6/3/04

What I like about not working by choice is that I can do stuff whenever I feel like it. This was my fourth visit this spring, more than I've done the past few years at this point in the year because of The Man keeping me down. This time I went with the legendary Mike Freeze.

I won't go through the list of things I've been on, but here are some other observations.

Got two laps on Dragster, which increased my lap count by 40%. I'm really amazed at how consistently it's running now. The crew is really a mixed bag though. Some of them haul ass on the platform others do not. It looks like the launch reset is reasonably fast now, but it appears as though they aren't getting the returned train out of the last block fast enough. Perhaps they're still tweaking the brake sequence.

I still don't understand why people must ride Raptor first thing in the morning. Wait time at noon: 1.25 hours. Wait time at 5pm: 5 minutes. With every new ride I continue to revise my advice for visiting Cedar Point. It has pretty much been reduced to one sentence: If it's a long line, don't get in it, go to another ride.

Raptor is running as fast as ever, and the noisy wheels have apparently been removed. I noticed lots of new concrete around the base of the cobra roll footers. That's a strange fix.

The Millennium Force capacity is much better with size screening at the entrance. I still don't think it's right, but I don't see it changing. Two people plus security at entrance does help.

And for all of the crap people give that crew, here's a special moment. A girl barely tall enough to ride climbs in the seat. Female ride op (I didn't see her name) leans over and asks the little girl how she's doing and how her day is going. They share some excitement and the ride op carefully makes sure the bar is all the way down and the belt tight. The little girl says thank you and she quickly moves to my seat. That's the way it's supposed to be my friends. That's the Cedar Point away. I think the complaints about that crew can be focused on just the one jackass, because everyone else seems pretty on the ball if you ask me.

Mean Streak was especially well lubricated this day. The last drop before the mid-course actually delivered (gasp!) airtime. Who knew?

I had one of the most insane rides in the Magnum ejector seat. I know that if I had not pulled the belt as tight as humanly possible, I'd have bruises. I loved it.

One minor annoyance... the crew at the Happy Friar needs to pull their collective heads out of their rears and pay attention. Actually having cooked fries on hand would be a great start, and greeting people at the window for a line that extends into the midway would be another.

I think the park is about ready for the busy season. Here's hoping the weather cooperates.