Posted | Contributed by KellyL
The fourth annual Blue Streak Challenge will be held at Conneaut Lake Park, in Conneaut Lake, PA. on Monday, July 19, 2004. In its short four years this has become a much-anticipated national event throughout the coaster and park community.
The Blue Streak Challenge was started by a couple of coaster/park enthusiasts in 2001, to help preserve the historic 67-year-old roller coaster at this 112-year-old amusement park. They also co-founded the Conneaut Lake Park Preservation Society to aid the Park in keeping its historical aspect while realizing its potential growth for the future.
Last year's event raised almost $8,000 for the maintenance and upkeep of the Blue Streak. Thirteen hardy souls climbed aboard the original Vettel train promptly at 10:00 a.m. to begin their 12-hour odyssey. By 10:00 p.m. they had set a new record for a 12-hour period and completed 300 circuits.
For the second year, the Blue Streak Challenge is proudly co-sponsored by Conneaut Lake Institute, Inc. (CLI), a registered non-profit organization started in 1999 to promote cultural and educational events in and around the Conneaut Lake area. CLI's Board of Directors and members have a mutual respect for the heritage of the Conneaut Lake area and Conneaut Lake Park, and wish to promote its value.
As usual for Mondays, the rest of Conneaut Lake Park will be closed so everyone can focus on the main event. Anyone can register for this event, come out and cheer the riders on or walk on the wild side and take a ride with us for a $4.00 tax-deductible donation. If you want to be assured a seat, register early before they're all taken.
For more information and to register for the Blue Streak Challenge, please visit Conneaut Lake Park Preservation Society's web site at http://home.neo.rr.com/city.
If you prefer to make a tax-deductible donation to this cause, please make checks/money orders payable to Conneaut Lake Institute, P.O. Box 111, Conneaut Lake, PA 16316. Please write Blue Streak Challenge in the memo section of your check.
For more information and to become a member of Conneaut Lake Institute, Inc., please visit thier web site at www.conneautlakeinstitute.org.
The Blue Streak Challenge runs rain or shine, but Monday, August 2 has been chosen as an alternate date for unexpected mechanical difficulties.
this is such a great event. Now this is where the money should go. Not to A summer convention . (leaving un-disclosed) for 275.00 This is one of the best oldies but goodies around and they surely dont make em like this any more.If you havent done the event you have to. This coaster kicks butt!!! and CLP is so beautiful. you gotta love it!!!!!!!!! T2... do the board walk along the lake really cool!!!!
I am seriously tempting doing it, but my question is Blue Streak, extremely rerideable, by that I mean does it jam you or is rough? If it is both a no I might actually go ahead and do it.
The Blue Streak is not too rough coasterkid. It is actually pretty smooth now in the old roomy trains. It's very easy to learn how to ride the coaster if you do find a spot that seems a liitle rough in the layout. I've marathoned on that coaster a lot in the past few years, and would venture to say that I've ridden rougher coasters in Sandusky. Conneauts Blue Streak looks old and decrepit but is in excellent shape. Looks can be deceiving because I've ridden many coasters that looked like they should be smooth and got headaches from just one ride. The Blue Streak is a fun coaster to marathon. I'd definitely consider it, if it was me.
Wood - anything else is an imitation
I'd do it but I doubt I could get a monday away from work, any other day of the week would be no problem. What could be better than riding Blue Streak for 12 hours.
What could be better than riding Blue Streak for 12 hours? Riding Ghostrider for 12 hours! Actually I honestly can't say considering I haven't been on CLP's Blue Streak.
Anyway, that sounds like a great event to preserve a classic coaster.
Riding nearly anything for 12 hours is better then even the best day at work.
any one that takes the trip to CLP will not be dissapointed . It is a great park and it is a walk back in time . The place is simply beautiful. ITs very clean, its way out in the Crawford country hills of PA. and the crowds are all families. NO routy teenagers or line jumping here. The old hotel is just Grand and sits right on the lake, Which is a Glasier lake and one of the deepest in the US. Dinosours bones were found in the bottom of the lake which have been retrieved and are on display in there museum.They have one of the oldest Merry go rounds in the us also.And the boardwalk is so qwaint. It boarders part of the lake.The train ride is the best!!! It travels in the woods and goes under the BLue Streak... Got to go!T2
CLP is such a classic park with an atmosphere that cannot be replicated. That feeling of being frozen in time cannot be replicated. I will definetly be there to cheer the crew on. Good luck guys!
I love the park... Best flying scooters anywhere. (not that there'smany of those around...) I hope the Bugs back in action this year. it was down last year and it was missed. my family and i spend at least one week a year in the conneaut lake area. We usually camp at Camperland (at 10 bucks a night, that leaves a lot of money to spend elsewhere for fun).Though i understand why they went back to the old trains for B-Streak, i miss the ptc's. Those trains on that coaster was an experience seldom felt on a coaster that barely hits 40 mph.
Normally I do not post to forums such as these, but as a new member to the site and a coaster fan, I must say that the event sounds like a excellant way to help preserve an old coaster that is a classic. One thing for sure is the park can use the help of a group dedicated to preserving the classic coasters. One thing come to mind is how did the coaster fare over the rough winter this year? I would imagine that in the past work crews would have been out there working on the coaster getting it ready for the upcoming season. I recently was in the area on a business trip, I had to take a quick detour and check out the park. Oddly, I noticed that the park looks deserted. There was no security guard at the gate as I pulled in for a quick tour of the park. There were no cars in the lots, it looked like a ghost town. The streets were plowed, but there appeared to be no work crews there. The rides looked torn down and gave the appearance that no one has yet begun to work on them. Maybe it was a mid-week off day for the workers, I dont know. I was hoping to get some pictures of the orginial wooden trains I heard were restored and put back into operation. One thing for sure is that I am looking forward to visiting the park this summer with my family and riding the blue streak.
