It's about time!! After two delays and months of anxious waiting, I finally
got to head back to CP! Got to the park around 9:45 am, after a relatively
problem-free drive from near Lansing, Michigan. Got my pass processed
and ran into Dave Althoff while waiting for the pass. Decided to head right
for MF, where we ran into Neil Rupp, Phillip (?), Jon Smith and his roomate
(whose name escapes me right now).
MF had it's red train stuck on the lift, and several workers on the structure
and track of the first drop. Don't know what they were up to, but after all
the delays they opened with ONE TRAIN! The line had stretched all the way
to Snake River Falls, with us somewhere in the middle. After a few trainloads
they added the blue train, which by around 11:15 or so, we hopped aboard.
First ride-- Blue train, car 8, row 2. First impressions... WOW. It is most
certainly my kind of ride. All about speed and power, with a bit of airtime
mixed in. I boarded the train with only minor expectations, and man was I
blown away! There is no doubt about it, Millennium Force is my new #1!
BTW, still no three train operation... It stayed two all day :P
After I came to my senses, and we regrouped, it was over to Magnum. I don't
honestly know what some people are whining about, but Magnum felt just as
incredible as ever! Great first drop, nice view back of MF, good air on the
return hops and no more rough than it's ever been.
You'd think from the crowd around MF that it was crowded, but it really
wasn't. Magnum was only a 15 min wait, as were Raptor and Mantis later in
the day. All crews were running very efficently all day. From Magnum we
managed to hit Gemini, Mine Ride, Mean Streak and stop for lunch, where
I had a truely bootlegged cheeseburger. I kid you not, this cheeseburger
was *honestly* bootlegged!! This made everyone else in the group rather
jealous :o)
I'll keep the rest of this quick, so I can go write my flim history paper
(that's what I get for taking a day off of school!).
Raptor and Mantis are running just as good as ever. Both were FLYING! Had
one of the best rides on Mantis that I've had since the addition of the
trim on the first drop! Even took some time out to ride the bumper cars,
where of all things my car would not move unless I pounded on the pedal.
Left me quite vulnerable to everyone else! Ouch :P I crammed in everything
I wanted to, and left the po!nt by 5:15 pm or so like I'd planned. Got rides
on way more than I'd expected, and can't wait to get back again soon! Had
a lot of fun hanging out with everyone today too! Made the day a thousand
times better than it would have been. And when I get the time, I'll write
a more in-depth review and put it on my website.
Tired and ecstatic at the same time,
Jeff
Jeff Tobe
tobejeff@pilot.msu.edu
http://members.xoom.com/ACEerPo/
(MF Pictures coming tomorrow!! That is, if they turned out! Darn camera!!)