Raptor day!! 6-18-03

Raptor for me!!! :)

Barn buddy Wendy (non-Po!nter) and I left early and fought some killer fog all the way from home to Rte 98. Thankfully by then it wasn’t quite as bad. We arrived shortly after opening and headed straight to Raptor. Unfortunately after waiting 15 minutes I noticed stacking and no trains and told Wendy Raptor was down. The official Raptor announcement (which any of us ride ops know by heart! ;)) was made, and slowly the line started thinning out. I told Wendy I wasn’t going anywhere. There we stood for another 40 minutes before my beloved bird of prey began flying once more. Once we got to the platform, knowing all the load side ops was so funny, them all waving and calling my name. Wendy always got a kick out of that and this day would be no exception. With yet another flight under my belt I told Wendy we would do what ever she wanted, the only other things I had to do was spend another 75.00 on yet more CP stuff. We stopped in the PR office where I was yet harassed by one particular person who shall remain nameless, and teased once more about the desk there which I would really love to be mine. We ended up crossing paths with Mr Kinzel who stopped and said hi to me and asked me if I was going to work on Raptor again this fall. Wendy had NO idea who he was and almost fell over when I told her who he was! We walked around the park at our leisure (me stopping in all the stores on a hunt for one particular pin) hitting up Gemini, CCMR, Scrambler, Wildcat, ID before lunch. After lunch we walked back to Frontier Trail once more for more Gemini (Wendy’s fav btw) where I even got her to hold her hands up!! Almost got her on MS once she saw all the brakes. We even rode the train a couple times. We had freeway’d for Raptor 4-5 so headed back there. Let me just say here that the saying "I love being me" really fit. This particular freeway was a 4 way freeway for Wendy and I. We walked over and rode Tronika a couple times, then back to Raptor for the 6pm meeting with GTTPer Bert. Let me say here that Bert and his friends were some of the sweetest and nicest kids (ok, sorry, young adults) I have met in a LONG time. Besides talking Raptor, some of his friends were into horses which ended up turning the conversation from CP suddenly into jumping, barrel racing, dressage and loonatic thoroughbreds. Without going into specific details here, let’s just say 2 more flights in about 15 minutes, the 2nd flight being in the front car. That flight was really fun for me since Wendy had never been in the front before, and neither had Bert and clan. We parted ways after that since I had promised Wendy we would leave no later than 7. Doesn’t it just figure we bang into my PIC Hooper as we’re leaving and we tried DESPERATELY to talk Wendy into letting us go to TTD (it was testing regularly at this point) and use our front of the line passes once it opened. I could tell by her whining she wasn’t happy at the prospect of this so I decided to keep my word and we left. She was totally fried and I knew that was taking it’s toll on her, her forehead was even all gushy! Blech! Hooper, sorry about that and you owe me a ride! I figure you and I have the whole rest of the season anyway. It was nice driving home with the sun still out, and have to admit it was kind of nice being home and in bed by 11pm. I was pretty wiped out too, it had been, what, MONTHS since I had seen the sun and even I (who fakes and bakes) got toasted too. So yet another wonderful trip to CP for Raptor Jo! I had a really great time! :)

Low po!nts: Park a tad more crowded then I liked, welcome to the busy season! Not being able to hang and ride with Hooper

High po!nts: The weather was outstanding! What a beautiful day! Nice and sunny and not too hot! Getting that button everyone wants!! Button for ME-NONE for you!! Getting all the CP items on my "have to buy" list. Seeing tons of my fellow CP employees. Meeting some more GTTPers.

Best line I heard all day, "they know who you are but they don’t know who I am, do they?" My reply, "nope!" (Hooper and Wendy know who I’m talking about! ;))

No Mr Skyward sighting :(

Thanks to CP for yet another great day at the park. Thanks to the Raptor crew for an AWESOME time! 7 more flights for me!! :)Jo
2000/2002 Raptor Crew
Lifetime Raptor flights: 749 :) (goin for 1k in '03!)
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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? :)

Nice report, It may be a good thing we didn't scamper to TTD for our fastpass. After you left, I checked out TTD to find the queues (sp?) full, and the line out into the midway in front of the grandstands. But the point is the ride broke down around 7:30pm. Didn't open till about 9:55pm. Matt and I were walking by (on our way for a last ride on Raptor) and a test train fires by. Well we got in line, shortly after the line opened and we were in. About a 15 minute wait. While we were in the station I think the train overshoot the launch zone as it sat in launch position for a good 5-10 minutes. They then slowly rolled it back and moved it into launch position again. Then it worked. So, Raptor for Jo...NONE for ME....(But I did get TTD)

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"This second hill is my favorite part of the ride. It is so Cool!"
TTD Status: "Contaminates in the system" S.K.

Jo,

Thanks for an awesome time yesterday on Raptor and the short short time in the line! We all had a great time and riding 749 was the highlight of our day, and the only thing that we talked about on the ride home. Let me say that you are the COOLEST adult that we know. Thanks for a great time, and maybe we can ride again? Good luck on 1,000!
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Cedar Point Rocks My Socks

BeRTqUinn said:
Jo,
Let me say that you are the COOLEST adult that we know. Thanks for a great time, and maybe we can ride again? Good luck on 1,000!
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Ya know that's the same thing my kids say about me too! It was awesome meeting you guys as well, glad you liked your special Raptor Jo provided flights! ;) We sure will meet up again and ride together again! :)
Jo
2000/2002 Raptor Crew
Lifetime Raptor flights: 749 :) (goin for 1k in '03)
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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? :)

Jo! This is another of Bert's gang that you met- the big one with the army green capris and vacant expressions? Yep. The Raptor ride was awesome- thanks again. You rock my socks.

-Willow

Whoa, what are these Raptor Jo provided flights?

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The Point of Cedars - Pointing you in the right direction!
http://www.thepointofcedars.tk
http://www.thepointofcedarsforum.tk

Top Thrill Dragster said:
Whoa, what are these Raptor Jo provided flights?
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I, of course, was referring to how much fun it is to ride with me!!
Jo
2000/2002 Raptor Crew
Lifetime Raptor flights: 749 :) (goin for 1k in '03!)
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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? :)

Raptor Jo "provided flights" are when you ride Raptor with the world famous Raptor Jo.

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Cedar Point Rocks My Socks

I have to agree. Riding Raptor with you, Jo is a lot of fun!

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MF Circuts=379 (03=63)
TTD Launches=12
Launch that sucker...Yeah!

How different is it?
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The Point of Cedars - Pointing you in the right direction!
http://www.thepointofcedars.tk
http://www.thepointofcedarsforum.tk

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