There are three little words that mean more to me than anything else in the world.

“It’s coaster season!”

(what were you expecting?)

The long off season has ended, and I have just come back from my first American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) event of the season….the Spring Conference at Hersheypark and Knoebel’s, in Pennsylvania.

The event was held from May 15-17.  The day before the event, my parents dropped my nieces off at my work (hey, I am not doing Knoebel’s without them-it is their favourite place!). We took off, did the border with little hassle.  I picked up a pay as you go phone in Buffalo (decided it was best to have a cell that works in the USA), and we stopped for dinner at Cracker Barrel… and then we were on our way.

The drive there was something….fog throughout south central NY state as well as north central/central PA.  Very few cars on the road, and even came across a bizarre accident scene that should have looked like it came out of a Halloween attraction (but it didn’t, everyone was fine).  We arrived at our hotel in Harrisburg, PA at 2 AM on the Friday.

7:30 AM rolled around way too quickly for me.  As I reminded my nieces, I did not have the luxury of sleeping the whole way there.  We got ourselves ready and out the door and got to Hersheypark at 9:30 AM.  There, we picked up our registration goodies, and met with my friends from the Negative G coaster board ( http://www.negative-g.com ) , Ken, Mike, and Nick.  We would meet up with another friend, Jeremy, later, and his friend Zach.



No morning ERT session was scheduled, as our arrival time coincided with the opening of the park, so once the gates opened, we ran in to get our fill of rides.

We started off with rides on the first three coasters we saw: Comet, Great Bear, and Superdooperlooper (whoever thought of that name should have their head checked).



We then had a couple trips on the Reese Xtreme Cup challenge-a GREAT shoot-em-up dark ride that pits two cars against each other in the eternal battle for supremacy, that of chocolate lovers vs. peanut butter lovers.  A well done ride!

We then made our way to the back of the park to check out Fahrenheit.




The line was a little too long, so we decided to go back later, and opted to go further back to try out the wild mouse, Lightning Racer, and WildCat.  After having our fill, we went back to wait for Fahrenheit.  Wow…what a ride!  The 97 degree drop just takes your breath away!  A definite must if you ever go there!



We took the time to check out the other attractions at the park, like the Kissing Tower, the monorail (which actually leaves the park and goes downtown), the bumper cars (lame!), the Trailblazer coaster, and so on… and before we knew it, dinner time had rolled around, and so we headed to the pavilion for another ACE tradition… the buffet dinner!



Dinner was alright.  I enjoyed a pulled pork sandwich, pasta salad, and, well, I forget the rest…  Best part of the dinner was when my niece Brittany had her ticket number called for a door prize.  She screamed when her number was called, and went up and collected her prize :  a Hershey gift basket, filled with chocolate (all Hershey brands of course!), plus a mug, a shirt, stuffed toys, and fridge magnets.  She was a happy girl!



After dinner, with the park closed and all the customers swept out, it was time for Exclusive Ride Time (ERT).

First off was a behind the scenes tour of the Reese Xtreme Cup Challenge dark ride.  We got to walk through the whole attraction and see it without all the bells and whistles working.  Very interesting.



After that, it was time for ERT on the three coasters in the front of the park :  Comet, Great Bear, and Superdooperlooper , as well as the Tilt-A-Whirl.

All three are good coasters.  Great Bear is a great inverted coaster with lots of speed and force.  Comet is a classic woodie.  Superdooperlooper, while tame, evokes the charm and talent of its creator (Schwartzkopf).

Hershey also put out a kickass midnight junk food buffet for us… homemade cookies…chips…pretzels….beverages.  I left…full……..

The next morning, we assembled in the tram loop at Hersheypark at 7:30 AM, to be escorted to the rear of the park for morning ERT. 

Things started off at Fahrenheit, which was a nice jolt to wake us up.  Breakfast was provided, and then other attractions in the area opened up for us, like the Howler spin and puke ride, the Claw, the flyers, the wild mouse, WildCat, and Lightning Racer.

I think Lightning Racer became the star of the morning ERT for us.  The ride is a twisted mess of two coaster tracks that provides “pass-bys” or “near misses” on several occasions, as the trains race to the finish.  Katelyn and I took one train, while the boys and Brittany took the other.  I lost track of the amount of rides we got… we were on it for about a half hour!

We finished off ERT on their Music Express.  Once that was done, the park opened, and I asked the girls what else they wanted to do before we left Hersheypark.  Without hesitation, they said they wanted to go on the Reese Xtreme Cup Challenge once again…and so we did.  Oh, did I mention they kept beating me at it?

At that point, we left the park, and went next door to Chocolate World!



This is what you will find in Chocolate World:

A 10 minute ride (free of charge!) that takes you through a fake chocolate factory, showing you how chocolate is made, from the field to the store.





There is also a mini Hershey’s Kiss production line for the kids, a 4-D theatre that is all about chocolate,  a chocolate tasting seminar, a food court that features Hershey products…..and a giant Hershey Store!  Needless to say, the girls went nuts in there!



After about two hours in Chocolate World, we took off.  The girls fell asleep in the car, and 75 minutes later, we were at the second park of the conference, Knoebels.

Those who have been reading this blog over the last few years know that the girls and I LOVE Knoebels.  It is such a throwback to days gone by there, with classic rides not seen anywhere else, inexpensive prices for food...heck, a great selection of food at that…an old game called Fascination that is just not seen in very many places….oh, man I can go on about this place.  Anyways, this was our first time there with ACE, and so we were looking forward to the experience there.

After whetting our appetites with attractions such as the Skooters, Flyers, Looper, and the Phoenix, we were treated to a walkthrough tour of Knoebels’ long term coaster construction project, the Flying Turns.





Now, as you can see, the Flying Turns is a coaster with no track.  When it runs, it will be like a bobsled run, but only on wood.  These coasters were popping up everywhere in the 1920s, but, sadly, the last one was put out of service in the 1960s.  So, with no coaster around to copy, Knoebels has been winging it for the past three years on this coaster, trying to get everything right, and to make the classic ride meet today’s safety standards.  It was supposed to be open for us this year, but they had a structural setback in the late winter, and had to do a major reprofiling of a section of the ride.  They hope to have the ride open later this year…and maybe I will go back next year and be able to finally ride this coaster!

After the tour, we got a few rides in, and then met up for the group photo in front of the Phoenix.  Always a tedious thing to do (it takes about 15 minutes to set up the shot), it is fun to see the photo in ROLLERCOASTER! (the magazine) and look back at a great day.  A few more rides were taken, and then it was off to the pavilion for dinner.

During our buffet dinner, the skies opened up and the thunder and lightning and rain that was promised in the forecast finally came down.  We were expecting a full day of it, and waiting for it to come.  We were also concerned that ERT would be cancelled for the night, as the weather radar showed two fronts coming at us.  Dinner concluded after a talk with Dick Knoebel (owner of the park), and the skies cleared for us just in time.  We were warned of the approaching second front, but it ended up missing us, and we went on to enjoy two hours of ERT on the Skooters (vintage bumper cars), Flyers, Haunted Mansion, and the Twister and Phoenix roller coasters.

We all went for a lap on the Haunted House (ranked the best traditional haunted house in the world by DAFE), before heading over to the Skooters.



The Skooters are ranked as the best bumper cars in America, and I believe it.  The girls and I love them.  The vehicles date to the 1940s, and are made of metal.  When you hit someone, you HIT them HARD.  With practise, you can also make people spin out.  We got a few rides on them, and then us guys left, and the girls stayed behind, as all they wanted to do was ride the Skooters.

We went off and rode the Flyers (best ones out there!).  Major cable snapping  going on, despite pleas from the ACE president to take it easy on the ride.  You just can’t help it!  We also got several rides in on the Twister, which ran very well after the rainstorm, providing airtime not normally seen on the ride.

We went back and joined the girls on the skooters after some time on the haunted house again, and before long we talked them into joining us for some time on the Phoenix.





Now, the Phoenix has been revered by enthusiasts for ages, and, while I have always thought it was a good coaster, I never saw the greatness in it.  Well, ladies and gentlemen, after an evening of rain, I got to experience my best rides ever on the Phoenix.  Wow…the airtime was phenomenal!  All of us had a great time, and we easily got ten rides apiece during the final half hour of ERT.  The atmosphere was electric, with hand slaps not only coming from the ride operators, but also occurring at the point where the lift hill climbs directly next to the station.  Pure happiness!



We made our way to our hotel, the Super 8 in Mifflinville, PA, which has to be one of the nicer Super 8’s we have been to, despite the initial outside appearance.  Washrooms that look similar to ones found at home, and a flat screen TV greeted us.  Anyways, we were there only to sleep, and that we did until our wakeup and return to Knoebels in the morning for ERT that begun at 10 AM.

We get there, get our hand stamps, and the girls immediately want to go to the Skooters.  It was a lot cooler, so everyone (but me of course!) had their jackets on, and I kept hearing comments about how good the girls were on the Skooters. 

After about an hour, we decided to hit up the Phoenix for some more ERT, followed by the Twister.  



ERT finished up at noon when the park opened.    With the weather having cooled down, and it being Sunday, the park was not busy at all for the day, and we rarely had more than a one-cycle wait for anything.  Later, after having dinner at the Alamo (a restaurant so good that people go to the park just to eat there), and getting last rides on the Flyers and Skooters (a tradition, having last rides for the day on that one), the event was over.



From there, the girls and I drove north to Rochester, NY (a 4 hour drive), to get to our hotel for the night, and then the next day to Niagara Falls, NY, where the girls could participate in their favourite sport….. Outlet Mall shopping!  After that, we headed home, where I promptly crashed………

And, to think, I plan on doing this on a grander scale in 3 weeks, at Coaster Con!

As I told a girl at work today….. I really must love my nieces a lot.

Now, I enjoy spending spending time with them… I mean, hey, look at the trips I take with them.  However, this past Friday, I subjected myself to the Girl Zone.

I took off first thing in the morning, and went to my parents place.  Had lunch, and took off with my nieces.  We then picked up two of their friends, and headed to Toronto… to go to the Vaughan Mills mall.

Yes, me and FOUR sixteen year olds in a mall that has been specifically designed with women’s tastes in mind.  There is one store at the end of the rectangular-shaped mall that caters to the husbands and chaperones -- the Bass Pro shop -- the rest of the mega mall caters to women.

So, I suffered in the mall for about 2 ½ hours.  I walked around, girl watched (that there is reason alone for me to go there!), and even popped into the HMV store.  When asked if I wanted some help, I said no, I am browsing while four teenage girls do their shopping.  The sales help smiled and looked at me knowingly.

Why do I do it?  Well, yes I love my nieces a lot.  They also live in the middle of nowhere, and do not get to do the whole “mall crawl” with their friends at all.  It is an important social experience for them and their friends (who all know me).  I enjoy watching their excited smiles as they shop around.  And I know that they appreciate the experience.

It also gives them an opportunity to indulge in some fast food (Taco Bell for them), something that they rarely have.  It also gives me a reason to indulge in that, too… I rarely eat that stuff, too.

So, once dinner was over with…. We headed across the street to go to Canada’s Wonderland to open the 2009 season at 6:00 pm for Season Passholder’s Night.

Now, last year, this night was held on a picture perfect night, and it was the first day of operation for Behemoth, their new roller coaster.  It was a madhouse… like going to the park on a summer Saturday.  Behemoth had  a 2-3 hour wait at one point, even with three train operation.

This year, there was the threat of rain (which never materialized there, but my parents say they got it), and no new attraction.  As a result of that (and perhaps the crappy economy), the park was dead.  Using the skills I have picked up from years of park hopping with ACE, I figured that there was maybe 2000 people maximum there.

Behemoth had the longest line, at just under 10 minutes.  Now, one would think that I would marathon that ride under these circumstances, as I truly love the ride.  However, I was there with the 4 girls, and they wanted to do as much as they could in the 4 hours we had there (yes, a short night)…. And every other attraction was a walk-on.  Hard to argue with that.

Lets see if I can tally up a score:

Once:

Behemoth
Flight Deck
Psyclone
Sledgehammer
Dragon Fire
Spinnovator
KrachenWagen
NightMares
Vortex
Caroussel


Twice:

The Fly
Wild Beast
Mighty Canadian Minebuster


Not bad… when you take out the time that we spent having funnel cakes, and bathroom breaks (man, girls have to pee a lot!), we probably averaged a ride every ten minutes.

It was great having the run of the park… no stress of having to wait an hour for a mediocre ride.  No listening to the girls whine about waiting (I have really spoiled them with the ERT sessions with ACE).  Just a night of fun.

Summer has arrived!

A little humour for the weekend:


more fail, owned and pwned pics and videos

Holy smokes!  I just realized it has been over 2 months since I have written anything here…..

I have always wanted to sit down and collect my thoughts, but when push came to shove, the motivation has not been there. Even going to three Bryan Adams concerts in March couldn’t do it.

Yeah, those concerts kicked ass.  I had 9th row in Hamilton, front row in Barrie, and crappy 20th row in London.  I got to hang out with all my Adams friends, and even met some lovely ladies who came all the way from Europe to see him!  And, of course, Adams rocked our world.  It is kind of a shame that he will be touring without the band for the rest of the year.  As much as I like the acoustic gigs, the full band gigs are still the best.  That said, if he feels that he needs to revitalize himself by going on the road with nothing but a guitar slung over his shoulder, more power to him.  I look forward to seeing a couple more acoustic gigs in August.

Anyways, that was over a month ago… and I have just gotten around to writing a short blurb about it now.  There has been lots going on, yet on one hand it is worthy to mention, and on the other hand it is not worthy.  I guess you can say that I have been moody! I just have not felt like writing….

One bright thing on the horizon is that my official start to summer is next week.  Next Friday, my nieces and I (and 2 of their friends) will be making the trek to Canada’s Wonderland (the local amusement park) for Season Pass Holder’s Night … a tradition of sorts for us.  We will mark the beginning of summer by riding a few roller coasters, including their new addition for last year, Behemoth.  And with that, joy will return to my life for yet another season.

Two weeks after that, we hit ACE’s Spring Con, to really kick the summer into gear….and, with that, I think you be seeing a lot more of me here, again…..

Ok, so I have been home from Florida for two weeks now, and I haven’t written about it…..

Well, that is what happens when you go to work for nine days straight coming out of vacation.  It saps the life out of you, and you end up not wanting to do much at all with what little free time you have.

So, how was it?  Great, of course!  Had a lot of seafood, went to see the alligators in the Everglades, rode a roller coaster (the Dania Beach Hurricane,  *le sigh*), even caught up with Ang from NYC!  Spent a lot of time with my buddy there, just hanging about… which is all it really is about for me.  Visiting the beach, the coaster, all that is nice, but I am there because of my friend…… and we had a great time together.  Always sad to leave!

So, I get home, and promptly go back to work for a 9 day stretch!  Yuk!  It was not supposed to be that way, but someone got injured and I filled in.  Such a nice guy I am!  I ended up working 9 out of 10 days.  By the end of it, on the last day, I had a member yelling and screaming and swearing at me because I chose to defend one of my employees. I gave it back to her (minus the yelling and swearing)….. No one does that to me, ever…. And when I have to be up at 6 am on a Saturday, after working so long, I am not going to roll over and take it up the ass.  The end result, was, of course, in my favour J.

So, I go up north to my parents place for the weekend.  Of course, my mother steers the conversation towards me and girlfriends and marriage.  So, I tell my mother that I doubt if I will ever get married.  She didn’t seem surprised.  I think my parents have been preparing themselves for that one.  I have not let them in too much on my relationship failures, but I have offered some nuggets here and there, if only because I have to explain why they will never see a particular girl again.  My mother did say that I am probably better off happy and single, rather than miserable in marriage.  And, she is right.

I look at what was probably my closest chance to getting married, and that was Shannon.  I say that, because I went as far as to go shopping for a ring.  Never bought one though *whew*.  Looking back, I saw the signs that she was a troubled person early on in the relationship.  Things that I overlooked the first time around, I can now say were signs.  And, then there was the matter of the final 4 ½ months of the relationship, when she decided to take out all of the things her ex’s did to her, on me.  She was really cracking under the stress of it all, and showed me how poorly she handled crisis.  I can’t really put it into words to properly describe it and what happened…lets just say it was one of the worst times of my life and I was lucky to escape with my sanity.  I look back at the experience, and I think to myself…wow, I really dodged a bullet there.  If I married her, I would be miserable!

Anyways, that is only an example.  I know not all women are nut jobs.  I am just saying I am happy with the way life is at the moment, that is all.

Now, watch her find this blog, and write to me, bitching to me about it.  Bring it on! Hahaha……

So, anyways, the other topic of discussion while I was there, was of me taking my nieces away with me this May, for a long weekend trip.  This will be for our coaster club’s (ACE) Spring Preservation Conference.  This year, the Spring Con (the preservation part got added, as there will not be a separate one this summer) is in Pennsylvania, at two lovely parks, Hersheypark, and Knoebels.

Hersheypark is a nice, large, if somewhat corporate park.  I was last there 4 years ago… ironically during my birthday week, when I should have been with Shannon, but she cancelled it on me, so I decided on a coaster trip by myself.  Anyways, they have some great coasters there, and we get ERT (exclusive ride time) on most of them.

Not to mention, there is a lot of chocolate there ;-)

Now, as for Knoebels, long time readers of this blog know that the girls and I LOVE that place.  It is a very traditional park, with lots of charm.  The girls and I always have a great time there.  Now, we get to enjoy the park with ACE for the first time.  I showed the girls the schedule (it came out last week).  There is a total of FOUR hours of ERT on their favourite ride there… the Skooters.  The Skooters are Knoebels’ 1940’s vintage bumper cars that have been rated the best in the world.  They are amazing!  Anyways, the girls nearly shit their pants when they saw the four hours of ERT.  That got them really excited for the trip.  As for me, I will enjoy the Skooters, too, but I will also enjoy ERT on their coasters, and the Haunted Mansion (best traditional one in America!)….

Ah…………  May is still so long away…… but I have something to look forward to!

Until next time……..

Random notes....


I watched the highlights of the USA presidential inauguration today while I was at work.  I must say, I was deeply touched by it.  I watched on TV as people did everything humanly possible to attend what was indeed a historical day.  People had tears in their eyes.  Not just African-Americans, even white people did too.  It was something.

I must say, I really hope this man can live up to the hype.  I like the way he talks.  The man actually has a brain, which is more than Dubya ever had.  He seems like the kind of man who can be your best friend one moment, and then lead the world the next.

Congratulations, America, from your northern neighbour, for not only shattering the glass ceiling, but trucking away what was left of it, and disposing it.

******************************************************************

Work has been up and down lately, although I would say more up these days.  Still, the post-holiday season, while a relief from the insanity of Christmas, is a reminder that not only are we back to business as usual, but, with the economy on its way to the craphouse (we are not as bad here as in the USA, but we are watching it to see if it goes that way), we are a little stressed.

Anyways, I had a little incident today that kind of made me feel good.

I am already walking towards the front door when I hear a call for first aid in the lobby.  I take the call, and I see there is an elderly lady in distress, along with her friend.

I call for some help, and when it comes, we lead the ladies into a warmer area.  My friend writes the report while I do the first aid.

The lady had made a face-plant in our parking lot when she tripped on a pot-hole (which are common this time of year).  She banged up her nose, lip, and her knee.  I cleaned and dressed everything up, chatting with her along the way.  She was such a sweet lady, so I really enjoyed helping her.

When i was done, we sent her on her way, and i had a warm and fuzzy feeling for helping a nice little old lady in her time of distress.  The simple things make me happy sometimes.

Well, it didn't end there.  The lady decided to call my boss later to compliment me.  I was all "aww shucks", and my day ended with me on a happy note.

Too bad that can't happen every day, eh???

********************************************************************

Well, guess what guys?

I am out of here.... again!

This Saturday I head south.  I don't mind the cold and snow (and we have had a lot of both this year!), but even I can appreciate some 27C goodness right about now.

And, I have a roller coaster itch that I REALLY need to scratch......

So, I will be off to Florida for the next little while, suffering under the palm trees with my mojitos, while my friends and co-workers toil happily in the lovely frozen north.

It is a sacrifice I must make.

See ya!

So, here we are…. Another new year.  2009.…….

Any of you have hangovers?  Not me, I seem to be immune to them.  I also don’t drink the way I used to.  I don’t need alcohol to make a spectacle of myself!

I actually did not have any plans for New Years’ Eve.  My friends were all busy with their families and whatnot.  I did consider going to Ottawa, to attend Cherry Suede’s bash, but I decided that it wasn’t worth my time, considering how unpredictable the weather can be this time of year driving out that way.

My friends did call me at 7:30 last night, saying they had cancelled their plans, and did I want to join them for a night out?  Sure….

So we met up at a place called Hoops for dinner (not bad for a sports bar..) before making our way over to a little place called Ben Wicks’ (yes, named for the late cartoonist, as he was the original owner).  We walk in, and meet up with a couple more friends of ours.  I look around, and quickly realized we were the youngest people in this bar… and we are all in the 38-42 year age bracket.  Yikes!

But, we made the best of it, and we ended up showing the oldtimers how us young’uns party.   I had at least one MILF continually grabbing me… but… hey, you guys know me, I go for younger, not older…..but it was all fun…

We actually ended up staying there until almost 3 AM… so I guess we did well J

So, now I am here, at home, late afternoon, I have not gotten dressed yet, nor do I have the will to.  I am looking ahead at 2009 with anticipation.   I see good things on the horizon.  I see trips -- Florida in 3 weeks!-- , new coasters to ride, and new opportunities.  I am actually excited about some of them, and if they pan out, you will hear about it here ;-)

Happy New Year, everyone!

For those interested, this is what happened the other night at my place.  First, the story from the Toronto Star, then my own commentary.....

********************


Precious Yutangco

Staff Reporter

The
province's Special Investigations Unit has been called after police in
Mississauga allegedly shot a man to death this morning.

Around 1
a.m., a woman called 9-1-1 after a man living on the fifth floor of
their apartment building at (edited out the location). had been yelling and throwing
objects over his balcony to the parking lot below.

Police responded to the Hwy. 10 and Lakeshore Rd. E. residence almost immediately.

"There
was a confrontation with police in the hallway by the stairwell," said
SIU spokesperson John Yoannou. "It was there that the man was fatally
shot."

The SIU was immediately called in.

The man has been identified as Gregory Moynagh, 25, of Mississauga.

"He
did not live (in that apartment)," Yoannou said. "That's his mother's
apartment. She was not home at the time of the shooting."

An autopsy will be conducted tomorrow.

A forensic team and a handful of investigators are still probing the scene.

Two knives were found in the hall where the shooting occurred.

Before
2 a.m. this morning, a resident on the same floor where the shooting
happened, said he was jolted out of bed by a loud noise.

"I woke up and I didn't know what woke me up. I guess it was the gunshot," said the man, who asked to remain anonymous.

He said he had just recently moved to the building and did not know the family personally.

He said police have yet to come by his apartment to ask him about what he heard.

No one else was injured during the incident.

Anyone who may have witnessed the shooting or may have any other information is asked to call the SIU at 416-622-1957.

The
SIU is a police watchdog that conducts criminal investigations in
serious cases that involve a civilian and an officer, especially if it
results in serious injury or death.

********************

Ok, so all of this happened DIRECTLY above me.  I can leave my home, turn, and go up the stairs and be at the scene in 15 seconds.  That is, if the police would let me, as the area is cordoned off and guarded.

I was listening to CFRB 1010 this morning, and this was the topic of dicussion this morning.  Some callers were critical of the police shooting this man.  Holy shit!  The host (and i agree with him) said that if you are swinging two knives at a police officer, and he tells you to drop them, THEN YOU DROP THEM IMMEDIATELY.  The officer was completely right to shoot the man.  He was probably fearing for his own life.  I hope the SIU  sees it the same way.

I am still in shock over all this.  My area is nice and quiet... dare I say on the edge of becoming "hip".  Nothing like this ever happens here.  And now my building is all over the news (yes I have seen this on tv!).

More on this as I learn more.....

It's 1:40 am and I should be in bed.  I have to be up in about 6 hours for another day of pre-Christmas fun at work.

I was about to fall asleep when...

BANG!!!!!!

I am not sure where the noise came from... but, as I live in a building, there is quite a few places where it could have come from.

Five minutes later, the police arrive.  TEN cars.  And an ambulance.

I, being awake now and curious, put on my clothes and go to the lobby, where the building manager, and several poice are hanging out.  I talk to the manager for a few minutes, but then the order comes in from whoever is in charge that we (there was another curious onlooker) had to go back to our homes NOW.

I actually got a police escort, as apparently I live right under the crime scene.  Directly.

Nice......

So, now I am wide awake, but I can't go out..... and wondering what the hell is happening in my quiet building.....

So, it looks like I will be spending the night listening to the police on their radios, as they crawl all over the place......


EDIT @ 1:53 AM :  now the TV stations are here..... nice............. :-(