaster. Oh well, I expected it to just be ok, and it was.  At this time, the temp dropped about 15 degrees as a black cloud appeared over the park, and God decided it was time for us to leave Arkansas. We were happy to oblige. As we got to the car, the bottom dropped out of the cloud. We looked at each other knowing that our ridiculous string of good luck was continuing. We didn't want to have to make the decision of whether to wait out a storm cause we were still missing a credit. Yay!  Now only another 4.5 hours (this time by Interstate, if you please Kristopher!!) to Branson and nightime at Celebration City!   Picture Time! Not bad at all. Kinda weird placement of trims, but not bad. This kiddie coaster kept overshooting the brakes resulting in kid's having a tough dismount from the train! Truly a harbinger of death ride. She loved me to death. She wanted me. Can't you tell? Kinda key here in this sitch'iation. Gauntlet. It's the first thing you see after this long driving? Let's just go home One of the old Rampage water slides... don't see these as much anymore. Another shot of dilapidated buildings and paths Old Dogpatch amusement park.. Sad. We're really not driving 4.5 hours through the mountains for 5 credits are we? :-/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Clinksalot Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Awesome TR. Â I've gone ahead and did a screen shot of what your drive was supposed to be. Â Hope you appreciate the effort here!!! Â Damn, that's alot of driving!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterFreak24 Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Eh... I should of warned you about Dragon.. Sorry Adventureland is my homepark SADLY IT IS.. But.. Anyways.. It still sound like you had a really great time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homey G. Posted August 17, 2005 Author Share Posted August 17, 2005 CFreak, thanks.. SOMEONE shoulda warned us for sure! Â Gregg, yeah we totally went back that way. Sometimes shortcuts work 8) , sometimes they don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterFreak24 Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Opps! :o lol... Anyways.. Yea... Long Hours of drive.. kinda worth the trips and credits! ... P.S. If anyone is going to Adventureland agian.. NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER RIDE DRAGON ILL SAY IT AGIAN! NEVER EVER RIDE DRAGON!!! lol.. ok I told everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homey G. Posted August 17, 2005 Author Share Posted August 17, 2005 LOL! Â It wasn't THAT bad, but I sure coulda used more warning than I got for it. Â If I decide to do a video segment for Adventureland, I'll have to remember to put in the part where we filmed a mechanic actually doing work ON the train for Dragon from underneath the track while the train was in MOTION! :shock: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homey G. Posted August 18, 2005 Author Share Posted August 18, 2005 By the way, I'm the BTK killer and also kidnapped the girl in Aruba. Â Not like anyone is seeing or reading this TR. Â Haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepoint4life23 Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 thats funny nice tr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryH Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 I read your TRs! It's just that Vida's bum is distracting me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllisonY2K Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 she's kind of a distraction. it's better than the alternative. does this mean you lost your most recent TR? maybe I'll get a chance to say it again....denied! hope you learned a lesson from that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aslinterpreter Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 I got in kind of late on the TR, but it was nice to see pics of WOF since we live 10 min away! I saw somebody else mentioned the Zambezie Zinger, I really miss that ride! No seat belts or laps bars or nothing, it was great! Anyone know why they took it out? Waiting to see the Celebration City TR becs we are supposed to go there in 2 weeks and dont have a clue about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts