Elissa's Thoughts on the UK and Europe Trips!

[ginzo]

You mean, there were things outside of the beer tent at Würzburg?

 

Same here. I never even left the beer tent.

[cfc]

I didn't start experiencing any serious "trip envy" until I saw the update from the fair--that looked like one amazing night with something for everybody. Olympia Looping! Beer tent! Food! The psychedelic walkthrough! What's not to like?

[hansrubens]

After ERT Erik and I left the fairground to watch the WorldCup game Holland vs. Brazil at a local German bar. After that we returned to the beer tent and I also never left the tent before it was time to go to the bus.

 

----Hans

[OldJJman]

I didn't start experiencing any serious "trip envy" until I saw the update from the fair--

 

My thoughts EXACTLY!!!

[Erik_73]

After ERT Erik and I left the fairground to watch the WorldCup game Holland vs. Brazil at a local German bar. After that we returned to the beer tent and I also never left the tent before it was time to go to the bus.

 

----Hans

Don't know how I ended up in the bus that evening. And pee-stop? What pee-stop they never woke me up! Ohh man I was K.O. after all that german beer!

[Skycoastin Steve]

I didn't start experiencing any serious "trip envy" until I saw the update from the fair--that looked like one amazing night with something for everybody. Olympia Looping! Beer tent! Food! The psychedelic walkthrough! What's not to like?

Same here. I was just like "oh that would have been a fun trip" for most of the updates, and then the German fair update came in and I was like "DAMMIT!!!! I WANT TO BE THERE!!!!"

[larrygator]

After ERT Erik and I left the fairground to watch the WorldCup game Holland vs. Brazil at a local German bar. After that we returned to the beer tent and I also never left the tent before it was time to go to the bus.

 

----Hans

Don't know how I ended up in the bus that evening. And pee-stop? What pee-stop they never woke me up! Ohh man I was K.O. after all that german beer!

 

Note to future trip participants, do not sit in the seat behind Erik after he drinks alot. Erik gets on the bus and sits in front of me and asks if it is OK to recline the seat. He reclines the seat as far back as it will go (which is much further back then on US coaches) to a sleeping position, crushing me and forcing me to move seats. 6 hours later Erik wakes up. He did sleep like a baby, a big orange baby.

[Erik_73]

and asks if it is OK to recline the seat

 

Were do you find such politeness nowadays

[robbalvey]

I didn't start experiencing any serious "trip envy" until I saw the update from the fair--

 

My thoughts EXACTLY!!!

Too bad we didn't have you guys there instead of some of the people who just wanted to "leave."

 

--Robb

[SharkTums]

^^Speaking of politeness, I did go and check on you at one point to make sure you were still breathing...that's the TPR Concierge service right there!!!

[Sir Clinksalot]

This trip sounds AWESOME!!!!

 

One of the highlights of our "tag along" weekend with the West Coast Trip in 2009 was the beach party at SCBB. Even coupled with the PITA time we had finding parking in Santa Cruz on a Saturday in August. It was just amazing.

 

If I'm being 100% honest, if the TPR trips were just "credit whore" trips I wouldn't even be interested in doing one. It's all of the other stuff (hanging out with great people, great food, great parks ...) that interest me. Sure the coasters are important and awesome too but it's called Theme PARK Review ... not COASTER Review.

[jynx242]

[

 

I have to say that some of the best times I've had during TPR trips are actually things like the beach parties on the West Coast trip or hanging out in hotel lobbies or watching shows starring Trevor or bus ride antics or group meals. These are the things I remember most about the TPR trips. I knew when a bunch of us were just hanging out in the bar at Indiana Beach on the MidWest trip in 2007 that TPR was definitely the right place for me.

 

 

I just wanted to say too, that I love this thread. It's awesome getting to hear about the trip from the organizers' point of view.

 

Kimby - couldn't agree more. It was at Indiana Beach during that trip watching the band EZRA (there's a better band out there, but that's not the point of this post) that I realized that I was "home." Even though I joined this site and went on that first trip as an enthusiast (wasn't a credit whore yet...) I stay around and keep going on trips (my 4th is coming up next week) because of the just cool/odd/wierd/amazing/funny people and the experiences that we have during the trips. The coasters really take a back seat to the people and places.

 

I would have LOVED to have been there for that trip! Just loved it!

 

D.

[Philrad71]

drinking beer, eating crazy food, putting on 3D glasses, and wandering around a psychedelic maze!

 

I am so sad at this moment I could cry...even though I can't make the Oktoberfest trip this year, I will make sure that I don't miss the next big trip to Europe and Germany. That sounds like it would have been sooooo much fun!!!

[TPDave]

After ERT Erik and I left the fairground to watch the WorldCup game Holland vs. Brazil at a local German bar. After that we returned to the beer tent and I also never left the tent before it was time to go to the bus.

 

----Hans

Don't know how I ended up in the bus that evening. And pee-stop? What pee-stop they never woke me up! Ohh man I was K.O. after all that german beer!

 

Ladies and gentlemen, I present Erik's evening:

1 litre of beer...

2 litres of beer...

I've lost count!!

[Fallen Heretic]

^Thats awesome, and is exactly what I expected Erik to do.

 

I remember on the '07 Midwest trip, as every park was new to me, being a bit of a whore and trying to ride every credit on the trip. But a few times, at Indiana Beach and Mount Olympus in particular, some people were complaining that they had been there too long and wanted to leave. However, I was really quite happy to have some relaxation time to enjoy the atmosphere of the park and chill a bit. It was also a great time to bond more with the new friends I had made. We watched blondie-hoff scoot about in a speedboat, a guy set himself on fire and fall off a pole. The stunt boarder mess up and take three goes to get his stunt right. Lots of good times were had there which didnt involve Coasters. And thats a good thing as far as Im concerned. It was also amusing to stand by and watch riders get told off when they were riding the self-snapping flyer. It was more difficult to stop that thing from snapping than it was to snap it on purpose. I got thirty minutes entertainment just from that.

 

There is a place for credit whoredom but I always viewed TPR as a place thats more about having fun in parks than credit counts.

 

And this is a great thread. Hopefully an insight into how much work goes on behind the scenes will mean some folks who take TPR for granted will complain a little less.

[Meteornotes]

I didn't start experiencing any serious "trip envy" until I saw the update from the fair--

 

My thoughts EXACTLY!!!

Too bad we didn't have you guys there instead of some of the people who just wanted to "leave."

 

--Robb

 

You can add me to the list. I was cool with not ending up being able to go on the Europe trip, until that update came up. I have wanted to ride OL and go to a German fair for a very long time. People that didn't appreciate what an amazing opportunity they had that day really confuse me. Beer, one of the toughest coaster credits to get in the world, pretzels, bizarre fair attractions - how could you NOT have fun?!?

 

Hearing that people were being rude makes me sad. This did indeed look like a day that would rival the Belmont Park day as the greatest TPR trip day ever!

 

dt

[cfc]

I only wish that I could've been there, Robb.

[nursemelis374]

That fair was so amazing and I am so grateful that I got to be there that day. I remember looking around the beer tent as the Oompah Band (sp?) paraded in and getting chills and thinking to myself, "I am going to remember this for the rest of my life!" It is the first thing I tell people about when I talk about the trip. We all had the perfect amount of beerbuzz to walk around with and Psyschedelic House was awesome!

 

I was on Robb's bus that night on the way back where we got to hear and sing-along to Morgan's awesome song, which was a ton of fun too. We also got to hear slightly-drunken Robb gush over Sexy Alfredo!

 

I am the kind of person that feels sick worrying about people making the bus and I was so stressed that night at the pit stop! Damn you guys for not listening and making me worry!

 

Thanks for planning such a great night!

[packfanlv]

I didn't start experiencing any serious "trip envy" until I saw the update from the fair--

 

My thoughts EXACTLY!!!

 

Same. The pictures from the German fair made me wish that I had decided to do Europe as well. It looked like such an awesome experience!!

[Erik_73]

Ladies and gentlemen, I present Erik's evening:

 

Before you started counting we (Hans and I) had been drinking (a lot) over at the pub were we watched the football match. When we rejoint TPR in the beertent we had already a nice bottom of beer in. Man I wasn't that drunk for a very long time. Don't forget I wasn't drinking any alcohol for almost the past 4 years at all.

 

^^Speaking of politeness, I did go and check on you at one point to make sure you were still breathing...that's the TPR Concierge service right there!!!

Nice to know somebody cares for me Elissa

 

WTF is true about a scarry Scotshman was licking my ear that busdrive

[Wood Dragon 1988]

Just wanted to be yet another person to pipe up and say how much I appreciate the "non credit whore" aspects of the TPR trips....as much as I love going to big parks and riding lots of coasters, I have to say most my fondest memories of my two TPR trips have been non-coaster related. The speed boat at Kemah, swimming in dangerous freezing lakes at Schlitterbahn, acting like kids at Idlewild, the puppet show at the end of the Behemoth trip, the amazing food, swanky hotels, etc, etc, etc. Even "culture," as shunned as that word seems to be on TPR sometimes, is a huge plus....driving by Niagara falls was one of the most breathtaking hours of my life, and seeing the Alamo at 1 in the morning from a taxi in San Antonio was pretty cool. It's these things that I love about TPR....if I simply wanted to ride good coasters I would get a season pass to Six Flags Great Adventure and ride El Toro, Nitro, and Batman till Intamin cables destroy every ride there. But as sort of a normal guy who loves to travel and hang out, and who happens to love amusement parks like I'm still 10-years-old, TPR trips will be the unquestionable top travel choice in my vacation budget (when I can afford any vacation at all!).

[hansrubens]

WTF is true about a scarry Scotshman was licking my ear that busdrive

 

 

Erik I have pictures to proof it!!!

 

 

---Hans

[Ledgy]

^ I was so sad, it wasn´t possible for me to follow you all on the Europe Trip! But since I heard, that Elissa and Robb figured out a funfair with Olympia Looping, I expected a great ride and a hughe amount of fun and party - that made me more sad not together with you all!

 

I wished I was there!

[jamesdillaman]

The whole reason I started posting here is that it isn't filled with a bunch of crazies, and whenever one slips in, the mods sarcastically put them in their places very quickly. This is the only forum I read anymore, and I enjoy all the trip updates, although am broke broke, so none for me yet. The wife and I have a deal, though, that we can go when we pay off x-amount of school debt! (I won't tell you how much!!) so to all the complainers and the "credit park" people who forget to find amusement in the parks: please stop so Robb and Elissa keep doing these trips until I'm able to go!! The whole reason I decided on staying in a hotel by the park for TPR day at SFGAm is Elissa said there might be a meet up for a late dinner after ERT. I was looking forward to seeing some old friends and making some new ones than the actual ERT itself (although it IS really awesome and you damn well better believe you'll see me on the rides!)

[generaleclectic]

I just finished reading this thread from beginning to present stopping point. In the 45 minutes that it took me to read and take in the detail, I've chuckled, laughed, cried, clinched my fists in disgust, and smiled again at resolution. Elissa... It's been said a couple dozen times, and bears repeating.

 

This is by far your best trip report ever!!!!

 

I read the details, every single one. Hung on the cusp of the next description and it leaves me wanting more. This is way better than the last three novels that I've read. Absolutely fantastic Elissa!!! Well Done!

 

The thing that really gets me is the German Fair experience... I mean REALLY?? There's nothing of interest?! Ok. That person can be invited to sit on the damn bus if they've had enough. I'm sure there's some podcast about some stupid ass metal band that you can listen to while everyone else gets to experience full immersion in German culture.

 

Yeah... I'll make it about me for a minute.

 

I love to ride. Intimidator 232 affirmed and locked in my unadulterated addiction to adrenaline and air time. But I'm also getting older and I'm beginning to see what I missed when I was in my 20s. When I go to parks like Knoebels, I notice the carousel with the pipe organ built in 1913. When I go to SFOG, I see the layers of paint that have built up over the last 40 years in the Dahlonega Mine Train station. When I go to Lake Winnie, I feel the warmth of the staff and the history of the park pulsating wildly through the day to day operations. When I visit Alabama Adventure, I feel the gradual assent from the depths of downtrodden management brought on by a failed municipal amusement authority and respect the strength and power of love that it takes to overcome such adversity when you only make $10/hr. I can't begin to imagine what the experience is to be able to go... well... pretty much anywhere in Europe and experience the culture that shapes these parks over time. To those that don't get this, I can only say this... Boy... Have you really missed an opportunity to expand your horizons of personal experience & cultural diversity.

 

David just told me about Olympic Looper before he went to sleep and explained to me that it's simply the greatest Schwartzie ever built and that it's a nomad coaster. It occurs to me that many coaster enthusiasts never get to experience something like this unless they track the coaster down SPECIFICALLY and travel with the absolute intention of riding this thing. I know there had to be some heavy research on Elissa and Robb's part to lock down the location of this ride because nothing ever happens on a TPR trip from shear chance.

 

I guess what I'm driving at is this....

 

While I don't see first hand the behind the scenes stuff that goes on for trip prep, I see the end product. Title Fairy is a pretty powerful entity, but she ain't that powerful. It takes lots of work to put these types of events together. Seeing the work party at TPR HQ tonight through FB is affirmation of that fact. While I haven't been to a 10th of the places that Elissa and Robb have been, I see that they employ their -EXPERT- knowledge of parks they've been to before in order to craft a memorable experience similar to their first visit to some remote park.

 

Other than continuing to get the checks in on time (read: letting David get the checks in on time) is the only thanks that I can give physically most times. Verbally, I can't offer any greater gratitude than what has already been expressed. Anything else would be devoid of meaning and feeling. Just know guys, that for my first ever trip outside the United States, whenever that might be, I want it DESPERATELY to be with the Alvey's and TPR.