Am I crazy, or is SOB running smoother???

I have just returned from my annual CP, HP, PKI trip that I have taken for the last 5 out of 6 years. I rode SOB on 6/14 and 6/15 and feel that SOB is running much smoother this year compared to last.

I checked different trains, different cars, and different seats (axle and non-axle) and came up with the same conclusion...SOB did not seem nearly as rough of a ride as years past.

Was there retracking done to SOB that may have improved the ride? Is it the padded sides of the restraints? Is it new wheels on the trains? Is this a figment of my imagination? What is it?

BTW, I can't attend Coastercon or BeastBuzz due to a work related convention that I must attend. I hope everyone enjoys themselves and has a safe trip.

The entire Rose Bowl helix was re-tracked back in January, and i Believe the trains got new wheels too. It is definately smoother!

I can't wait to find out next weekend! Maybe I've missed out on the rough Sonny since this will be my first time on it.

Oh I hope so! It may give me a reason to ride it again! First a smooth Mean Streak and now this???

Yeah! :-D

-Tina

Your Crazy!

That is absolutly the worst wooden coaster in the world. This coaster was not made for tall people at all and im only 5'9. I can't even ride this ride without my knees hitting the medal panal in front of me or without my fingers getting smashed between the handle and my knees. This coaster is the most un-pleasing thing I have ever been on. I have never been so beat up on a coaster. The only smooth part is the loop.(thats not saying much b/c its steel). I say stick with the original. "Long Live The Beast!"

I agree Alizabeth, but I am willing to try it again....maybe. ;-) I have been on worse, and have experienced a lot more brutal roughness at the park. Remember the Flight Of Fear OTSR's OUCH!

I will pop some Advil before I try Sonny again just in case.

-Tina

*** Edited 6/19/2004 12:09:45 AM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***

Son of Beast is my favorite coaster at the park and The Beast is my least favorite adult coaster besides Racer, but what do I know? I think it's running at its best this year, so that's pretty exciting. I still think the best seat is 6-2 and definitely do non-wheel seats if you're worried about roughness at all. It makes the coaster at least tolerable for most people I've talked to.

+Danny, used to *power ride* FOF with OTSRs ;)

Wooden loopers tried and failed. SOB was a nice attempt but the it was so rough last time I rode it (August 2001). I guess I'll give it another try because NOTHING can be worse than Viper at SFGA. Otherwise I would think you're crazy. And me being 6 feet dosn't help.

I thought I was just crazy (well, actually...). I was only willing to ride SOB this year because the person I was with had never ridden - it used to be awful. The ride was extremely pleasant this year, and I left the park with no beast-bites (bruises) at all. I also thought that Beast seemed much smoother. Could it be that it was beginning of season, humidity, heat, or because we rode at nite, etc.? Or it's just my imagination. All I know is that I'm terribly excited about BeastBuzz!

I thought Viper was more interesting and intense than Medusa. :-\

I don't think the "wooden loopers tried and failed". Kings Island wanted a record breaker with a gimmick attached to it that would keep them king of the woodies next to the king of the steelies up north. Not many parks can afford or would care to build something like that. The park didn't want to revolutionize the way woodies were made... They're still really proud of their "only looping wooden coaster in the world" record. :)

I think they succeeded in continuously bringing crowds in to at least try this huge wall of wood they see from I-71. It's really megawoodies minus the Intamin overseas that aren't up to par with many guests and enthusiasts. I think the loop is the best thing about the ride and possibly the best vertical loop in coasterdom.

+Danny

I must agree with my good friend Danny on this one. PKI wasn't looking to create a new type of wooden roller coaster that would spread like wildfire. I think they KNEW going into it that nobody else would try it, something that would keep the coaster special. And it will always be that way.

I also must agree that the loop is the best part of the ride. Possibly the best loop around. IMO, I still haven't been on a more intense loop. It's just the way it is. Nothing touches it in my books.

I would strongly suggest to anyone that has vowed never to ride that SOB (pun intended) again, to give it one more try, especially over the non-axle seat. I did not notice any sort of trims being added to the ride, as it seemed to continue at or near the same speed as years past. It was DEFINITELY SMOOTHER this year.

I had two of my closest friends with me on the trip, one had ridden SOB before, one had not. The one who had never ridden thought this was the best wooden coaster he had ever been on. My friend and I who had ridden before thought something must be wrong. We were so hoping that he was going to be like screaming in pain and agony while riding, but it never happened.

I commend PKI and their maintenance crew for not giving up on this ride. Again, if you haven't ridden in awhile, maybe re-consider.

BTW, we got one ride where we stopped on the MCBR for about 1 minute. I don't know why we stopped, when I saw the train clear the end of course brakes as we climbed the lift. Why would this have happened?

pprobably a sensor error, i happens sometimes on Sonny

Rode 6-2, it was not as bad as before. Then I rode in the very front, and my brain was bouncing throughout my head like crazy.