Beast ridden over 4,400 times? That's cool, but.....

First click here.

Now, I am not disrespecting or even doubting that this guy has ridden the ride that many times, but the sign clearly states that "he" kept track of how many times he has ridden.

How can he honestly prove that number and for the park to just accept it? I mean it's cool to have a sign put up with your accomplishment but it just seems like the park took his word and went with it.

Can I approach SFGAm and tell them that I have been riding American Eagle since it opened in 1981 over 5,000 times and I will have a sign put up with my name on it? :)

Like I said, no disrespect to this person. It just seems odd. If this person is a poster here, please let me know how you showed the park your accomplishment.

So where does he work now? Pickle boy at Subway? Enlighten me. I hope he has a better appearence in public than that guy I saw at PKD in October wearing a SpongeBob shirt, SB boxers, socks, a hat, etc. Maybe they are roomates.

He's protecting the American consumer.
http://www.wcpo.com/wcpo/localshows/dontwasteyourmoney/29a3f64d.html

A trip report confirming that it's the same Carl:
link *** Edited 12/14/2004 4:46:06 AM UTC by Jeff***

Well, I guess there will always be suspicions, but I think its pretty cool: some added "folklore" or "tales" (depending on how you view the legitimacy of it) for the Beast. I think its more than possible by the way, its been open for about 25 years, thats only an average of 176 per year ;)

Carl has indeed ridden at least that many, If not way more than that times.

The funny thing about it is a friendly rivalry developed between him and Don Hellbig with Hellbigs chosen coaster The Racer. Hellbig fell off for a while until his daughter was old enough to ride the adult coasters and now has over 11,000 Racer rides and over 2500 Beast rides.

Both have been visiting the park since the mid 70's and your likely to meet them at any PKI event.

Chuck

Wasn't he also featured in the PKI clip screened during BeastBuzz? I can't recall.

Yes, the video, which ran on a constant loop in the Beast's line, featured him, Don Helbig, and apostrophe. (dictionary.com: The direct address of an absent or imaginary person or of a personified abstraction)

"Hey, Beast...Happy 25th"

They should both hope that Richard Rodriguez, "King of Rollercoasters", never comes to PKI.

Hmm.. I'm thinking about approaching certain parks about a 100% park-verified insane number of rides on a certain coaster opening next year. Hey, it'd be great publicity for them, and I'd get the next-best thing to unlimited re-rides on one of the greatest coasters ;)

4,400 times. That's nothing, I once went up and down the isles of my local grocery store looking for tartar sauce. record - don't know yet, havn't found the stupid sauce yet, but when I do it will be at least a dozen times.

What does the fact that he used to work for the IRS have to do with anything? Also, why would the general public even care about this. I don't see how this increases ridership of this coaster or amounts to any contribution to the park. Why is it call The Tamer?

P.S. I like the BOLD feature, Lol!

*Sniff* Sniff*

Man that's a familiar aroma....

Oh yeah, it's the scent of sour grapes.

Carl and Don accomplished those rides. It's pretty evident when you run into them consistantly at the park.

Shaggy

Yep, I will second and third that. My very first ride on the Beast on the year it opened was with this legendary rider. I hooked up with him in the running of the bulls and he said to stick with him. He took me to the front seat and said you will really enjoy this. I have never looked back and must say that ride really pushed me into being a coaster nut.

I think "accomplished" is maybe too strong of a word. I hope this guy truly enjoyed all 4,400 rides, because to do something like this just for the numbers is silly.

I would agree Den, that IF they rode "for the numbers", then that would be silly, if not even stupid.

But I figure if Phoenix, or Raven, or Tx Giant, or Cornball, or PNE's Coaster, or anything even REMOTELY like one of those rides showed up at BGT or IoA, I'd get *plenty* of rides....maybe too many! ;)

The only real difference is that I would never KNOW how many rides I had....:)

edit: I forgot to mention the *President of Wooden Rollercoasters*, Tremors..of course, if we had one of THOSE in Florida, it would be part flume due to the tunnels...;)
*** Edited 12/14/2004 3:18:05 PM UTC by rollergator***

I think it's cool and all...the sign thing. But the whole IRS thing threw me. Also, bothering to write that he kept track of himself was kinda wierd. End it at the "across the United States twice" stat.

Why not put up a sign that explains how many guests have enjoyed the ride since it opened? Heck, they could even express the 4400 rides as a fraction of the total. ;)

I once calculated that I entertained over 2 million guests while working at Great America for four years--mind out of the gutter please ;)

Has anybody here ever wondered how many tons of wood they have ridden? (Oh damn, better stop here)

4,400 times on Beast? Yikes...I'm bored half way thru just one ride ;)

mOOSH [kidding...somewhat]

Okay... I am just a bit curious...

We are supposed to take his word for his number of rides because he previously worked for the IRS?

But yet the IRS won't take my word if I would tell them that I kept track of my own income last year and, after exemptions and write offs and deductions, it came to $5.63... so I don't owe them any taxes... as a matter of fact, they owe ME thousands!

*** Edited 12/14/2004 4:50:32 PM UTC by SLFAKE***

So what if the number isn't exactly 4,400? The employees at PKI must have noticed that this guy is at the park a lot, and spends a lot of time on the Beast. So they wanted to reward him and add something interesting for other guests to read.

Why was the number of 4,400 selected? Why not more than 4,000? Or why not wait until 5,000 which sounds more impressive than 4,400. And if they wanted to use the IRS spin, why not 4,437?

I know I would be content with saying that I have been on a certain coaster more than 4,000 times, and would not find it necessary to round up to the nearest hundred.

**SLFAKE, pretty funny. I think the IRS owes me a heap of $ too :)

Am I the only one who thinks it's pretty sad? I think the accomplishment here would be a sign stating that this guy avoided PKI for an entire year ... and even that's debatable. Why is spending so much time riding worthy of a "reward" or the label of "accomplishment". Track records I can see more because they're a mark of a well-travelled person, but 4,400+ rides on one coaster in one place? Get. A. Life.