Photo TR: Carowinds, WV and more!

[sclisso]

This year, I've had many new experiences(don't be a perv) and I've also revisited some things that I haven't done in a while. I figured I would share some of these experiences with you guys since It's winter break and I'm really bored. =\ I planned on posting this a month or so ago and then my hard drive just died. I want to mention I'm a little rusty at Trip Reports. I've done a couple on other sites and that's about it. So I hope you enjoy!

 

I'll add photos every day so here's my plan for now:

 

12-20-10 - Pipestem State park (pg.1)

12-21-10 - Carowinds (pg.1)

12-22-10 - Pigeon Forge,TN (pg.1)

12-23-10 - West Virginia State Fair (pg.2)

12-24-10 - Bridge Day (pg.2)

12-25-10 - A quick review of Scarowinds and a very wintry ending! (pg.2)

 

Alright, first off is Pipestem State Park in Pipestem, WV. This part is more of me showing off my home state a little because maybe It will convince you we aren't just filled with rednecks? Because we're filled with mountains too. But anyway, This is a little park In south West Virginia with some amazing views of the Appalachian Mountains. It offers a bunch of...recreational stuff too but I don't care enough to mention that stuff. It's easy to guess what's offered. There is a tramway, crappy mini golf course, hotel, gift shop and a few places to eat though. I would recommend a visit. It's maybe a 20-25 minute drive from I-77 so you aren't going too far off. Anyway... on to the pictures!!

We wanted to go to the observation tower... I didn't know i would have to walk up a mountain to get to this totally amazing tower...if you could even call it that.

At least there were some good views.

I took a lot from up here. I actually made a panorama but it's too big to upload on here.

I thought it was pretty cool that they were flying so close to us. This is definitely the place to go if you want to see wildlife. I've had a deer walk up to me here once...

Here's another random outlook.

And here's the crazy scary looking Tramway to the valley below. I might get brave enough to ride it one day. =\

Edited December 31, 2010 by sclisso

[sclisso]

And now for part 2! I should have just included Carowinds with the one yesterday but anyway, here it is!

 

So as I mentioned before, this is supposed to be about some of my "new experiences." Well,at carowinds, that would be the Intimidator. I don't get to go to many theme parks so I don't really have all that many credits if you're surprised that i didn't have that before Intimidator. I'm a little embarrassed by me being a coaster enthusiast and all with not many credits but oh well, it will change eventually. Okay...back on topic. So, you have all probably seen a lot of photos like these this year so there's nothing too exciting about this report. I lost some of the other photos when my computer broke so here's what's left. I promise a more exciting reports in the next few days. I hope you enjoy this one anyway.

After a 3 hour drive, I was more than excited to see signs of an amusement park, especially big ol' sexy Intimidator.

Gahhh I love me some B&M.

Squirrel! Somewhere there...

There she is! Although I like intimidator, my first ride wasn't very fun. I got off of it with really bad neck pain that lasted all day(Some idiot didn't put his head back). I have a hard time deciding If I like Intimidator or Afterburn more. Back row on Afterburn= Epic.

And of course this rough piece of garbage had a long line. The wait is totally not worth it.

Am I the only person that likes this ride aside from having your balls crushed? I like the feeling of a standup...well...for the most part,lol.

It wasn't a very crowded day at all. I recommend going in early June. It turned out to be a really good trip.

And a few last shots of Intimidator.

I really like the second hill...wait...that's considered a second hill right?

Oooh...ahhh!

[The_Mad_Hatter]

Are you using film? I really love your pictures--have a great feel to them. Makes your photos very unique from the average pictures.

[sclisso]

These pictures from Carowinds were film. I don't like taking the chance of getting my digital camera wet on some of the water rides so I get a disposable one and get a picture CD made.

[GwaziBSRider1]

I really enjoy these pictures, especially since some of them are from my home state! When I took my only trip to Carowinds in 2009, I didn't care too much for the place. I felt that Afterburn was okay, but the woodies definitely were the best. However, Ricochet will hold a small spot in my heart because it was my 100th roller coaster.

[DarkStitch626]

Very nice pictures, I am glad you had fun at Carowinds and your other ventures look equally fun!.

[sclisso]

Thanks Guys! More to come soon! Actually like... in the next hour or so,lol.

Edited December 23, 2010 by sclisso

[palmerleeberry]

Well, I'm intrigue about your photo tour, especially on Carowinds since I didn't get a chance to go there last season.

But I did go to a little park outside Huntington, West Virginia called "Camden Park" in which I enjoyed. Although the park was small, it did have a bunch of great rides including a decent log flume, an exciting "Big Dipper" coaster, an even fun-riding "Little Dipper" coaster (I loved it so much I rode it five times), and a great minature golf course to relax in between rides.

 

Too bad this park isn't on your photo tour, but I felt it needs some recognition as a good small park. After all, as sclisso said

This part is more of me showing off my home state a little because maybe It will convince you we aren't just filled with rednecks?

 

"Are you done yet? I miss you in bed.

[sclisso]

Yeah, I wish I could go there sometime although it pretty small. I live in the southern part of the state so Camden is like 2 hours away. I do plan on going eventually though. I have a few friends that go to Marshall University and I plan on visiting them sometime, so hopefully I can pop into the park and snap some photos and ride a few things. If I do I'll post it on here if it still exists by then.

[sclisso]

Part 3!!

This part includes my trip to Pigeon Forge,TN and the surrounding areas. When I document trips, I take pictures of EVERYTHING, so I have some photos of the trip to Tennessee and then while we were there. I included a few pictures of our cabin, Black Light Circus Mini Golf, Professor Hackers mini golf, The Titianic Museum, Dollywood, Helicopter tour,and whatever else I encountered while I was there. Hope you enjoy!

Take the tunnel!

You enter the tunnel in WV and come out in VA!

I looove scenic shots.

Probably my favorite.

Take the tunnel again!

What if there is no light at the end of the tunnel? What if I'm a huge mystery mine fan? =P

And after an hour or so, we get to Tennessee!

And somehow we get to the Sexy Stuf store in Sevierville! haha.

If no one has ever been to wonderworks, I definitely recommend it. I'm 18 years old and I still have so much fun in that place,lol.

I also recommend the Black Bear Jamboree dinner show.

But make sure to not go in July. =\

I like the outside better than the arcade inside.

And we arrive at the cabin! Now i'm gonna do a little advertising for Majestic Mountain Vacations.

The place was pretty nice I thought.

We got the Indoor Pool Lodge.

Indoor theater that didn't work that great. =\ Note: I'm not getting paid for this but I should,lol.

We decided to go up the mountain a little to take some pictures and we were amazed at how close these cabins are to one another.

I wish we had a cabin up here because that view is incredible!

My mom's vehicle started overheating because of the crazy steep roads to get up here. It NEVER does that.

And on to Titanic photos!

This was when we got out. They don't let you take pictures of the inside for some reason so the outside is all I got. The pictures turned out pretty good though.

I definitely recommend a visit to here also, you really do learn a lot. Each person gets a card with a name of an actual passenger on it with some info about that person. You go through the museum looking for possessions or other things of your person and then at the end you learn if your person lived or died. It's really neat.

This is a replica of one of the Anchors on the ship. That replica was taller than I am, and I'm 6'4".

Here's some from The Indoor Blacklight Circus Mini golf course in Gatlinburg. Oh, I think 3D is in the name there somewhere, but anyway. Yeah, they give you "3D" glasses In an already blacklit golf course.

I don't know what an acid trip feels like...

But with the 3D glasses on, that's what I imagine it feels like,lol.

There was a lot of creepy stuff in there.

There's a clown that pops out of here and I about had a heart attack. =\

The last hole is pretty cool though,lol.

Misc Gatlinburg...

I LOVE the Aquarium. It's really relaxing.

And while I was in Gatlinburg, my sister was enjoying this. >=\

DOLLYWOOD! It's always the highlight of my trip. I don't care what anyone says about Mystery Mine, I can't get enough of it.

Twisteee!! Well...not so much here.

Smoothest Arrow ever! Also the only coaster I have almost blacked out on,haha.

Make sure to watch Sha-Kon-O-Hey! While you're there. It's an amazing show.

I don't have much from Professor Hackers mini Golf, but I do vote this for being one of the best Mini-Golf Courses in the area.

Reminds me of the jet plane on Afterburn for some reason.

And here's what took me on my first flight.

Edited March 2, 2012 by robbalvey

[sclisso]

Here's my video from my Helicopter Tour. Check out my video from my tram ride to Ober Galinburg also!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkNEs2mQSA4

[CpBluestreakCp]

Great TR. You have to love all those long tunnels and the awful traffic that comes with them. Well, sometimes at least when there is construction. Anyway, looks like a great time.

[palmerleeberry]

Hey there, it's me again (the one that visited Camden Park). I just saw your next series of photos of Pigeon Forge, Gatlingburg, Dollywood, and the Great Smokey Mountains. I last visited in that area in 2007 by spending a few days in Gatlinburg before crossing the mountains into Cherokee, North Carolina (in which I went camping, played some minature golf, saw the outdoor drama "Unto These Hills - a retelling", and had a bad visit to "Ghost Town in the Sky" on my final vacation day).

 

--Yes I did visit Wonderworks (they have a museum like that in Orlando Florida), but I was too heavy to ride the 360 degree bikes and the roller coaster simulator (but I wasn't too heavy to lie on the bed of nails). Great exhibits to anyone fasinated about science.

 

--As for the Circus Golf, you forgot to mention that they also have a mirror maze. I think your acid trip through the golf course caused you to forget that fact (It's okay, we all understand).

 

--I have this rule whenever I travel: if there's a Ripley's nearby, then you must visit it! I don't blame you for not going through the Haunted Experience; I was lucky to escape the one down in San Antonio, Texas without wetting my pants!

 

--And I had just one regret about Dollywood: I wish I could've a second day to visit that park. As for Mystery Mine, I can dig that (pardon the pun). And I love The Tornado (I rode it three times in a row - hey why not, it was a great coaster and their were no lines that day).

 

--And finally, I first visited the Smokey Mountains in 1980. Later, Ronnie Milsap would sing Smokey Mountain Rain and I knew what he was singing about since I visited the Smokey Mountains. Of course, I would find out later that it's a lost love song, but I didn't care.

 

"Well, I do care. If you don't stop typing in those posts and come to bed, I'll run away to the Smokey Mountains so you can sing all the Smokey Mountain Rain songs you want. I hope he doesn't realized I'm bluffing, I mean, how can I run away? I have no legs!"

[sclisso]

You really need to revisit sometime soon, they're always building new stuff there every year. It's hard for me to keep up with all the new attractions going in all the time. Definitely try out the Titanic Museum.

 

I didn't try the 360 degree bikes and the line was long for the simulator but I plan to go back and do those eventually.

 

Yeah! I totally forgot about the mirror maze. I was hoping I would be able to do that but I didn't have enough time to unfortunately. I've been to all of them in gatlinburg except the haunted adventure, the mirror maze and the Davy Crockett Mini golf. I think I like the aquarium and the moving theater the best though. I've never been into the haunted mazes and stuff. It's not that I'm afraid, it's more like, I hate unexpected thrills. I get angry when people scare me,haha.

 

I love Dollywood so much and Thunderhead, Mystery Mine, and Tennessee Tornado are always the highlights. There's never a visit to Pigeon Forge that I don't go to Dollywood. Actually, I have a story i forgot to add. When I was in line for tickets, a guy that had already bought his didn't get the right ones so the woman at the window had to stop from buying mine to get his which was totally fine with me, but she still gave me a small discount because of it. I thought that was so nice. If it had been like Carowinds, they would have NEVER done that. So it just made me love the place even more,haha.

[sclisso]

Part 4! State Fair of West Virginia 2010

 

It had been like 4 years since I had been to the fair, but I FINALLY got the chance to go back in August. It's kind of self explanatory but just to let you know, WV has a fair every year in Lewisburg with concerts from actual big celebs, shopping, crafts,booths with free stuff, animals,games, RIDES, and plenty of food. I think even fireworks or something some days. I got a lot of pictures of the ghetto trailer mounter rides because that's all that is important right? lol. I've never heard anything bad about Reithoffer Shows but I still don't trust some of these rides.

Rides? Count me in!

Uhh...Is that safe?

I can't believe they're THAT concerned about people sneaking in. I felt like I was in a concentration camp.

YAY! DINOSAURS!

But who cares about dinosaurs when you have miles of food?!

To the rides!

First ride of the day! And probably one of the tamest,lol.

I'm more into the Mack ones. =\

Meh, This ride was okay.

I really liked this. And it's more thrilling than what you think. They would move it up and down to make it a little more thrilling.

This was probably the surprise of the day. It was my first real swinging ship and I absolutely loved it. I didn't expect it to be as awesome as it was.

I was too tall to fit. >=\

But at least I was able to get on this baby. I loved it!

And here is some I took from the Ferris Wheel!

I LOVE this picture.

Is there a certain amount of time these ferris wheels can operate because I'm sure this one is older than I am,lol.

Okay, two things...

#1 Why would you stick your nasty, AIDS infected bandage on a ferris wheel?

#2 How in the world did someone write their name on that? That beam was moving the whole time.

One last shot.

And then we left! It sucks I didn't get any of the rest of the fair, but it was too hot for me to worry about that at the time,lol.

[sclisso]

Well, I ended up being too busy yesterday for another update, but I'm back again for part 5!

 

This part covers my first time going to Bridge Day in Fayetteville, WV. For those who don't know what this is, it's a big festival at the New River Gorge Bridge, which is now the third largest arch bridge in the world. But anyway, they close down the whole bridge and people BASE jump off of it. It's a surprisingly large festival. I would describe it as The WV State fair stretched out over 3-4 miles without rides or animals,lol. There's a lot of food, booths, and fee stuff. It's pretty neato. I hope everyone had a great Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/ whatever else. lol. But anyway, as I usually end this, I hope you enjoy!

There's some of the booths and random stuff on the side of the highway. Down the road a little there were vendors on both sides of the road.

I couldn't help myself, It was too pretty to just walk by it and not take a picture.

Whoops, I think this was supposed to be first,haha. Anyway...it's foggy.

We couldn't see anything for at least 10-15 mins.

"Hey Look! Fog!"

I think by this point you could see the jumpers a little.

They set up a big thing in the middle of the bridge with a little crane, a diving board and another platform to jump from.

And there's the valley!

They had boats at the bottom to catch the flying people.

And here's part of the one million steps from the visitors center to the outlook. =\

What's that?

Just a liiittttle more...

There it is!

[sclisso]

And, at last, Part 6!

 

In this final part I'm going to discuss scarowinds and what I think of the whole event. I was unable to take pictures unfortunately so I feel like a paragraph about it should do. However, I do have a few pictures from winter I took around here I'd like to post just to wrap up the year. So enjoy!

 

Scarowinds:

 

This year was my first time attending the Scarowinds Halloween Haunt event at Carowinds.My school was taking a trip there so I signed up. I definitely expected a lot more from this than what It really was. The first thing I didn't really like is the long lines. I had no idea the lines would be backed out of the queue onto the walkway. I waited 45 minutes for both Intimidator and Afterburn, although a Beemer is definitely worth a long wait. I didn't have much of a wait for Vortex, Carolina Cobra and Hurler though. I didn't even bother looking at Nighthawk's line, but I would say it was crazy. I wasn't about to wait that long for just that. The second thing I didn't like was the lack of roving monsters. I expected tons of creepers out there scaring people, but I didn't see that many at all. Speaking of the monsters that were out creeping on people, I really liked the tall skeleton looking things and the guys with flint or whatever on their shoes so when they slid their shoes made sparks. I thought those were really cool. The last thing I didn't like was how they would just cut off sections of path like at Planet Snoopy, which made navigating the park much harder I thought. Oh, and one thing about carowinds, not just scarowinds, I thought was crazy was the lack of places to make phone calls. My phone died(that's why I couldn't take pictures) and I was trying to call my friends to see where they were at and the only place we could get a phone was all the way at the entrance.What If someone was having a heart attack or something?

 

Now for the things I did like. #1 I liked The crazy amount of fog in the park Like, after leaving, you could see a cloud surrounding the park because there was so much artificial fog. It definitely made things a lot more creepy. #2 Afterburn was running absolutely amazing that night. I would definitely recommend back row on Afterburn at scarowinds. I never scream or curse on coasters and I definitely did it a lot when I took that ride,lol. #3 The haunted mazes looked nice, but I don't know how the insides were. I don't like haunted houses or scare mazes or anything so I didn't do any of that.

 

So overall, it was fun, but I wouldn't make any special trips to go there myself. A 3 hour drive isn't worth it. I would rather go on a normal weekday in the summer where the lines aren't super long and there's more attractions open. I would only go again if my College went again like they did this year even if they got lost and took a freakin' school bus for a 3 hour drive. =\

 

I hope everyone enjoyed the pictures and stuff. If anyone is interested in a my 2009 Myrtle Beach Trip which includes a lot of pictures of Freestyle Music Park, let me know and I'll post a bunch of pictures from that. Thanks for the comments for the ones who did,lol. Everyone have a good New Years!

 

- Shawn Clisso

 

And now for random winter photos!

The first snow of the year! Taken at Concord University(my college).

Snow makes me hate college more.

Stupid gas station signs. >=(

One last one! Note: This was on a different day than the previous picture.

[bgwfreak777]

WV must have the same ride company as SC does cause those rides and booths are exactly the same.

[palmerleeberry]

Okay, this will be my last comment on your entire tour. I definately enjoy the photos you've taken.

 

As for your description of Scarewinds, on the day I was free (Sunday, September 26), I had a choice to either go to Scarewinds or to Kennywood (that were having a special discount day on that particular day). Now I should also state that I had a Platinum Pass for all Cedar Fair parks in which I'll have free admission and free parking (except for the admission price for Scarewinds in the evening, but I'll get it at a discount price thanks to the Platinum Pass). The travel time to either one of those parks were five hours from my house would be five hours. But in the end, Kennywood won and I had a great time! By your report, it seems I may had made a good decision. Besides, I didn't want to be scared that year.

 

As for BASE jumping, NO THANK YOU!!!

I'll just stick to freefall towers, intimidating rollers coasters, and merry-go-rounds.

 

"Are you done yet? I'm lonely here on your bed!"

[sclisso]

Yeah, I would say so Wes. The company travels up and down the East coast. They're out of Florida I think.

 

Lol, It's cool. Comment as much as you like. You really did. It might have been different on different days but I would have much rather went to kennywood. I'll probably still go back next year if my college goes again because if there's any chance of me getting on a ride, I'll be there,haha. Yeah me too. I don't think I'll ever BASE Jump either. But I might try skydiving one of these days.

[eddie200330]

That is the same Carny Co. that does our fair here in Cumberland, MD. They bring the coaster every time. It has been a few years since they had that ride that you really liked, called the Tornado I believe. And yes, it is a very insanely awesome ride. Have not made it to bridge day yet, but my sister and her fiance made a pilgrimage there during the year just to visit and do all the touristy stuff. Up here in these parts they make a pretty big deal out of it. I am not sure how far I am from it, but pretty much everyone who lives here knows about it. Where abouts in WV are you at, I am close to Keyser, Romney, and Paw Paw!!!

[sclisso]

Yup,that's it. I looove that ride. Huss needs to sell more of those. They have another coaster but I wasn't able to ride it and I didn't think about getting a picture either. I think it's called Indy 500 or something.

 

Yeah, it's pretty neat. I would recommend going at least one time. It's surprisingly a very big event. Even Govern...Senator Manchin was there,lol. Awesome! I live in the southern part of the state in Mercer County.