2001 Season in Review

Wow... so much to say about this year's trips I don't even know where to start. I had such a change in feelings about things over the course of the summer about the park and how I was looking at trips that it really made me stop and think about how much I was enjoying the park. This year I took more than double the amount of trips I'd taken in the past, previously I'd only gone as much as 5 times in one summer. This year I spent *12* days in the park! I'll give a brief rundown of the trips (since I didn't write many TRs for them) then some of the stuff that stood out as highlights & my takes on the rides and such this year.

My first trips of the season came in May, and were of the typical variety of years past. I managed to get more rides on MF than all season in 2000 those times! I think my season total on Force was something near 60, because later in the season I'd have more a reason to ride other than the fact that it's my favorite ride in the park :o) It was
these trips that really made me realize I wasn't having fun on trips anymore. This would all change drastically with one of my favorite moments of the season (indicated in another thread, but I'll elaborate...)

On a trip in May after visitng SFWoA earlier in the day, I had the pleasure of being introduced to Natalie on Mine Ride. I thought she was the cutest thing I'd ever seen... so much that I ran across the park around close just to get one more ride in and see her before I left. Things only got better from here!

Natalie and I spent the day in the park twice together. I enjoyed these trips more than any I had ever taken to CP. It was so good to go for once and not worry about "how many coasters we'll ride" or any strange rituals that other people I'd traveled with had. We just had a damn good time enjoying ourselves. My favorite parts of those trips weren't even anything to do with rides at all, rather sitting on a bench by MF just being with eachother... and (even though it sucked Natalie lost her keys...) being sssstuck in the park after close together.

I'd continue to make trips down to the park, usually by myself to meet up with (or pick up in the case of KennyKon) Natalie. This was my reason for visiting so much, and when she transferred to MF, it made it more worth riding! Another highlight came near the end of August when I got to go along to their crew party! Another non-ride related fun point of the summer was everyone I met that was working, especially the Millennium Force Crew. You guys were too much fun! I'll never forget the last day of the season, the almost 20 rides and the fun fun fun last ride.

Okay, if you've made it this far I guess I can go into what I thought of all the RIDES at CP this year, even though that was the least of my fun!

I rode everything a LOT more this season on each trip. Raptor is still the most consistent coaster in the park, as every season it still puts out. The new paintjob makes it look wonderful, and the added sound it makes adds to the presence of the ride. Not ONE bad ride at all on Raptor out of who knows how many, I'd guess somewhere around 20-30.

Magnum... what can I say? I even got to ride with Magnum Dan once or twice! It rode really well up until the last few weekends. Then it started to really beat the crap out of me. For someone with a bad back it's a shame it hurt so much, I still like the coaster a lot! Probably got around 40 or so rides in here too.

Mantis. The poor ride. Once my favorite coaster anywhere now brings me pain. Closing day was the only saving grace, with the trim off and a pretty smooth ride. Someone please help this ride, bring it back to how it used to ride. I even heard the GP complaining quite a bit about roughness. Probably something around 15-20 rides.

Millennium Force... wow. Almost as consistent as Raptor, I only had a few sub-par rides here too, and those were only in May. The crew did an awesome job all season and kept the line moving. The DJ was much improved this year too :o) The ride... ahhh the ride. 60+ for the season I think! I could not get enough of it!

I rode all the other coasters at some point or another (excluding Jr. Gemini, haven't been on it since I was 6!). Gemini was wonderful as always, CCMR 0wnx0rz j00! Rode everything else sometime, was nice to see Disaster Transport with FOG in the lifthill during October!!! Still like that ride!
And would you believe I waited *40* minutes to ride MEAN STREAK!? Well, it wasn't really because I wanted to ride. Why didn't I just go up the exit ramp??? My back suffered all weekend for that one :oP

As far as non coaster rides go, I hit everything I usually do. Paddlewheel, CP&LE Railroad, Chaos, PT and I'm sure several others I'm not remembering right now. No water rides for me though!

It's nice to look back and see that I had such a good time, but I don't think I'll be visiting that much ever again in one year. 12 times in the park made it seem less exciting every trip. I miss that excitement about going to the park, back when I only got *1* trip and that was it. Being around the Po!nter crowd in 2000/early 2001 kinda tainted my expereinces. I made most of my trips from July onward to see Natalie more than to go to the park!

Despite my not being so into the park anymore, there's so many memories I'll take away from this year... Like "We're getting THRUST AIR" and "OMG it's the CCI spyboat!" and all the other fun times I spent with Natalie :o) It was also fun to meet a lot of new faces and see some of you again. It was nice to get to talk to Jeff and Stephanie on closing weekend during my "marathon" of MF, and to ride with Dan, Mindy, Scott, and Raptor Jo on closing weekend too. I hope everyone had a great summer!

And Natalie, thank YOU for an amazing time this summer and for being as incredible as you are to me, it really means a lot :o) (So sappy, aren't I?)

And that's all! Hope you enjoyed it, I welcome any comments.

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Jeff Tobe
tobejeff@pilot.msu.edu
I'll never walk on the beach again...

Awwww my little young'en became an ENTHUSIAST instead of a PO!NTER! and realized that there are definitely things about CP to critique and not everything is so awesome. 
I'll add my comments here...and then make my own semi-TR for the 2001 season.
I too enjoyed most the times I spent in the park with Jeff, never been there with someone who has such a similar outlook on things as me, and was as willing to move at MY pace rather than his own.  That having been said, check my next thread for commentary on to my other trips to the park that stand out in my mind...
Thank YOU for meaning so much to me, and proving to me that even if you stop looking and completely close yourself down to the notion, some things still find you and bite you in the butt.  In short.....
j00 0wnx0r
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Natalie
Mine Ride '99 (RIDE MINE!)
Thunder Canyon '00 (TC2K 0\/\/Nx0rZ j00!)
Millennium Force '01

*** This post was edited by Ride of Steel on 11/1/2001. ***

"Being around the Po!nter crowd in 2000/early 2001 kinda tainted my expereinces"
Well Jeff since I just met you this past weekend I KNOW I wasnt a part of that crowd! I'm glad you didnt let a tainted experiences keep you out of the park! I too only made maybe 1/2 the visits I made last season and had an awesome time every single trip! I had a blast hanging with you, you were alot of fun, finally someone who everyone knows too besides ME! Nothing wrong with being "sappy" with someone as long as that "sap" is mutual! ;)
Nat rocks and so did you, thank her for sharing you with me for a few hours closing weekend! Sorry I didnt ride with you guys later that evening, when you saw me @ Raptor "hangin out", at that moment I was content just hangin with the crew and my fav bird of prey.
Again it was nice meeting you!!! :)

Jo
2000 Raptor Crew
Gemini 100 "Survivor"
Po!nter Girl-FOREVER! :)
Hoopers PIC :)
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Cowboys dig cowgirls in trucks
Cowgirls dig cowboys in Wranglers! ;)