Coasting For Kids Dorney Park 2012

Well, it's all over but the shouting. I arrived at Dorney about 8. They didn't let us into the parking lot until past the 8:30 scheduled registration time. I met an ex of mine who was gonna be joining me, and we headed, with the rest of the group, down to a registration table set up near Stinger's entrance. There we turned in our off-line donations, and received the following:

T-shirt, meal voucher, coupon for free framed Steel Force on-ride photo, certificate of participation (mine later got ruined on Thunder Canyon) and a Fast Lane wristband for use when not marathoning Steel Force for the event.

They had muffins, danishes, etc, for us, but I had stopped at Waffle House in Bethlehem, so I partook only of the juices they had out.

We had an ERT session on Stinger. I'm not a big fan of boomerangs, but this was only the third face-to-face one I'd been on. Judy and I took our first ride at the end that faces up to the sky as you head out of the station, nobody facing you. That was the best seat, very little ear-boxing and rather smooth for its type. We followed with a ride more toward the other end and one in the middle, but those weren't very pleasant. Finished with another good ride in the seat where we started. This was unofficially coaster #299 for me. ThighCrush should be 300 Thursday if all goes well.

We headed over to Steel Force for the marathon. As last year, we had a dedicated train. The ride was running pretty well. The blue sky overhead and a sea of green t-shirts on the train had me thinking of a certain Beatles song. I found myself graying out on the helix after my first few rides, so for most of my successive rides, my eyes were closed through that element, but it felt really nice. I was having some issues with a strong sun beating down on my bald pate on the agonizingly slow lift hill and while sitting on the brake run. I had forgotten my sunscreen, so I became the Masked Rider, using my bandanna to cover my head and partially my face at those junctures. I finished with 73 circuits, 3 less than Judy..I took one more bathroom break than she did.

We quit at 4 (session was til 5) because Judy was very hungry. We got chicken tenders at Chickie and Pete's ..had to pay for a soda, not included in meal voucher. Then we went and waded in the wave pool in Wildwater Kingdom for a few minutes before heading to the awards presentation. I don't participate in this for prizes, but I was lucky enough and had enough support to finish second at Dorney. I understand I'll receive four Haunt passes and Fright Lane to go with them. Congratulations to Carrie on her very successful fund raising effort, and all others who participated..not only at Dorney, but across the North American continent. Good job, everyone!

Following the ceremony, Judy and I Fast Lane'd two laps consecutive on Thunder Canyon. There's people on another board I post on who insist that no raft ride soaks riders more than Popeye and Bluto in Florida. These people really need to get to Allentown and see just how mis-informed they are.

We finished with two laps on Talon, my favorite coaster in the park (Meteor is my favorite RIDE in the park, but I skipped it,) followed by one on Hydra and the log flume. We wrapped up about 15 minutes before the park closed at 8. Stayed over in Allentown, and got home a coupla hours ago after another Waffle House breakfast, a stop at Weis, and fighting the Rt. 78 traffic heading to Newark and NYC.

Thanks for reading, guys and gals!

Mike - - - > If you don't mind me asking...how is the food at Chickie and Pete's? I have never been there - mostly because it is not air-conditioned. Any good?

Thunder Canyon gets me soaked, but there isn't enough leg room on those doughnuts for me. I never sit comfortably on that ride.

Congrats on the 2nd place finish.

It was the first time I had eaten there. We just had chicken tenders...I don't dip, but they were decent..no better or worse than any others I'd had. We wanted to go to Game Day Grille or the chicken place by Hydra, but I wasn't up to the walk at that moment. The meal voucher would not have been valid at GDG anyhow.