Do the Puyallup 9/22/05

This is my first trip report in ages and, in fact, my first "park trip" since visiting Disneyland and Magic Mountain in June, '04 and, prior to that, Walt Disney World in August, '03. Coaster riding's been slow. :)

Yesterday, I went with my friend Darren to the Western Washington Fair in Puyallup, WA -- the Fair, to the native folks. I also had plans to connect with fellow Coasterbuzz folks Robocoaster, Nasai and RollerGator. Also, Jill. I'm usually antisocial and pessimistic, so I'm always scared of meeting new people.

Before connecting with the others, Darren and I visited the Hobby Hall and made fun of some atrocious Lego sculptures. The whole state fair environment is new to me, having experienced only local carnivals and county fairs in New York and the experience was quaint, I guess. I'm not such a fan of the livestock.

We got Super Dizzy Passes that include admission to Coaster: Thrill Ride, the Huss Jump and S&S Combo Tower. Our first ride was Super Orbiter, presumably a Tivoli Orbiter. These are great fun and very forceful. My body let me know right away that it doesn't have the same tolerance for abuse as it once did and the ride made me a bit disoriented.

We followed that with a Zierer Fire Ball, the first of these I'd ever seen. It's a unique, fun ride.

Next was the Super Wildcat (#4375895749543 -- okay, so I lost count, but it's not a big number). This ride is in amazing condition and rode smoother than most new coasters. I was impressed and it was a lot of fun. I'd have liked more rides on this, but it was more important to experience some other unique rides
first.

El Nino, a KMG Spin Out 24, became our next adventure. I hadn't been on one of these in ages and enjoyed it more than I remember from the first and last time I'd come across one of these.

I next rode the Jump, cleverly signed as Jumping. Darren, it turns out, is freakishly tall and stuff and did not fit in the Jump's restraints. I <3 these rides and while the up and down motion of this ride seemed weak in comparison to that which was at Great Adventure, it was still a blast.

Finally, Coaster Thrill Ride was up. We waited as suggested for the yellow train, last car. I wasn't too impressed by my first ride and only felt two decent pops of air. Blasphemy, apparently.

Darren required sustinence at this point, so he grabbed food while I'll called Rob to find out where they were. After food, we met with everyone in front of Extreme Scream, the S&S Combo Tower. Nasai was leaving, but not before he made me call 'moosh about CAC. Rob and Bill and Jill went out to their car to get warmer clothes while Darren and I rode the S&S tower -- well, after a 45 minute wait. The wait tried my patience, to say the least. I have low tolerance for rude, stupid, selfish people.

While waiting for the tower to launch, we had a conversation with some kids at the fence asking if we'd been on the ride before. I explained that I hadn't ridden that tower, but had been on similar rides like Power Tower, Scream and Dominator. When the ride had ended, one of the kids showed me a picture he'd taken of me before launch and it looked like I was holding on for dear life. I wasn't and was mostly really creeped out that someone would take my picture without my permission.

The ride? Oh, it was okay. Weak pop at the top on the upward launch, better on the drop.

We met with everyone again by Coaster Thrill Ride after Darren and I rode it oncde more. Still unimpressed. They went on the skyride, I rode the Jump again twice more and Darren went off to win prizes.

After that, we all went over to the Giant Slide and raced, sort of. I ended up racing Darren by myself and beat him by, like, three me-lengths. I'm lanky so that's awesome.

Our quest to ride the new Flying Tigers, a suspended whip, was met with disappointment. Adults were not allowed to ride.

We finished the night with one more ride on Coaster -- I with Bill, Rob with Jill and Darren at the exit with an inflatable Spider-Man hammer and West Coast Choppers pillow. This final ride, again in the last seat of the yellow train, was much better. As things turn out, Darren's freakish height and resulting girth meant that dainty ole me was squished into the car on the first two rides. The first return leg on this trip was filled with two satisfying moments of Phoenix-like air, while the second outbound run had some nice floating.

We parted ways after our ride, but I didn't get to leave until Darren forced me to go buy scones. Apparently, people love these things to death, but I don't understand the fascination. It's a biscuit that's been buttered and also has raspberry jam. I didn't like it.

Tomorrow, CAC. Maybe. I'm still trying to decide if I'm going.

Maddie... you're just an unhappy person.

...and I love it. :)

Glad you got "some" air on Coaster:TR. BTW, Darren isn't freakishly tall, but he is a full boat 'o dude.

Why is it that everyone takes my brand of cynical optimism to be unhappiness? :p I really want for the world to be a better place, but I'm a bit frustrated that it hasn't yet realized that I know everything.

I enjoyed the fair, but I wasn't blown away. I am a bit sad that I missed CAC, but I wasn't really feeling up to it and started freaking out about running out of gas and being stranded in Idaho.

There'll be something else in the future. Maybe I'll go to Knott's or something. They do a thing, don't they?

Yeah, they do a "thing."

....and of course, you're cynical. You're from the East Coast. It's bred into you!

Cynicism. Reason #54893753 why the East is better than the West.