And what did he have to say?25 Haziran 2012 Pazartesi
Donovan silent as questions mount
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With his congressional campaign's finance director under arrest and his political career on the line, House Speaker Chris Donovan finally agreed to speak up Sunday. And what did he have to say? Basically, nothing. The Meriden lawmaker refused to discuss everything about the investigation, claiming that legal limitations made it impossible for him to address the only thing anyone really wants to hear about. And this man wants to be in the U.S. Congress? Donovan insisted only that he did no wrong -- falling back on the "trust me" defense of every scoundrel who ever found himself suddenly confronted by the law. He may not be guilty, but Donovan's certainly not innocent. Innocent men don't stand aside, mum, while aides shush them on every serious question. No, innocent men tell everything they know until every question is answered. While he stands aside as if he had nothing much to do with it all, Donovan's chances of getting elected to Congress are shrinking rapidly. After all, we already have every reason to suspect that at the very least the people he hired have once again disgraced Connecticut and put the state's political system under a cloud. Is there no end to the willingness of cheap, dirty men to pollute our politics for such paltry pickings? How come the thing Connecticut's politicians seem to do best is to keep prosecutors busy?
Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
And what did he have to say?
Renaissance lays out plans for mall site
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The firstphase of the proposed revitalization of the former mall site includesconstruction of new residential and commercial buildings on Main Street, a125-room boutique hotel and a piazza that aims to become a “central gatheringplace for Bristol’s downtown offerings.”
To read a PDF of the 30-page zoning application submitted by Renaissance Downtowns, click here.
Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
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| Renderings of possible design for major buildings |
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| Phase 1 |
The firstphase of the proposed revitalization of the former mall site includesconstruction of new residential and commercial buildings on Main Street, a125-room boutique hotel and a piazza that aims to become a “central gatheringplace for Bristol’s downtown offerings.”
Early Turkey Season Observation: Less Gobbling
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I spent 3 days in the woods during the first week of the 2010 Connecticut spring turkey season. One observation I made is that there is less gobbling than normal so far in 2010. I don’t mean that the turkeys are not there. What I mean is that turkeys that are there are tending to keep quiet. I have heard some gobbles. I heard one respond to an owl call at first light. I also had one reluctantly respond to some blind calling I was doing. However, in general, gobbling seems to be down. This makes it more difficult to locate turkeys.
Consider this example:
One recent morning, I spotted a gobbler in a field. He was following a hen moving down the field, so I set up some 500 yards or so down field and made some soft calls. I called to this gobbler for 2 ½ hours as he slowly made his way down to my area. During this time he strutted, flapped his wings, bobbed his head, and did everything short of a ballroom dance, but at no time did he gobble. We spent 2 ½ hours calling and strutting and not one gobble. I ended up not bagging this gobbler, but when I got up to collect my decoys, I say another tom that was just out of my sight over the other side of a small hill. He was also coming to my stand without a single gobble.
I’m not sure why I’m observing less gobbling. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that the season started one week earlier than in past years. Perhaps the weather patterns have something to do with it. Regardless of the reason, this has added another level of challenge to my turkey hunting in 2010. Keep your eyes open.
Consider this example:
One recent morning, I spotted a gobbler in a field. He was following a hen moving down the field, so I set up some 500 yards or so down field and made some soft calls. I called to this gobbler for 2 ½ hours as he slowly made his way down to my area. During this time he strutted, flapped his wings, bobbed his head, and did everything short of a ballroom dance, but at no time did he gobble. We spent 2 ½ hours calling and strutting and not one gobble. I ended up not bagging this gobbler, but when I got up to collect my decoys, I say another tom that was just out of my sight over the other side of a small hill. He was also coming to my stand without a single gobble.
I’m not sure why I’m observing less gobbling. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that the season started one week earlier than in past years. Perhaps the weather patterns have something to do with it. Regardless of the reason, this has added another level of challenge to my turkey hunting in 2010. Keep your eyes open.
Turkey Hunting Tip #6: Use Decoys to Estimate Distance
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I missed a turkey this spring because I underestimated how far he was from my position. Unfortunately for me, since this bird was in an open field I did not have the luxury of setting up decoys, or pacing off some landmarks to help estimate distance. However, if possible, it’s a good idea to pace off some landmarks from your set up spot to help you estimate distance when that tom comes strutting in. Even with turkey loads, it’s my recommendation that you want your bird to be within 40 yards before taking a shot. If no easy landmarks are available, use your decoys to help estimate distance. After setting up your decoys, be sure to count the paces back to where you are sitting. I like to have my decoys about 20 yards from my position, but depending on circumstances I may have them from 15 to 25 yards away. Knowing the distance from your decoys can be useful to help you estimate your distance before taking that shot. Good luck.
Turkey Hunting Tip #7: Patience
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Saying that hunting requires patience is certainly not some great new revelation. Every one who has ever spent any significant time hunting any game animal knows that patience is a key requirement for a successful hunter. It’s perhaps a seemingly obvious statement to say that hunting requires patience. However, it’s so fundamental to successful hunting that it is worth repeating.
Before the game at a professional sporting event what do you see? You see some of the most skilled players in the world working on their fundamentals. You see them practicing some of the same drills that are done by young kids just starting out in sports. Even though these people are the best in the world at what they do, and they play nearly every day, they still work on their fundamentals. Additionally, when you see a mistake or error, more often than not it’s due to breakdown in some of the basic fundamental skills rather than some high-level skill. If you watch baseball games regularly, you will eventually see an infielder misplay an otherwise routine ground ball. Often the reason for this misplay is that the infielder does not square his body to the ball and get in front of it. He might get a little lackadaisical and try to play it to the side, or maybe take his eye off the ball for a split second. These are lessons that this Major League infielder learned as a 5-year old in little league baseball. Yet, these are still areas that have room for improvement. This is how developing the skill of patience is to a hunter. Every experienced hunter knows they need to be patient, but it’s a skill that is never totally mastered, and must be worked on constantly.
I would not consider myself an old-timer, but I have significant experience in the woods. Even still, when the excitement of the hunt is underway, I struggle to maintain my patience. On one recent turkey hunt I displayed great patience, and over eagerness all at the same time. I spend 2 ½ hours calling a tom across a large field. That 2 ½ hours included about 45 minutes in which the tom was behind some grasses and bushes where I could not see him, and since he was not gobbling I could not hear him either. I displayed great patience to sit with the turkey close by, but having no confirmation either visually or audibly of his presence. Of course, during those 45 minutes I was questioning myself. I was questioning whether sitting tight was the right move (or non-move in this case). I was questioning whether the tom was still there, or had he ducked into the woods. I was questioning whether he had moved to an adjacent field, and by waiting I was missing my chance. All these things went through my mind, but I knew that by sitting tight, regardless of how difficult that might be under those circumstances, I had the best chance to land the bird. Yes, he may have ducked into the woods, but if that was the case there was nothing moving from my location would have done. However, if he did happen to still be there, moving would have certainly given away my position and that turkey would have ran off like the road runner in the cartoons. Turns out, I sat tight, and eventually that turkey made his way towards the middle of the field where I was able to see him. Turkeys have a different sense of time than humans. He was on turkey time, taking his sweet time, not human time. Now, that was my example of patience. In that same hunt I was also over eager. When the turkey got close to my position, I started getting nervous that he would duck into the woods, and I fired earlier than I should have. I underestimated my distance and the turkey was out of range. I should have held my position and waited for him to get closer. Yes, he may have ducked into the woods, but by waiting I would have given myself some chance to better my position. As it turned out, I fired and put myself in a situation in which I had no chance of getting the bird. If I had waited, perhaps I had a 50% chance of him ducking into the woods, and a 50% chance of him coming closer within range. Even though it was a coin flip, it was still significantly better than the 0% move I made by firing too early. The fact that I was so patient earlier in the hunt, made it that much more infuriating that I was not patient later in the hunt. Many swear words were spoken to myself after blowing it with that bird.
Patience is sometimes difficult to execute in the field when your heart is thumping. It’s a hunting skill that’s developed over time. Using patience will help you play the percentages, and make you a better hunter.
Before the game at a professional sporting event what do you see? You see some of the most skilled players in the world working on their fundamentals. You see them practicing some of the same drills that are done by young kids just starting out in sports. Even though these people are the best in the world at what they do, and they play nearly every day, they still work on their fundamentals. Additionally, when you see a mistake or error, more often than not it’s due to breakdown in some of the basic fundamental skills rather than some high-level skill. If you watch baseball games regularly, you will eventually see an infielder misplay an otherwise routine ground ball. Often the reason for this misplay is that the infielder does not square his body to the ball and get in front of it. He might get a little lackadaisical and try to play it to the side, or maybe take his eye off the ball for a split second. These are lessons that this Major League infielder learned as a 5-year old in little league baseball. Yet, these are still areas that have room for improvement. This is how developing the skill of patience is to a hunter. Every experienced hunter knows they need to be patient, but it’s a skill that is never totally mastered, and must be worked on constantly.
I would not consider myself an old-timer, but I have significant experience in the woods. Even still, when the excitement of the hunt is underway, I struggle to maintain my patience. On one recent turkey hunt I displayed great patience, and over eagerness all at the same time. I spend 2 ½ hours calling a tom across a large field. That 2 ½ hours included about 45 minutes in which the tom was behind some grasses and bushes where I could not see him, and since he was not gobbling I could not hear him either. I displayed great patience to sit with the turkey close by, but having no confirmation either visually or audibly of his presence. Of course, during those 45 minutes I was questioning myself. I was questioning whether sitting tight was the right move (or non-move in this case). I was questioning whether the tom was still there, or had he ducked into the woods. I was questioning whether he had moved to an adjacent field, and by waiting I was missing my chance. All these things went through my mind, but I knew that by sitting tight, regardless of how difficult that might be under those circumstances, I had the best chance to land the bird. Yes, he may have ducked into the woods, but if that was the case there was nothing moving from my location would have done. However, if he did happen to still be there, moving would have certainly given away my position and that turkey would have ran off like the road runner in the cartoons. Turns out, I sat tight, and eventually that turkey made his way towards the middle of the field where I was able to see him. Turkeys have a different sense of time than humans. He was on turkey time, taking his sweet time, not human time. Now, that was my example of patience. In that same hunt I was also over eager. When the turkey got close to my position, I started getting nervous that he would duck into the woods, and I fired earlier than I should have. I underestimated my distance and the turkey was out of range. I should have held my position and waited for him to get closer. Yes, he may have ducked into the woods, but by waiting I would have given myself some chance to better my position. As it turned out, I fired and put myself in a situation in which I had no chance of getting the bird. If I had waited, perhaps I had a 50% chance of him ducking into the woods, and a 50% chance of him coming closer within range. Even though it was a coin flip, it was still significantly better than the 0% move I made by firing too early. The fact that I was so patient earlier in the hunt, made it that much more infuriating that I was not patient later in the hunt. Many swear words were spoken to myself after blowing it with that bird.
Patience is sometimes difficult to execute in the field when your heart is thumping. It’s a hunting skill that’s developed over time. Using patience will help you play the percentages, and make you a better hunter.
24 Haziran 2012 Pazar
Review: X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain (CA)
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The ceremony is about to begin! Let me say that if you have ridden the original X but have not been back to Magic Mountain for the upgraded X2, you are missing one of the best rides in the world.
The ceremony is about to begin! Let me say that if you have ridden the original X but have not been back to Magic Mountain for the upgraded X2, you are missing one of the best rides in the world.
Back in 2006, I took my first trip to California in 7 years and visited a number of theme parks with Magic Mountain being the primary destination. I enjoyed X a great deal as it was totally unlike any coaster I had ridden. However, at the time I was probably around only 50 coasters total so I did not recognize how unique X truly was. I ranked it an 8 and left it out of my Top 20.
Fast forward to February of 2009. After a very disappointing day at Knotts with both Ghostrider and Xcelerator not running, we were hoping for a little more fun at a park I had not had very good experiences at. Magic Mountain had always been crowded with many of the rides down. Not this time. The lines were non-existent, all the coasters were running and X had been upgraded to one of the best coasters in the world.
When riding X2, you get an entire sensory experience. The huge flat screen in the station, the dual loading X cars, the creepy soundtrack (hence the first line of this review) in the station as well, and the fast loading ride ops. All of these things set the mood for the ride experience that is about to come. Once you are loaded (I prefer the inside seat since it seems a little smoother), the sound system begins with a wide range of music starting with Harry Connick (I think) and randomly jumping to artists that vary from Metallica to the Beastie Boys. The experience is totally indescribable.
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I will suggest the front seat which gives you an unimpeded view of the 90 degree 200 foot drop at the beginning while going down face first. That is one of the best first drops on any coaster ever. After that, the ride is completely crazy with a total of 3 inversions (I think), a fire element toward the end, and a completely warped ride experience. We were lucky enough to get in 10 rides (yep 10) with the last 9 without having to even leave the station. I have heard that lines are normally in the 2-3 hours range so I believe we hit it on a good day. The ops were not making us walk around the station since the lines were so short. We had a blast riding X2 however we did run into a problem after about 6 laps. We started hurting.
That’s right, pain became a problem. My back and head were both killing me as well as my neck and shoulders. This is not a coaster that people (my age at least) can continually loop. The intensity of the ride makes it great fun for a couple of laps. And despite the ride being smooth, the elements simply make it a coaster that pushes the limits to what a human body can take. From now on, I will be satisfied with a couple of laps each trip.
As it is, X2 scores a 9 and ranks # 11 on my list of all time favorite coasters. It is unique and offers an unparalleled experience. It is without a doubt a destination coaster that no enthusiast should miss. And now, about Tatsu……….
Diamondback - Kings Island (5-2-2009)
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I made it!! A weekend that had been placed on my calendar 6 months in advance finally came to fruition and was totally perfect.
I made it!! A weekend that had been placed on my calendar 6 months in advance finally came to fruition and was totally perfect.
While riding the newest B and M hyper coaster at the location of one my Top 20 (The Beast) coasters was the main goal of my weekend, I did have a little other unfinished business in the city of Cincinnati: setting a marathon P.R. at the Flying Pig Marathon which is one of the top ranked marathons in the world. My plan was to drive up Friday night, visit King's Island and ride Diamondback on Saturday morning, pick up my running packet and some race gear on Saturday evening, run the race on Sunday morning under 3 hours 50 minutes and make it back home that night in order to sleep and head to school the next morning. Everything worked out perfect.
Now, you are not here to read how I ran a 3:45:47 crushing my P.R. by over 7 minutes, or the great pasta dinner the night before hanging out in downtown Cincy listening to a live band and stuffing my face with carbs for energy the next morning. You want to hear about Diamondback and I will do my best to describe the experience.
To begin with, I really want this to be a good review since I can find virtually nothing detailed so far about this coaster online. If you are interested in making a trip to visit KI, then maybe this will give you some information you can't get anywhere else. If so, tell your friends about the site. Our readership is growing but we are still looking for more activity from enthusiasts like YOU!
Now, on to the coaster. Getting straight to the nuts and bolts, Diamondback scores a solid 9 just like every other B and M hyper I have ever ridden. It has some positives as well as some negatives which are basically divided up into the two halves of the coaster itself. The first half is impeccable. I think the first drop is the best on any B and M coaster. You exit the station and go straight up the lift hill ala Millennium Force but not nearly as quick. The drop is steep and fast and leads into two other unbelievable airtime hills before hitting the hammerhead. The third hill is the best as I counted 8 seconds of airtime on that hill alone. Due to the speed of the train, the hammerhead turnaround seems to be more forceful than the one on Nitro. It is here however, that Diamondback begins slithering toward mediocrity.
When leaving the hammerhead and heading up the next hill, a trim brake kicks in which slows the train noticeably. There is no airtime whatsoever leading all the way up to where the mid-course brake kicks in which brings the train to almost a complete stop. The drop off the mid-course brake area is well below average and leads into another hill and helix before the splash down which is simply another way of slowing the train before cresting the final hill and hitting the final brake run. If you were counting, that is four brake runs in the last half of the ride which totally kills any momentum the first half had built up.
If you are an OCD coaster enthusiast (which I define as having ridden or being dragged along on over 100 coasters) you will probably be disappointed with Diamondback. The general public however, totally loves the ride as it is like nothing in Ohio with its smoothness and perfect first half. If visiting, take advantage of the single rider line which is run perfectly. I was able to get 5 rides in an hour while the normal line seemed to be about a 45-60 minute wait if not longer. The station crew was doing an excellent job of running all three trains so this thing is a people eater. The new open air trains (identical to Behemoth) are an advantage as I was able to get two second row (which are actually the same as front row) seats plus three rides somewhere in the middle. As a single rider you do not get to pick your seat but the shorter wait time is well worth it. I never got near the back but some people said you actually get wet back there on the splash down. I can neither confirm nor contradict that but I did not see anyone get off the train wet.
In conclusion, despite the negatives King's Island is now a destination park. With a world class woodie, a flying coaster, a launch coaster, an underrated sit-down looper, a racer, and the worlds tallest and fastest woodie added to this hyper coaster, it is a park to visit for an entire day or more. If you are on your way to Cedar Point from the south, do not forget to stop in on your way to visit this park. It will be well worth your time.
Final Rating - A solid 9.
Tatsu - Six Flags Magic Mountain - CA
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This is a different kind of roller coaster.
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This is a different kind of roller coaster.
Tatsu is without a doubt, the most intense flying coaster ever created. It is far from the standard B and M model they have used at numerous Six Flags parks around the country. This is one of the most creative coasters on the planet and is a definite "can't miss" ride for any enthusiasts.
Having said all of that, let me now say this. Tatsu is not one of my favorite coasters. I totally respect the unique elements and creativity that went into this monster, but I still prefer to sit in my coaster trains, not fly. I like the feeling of airtime more than inversions and in a flying coaster, the inversions are what make them special.
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I have three laps on Tatsu with hopefully a few more coming up in October. This past February, the station was virtually empty so we could have ridden it as much as we wanted. However, after putting 10 laps on X2, we were physically unable to take the famous Pretzel Loop on Tatsu more than twice. When you take into account those two coasters plus the helix on Goliath, you have probably three of the most intense coasters on the planet.
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So in conclusion, Tatsu grades out as a solid 9 and is by far the best flying coaster I have ever ridden. The argument could be made to give it a 10 as it is the best of its type but, as I said earlier, flyers are just not my thing. One piece of advice. Looking at Tatsu from ground level does not do justice to its immense height. When going up the lift hill while laying face down, it looks as if the train is over 500 feet high. Only people who have ridden it can truly appreciate the size and intensity of this coaster.
Theme Park Battles - Cedar Point vs. Magic Mountain
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Welcome to another new series here on coasterreviews.net. The other night I was watching Spike's new show "Deadliest Warrior" (a nerd show if there was ever one) and a random thought crossed my mind. Theme park enthusiasts are always ranking coasters and parks so how do some of the parks actually stack up when compared directly with one another? I know that in the past both Cedar Point and Magic Mountain were in a race to see which park could put together the most extreme coaster line-up. Magic Mountain seemed to forfeit their bragging rights when tearing down the Psyclone and taking down Flashback. But, lo and behold, by building the new Terminator ride, they are now up to 16 total coasters which is only 1 behind Cedar Point. However, the question is this: Which park has the best line-up of coasters? This post will compare a coaster from one park with its counterpart from the other park in order to determine........Who is Deadliest!?.....no wait a minute.....I mean....Who is the most extreme!? Please keep in mind this is not an analysis of each park as flat rides, water rides, shows, food, etc are not a part of the evaluations. This post will deal only with the coaster line-up each park possesses.
Welcome to another new series here on coasterreviews.net. The other night I was watching Spike's new show "Deadliest Warrior" (a nerd show if there was ever one) and a random thought crossed my mind. Theme park enthusiasts are always ranking coasters and parks so how do some of the parks actually stack up when compared directly with one another? I know that in the past both Cedar Point and Magic Mountain were in a race to see which park could put together the most extreme coaster line-up. Magic Mountain seemed to forfeit their bragging rights when tearing down the Psyclone and taking down Flashback. But, lo and behold, by building the new Terminator ride, they are now up to 16 total coasters which is only 1 behind Cedar Point. However, the question is this: Which park has the best line-up of coasters? This post will compare a coaster from one park with its counterpart from the other park in order to determine........Who is Deadliest!?.....no wait a minute.....I mean....Who is the most extreme!? Please keep in mind this is not an analysis of each park as flat rides, water rides, shows, food, etc are not a part of the evaluations. This post will deal only with the coaster line-up each park possesses.
Hyper/Mega Coasters - Magnum XL-200 (CP) vs. Goliath (MM). Although these coasters fit into the same general category, they are very different. Magnum is the best airtime coaster at CP while Goliath is almost totally devoid of any airtime. However, it does have the "Helix of Death" which is among the most intense elements on any coaster ever built. Despite its age, I still prefer Magnum, particularly as the final ride of the night in total darkness with no trim brakes. Plus, it has a much better view. Edge - Cedar Point.
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Inverts - Raptor (CP) vs. Batman- The Ride (MM). While I love the Batman rides (there are now over a half dozen of them throughout the U.S.), Raptor is just a better coaster. It is longer, more forceful, and much more respected among enthusiasts. I like the fact that Batman does not have mid-course brakes which leads to excellent pacing, but I like Raptor better. Edge - Cedar Point.
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Stand-Up Coasters - Mantis (CP) vs. Riddler's Revenge (MM). In my humble opinion, this is a simple case of a good stand-up coaster versus a bad one. Riddler's Revenge is much bigger and smoother with some unique elements while Mantis is simply an ear-banger. Edge - Magic Mountain.
Launch Coasters - Top Thrill Dragster (CP) vs. Superman: The Escape (MM). I love both of these coasters as they are both intense yet smooth. Both are themed up well and are normally among the most popular rides at each park. I give the edge to TTD simply because it is taller, faster and contains the Top Hat which is preferable to simply dropping backwards like Superman. In its defense however, Superman was the original Intamin launch coaster that ended up being a direct forebearer to rides like TTD and Kingda Ka. Edge - Cedar Point.
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Big Woodie - Mean Streak (CP) vs. Colossus (MM). This took some thought as both coasters were among the biggest and best when they were orginally built and have currently come under attack from the coaster community due to deterioration. However, CP is re-tracking Mean Streak making for a much better ride while MM has simply let one of the two tracks of Colossus rot. This past February, I actually did not feel safe riding it due to the horrid condition of the track. It still offered a decent ride but I have had some outstanding Mean Streak rides despite its supposed roughness. Edge - Cedar Point.
Little Woodie - Blue Streak (CP) vs. Terminator: The Ride (MM). I love Blue Streak. It reminds me so much of the Lake WInnie Cannonball that I had so much fun on when I was smaller. We even rode it 10 consecutive times last September and had a blast. But let's be realistic. Terminator is going to be in the running for Best New Ride this year and will probably be ranked among the top woodies in the world very shortly with its twisted lay-out, on-board sound system, and tunnels filled with mist. Edge - Magic Mountain.
Inverted Boomerang Coasters - Wicked Twister (CP) vs. Deja Vu (MM). This is a very even match-up with two very similar coasters. WT starts with a launch out of the station while Deja Vu pulls you back up to a height of almost 200 feet before dropping you at a 90 degree angle. I like both coasters but prefer Deja Vu because of its immense size and initital drop. It is also a coaster that can be ridden anywhere on the train while WT is much better on either end. Edge - Magic Mountain.
Basket Rides (also known as suspended coasters) - Iron Dragon (CP) vs. Ninja (MM). Hmmmm....two oriental based rides. Both are located in the middle of their respective parks but are beautifully landscaped with trees and water. Both are very similar but the main difference is the way each coaster ends. Ninja simply stops and is pulled up a lift hill to the station. Iron Dragon dives into a mist filled helix over the pond with some pretty intense laterals. Plus everyone knows a dragon could kill a ninja. Edge - Cedar Point.
Mine Rides - Cedar Creek Mine Ride (CP) vs. Gold Rusher (MM). Now I have had some excellent rides on the CCMR particularly during Halloween when the entire ride is blanketed in mist. However, the Magic Mountain version is much faster and longer. It is also spread out on the side of the mountain making it landscaped much better. Edge - Magic Mountain.
Unique/Intense Steel Coasters - Maverick (CP) vs. Tatsu (MM). Wow! These two rides are among the best in the world and neither park has a coaster to match the other so I put them together. Tatsu is the best flying coaster on the planet with the most intense element (Pretzel Loop) that I have ever felt. It is enormous as well standing well over 125 feet tall and seeming much taller at times. Maverick won Best New Ride of 2007 with its dual launches and crazy airtime filled hills along with its steeper than vertical 1st drop. This is so close that the coaster reviews staff does not agree on which coaster is the best. Guy prefers Tatsu, but since I am writing the review, Maverick gets the edge for one simple reason....I had rather sit down than fly on my coasters. Edge - Cedar Point.
Old School steel loopers - Corkscrew (CP) vs. Revolution (MM). This is an interesting comparison. Revolution was the first coaster ever with a veritcal loop while Corkscrew was the 1st coaster ever with three inversions. Both coasters are well maintained and beautiful. Corkscrew is a Cedar Point icon with its twisted inversions directly over the midway. Revolution is also gorgeous flying through the trees and around Tatsu with a great lead up to the loop. I bet that last rise before the inversion scared people to death when this thing was first built. It's a tough call, but Revolution is much smoother now and a much more enjoyable ride. Edge - Magic Mountain.
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Sit-down steel coasters - Wildcat (CP) vs. Viper (MM). This is really not even close. Wildcat is a fun little family coaster which has some pretty fast elements but Viper set the inversion record when it was first built. Inversions are not really my thing but Viper is one of the better sit-down loopers I've been on. Edge - Magic Mountain.
Family Coasters - Woodstock Express (CP) vs. Canyon Blaster (MM). I am sad to say I have ridden both...more than once. Woodstock Express is much better because it is longer and much more family friendly with its on board video cameras. Edge: Cedar Point.
Kiddie Coasters - Junior Gemini (CP) vs. Thomas the Tank Engine/Goliath Jr. - Neither park will let me ride either of these so no one gets the point. Edge - Even.
Random Match-up - Gemini (CP) vs. Scream! (MM). I had no other coasters to match these two against so they ended up against one another. It is difficult to compare an older racing coaster with the best capacity in the world that was once the tallest and fastest coaster built against a newer floorless B and M design. Nonetheless it had to be done. Despite Gemini being a fun ride and Scream being built in the middle of a parking lot (with the lines still present in under the coaster), Scream still gets the edge. Edge - Magic Mountain.
Whew! If I have counted correctly, we have now looked at 15 coasters with each park getting the edge on 7 with 1 tie. That leaves the signature coaster from each park which will be the decding vote. The final match up is:
Signature Coasters - Millennium Force (CP) vs X2 (MM). Wow. Both of these coasters currently reside in my Top 10 and each offers soemthing totally unique. If a 300 foot drop at over 90 MPH with over a mile of track is your preference take MF. If you had rather listen to an awsome soundtrack while riding a 4th dimension coaster which drops you over 200 feet at a 90 degree angle face down, then X2 is your thing. There is no wrong answer but readers of the site know that Millennium Force ranks at the top of my list, as well as # 2 in the world according to the Golden Tickets. Edge (and winner) - Cedar Point.
That was a long post but hopefully someone out there enjoyed it. One coaster that was left out was Cedar Point's Disaster Transport which did give them another slight edge when tallying the results. Both parks are great and no enthusiast can go wrong with visting either of them. Check back in a couple of weeks for more Park Battles with two family owned parks containing some of the greatest wooden roller coasters in the world matching up against one another.
Shivering Timbers Review - July of 2009
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Whew again! I just finished two unbelievable coaster journeys and am need of some serious rest. Guy and myself travelled over 2,000 miles hitting some great parks up the east coast with our main goal of trying out the new Bizarro themed coasters. I will write up that trip as soon as I can find my zip drive with our pictures on it. In the meantime, I'll review the best ride I had on my trip with Julia through the midwest: Shivering Timbers at Michigan's Adventure in Muskegon, Michigan.
Whew again! I just finished two unbelievable coaster journeys and am need of some serious rest. Guy and myself travelled over 2,000 miles hitting some great parks up the east coast with our main goal of trying out the new Bizarro themed coasters. I will write up that trip as soon as I can find my zip drive with our pictures on it. In the meantime, I'll review the best ride I had on my trip with Julia through the midwest: Shivering Timbers at Michigan's Adventure in Muskegon, Michigan.
It has been said on my websites previously, but this coaster is one of the most aesthetically pleasing rides in existence. It runs virtually the entire length of the parking lot and is all you see when you first pull in. Unfortunately, it is the only reason for visiting the park as all the other coasters are clones or very poorly designed. Fortunately, Shivering Timbers is good enough to be considered a destination coaster.
The layout is very simple with lots of huge hills and some very strong airtime. This ride is not super smooth like some of the newer woodies out there, but is instead a powerful ride along the likes of Ghostrider out at Knotts or The Beast at King's Island. It is not rough, but the forces it puts on your body are very strong. I rode the back seat once, three times in the middle part of the train, and lastly on the front car. The front is by far the best with both the most airtime and the smoothest ride. The back was good as well but a little rougher, particularly at the bottom of the first hill. In addition to the large hills, there is also a very fast helix at the end of the ride and a section following the turnaround called a "Trick/Track" which is unique to this coaster. It is a very effective element where each side of the track dips at alternate times causing the train to sway back and forth. This is one of the best segments on the ride and fits in well with the other elements.
In conclusion, Shivering Timbers deserves its top 10 ranking among woodies. I rate it as a solid 9 and place it at #18 overall out of my 400 coasters ridden. It is well worth the effort it takes to get to the park.
23 Haziran 2012 Cumartesi
Live The Adventure in 2013 at Silver Dollar City
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© Silver Dollar City
At least fans of Silver Dollar City have a date to look forward to for the park's 2013 announcement: August 9th. At least that is if I counted correctly, going off of the countdown clock that is now posted on the ride's official teaser page for the coaster.
Did I say coaster? Technically the park isn't even saying that much, but considering there is a good part of a wooden coaster built at the park right now, I think it is a pretty safe bet.
The teaser site allows you to sign up for future details as they are released, something I have no doubt we'll all be waiting for!
Kaitlyn's sleepover
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I am so behind on things on this blog. I have a few family activities we have done over the last two weeks with pictures that I have not shared with you. So we are starting out with Kaitlyn's sleepover at school.
The last Saturday in March Kaitlyn's school did a sleepover for the children who participated in the summer reading program at the public library. Her school had read the most and as a reward for that they let them have a fun evening of crafts, a movie, and a sleepover for those children who wanted to. Since last year Joe was the honored parent who got to sleep over (or rather not sleep) because I was 9 months pregnant this year was my turn. I almost dodged a bullet too because they weren't going to do the sleepover since too many children participated. But the 5th graders petitioned the principal and convinced her to do it. Honestly, I can't say I blame them. These kids are told every year that if they win (they win every year) then that's their prize. So good for those kids for standing up for what they believe in.
I have to say the whole thing wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be. I didn't sleep great of course because I was on the floor, but I slept. And it was nice to get some time with just Kaitlyn and see her interact with her friends without any of her siblings around. She had fun and is already looking forward to next year when her brother will get to join her and Daddy gets to go back.
We watched Dolphin Tale for a movie after all the story telling, slime making, and dancing was done. And then it was lights out. Kaitlyn and her friends stayed up pretty late. We got up early the next morning, had a lovely donut breakfast, and went home to see her siblings before we had to go back out for the Easter Gala. Pictures to come of that!
The last Saturday in March Kaitlyn's school did a sleepover for the children who participated in the summer reading program at the public library. Her school had read the most and as a reward for that they let them have a fun evening of crafts, a movie, and a sleepover for those children who wanted to. Since last year Joe was the honored parent who got to sleep over (or rather not sleep) because I was 9 months pregnant this year was my turn. I almost dodged a bullet too because they weren't going to do the sleepover since too many children participated. But the 5th graders petitioned the principal and convinced her to do it. Honestly, I can't say I blame them. These kids are told every year that if they win (they win every year) then that's their prize. So good for those kids for standing up for what they believe in.
I have to say the whole thing wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be. I didn't sleep great of course because I was on the floor, but I slept. And it was nice to get some time with just Kaitlyn and see her interact with her friends without any of her siblings around. She had fun and is already looking forward to next year when her brother will get to join her and Daddy gets to go back.
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| Getting all set up with her friends in the gym |
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| Reading a magazine before the fun begins |
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| Waiting for a story and some popcorn |
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| Listening intently to the "Man Team"! |
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| Getting ready to make slime |
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| Stirring her slime |
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| Kneading her slime! |
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| Stretching her slime |
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| That's some stretchy slime! |
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| 4th and 5th grade dance party before the movie |
We watched Dolphin Tale for a movie after all the story telling, slime making, and dancing was done. And then it was lights out. Kaitlyn and her friends stayed up pretty late. We got up early the next morning, had a lovely donut breakfast, and went home to see her siblings before we had to go back out for the Easter Gala. Pictures to come of that!
Easter Gala
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After having very little to no sleep from Kaitlyn's sleepover we then went to the public library for their Easter Gala. Natalie had volunteered to help with her Kids in the Middle program with that. So Joe brought her there (we couldn't all fit in the car) and came home and got us. We dyed Easter eggs, played games, and had some face painting and tattoo fun.
The Easter Bunny was there, but the line was so long so we didn't get a chance to see him. Everyone had fun though.
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| Natalie helping dye Easter eggs |
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| Waiting for the eggs |
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| Shy baby |
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| What's going on over there? |
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| Checking his egg |
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| Natalie |
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| Pin the tail on the donkey |
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| Right on! The blindfold had fallen off |
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| Kaitlyn's turn |
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| CJ's egg tattoo |
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| Kaitlyn got butterfly face paint |
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| Natalie came home with puppy dog face paint |
The Easter Bunny was there, but the line was so long so we didn't get a chance to see him. Everyone had fun though.
Kaitlyn's Clarinet Concert
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Yet again I am behind. Tons going on. I have many pictures and videos to share with you. We'll start where we left off. On Tuesday April 10th Kaitlyn had a small concert for her clarinet. She had to try out to be a part of this and her and a friend played Old McDonald together on the clarinet. They did a great job. She's really enjoying playing the clarinet! I hope you enjoyed that mini concert!
Natalie's 13th Birthday Party
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Surprise surprise, I'm behind. Natalie turned 13 two weeks ago and we had her birthday party last weekend. The big 13 year old took two friends to the movies to see a PG-13 movie. Natalie purchased the tickets and everything. They grow up so fast. She chose to see The Hunger Games which she loved. And after the movie we came back to the house and the girls spent the night. They played games and told ghost stories well into the night. And Natalie was so happy to have her first successful sleepover. I didn't get many pictures since a good portion of the party was spent in a movie theater and Joe and I were in a separate theater. Our neighbor watched the other three kids for us while we brought Natalie and her friends to the movies and Joe and I had sort of a date. But here are some pictures from before we left for the movies.
So the April birthdays are over. It was a great time. Everyone got all that they wanted and had a great time at their parties.
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| cupcakes for the birthday girl |
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| After she blew out the candles |
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| Opening her gifts |
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| And she got some books |
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| And some cash |
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