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Photo TR: Andy's 2014 New Hotness / East Coast TPR Tour


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Day 10 -- The Pictures (Part 1)

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Six Flags Great Adventure & Safari Welcomes Theme Park Review!

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My first look at one of the best roller coasters in the world.

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Wait -- that hill is shaped like /what/? And it doesn't fly off the track?

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Oh, the sound these trains make when they go over the top.

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RIP Rolling Thunder. Two credits I'll never pick up, but it sounds like I didn't miss much.

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My first ride (for credit #200) on El Toro was taken in the back row. During ERT, I found that the second row of the front car was my favorite place to ride.

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The first drop is definitely best in the back, but the rest of the airtime was better near the front of the train.

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Also, the middle rows of each car seemed to ride the smoothest.

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Our first rides of the day were on Kingda Ka. You can put your hands up in the station if you want to, but I won't risk my shoulders doing it on the launch!

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We had the hair-gel-ad-wrapped trains all to ourselves.

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That's one big tower -- an imposing figure on the skyline.

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Our trains were flying over the top on our morning rides!

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Breaking out the zoom lens for a few shots -- starting with the twist on the way up to the top.

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Cresting the hill -- and picking up some air.

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On the highest point of the tallest coaster on the planet.

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Another twist on the way down.

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After two rides on Kingda Ka, we made the long walk to the base of the Kingda Ka tower for a ride on Zumanjaro.

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Is this one of those things you're better off just /not/ telling people?

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Nuts and bolts.

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Don't stand too close to the Intamin cable.

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The queue wraps completely around the tower, loading from underneath the drop side of Kingda Ka.

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We had to wait for some pre-opening procedures to be completed, but we boarded soon thereafter.

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Do not -- do not! -- press the big red button.

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The drop of doom begins!

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Hey, get that coaster track out of the way.

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Car #3 is all smiles after the ride, but...

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...car #2 is having more fun. Car #2 wins.

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We walked over to Frontier Adventures to prepare for the safari, but first...

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...it was time to look out over the pond...

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...at Runaway Mine Train making its final turn into the station, and...

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...one of the finest views at any Six Flags park -- aka the picture that appears in every single SFGAdv trip report, ever. I wouldn't want to disappoint.

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I am certain that I am the first person to ever attempt pictures of the reflection from this location.

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I didn't see El Toro running at the time, but I did capture Kingda Ka...

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...flying over the top of the structure.

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Onward to the safari! This was formerly a drive-through attraction, which is a concept I find almost completely unfathomable.

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Now, guests get to ride in these 30-ish passenger vehicles, staffed by one driver and one ride host.

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We had an escort up the exit ramp to get everyone on board as quickly as possible!

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So, let's hit the gas and get going.

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We'll start with some lazy llamas.

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The deer have been joined by a guest, moving laterally along the fence line.

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Alright, I'm not going to narrate every single animal, partially because I'm not the taxonomy expert around here.

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Nonetheless, enjoy some pictures of big bison-looking things...

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...and their adorable children.

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The view on ahead into African territory.

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TPR members in the wild.

 

The whole vehicle pretty much looked like this.

 

Cameras ready, everyone.

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It's a tough life for a rhinoceros.

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A lazy, warm day for the elephants as well. They have a pond for when they get thirsty...

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...and a Kingda Ka to watch when they get bored.

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Another view of the elephants.

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Next up, some very large birds.

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They never really look happy, do they?

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A group of zebras was right next to the road.

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I count nine zebras, at least on this side of the path.

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Somebody's thirsty.

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More large hoofed animals along the way.

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One of these things is not like the other.

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To little surprise, the giraffes were among the most fearless...

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...with one giraffe coming right to the vehicle...

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...and getting up close and personal with us.

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How close? It practically stuck its head into the seating area.

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Basically stuck its nose into my lens, also.

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In a Disney movie, this is where it tries to talk to us. But this is a Six Flags park.

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Going to try to zoom in a little closer here.

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The first ever TPR group picture through the eye of a giraffe? I see Robb, Paul H, myself, and Dan -- with everyone else mixed in behind.

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So, this is about when the giraffe decided it wanted to spend five minutes licking the roof of the ride vehicle.

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Don't knock it until you try it, I guess.

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Well, that was some encounter.

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Ride host Kiki vs. the Giraffe.

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Who's going to blink first?

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The giraffe defers. Onward we go.

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Just ahead is Camp Aventura, the halfway point of the safari tour.

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Coming up behind us is the other vehicle (mostly) full of TPR members.

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The small outpost building has a few reptile exhibits inside.

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We've got snakes!

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The next one (below) is a rare albino Burmese python.

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It looks like it hatched from an abnormally large Easter egg.

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A blue-tongued skink from Australia was nearby.

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Staring me down like I'm not completely harmless.

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A view of the outside of Camp Aventura.

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This is Ariel.

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Ariel is a blue-and-yellow macaw, a South American parrot.

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These birds are native to the Amazon basin, and are not considered to be endangered.

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Ariel was very well-behaved, offering a great chance for some up-close pictures.

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A fun fact: though this species is not native to North America, a small wild population lives in the Miami area.

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Also, they're ridiculously photogenic.

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Another eye shot -- this time, what's that in the reflection?

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It's the monolith and signposts installed at Camp Aventura.

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It's a long way from here to Tanzania. I'll have to build the "climb Mt. Kilimanjaro" add-on into another vacation.

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Camp Aventura is adjacent to the giraffe area...

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...so there are plenty of opportunities for pictures like this one.

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Another giraffe standing tall.

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Our ride vehicle wasn't the only one that got to see the giraffes at close proximity.

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There's also a giraffe feeding area, which park guests can participate in for an extra charge.

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Those are rather large tortoises.

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They seem to enjoy spending time in the mud.

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Most of the landscape is pretty nice -- it might not be quite as sculpted as Kilimanjaro Safaris, but it's actually slightly bigger.

Edited by The Great Zo
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Day 10 -- The Pictures (Part 2)

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Several small mammals were visible from Camp Aventura. Here is one such animal.

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Here is another animal. Hey, I just do the photography, I need someone smarter to help me name them!

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I will name this one Jim.

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I will name this one Wesley.

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I don't even have a name for this one, so let's keep going.

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Camp Aventura also has a Soaring Eagle zip line, and two TPR members decided to give it a go.

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George and Chris are soaring!

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Looks like a fun ride!

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Chris wins the day for that shirt, though.

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A quick look at the map before we head out on the second leg of the safari tour.

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More animals I am unable to identify.

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Another large bird that appears to be some type of ostrich.

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Didn't mom tell you to wash your face after you eat?

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More animals out to lunch.

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OK, I think I know this one. I will name him Gwazi.

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Don't mess with the harem.

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First thought: this is a very large cat.

 

Second thought: I wonder if anyone's tried bringing a laser pointer on the safari...

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Surrounded by idiots.

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Checkpost 8!

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Which is right in front of the giant green thing.

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Just a reminder that we're still at an amusement park.

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Another group of animals on their way to do something important.

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The bears were mostly taking it easy.

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I have never run across a bear in the wild, though several of my family members have. They survived, obviously, or else I wouldn't be making jokes about it.

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Out for a swim.

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This one thinks its a cat.

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Last picture from the safari! If you don't like animals, I apologize. There are roller coasters and stuff from here on out.

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The Saw Mill is a pretty good log flume. This section (visible from the exit ramp of the safari) leads up to the big lift and drop.

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It's apparently possible to fit five people in a single log.

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Then again, I was once in a log with six people at Silver Dollar City.

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The large water wheel is the iconic feature of the Saw Mill flume.

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The walkway near the Saw Mill leads to the safari, and goes past the Skyway and Runaway Mine Train stations.

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The drop isn't very large, and was only generating big splashes with the more fully-loaded boats.

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Let's watch a few go down.

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Saw Mill is a good log flume. Not one of the very best, but I enjoyed it.

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Boat 34 has a lot of people in it, so...

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...it's going to kick up some water.

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Now you can't even see it.

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End result is they're completely soaked, and waves of water are pouring over the front of the log. My boat was lucky to avoid such a fate.

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The mine train and Skyway entrances are very close to the log flume.

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Here's some history about the mine train, which opened in 1974.

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The Skyway opened in the same year, but its original use was for the World's Fair a decade earlier.

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Not a bad place for views of El Toro!

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The classic El Toro / Kingda Ka view is nice, but would be better on the other side of the cables.

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There's the bridge where I took some pictures of the log flume.

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Another view of the water wheel as we fly off to the west.

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This whole area is one of the nicer looking parts of any Six Flags park I've been to.

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The flume could probably use some paint, but it still runs fairly well.

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This is a great example of what I like about it -- a long, twisting path through the treetops.

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Let's take a look ahead on the Skyway.

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Here's Green Lantern and Superman -- two decent-to-mediocre B&M coasters.

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The parachute tower -- with the official name Parachute Training Center: Edwards AFB Jump Tower -- is a rare classic!

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Looking over the north end of the park, which is significantly less interesting than the areas near El Toro and the safari.

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If you're looking for advertising and DC Comics characters, this is your spot!

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The yellow loop on Green Lantern is an interesting and distinguishing feature.

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The Ferris wheel probably offers some nice views of Nitro, but we didn't have time for a ride.

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I did get one decent shot of Nitro climbing above the trees.

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Kingda Ka, as one might expect, is the dominant feature of the park's skyline.

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Here's a view of the main entrance and central fountain. That super-ugly water tower at the back left of the picture has recently been painted, and now looks pretty nice.

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Meanwhile, this old aquatic stadium is a thing of the past. I believe that the Total Joker Mayhem coaster is being built in this vicinity. Seriously, who re-names a ride before it's even built? Oh yeah, this park, on multiple occasions.

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This is a fun angle to view El Toro from, but those hills will look good from anywhere.

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Your classic 1964 Von Roll Skyway -- sponsored by M&Ms.

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Coming in for a landing, but...

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...what's this creepy thing?

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Skull Mountain -- sponsored by Takis.

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This ride has a legion of hardcore fans, doesn't it?

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Awful Zamperla Kiddie Coaster #4 on the trip was especially awful. It's like they design these things for the express purpose of making kids never want to ride roller coasters again. But enough of that...

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...let's head over to Nitro! Here are Will, Chris, George, and Paul -- taking over the back row!

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Was kind of sad to see only one side of the Skyway operating, and not doing so very quickly.

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We walked our way past the fountain at the center of the park.

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"I wanna be like Harry Houdini / And be the one to make the great escape"

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This is a real address in Harlem, and one with great significance. 278 West 113th Street is the location where Harry Houdini lived!

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My only minor complaint about this ride? There were signs outside suggesting a strict no-carry-on policy, but there were indeed storage areas available near the ride's exit ramp.

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On our way to the east end of the park...

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...to an area apparently known as the Golden Kingdom, or maybe the Adventure Outpost? I'm a little confused.

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Bizarro was running fine, but the storage receptacles outside of the ride were not. My group rode in shifts.

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I don't even grammar.

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So, while I waited for the rest of the group to finish, I got some pictures of ... well, of people with their shoes off.

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Zach and Nathan are on this train! Third row, left side.

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Hey, we haven't been on that big wooden one yet, right?

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First, a few pictures from the swampy area south of El Toro.

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Yes, this is still a scene from inside the park.

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A look up at the top of the Runaway Mine Train lift hill.

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They've kept this area looking somewhat natural.

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Well, minus the broken fence.

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OK, here's what we all came for!

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Just about to board in the back row for my 200th coaster credit, followed by some scrambling to find the bandages in my backpack!

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Kingda Ka was next, and we (wisely) waited for the front row. Troy and Nathan are significantly more excited than they were for their morning rides near the back.

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Here's a picture of me cresting the top of Kingda Ka! (Photo credit: Nathan L)

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Green Lantern: where courage takes flight, and then jabs you uncomfortably between the legs.

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The Green Lantern station is the best spot in the park for views of the other side of Kingda Ka.

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Too dark for decent pictures of the parachute tower, but here's one looking up as we prepared to ride.

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Night had fallen, with just one ride to go, as TPR gathered to wait for the start of ERT.

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How about an hour on El Toro in the dark?

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This ERT was destined to be awesome, and it delivered.

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Waiting for the final day guests to clear out.

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That provided me a few minutes for pictures, including this shot with two brightly-lit lift hills.

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Kingda Ka says goodnight, and that's all from SFGAdv!

 

With the top-end coasters this park is home to -- and the awesome safari -- it's a park I plan to make sure I return to in the next few years.

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This ride has a legion of hardcore fans, doesn't it?

 

It's not a legion of fans, its a Cult of Worshippers, and don't you forget it. This is serious business. LMAO. Besides, if you didn't sit in the back seat, you're not a part of The Cult so don't get any funny ideas.

 

 

Seriously tho, really great thread, fantastic pics, great report of GAdv especially - I always love reading peoples reports of my home park. I also find it amusing people always find it such a big park. I guess growing up going there and now going all the time, it is definitely big compared to other parks but I guess I'm just so used to it. Sucks going from Zum to Nitro but I guess it just requires a little bit of planning. I tend to pick one side of the park or the other and just knock out what I want. The Skyride is a life/timesaver on quiet days.

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This ride has a legion of hardcore fans, doesn't it?

 

It's not a legion of fans, its a Cult of Worshippers, and don't you forget it. This is serious business. LMAO.

 

 

This is so because it has a giant, freakin' skull!

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Quick question...Immediately I noticed these extra supports on Kingda Ka behind the tower. They look pretty substantial. Did anyone else see this?

 

Were these put in after the drop towers were installed? IMO very strange to see an addition like this with a ride that was installed almost a decade ago.

 

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This ride has a legion of hardcore fans, doesn't it?

 

It's not a legion of fans, its a Cult of Worshippers, and don't you forget it. This is serious business. LMAO. Besides, if you didn't sit in the back seat, you're not a part of The Cult so don't get any funny ideas.

 

 

 

 

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Quick question...Immediately I noticed these extra supports on Kingda Ka behind the tower. They look pretty substantial. Did anyone else see this?

 

Were these put in after the drop towers were installed? IMO very strange to see an addition like this with a ride that was installed almost a decade ago.

 

 

The additional supports were added because of zumanjaro. I believe it was necessary to install them if a cyclone were to come around, the structure's damage would be minimal. Still a bummer that even with these supports, the state won't let kinda ka en zumanjaro run continuously.

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Quick question...Immediately I noticed these extra supports on Kingda Ka behind the tower. They look pretty substantial. Did anyone else see this?

 

Were these put in after the drop towers were installed? IMO very strange to see an addition like this with a ride that was installed almost a decade ago.

 

These were installed by recommendation of Intamin before Zum was constructed. If you dig back in the Great Adv thread to late 2013 there are posts about the supports showing up and then being installed. It's added support due to the added weight/forces on the tower.

 

^Also, what would extra supports have to do with loose articles falling on riders? I hate the stupid states policy as much as the rest of you but its not like it exists for no reason at all. I continue to blame the park for that one as its something that should have been green lighted before plans went ahead to build Zum on Ka. I love Zum and without Ka it likely wouldn't exist as it is, so I'm happy they both exist, and can get over waiting a few extra minutes for safety reasons.

 

But the supports have nothing to do with the policy of the rides running simultaneously.

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Quick question...Immediately I noticed these extra supports on Kingda Ka behind the tower. They look pretty substantial. Did anyone else see this?

 

Were these put in after the drop towers were installed? IMO very strange to see an addition like this with a ride that was installed almost a decade ago.

 

These were installed by recommendation of Intamin before Zum was constructed. If you dig back in the Great Adv thread to late 2013 there are posts about the supports showing up and then being installed. It's added support due to the added weight/forces on the tower.

 

^Also, what would extra supports have to do with loose articles falling on riders? I hate the stupid states policy as much as the rest of you but its not like it exists for no reason at all. I continue to blame the park for that one as its something that should have been green lighted before plans went ahead to build Zum on Ka. I love Zum and without Ka it likely wouldn't exist as it is, so I'm happy they both exist, and can get over waiting a few extra minutes for safety reasons.

 

But the supports have nothing to do with the policy of the rides running simultaneously.

 

Thanks for correcting me on that one. However isn't it true that zumanjaro's towers always drop a split second away from each other, because of structural causes? I probably mixed this one up with the whole additional supports. Oh well like you said: they're both great rides, and Ka always has had long lines anyways.

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It is true Zums gondolas drop at different times but I've never heard/read that had anything to do with structural concern. Someone correct me if this was brought up at some point.

 

I'm not sure why it would. If anything, I would think they'd do the opposite - drop them simultaneously because of structural concern, as the entire width of the tower would be supporting the same forces at the same time, if that makes sense. I could be wrong but always figured they drop each gondola a second after one another for added effect. I dunno.

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This is the part of the report where I have to clear up a minor misconception with my friends from my Q-Bot group. I came into the day with 190 coasters on my count, knowing that I was entering a park with 12 coasters to ride. A significant milestone was going to occur, and a significant milestone is certainly worthy of a significant coaster. However, it was not I who decided that such a milestone should occur on the highly-rated and truly epic El Toro. In fact, this wonderful suggestion came from another source within the group! While I may have been eminently agreeable to the idea, at no time did I ever hold our Q-Bot hostage or otherwise behave in ill manner, in any attempt to force a particular order of operations during our very busy day at Six Flags Great Adventure. Rather, I was humbled by the support and congeniality I received from my partners, even as nearly every other TPR person we ran across wondered why the heck we didn't ride El Toro until almost 630 PM.

We both hit a milestone on an amazing wooden coaster, your 200th was on El Toro and my 100th was on Teddy Bear

But in all seriousness, that day was amazing, and a great way to end my trip (didn't do New York). My thighs/hips were seriously bruised from 14 consecutive El Toro rides during ERT!

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I was debating whether to go to SFGAd or not but honestly this post more or less convinced me. Plus the Safari pictures were phenomenal, I knew nothing about the Safari prior to this. Great job!

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This was such a fun day and there was so much to do at this park. I sacrificed one credit (Blackbeard's Lost Treasure Train) for an extra ride on Nitro which really exceeded my expectations. I also missed out on the Sky Ride which I will not next time I visit SFGAdv this August.

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I have tons of fun during our day at Six Flags Great Adventure. This was the park where I thought it would be funny to scare some seagulls in the parking lot. I also remember annoying the Flash Pass lady at Batman the Ride, since I would re-reserve the ride after walking off, since I could not get enough of that coaster. Nitro left me disappointed, as I thought it was weak, but El Toro blew my expectations out of the water. I hope to return to the park and hit some of the rides I missed.

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It's not a legion of fans, its a Cult of Worshippers, and don't you forget it. This is serious business. LMAO. Besides, if you didn't sit in the back seat, you're not a part of The Cult so don't get any funny ideas.

Alright, it's going back on my list of must-rides for the next time I visit, and only the back row will do!

 

This was such a fun day and there was so much to do at this park. I sacrificed one credit (Blackbeard's Lost Treasure Train) for an extra ride on Nitro which really exceeded my expectations.

Probably a wise choice, though now you'll never get the fun of the original Blackbeard's experience!

 

We both hit a milestone on an amazing wooden coaster, your 200th was on El Toro and my 100th was on Teddy Bear

But in all seriousness, that day was amazing, and a great way to end my trip (didn't do New York). My thighs/hips were seriously bruised from 14 consecutive El Toro rides during ERT!

Teddy Bear is a pretty epic #100! Just one or two slots behind El Toro on my favorites list from the trip!

 

I remember being a little sore after that ERT, but it was totally worth it. You could build the cushiest padded restraints in the world and it wouldn't change things on a ride that spends that length of time trying to rip you from your seat!

 

I hope you enjoyed your late-night Newark Airport ERT!

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  • 1 month later...

Day 11 -- New York City

Monday, August 4, 2014

 

The Report:

 

Time is starting to run short before my next vacation, so I'm going to try to power through the end of this 2014 trip report. Yes, I know, this stuff is almost two years old now, but I'll finish what I started!

 

This report is from TPR's free day in New York City, with the final day of the tour (including a trip to Coney Island) immediately following. If you're looking for a bunch of roller coaster pictures, stop reading now, and come back in a few days when that segment is posted. If you're in the mood to follow along on a journey through NYC, enjoy!

 

In fact, I'm not even going to spend time with a long narrative before the pictures -- I'll let the captions tell the story. The four big targets on the trip: Four Freedoms Park, Times Square, Central Park, and Yankee Stadium. Thanks to roommate Zach for joining along on the trip!

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Let's start at the hotel -- our home for a few days in New York. This is the Affinia Dumont.

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Here's a view from a little further away. The Affinia Dumont is the tall red-brick building just left of center. You may notice a more famous building several blocks behind it.

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Here's the view from my desk at the Affinia Dumont. Not bad! What's that off to the north?

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The Chrysler Building -- one of my favorite NYC skyscrapers. What else can we see out the window?

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Look up.

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Look down.

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Look out. Look around. That's the East River in the distance.

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A view toward some of the taller buildings in midtown.

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Which of these is the more typical NYC street scene -- this one, with taxis at a busy intersection...

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...or this one, with a hole in the road so big you could hide several bodies in it?

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Lexington and 34th -- the hotel is just down the block from there.

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Headed out on a walking trip and passing the United Nations HQ.

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If you're looking for your favorite country's flag, they've probably got it here.

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Walking north on 1st Ave on the east side of Manhattan.

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Humble brag? Reluctant acceptance that your pizza is only the best within specific geographic boundaries? I guess you take what you can get.

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Is that a cable car station I see?

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Yes it is -- the Manhattan station of the Roosevelt Island Tramway!

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Here's a view east, where the tram cables lead past the Queensboro Bridge.

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Vehicular traffic crosses over Roosevelt Island on the bridge en route to Queens, and the tram is the best way for pedestrians to get from Manhattan to the island.

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Only one side of the tram was running, so it was a little bit more crowded than it should have been.

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POV shot.

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An "urban canyon" view from the tram car.

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Through the beams of the Queensboro Bridge, that mound of concrete and trees is the next objective -- Four Freedoms Park.

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A view down to Roosevelt Island. It's a very tiny sliver of land in the East River.

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Why did I want to go to Roosevelt Island? Several months before the trip, I spent some time looking at maps of NYC. I saw Roosevelt Island, said "I bet the views are pretty awesome from there," and decided to go. Simple as that.

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Here's the view along 1st Ave to the north.

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Looking north on the East River. The northern tip of Roosevelt Island has a small lighthouse, but I didn't have time to get there.

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Looking back at the east side of Manhattan from the tram.

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Here's a view south under the bridge. The tree-lined road on the right side of the island is the way to get to the southern tip.

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Back on solid ground, and ready to make the walk to the south.

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First, here's a view to the north along the east side of the island. Most of Roosevelt Island is lined with walkways along the water.

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Looking back at the bridge toward Manhattan. What's that thing under the bridge?

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Does this not look like coaster track? As it turns out, it's supposed to! It's a piece of art called the East River Roundabout, designed by Alice Aycock. https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/M108Q1/highlights/12174

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Headed south on Roosevelt Island.

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I guessed right -- the view is pretty great!

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There's the UN building again, with the World Trade Center well in the background.

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Several of Manhattan's most famous buildings are slightly obscured by buildings closer to the water, but most are visible from certain vantage points -- such as the Empire State Building here.

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Plenty of boat traffic to watch as well.

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To get to the southern end of the island, one must pass through Southpoint Park. That wasn't supposed to sound ominous or Tolkien-esque.

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Actually, it's a pretty nice park -- much greener than Four Freedoms park at the end of the island.

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Strecker Memorial Laboratory was built in 1892, and was used as a pathological and bacteriological research facility until the 1950s.

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We've finally reached the entrance to Four Freedoms park, but what's that on the left?

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These old ruins are part of the Renwick Smallpox Hospital.

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In 2014, they were working on stabilizing the ruins, but I'm not sure if the work has been completed.

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So, if you've ever wanted to hang out near a smallpox hospital, this is your place to go!

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Now, back to the reason we came -- Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park. I don't have any particular political inclination here -- just thought it looked like a nice place to visit, and I certainly respect a memorial for a US President.

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Random guy takes in the view.

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Most of Four Freedoms Park is covered in carefully-sculpted concrete, but there are ornamental trees in certain spots.

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Here's the view on the east side of the park, looking into Queens.

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The view to Manhattan remains quite nice.

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Walking along the eastern end of the park, and headed south.

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Wait, what's that up there at the end of the path?

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The giant floating disembodied head of Franklin Delano Roosevelt!

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Several tourists gather to marvel at Roosevelt's disembodied head.

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This is what "four freedoms" refers to. Don't say you never learned anything reading trip reports at TPR.

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The view south from the end of the park.

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Yup, it's a nice view.

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There's the Williamsburg Bridge, connecting Manhattan to Brooklyn.

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The east end of the bridge...

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...and the west end of the bridge.

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Looking over to Queens, brought to you by Pepsi-Cola.

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Long Island City -- or L.I.C. as it's known.

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Now I want a tropical fruit juice drink.

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The island in the distance is known as U Thant Island, named for the former Secretary General of the United Nations. It's said to be the smallest island in New York -- I suppose the little rock in the foreground doesn't count.

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U Thant Island is a bird sanctuary and is closed to the public. It's an artificial island that was created when digging transportation tunnels under the East River.

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Here's the view north along the East River, with a great view of Manhattan.

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Panning south.

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That's 432 Park Avenue, the second tallest building in New York, and the third tallest building in the USA. It was still under construction in summer 2014. I think it's ugly as trash, but whatever.

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Panning south again.

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There's the Chrysler Building again -- still one of the best!

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Finished in 1930, it's an Art Deco masterpiece.

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They just don't make 'em like they used to.

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Panning south yet again for another view of the UN HQ.

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There are workers on top of the dome.

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Yeah, I still like this building also...

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...and it looks pretty crowded up at the top.

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Way down in lower Manhattan, One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere by architectural height. That's nerd-speak for "they cheated with a really big spire."

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Looking north from near the end of Four Freedoms Park.

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A final look at the smallpox hospital ruins.

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See ya later, disembodied Roosevelt head.

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The New York City free day continues...

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Back in Manhattan, tall skyscrapers are everywhere.

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I wanted to check out the NHL store...

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...which was honestly a little disappointing.

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It's small. This is about half the store right here.

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Here's the studio where they shoot some shows for the NHL Network.

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Lots of jerseys, and you can custom-make your own.

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Or, you can buy a bottle opener made from a game-used hockey stick...

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...cuff links made from a game-used hockey puck...

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...and wallet dividers made from a game-used hockey jersey. This stuff is, shall we say, not in my price range.

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Opted to go for a small, hole-in-the-wall place for lunch -- a Cuban restaurant called Margon.

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Rice and beans, Cuban sandwich, pineapple soda -- outstanding. This was definitely more of a "locals" place than a tourist spot.

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But on that note, since we're just a couple blocks from the most touristy spot of all -- hello Disney -- welcome to Times Square.

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Times Square was under construction, which did not help the crowd flow.

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Public art = people burning holes through fences, I guess.

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Glad to see the standard assortment of fully-licensed cartoon characters on the prowl...

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...wait, are they taking their heads off? No!

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No! What is this? I'm going to have nightmares.

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Times Square might be my least favorite part of NYC, but I wanted to capture it on camera, and Zach had never been there. So, here we are at the heart of it all.

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A statue! Legitimate history! Hooray!

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Climbing some bleachers to get a better view over the area.

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The famous ball.

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I've now seen the Times Square ball on August 4, which covers me from ever feeling like I need to see it on January 1.

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Pedestrians and taxis all over the place. It's a wonder more people aren't run over.

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Bike Route? Yeah, good luck.

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No, no, dear goodness no. Make it stop.

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I somehow always run across weddings when I'm walking through major downtown areas. If you know the identity of the happy couple, let 'em know I've got some great pictures I'd love to share.

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This is kind of a famous street.

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Who? I think the real question here is "who the **** goes to New York City and eats at the Olive Garden?"

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Catchin' some rays.

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Hey, is this a call-back?

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It's the return of the famous Hershey smokestacks!

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I did not stop at the NYC version of Chocolate World -- I had my fill a few days before.

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The one that got away.

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On my way out of Times Square and on to Central Park, and no matter how much I look like a tourist in doing so, sometimes I can't help but look up.

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Welcome to Central Park, home of many decorative arch bridges! Maybe you recognize the Greyshot Arch from the movie Cloverfield.

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This one is called the Playmates Arch, but I don't think Hugh Hefner was involved.

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Before this trip, I hadn't realized that Central Park was actually home to many large rock outcroppings like this one.

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Standing on top of the rocks provides some nice views.

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If I remember correctly, I stayed at the Essex House in my first ever visit to NYC in 2000.

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For anyone who's made it this far and is still looking for amusement-related content, here's the Michael Friedsam Memorial Carousel.

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There weren't too many people riding.

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I am well aware that Central Park is also home to a small amusement park called Victorian Gardens, including a kiddie credit. I had almost zero thoughts of going. Too much other stuff to see in NYC. This was my first time ever walking through Central Park, and I thought it was more fun than riding a kiddie coaster.

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The Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, one of the more scenic sections of Central Park.

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Walking underneath the terrace.

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Care for some music?

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Interesting tiles on the roof of the underside of the terrace.

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A closer look at the fountain.

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Central Park has a plethora of waterways, many of which are navigable by rowboat.

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It seems to be one of the more popular ways to spend time in the park.

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The whole park is lined by tall buildings, but it only adds to the view, rather than making it feel confined.

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There's even a small memorial for John Lennon.

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If you've ever been to NYC, you know you don't have to "imagine all the people."

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Another view over the water.

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There are times when it's easy to forget you're in the middle of the most densely-packed major city in the US.

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Then you get a view toward downtown, and remember again.

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Small forest in a big city.

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This is Belvedere Castle, with an observation deck that had closed just minutes before I arrived -- an unfortunate bit of poor timing on my part.

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Belvedere Castle (or Belvedere Tower) is home to the official National Weather Service recording station for Manhattan / Central Park, which might be important to me for some reason.

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The wind measurement equipment is on the main tower -- the rest of the instruments are just a little south of the castle.

Edited by The Great Zo
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The New York City free day concludes...

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The last order of business? Take in a game at Yankee Stadium.

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Though hockey is far and away my favorite sport, I'm good for a few baseball games every year, and love seeing them in stadiums I've never been to before.

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I don't know if I'll ever get to every MLB venue, but I couldn't pass up a chance to go to Yankee Stadium, especially with the Yankees playing against my hometown Detroit Tigers.

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Is this the emblem of a baseball team, or a shadowy communist organization?

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The lower level concourse, which is pretty plain.

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A view over the field from behind the really, really expensive seats. We weren't going to be sitting there.

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See the far top-left section of the upper level? That's where we're headed.

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Section 305 would be our home for a while.

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It's a distant view, but it'll work -- for now.

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What did I think of the stadium? Honestly, it's not a favorite. Despite all the history of the location, it's kind of plain.

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Stadium.

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Subway trains roll right past the outfield seating area.

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Five Flags Over the Bronx.

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A distant view that includes the George Washington Bridge.

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A glance into the Tigers dugout.

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Miguel Cabrera takes the plate.

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Max Scherzer is on the mound (but not with Cabrera batting, of course).

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Flying high.

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Sunset under the famous Yankee Stadium frieze.

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Shadows of arches in the upper deck.

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Bright and orange.

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'Merica.

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OK, back to the field, let's take a walk around the upper level ('cause these seats actually kind of aren't that great).

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A view from a little closer on the first base side.

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The classic shot from behind home plate.

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The upper level concourse, like the lower level concourse, is cramped and devoid of character.

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Seat emblem.

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A view under the frieze from the top of the other end of the stadium.

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A look back to where we came from.

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Dusk falls on Yankee Stadium.

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Still plenty of action left to go.

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So, we settled into these seats -- a little nicer than where we were before, an worth a whole lot more than what we paid to the fine upstanding gentleman across the street from the stadium.

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A panoramic view of Yankee Stadium.

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Down to the Yankees dugout.

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It's a hit...

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...but now the runner is trapped.

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Out.

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The Tigers get ready to bat.

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Eugenio Suarez (now a member of my adopted hometown Cincinnati Reds) slides into second -- and promptly injures himself and is removed from the game.

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Miguel Cabrera puts one in play...

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...but doesn't make it safely to first base.

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Meanwhile, this was 2014, so JeterFest was in full swing.

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So, yay, I got to see Derek Jeter in his final year.

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One last shot of the curved entryway on the way out of the stadium. The Tigers lost to the Yankees by a score of 2-1.

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Our return trip took us through Grand Central Terminal, which is simply a fantastic place for some late-night photography.

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One shot to the left...

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...one shot to the right.

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Even the lighting is interesting.

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Time to exit the terminal and get walking home.

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A sign on the wall. Make sure you get it right -- it's "terminal," not "station" -- or some New Yorker will probably shank you.

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Sponsored by MetLife.

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"Come and meet / those dancing feet." Another world-famous roadway.

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If you like interesting architecture and classic buildings, you can't walk five feet in Manhattan without finding some.

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A random NYC street scene -- taken well after midnight in the city that never sleeps.

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Almost home, and passing the Murray Hill Market just a few steps away from our hotel. They have good deli sandwiches.

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Finally, a long day comes to an end! If you made it this far, congrats. If you didn't, and you're just reading the last caption for fun, I harbor no ill will. There will be plenty of roller coasters in the next update from Coney Island - check back in just a couple days.

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Great update Andy! I have only been to New York once, and it was for less than 24 hours in January of 2015 so I didn't get to see much. I'm going to be there in August so I'm excited to see more of the city and check out Coney Island

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