BarryH Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 Source: http://www.news-press.com/article/20110610/ENT/110609035/Fort-Myers-man-logs-500th-roller-coaster-ride?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Home|p After 500 roller coasters, Barry Hom can’t always remember every dive, loop, twist and barrel roll. The Fort Myers man has braved coasters all over the world, including Japan, France and Sweden. So it’s understandable if he can’t remember them all. “Sometimes it gets blurry,” he says. “Sometimes all I can remember are the really good ones and the really bad ones.” On some coasters, he stood up. On others, he sat down. And on two, he spun head over heels, rotating independently from the coaster track (he’s ridden those rare “fourth-dimensional” coasters at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Los Angeles and Fuji Q in Japan). “I heard someone say it was like being stuck in a barrel and rolled down a hill,” says Hom, 39. “And that’s a pretty accurate description.” His favorite coasters include Revenge of the Mummy at Universal Studios Orlando. That coaster is considered a “dark ride:” An amusement-park term for indoor rides where you mostly sit and watch things happen around you (think It’s a Small World at Disney World — but with fireballs, scarab beetles and an army of warrior mummies). “It’s not intense, and it’s not the tallest,” Hom says about The Mummy. “But it’s real fun. It’s even fun for people who don’t really like coasters. As for the bad coasters, he particularly remembers The Cheetah at Georgia’s Wild Adventures. His butt still hurts thinking about it. “I remember that being really rough,” he says. “When we hit the bottom, it was like sitting on a jackhammer.” Hom used to be afraid of coasters. Then, in 1999, he hopped onto The Incredible Hulk at Orlando’s Islands of Adventure. Now he can’t stop riding them. Hom rode his 500th coaster on Memorial Day: The new Cheetah Hunt at Tampa’s Busch Gardens. “It was really good,” he says. “It wasn’t as intense (as some other coasters). “It’s a very smooth coaster.” Hom usually rides coasters several times, testing them out from the front, the back and other vantage points. No such luck with Cheetah Hunt. “I only got to ride it once,” he says. “And I had to wait in line for an hour. “When I got off, the wait had gone up to three hours. So I’ll have to ride it again some other time.” Aside from a little soreness and long waits, though, Hom says there’s nothing to fear about coasters. He’s already planning his 501st coaster: The Wacky Worm at Old Town in Kissimmee. Hom encourages other coaster-phobes to get over their fear and go for a ride. You might love it. “Just try it once,” he says. “If you don’t like it, you don’t have to do it again. “Just sit back, don’t put on the restraints too tight, and have fun.” Source: http://www.news-press.com/article/20110610/ENT/106100355 Summertime is roller-coaster season in Florida. From all over the world, people come here to scream as they rocket through loops and plummet down death-defying drops. They all want the same thing: An adrenaline rush. And they know Florida can give it to them. But not all coasters are equal, says Fort Myers coaster fan Barry Hom. He should know. He's ridden 500 of them, including coasters as far away as Sweden, France and Japan. There's nothing like a great coaster, Hom says, and Florida has some of the best in the world. Here are some of Hom's favorite coasters in the Sunshine State, and why he says you should give them a try: 1) Revenge of the Mummy (Universal Studios Florida in Orlando) -"It's a roller coaster for those who don't like roller coasters. It's not that intense, but it's really fun." 2) The Incredible Hulk Coaster (Islands of Adventure in Orlando) - "It's what got me into coasters in the first place. I like the launch. It just shoots you out and doesn't stop after that. You won't stop screaming until the end." 3) Kumba (Busch Gardens in Tampa) - "It's very intense. I can only ride it a max of twice per visit." 4) Manta (Sea World in Orlando) - "The best flying coaster that I've ridden. With a flying coaster, you're laying down and flying like Superman. "It dives really close to the ground, and there are a lot of turns and flips." 5) Sheikra (Busch Gardens in Tampa) - "That's a ride where it's really good to be in the front seat. It drops straight down about 200 feet. "You're in the front seat, and there's no floor. And at the top, you stop for about five seconds before you drop. It's a great thrill." 6) Montu (Busch Gardens in Tampa) - "This is one of the best inverted roller coasters (where passengers ride under the track instead of above it). Your feet are dangling. "It's pretty fast. At the top of one curve, it twists you like a corkscrew. And there are a lot of trenches where you dive really close to the ground." 7) Cheetah Hunt (Busch Gardens in Tampa) - "It's not intense, but it's very smooth and really fun. It's a solid family coaster." 8) Pteranodon Flyers (Islands of Adventure in Orlando) - "This is listed as a kid's coaster, but don't be fooled. It swings back and forth so much that you'll be hanging on for dear life!" 9) Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (The Magic Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista) - "It's a lot of fun. It's a coaster where you can throw your hands up and scream." 10) Windstorm (Old Town in Kissimmee) - "Windstorm looks like it's being held together by duct tape. It's a small, compact ride, but it's really intense. There are some really good turns that will get you." My geeky photo that appeared in the online article
Mr. Starr Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 (edited) His butt still hurts thinking about it. ... Edited June 10, 2011 by Mr. Starr
robbalvey Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 (edited) ^^ That's a really great photoshop on your sign, there Barry....but I was at the park that day with you, remember? And here is what your sign REALLY said.... Edited June 10, 2011 by robbalvey
BarryH Posted June 10, 2011 Author Posted June 10, 2011 ^With a little honey mustard BBQ sauce, she would have made a delicious lunch.
Skycoastin Steve Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 Congrats on the milestone! I thought I was special for hitting #300 on Cheetah Hunt, I guess I've got some catching up to do!
dandaman Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 ARN&R's take: Coasters ridden: 500. Conversations with actual humans, excluding KFC orders and phone sex, in the past 12 months: 2.
Six Flags Enthuseast Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 Ha, I have the Wacky Worm credity before you do. Congrats on the milestone! I still have some catching up to do... Hopefully living in Italy will help me with that.
BarryH Posted June 10, 2011 Author Posted June 10, 2011 ^^Well, I haven't gotten a restraining order against KidTums yet.
BarryH Posted June 10, 2011 Author Posted June 10, 2011 ^I do not accept the t-shirt as a legal document.
Midgetman82 Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 (edited) ^^ too funny! I can try photoshopping. I'm crappy at it, but why not. Edited June 10, 2011 by Midgetman82
Midgetman82 Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 Off the top of my head... Being real, congrats on your milestone! Off to his next credit.
VinTheAttendant Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 Photoshop contest? (BTW, congrats on achieving 500 AND making the news. What a milestone, I'm only at 150) Edit: Oh hey! This is my 100th post! I made a milestone too
BarryH Posted June 10, 2011 Author Posted June 10, 2011 So are we giving away a Bag O' Crap for the best one?
robbalvey Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 I'll give the person who submits the best one Barry's phone number!
downunder Posted June 11, 2011 Posted June 11, 2011 Only 500, I thought you were hardcore, even I'll have that very soon and I'm not a coaster enthusiast. Man up, Barry, let's see that count hit 1000 very soon. Any publicity about someone being a coaster enthusuiast is like the opposite of a personal ad, it screams - girls stay away. I'd be suing them.* *Read disclaimer at bottom of page if you object to this.
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