Dells Trip Pt2. Little A-Merrick-A, Riverside and Timberfalls
Associated parks:
None
Right on time we had made the hour and ten minute trip to the middle of dairy farm USA, Marshal Wisconsin, No kidding a little town and a right turn and the park sits right in the middle of a bunch of farms :)
Well cruising past the park to the first right hand turn and watching carefully for no tresspasing signs we make the journey back to the shops for Little Amerrickas RR.
The door is open and a man comes out that looks like one third of ZZ top and says Hi. I tell him who we are and where we are from and he says sure, COMON IN :) Well we chat with him awhile while looking at the projects they have going. A 4-8-4 Mikido is almost complete built from scratch. A replica of the Union Pacific 119 golden spike engine and a Mallot that is hidden under a tarp. Also in the shop is another diesel they are buiding for someplace. We chat with the guy and he's cut himself on something, I offer to drive him up to the park first aid but he says he can make it and that Rick would give us the grand tour.
Well we wait outside for Rick, A kid shows up and pulles a diesel out of the shed and fuels it up and off to the park he goes to pick up the cars and get ready for opening. Rick shows up and we tell him the guy said you wouldn't mind showing us around for a short. Rick says well, This is my job and I got engines to build but nicely says Look all you want. Just to the left and across the track from the shops is the 5 stall Roundhouse and Turntable. Looking in the window Im all excited to see four working locomotives parked inside. Me and Rob (My brother are talking about them when Rick comes out and says Comon in and look around turning the lights on and opening the door. He then seems to have all the time in the world and chats with us about 15-20 minutes about the engines, where they are from and how long it takes to build em.
Three of the four engines are not built by them and the one that is is obvious. The Lee A. Merrick is about two feet taller and about 6 feet longer than the other three.
Whiskey River Railway is a 1/3 scale real railroad running on 16in gauge track. Rick informed us that while the guage works fine, They like to build em bigger and more powerful and hence the Lee A Merrick and the engine in the shop thats almost completed.
The other three engines have been rebuilt completely by them and they include the Oakland Acorn. A engine formerly in the San Francisco Zoo. The Daylight which was at Gene Autreys Melody Ranch and another engine that is nice as well.
After about 45 minutes at the shops, We thanked Rick for his time and all the effort they do to run Live Steam and he says give me a call when you wanna buy one :)
Over to the park and we buy our ride pass for $13 for about $20 you can get the pass for mini golf and go karts. Little Amerricka is small but bigger than some parks (Strickers Grove) but they do have several rides of which we took several. The coasters area Herschel Jr. A Imaculate and fast running Tobbogan that has aitime and a Herschel Mad Mouse that is also in very good condition. We rode em all and took three train rides on their 2.5 mile track through pumpkin patches and christmas tree farm and zoo featuring all kinds of animals (Most impressive are the Texas Longhorns laying within two feet of the tracks. YIKES! We got video of everything and checked out The Meteor Construction which seems to have about 2/3rs of its footers poured.
About 4pm and hungry, Rob and I leave Little Americka. It was fun and the Railway was incredible for a Hobby.
After stopping at the campground and eating supper we did a run of the uppper dells strip and seen what it had to offer. Not being the tourist trap type guys, We really didn't do anything but look at the shops and attractions. We stopped at Riverside on the way back for the other three coaster credits. paying per ride, We only rode each once. A Galaxi, Wacky Worm and Dragon Wagon. Don't know why we stopped really. For the time and money we could have ridden Hades a couple more times.
Thursday: With no rush and rain emminent we got to Timberfalls about 11:30am, Got our all day ride pass and proceeded to take the first five and only dry rides on Avalanche for the day. The ride ops were very cool and allowed some footage we would never take without permission. We played the course in the middle of the coaster (Which is the worst of the four they have. Took the log flume ride, EXCELLENT and Rode Avalanche about 5 more times before leaving and making supper about 4pm. Back at the park at 6 till close with two mini golfs and Rob rode Avalanche about 50 more times straight.
Avalanche, PLAIN A$$ WICKED and I found it to be very good with one drawback, I don't think I could ride it more than about 5 times without at break and didn't. Rob rode it close to 60 times for the day and two girls rode it 102 times but for some reason I couldn't. Rob said the secret was to sit on the left side so your ribs don't get bruised by PTC's unpadded sideboard. (I know they are padded but the top isn't). Avalanche is a coaster that has no dead moments, Everyting it does is forceful and intense. It starts with a steep drop that like Hades offered a bit of air even in 1.2 and followed by a very wicked left turn which I came to crave. Two bunnies, Another left and a nice floater near the station. Another left next to the lifthill and two extreme bunnies followed by a left from hell inside the first drops left. Two more extreme bunnies and a left that floats you through it. A double up that works on both parts and brakes that at times seemed that we were gonna overshoot and others stopped you too fast. Avalanche is one kick butt ride. After the first couple rides I was really tightening my seatbelt and actually worried about getting thrown on the exteme bunnies. Just plain wicked air and turns.
Avalanche is definetely top ten for me. Better than Raven or Pheonix IMHO, The one direction the coaster made wasn't the dissapointment to me that some have said. Everything this coaster does is done about as well as you can do it and it flys the whole course.
Thanks for reading
Chuck, who says his shortened trip including only Olympus, AmerrickA, Riverside and Adventurefalls was well worth it. I will be back, sooner rather than later.
Charles Nungester said:
...The Meteor Construction which seems to have about 2/3rs of its footers poured.
Just so it's ready when I get there next Spring... ;)
A Galaxi, Wacky Worm and Dragon Wagon. Don't know why we stopped really. For the time and money we could have ridden Hades a couple more times.
Ummm, they ARE "credits"... LOL!
...Rob rode Avalanche about 50 more times straight...Avalanche, PLAIN A$$ WICKED...a coaster that has no dead moments, Everyting it does is forceful and intense.
Yay Rob...if everything I keep hearing about Avalanche proves true (and I expect it will), I'll be shooting for his mark... :)
Charles Nungester said:Rob said the secret was to sit on the left side so your ribs don't get bruised by PTC's unpadded sideboard.
I found the exact opposite to be true. With constant left turns on Avalanche, I found it easier to sit on the right side of the train.
I could only ride the left side about 3-4 times before I was sick of getting bent over the seat divider (I was riding solo). On the right side I found it easier to let the side of the train take all my weight, instead of my poorly developed mid-section muscles. :)
Charles Nungester said:
...The Meteor Construction which seems to have about 2/3rs of its footers poured.
Actually, that doesn't sound like a lot more than what was done when we visited there during CoasterCon. I'm sure it will be a mostly off-season project though.
"Heavily medicated for your safety!"
Every ride I took on Avalanche was in the right seat. While the first turn was very bearable and I actually liked it in the right seat. SOmething about the turn inside the first drop turn was far more painful. The other one going around the office/ concession was no bother at all to me on either pass.
Chuck
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