CoasterMania '03 Raptor Jo style!
I am sure I am not the only one who looks forward to CM every season. It is one of my fav events and this year was no exception. Arrived in Sandusky Thursday evening and headed to the Po!nt with Jeff (UCIOSECNOP) to hit up Raptor. The bad news about TTD was heard out of several people, and I found myself already dreading listening to some of the whining some of the A-holes would be doing the next day :( Off to better things for me...Raptor!! With wheels heated up Raptor was FLYING and the lack of block brake certainly contributes to that! I managed 4 flights before park closed. So with now 721 flights under my belt the final countdown to CM ‘03 began.
Even after just 4 hours sleep getting up the next day was no prob, there is just something about getting to CP at 5:15am. After picking up button, meal ticket and "X" ticket, headed into the park shortly after it opened. The weather was a tad cool but blue skies and forecast called for 70’s and slight chance of rain later. Unlike in years past there was NO Mr Keller giving his usual "you’re not here to hear me talk, you’re here to ride coasters" spiel, instead Mr Innis gave his "we are trying diligently to get TTD up and running" spiel (anyone besides me have CM ‘02 WT flashbacks?) But did tell us they were going to open MF early (6:30) So when chains opened the running of the bulls began. Not for Jeff and I however since I headed right for Raptor. Despite the fact it wasn’t opening until 7:30, no way was I going to head to MF with the other 1k enthusiasts. The hour went quickly talking to alot of people while waiting (and sending them to MF) and once the ride ops (who of course I knew) started getting the ride ready, once Raptor opened, my CM officially began. I pretty much stayed at Raptor, and teamed up with some more of my CP buds. We headed over to BS, when I decided to go back to Raptor to stay until ERT over.
I hit ride 9 before the GP was definitely in the park (99.9% of which was high school kids) but still managed 1 more ride. At this point I was solo (even though anyone who knew me would know EXACTLY where to find me, my group decided they couldn’t find me) which wasn’t such a bad thing. I headed back out to my truck to change into shorts, and of course my CP socks ;) I ended up hitting up a couple shops for yet more CP goodies, which is just what I needed!! Later GTTPer Flora and her hubby Tim found me and told me my group was meeting up at WT before the Q&A. Teamed back up with my group we headed to the Q&A (which in CMs past I have always skipped cause I would rather ride) It was alot of fun really, and of course I enjoyed all the big wigs who were present saying hi to me ;) We all headed to Ocean Motion after that which of course we made too much fun, which Jeff and Matt (Skykicker) would have NO clue about since they wussed out on us. I had freeway’d for 2-3 on Raptor, and group headed to lunch I jumped on Raptor to freeway. At this po!nt the wait for Raptor was 1.25-1.75, my freeway was extra special because it was a 3 way freeway. Without specific details let’s just say that I got to wave to my group (who were eating in the picnic area close to Raptor’s exit and could see me) saw me ride 3x in 15 minutes. They waved me over after ride 3 telling me Mr Edwards had called out the "front of the line" contest winners and called my name. Let me just say I really had to struggle to stop riding. Finding out I was 1 of the winners was hilarious because it wasn’t 3 days ago I was teasing my buds that I had won the contest when I really did have no clue! Lunch was pretty good (lack of muffleheads in the potato salad was nice!) and then had to go up on the "stage" to say my winning piece. All the winners were given a big CP bag with tons of TTD stuff. Since no TTD obviousely no front of the line for us but we were told something else would be done for us and they would let us know. No biggie for me obviously, I was just estatic to have been one of the winners! After lunch group broke up to go rest and Jeff and I did the same. Crashed in truck for well over an hour, I changed back into jeans and sweat shirt then back into park we went. I finally got a midway flag (which btw I found it rather interesting that the prices of these flags were $10.00 more than they were on OD-what’s up with that?) and bought other stuff I really didn’t need but what the heck. Met at TGIF’s for the annual GOCC CM get together, which as always was alot of fun. We were told about ERT on Gemini and Disaster Transport with the lights on. Around 8pm I headed back to Raptor once more (gasp I know) and that became alot of fun after 9 since it was again a walk on.
Rain began around that same time so I ran to truck and got my employee rain gear. LOVE that thing it has come to my rescue SOO many times!! Ended up teaming up with one of my fav ride ops and one I had just met, which worked to my advantage since we freeway’d since we decided 10 minutes was far too long to wait ;) Ended up on last train of the night. Headed to DT and ended up riding it 2x. I’m thinking all the lights off would have been a better thing but what do I know? So my total Raptor ride for me for that day? 25!! So now my grand total is 742! :) From there our group headed to Gemini and hit it up 1x. I hit up Maggie (another PM CM tradition for me) 4x before I picked up my CM poster and decided I had enough. I bid yet another fond farewell to all my buds, bidded CP yet another fond farewell, headed back to hotel and crashed. It was yet another awesome CM for me, despite no TTD, and the late rain it was awesome I had a great time!
Low Points: Listening to the non-stop whining by people all day about TTD-it’s not like CP doesn’t have 60+ more rides to ride! I was so tempted to call a wha-bulance for those A-holes, and of course CP should have at least had some french cries ready to serve! Again the fashion police were on strike or something because it was again one of those "ignore that fat stomach and those love handles and wear those low cut pants and short shirts" Blech!! I can not believe the parents of some of those kids let their kids go out in public like that!! NOT my kids!! I was going to say that all the high school kids were a low point too but I found them much more tolerable then some of the A-holes.
I can NOT believe when totalled up I had spent over 200.00 on CP stuff! Hid the receipts from my BF and as long as he doesn’t ask, I’m not telling! ;)
High points: Hanging out with all my CP buds who really are more family to me then just my friends. I love them all and they really have shown me lately how blessed I am to have them all as my family. Thanks to all of them for another great time! I love you guys! As most of them knew I needed this trip far more than I ever had before! :)
Being one of the winners of the "front of the line" contest :)
Meeting TONS of new people or just hearing my name screamed out or announced over the ride loudspeaker! :)
Being given a CoasterMania poster :)
Apparently the Raptor crew (and others) are under the impression I HAVE to come back and work there this Halloweekends :)
OMG do I know alot of people!! And OMG do alot of people know me! I had a ride op tell me the word gets out that I’m there and they get excited when they find out I’m going to ride their ride! It is amazing how I can ride those rides with my head as big as it can get! ;)
Thanks to CP for another great CM-thanks again to all my CP family (employees included) CM #5 for me was awesome for me and I already can’t wait till CM ‘04! :)
Jo
2000/2002 Raptor Crew
Lifetime Raptor flights: 742 :) (goin for 1k in ‘03!)
------------------
It's all about getting around the barrels, or over the fences, right leads, no faults, fastest time and looking pretty when done. What's so hard about that? :)
------------------
MF Circuts=352 (03=36)
TTD Launches=12
Launch that sucker...Yeah!
------------------
"Certified CP Groupie"
You must be logged in to post