Raptor4Us!! Tuesday August 31st

It's Raptor for us! :)

What could be better then heading to the Po!nt on a beautiful day just to ride Raptor before going to work? How about having a hubby who is more than
willing to join you on your "gotta get my 1k flights" trip?? Hubby and I headed out at the crack of dawn to head to our favorite place on earth.

High Po!nts: Weather was outstanding, a tad cool in the morning, but didn't stay that way very long.
Crowds were light at times, heavy at times. But lines never got longer than 15 minutes. The crew seemed to be booking right along, and things got alot easier for them once they took one of the trains off. I know on load/unload there was nothing worse than an empty seat.
Raptor was flying, I was really enjoying watching and listening to 1st time riders. My goal was to make my hubby barf, I failed :(
Funniest thing: Thanks to hubby putting down my harness before I got into the seat (I was putting my latest CP stuff in the bin) I had to ask person on controls to pop row 8 (who happened to be Mike, their TL) who laughed like crazy when I did that. I thought it was kind of funny too! Sometimes
being a former op has it's advantages!! :)

Low Po!nts: Listening to one kid tell his Mom how much Raptor was like Medusa? Huh?? If I was an enthusiast (I am NOT) I would have said something, but I'm not, so I didn't.
Raptor trouble around 1pm. Once train transfered off, we were on 1st train out. After flight, we stopped on end of runway which I knew could not be good. We sat there, station train barely on lift. This whole thing only bothered me because it meant less rides. We were on lap 18 by that time. We finally got into station and I could tell the ride was going down for
mechanical...and yup, I was right.

We took advantage of this "break" to visit with some CP buds, I hit up the store for yet more CP merchandise (gotta learn to keep that Discover Card
of mine HOME!! :)) and eat lunch.

Headed back to Raptor, back up again.....was going to call it a day at ride 20, instead did one more flight for good luck. I so did not want to leave but knew I had to **sigh** Sometimes work sucks and this was definitely one of those times. The biggest low Po!nt of the day HAD to be when we had to leave the park before 2pm! :(

So, for those keeping track, we got a total of 21 flights in approximately 4 hours (took out for down time and potty breaks) which means I'm up to 922 flights....78 away from my 1k!! :)
I WILL get my 1k this season!!! :)

All in all a short day but an awesome one none the less, can't wait till our next trip!! :)

Jo
2000 Raptor Crew
2002 Raptor Crew
2003 Raptor Crew
Lifetime Raptor flights: 922 :)

I wish I could just come there after work for some rides. I really like Raptor but this year it was painful going through every inversion. And I know everyone will say lean your head forward but I don't think you should have to...I'll try it out again when I go for Halloweekends. I actualy think Raptor is sort of like Medusa. Just not inverted and a Medusa is a little smoother.

*** Edited 9/1/2004 2:37:28 PM UTC by Sean_N***

Depending on where you sit, Raptor can indeed be a tad rough in spots. You have to give Raptor credit, it is 10 years old, and a prototype for many of the great things on newer inverts.
I think as far as inverts go, Talon, Fire and Ice are a good example of SMOOTH inversions.
If you want to try a really rough inversion, try Batman-The Ride at SFGrtAdv! That thing will kill ya! :(

Medusa is a FLOORLESS Raptor is NOT, there is NO comparison!! I actually prefer Dominator over Medusa...oops..there I go, sounding like one of them enthusiasts. Blech!

And just for RGR: Hehehehehe ;)

Jo
2000 Raptor Crew
2002 Raptor Crew
2003 Raptor Crew
Lifetime Raptor flights: 922 :)

I am one of many wo love the flight on Raptor. I love the part after you get off the lift and start the left dive to the bottom of the drop and it feels like your the raptor swopping down to get your pray that's at the bottom. To me the most fun part is the In-line twist, it is such a smooth and fast inversion. WhenI rode the last time, I was there and rode it with out my sandals off, and throw the mostly the two corkscrews it felt like the Raptor was pulling toes off. All in all a very good steel inverted coaster for it being one of the first in to have been made after BMTR. TWO Thumbs way UP!!

Hey RaptorJo,

Are you working there again this fall? I'll be there the weekend of the 10th (Lighthouse Point) and would love to say hello again.

Enjoy # 1000! I'd luv to be on that train with ya!

MrScott

If I lived maybe an hour or closer, I'd go everyday possible. Okay, maybe not everyday possible but just the same, it'd be cool. Instead it's a long haul to the point and can't be a sparatic event. That's awesome about the popping the seat open, you have some power there;).

-Eagle-

We were just about to get in line when the ride went down on Tuesday :( Just as Raptor went down, TTD came up :) so we went there. We did eventually get our Raptor ride later in the day and it was running great. Still love that ride 10 years later.

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MrScott said:
Hey RaptorJo,

Are you working there again this fall? I'll be there the weekend of the 10th (Lighthouse Point) and would love to say hello again.

Enjoy # 1000! I'd luv to be on that train with ya!

MrScott

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Unfortunitely due to a real busy horse show season (thank you Quarter Horse Congress) not to mention everything else in my life, I won't be able to work on Raptor again this fall.

If I had the time or desire to however, I would have been on the WT crew instead :)

I can't wait till my 1k either!! :)

And btw, I know your signature is from Star Trek IV The Voyage Home. My FAV ST movie!! :)
Mr Scott's line after that was "how quaint!" ;)

Jo
2000 Raptor Crew
2002 Raptor Crew
2003 Raptor Crew
Lifetime Raptor flights: 985!! :)

Raptor is a rough ride, that's part of what makes it great. I suppose if someone wants a "smooth" ride there is always the Classic Cadillac cars.

LuvRaptor,

Of course, you are correct about the quote and what comes next. I have updated it to reflect that. (And I just watched the DVD last night.)

MrScott (Who just got his Walk of Fame star the other day--84 years old and in a wheelchair.) *** Edited 9/3/2004 10:05:55 PM UTC by MrScott***