Trip Report: Beech Bend (Kentucky Rumbler)

[Cameron]

Hi Hi,

 

Well since you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Voyage trip-report, I figured some Kentucky Rumbler love was needed. Not that Voyage doesn't deserve it, it totally does .. but so does Rumbler!

 

I parked at Beech Bend at about 9:15 on Friday morning. My friend Dave arrived about 10 minutes later, and we headed into the park. This was my first visit, and Dave had only been once in February while Rumbler was under construction, so we were both excited to see this park. It's a very nice, very local park with a handful of older (used) rides, and several new ones. Most of the older flat-rides are still mounted on trailers, but it's hidden pretty well and doesn't look bad. The Rumbler is obviously a huge investment for this park, so I'll get on with that.

 

The ride itself really doesn't look like much from the park, but GCI did an outstanding job fitting a lot of track into a small space. This ride is fun, really fun. The layout is intense in that it's full of air, tight turns and there is not a single dull spot throughout the entire course. Even the short run from the station to the lift is interesting, with a few little hills.

 

The top of the lift drops slightly into a really tight, slightly under-banked, 200 degree right turn that just collapses into an air-filled first drop .. it's amazing, and had me laughing every time. From there I have no idea of the layout, as I actually think it changed each time we rode. One thing that remained constant, and really stood out, was a phenomenal hill that gives at least 5 solid seconds air .. front of the train, back of the train, it really doesn't matter.

 

The ride is a whirlwind of turns and air .. The turns are typical for GCI, unltra-smooth and formed/banked to perfection. Between the turns there are little micro-hills that give awesome pops of air, and add to the overall fun nature of the ride.

 

However this ride is more than just turn, air, turn, air, rinse, repeat. Many of the turns include air such that you're popped out of the seat and the train banks around you while you're floating. It's a wonderful sensation, one which I felt for the first time on Cornball Express at Lost Coaster weekend in 2003 (and, oddly, never again on that coaster). Thunderhead does the same thing, and I just can't get enough of it.

 

Another highlight is a long, undulating section of track that wraps around the base of the first turn/drop structure. Sitting in the right-hand seat is very cool, this is probably the first time I've ever experienced "ear-choppers"!

 

Rumbler is a solid A+ ride. It's fast, fun, re-ridable, and with Batman like pacing.

 

Other coasters at the park include a Pinfari Looping Star, which I guess was pretty typical for one of those (never ridden one before). I wouldn't go so far as to say it was painful, but it wasn't a whole lot of fun. There was a good line for it all morning (it went down around noon), and the kids seemed to like it.

 

Beech Bend is also home to a Zamperla spinning mouse, it looks like the exact same model as the one at Six Flags Great America (except the restraints are different). When Dave and I rode we both sat on the same side to maximize the spinning .. it worked! Loads of fun, even though the spinning can get to me at times (that's the point, right?!)

 

They have this amazing old (OLD!) haunted house, in what is apparently one of the only buildings that wasn't replaced when the current owners re-opened the park in the late 80s. You ride in these little two or three seater, individually powered cars, and there are a few moments where it looks like you're going to crash right into a set. Initially it felt like the cars were actually rotating, but I've since learned that it's just the layout of the track. The scenes themselves look reasonably recent, and it's overall a very fun ride. It was Junior High day at the park when we were there, and the kids really loved this ride. Be sure to note the amazing metal spider-web near the entrance.

 

Now I'm not really a flat-ride guy (they make me sick), but there is a ride there called "Scat 2". This thing is NUTS! I can't quite describe the motion with words, but it was pretty severe .. I should have got some video.

 

They have one of those portable drop towers that I've seen a few times at the Lake County Fair in Illinois, but I hadn't ridden. Since I've finally started to make friends with Giant Drop at Great America (I have a mild fear of heights), I decided to join Dave for a ride on this. Unlike the Intamin towers, this one doesn't stop at the top .. It just lifts you s-l-o-w-l-y, and then - WHAM! You're plummeting back down - with no pause, no warning, nothing. It's very effective.

 

The park as a whole is in a nice setting. There's a large pond in the middle (complete with fountain), and plenty of trees. I don't recall any indoor eating location, but there are several trailers and tables scattered about everywhere. Food was never far away.

 

On the whole I liked the park quite a bit. It's still small, but I think they've good a got future ahead of them; especially now with the addition of Rumbler. I can't imagine them not having a huge year, drawing people out of near-by Nashville. They have a small water-park, but I would bet that will be expanding in the next few years (look what it did for Holiday World!).

 

Pictures:

http://www.buzzneon.com/coasters/beech_bend_2006/

 

Cameron.

[SharkTums]

Yeah, we were actually really surprised at how awesome this small little park was! And for a GCI, the ride is full of airtime! If anyone has downloaded the Beech Bend video we put up you'll see the Scat 2 in action. I agree, it's really scary!

[verticalzero]

Your so lucky being able to ride this coaster and the "Voyage" or should it be called " Voyage" .

 

These are the 2 most wanted US coasters I want to ride.