GASM at SFGADv - CoasterBuzz

SFMM's Viper is easily the best of the three SF Arrow megaloopers (which, admittedly, isn't saying much). Shockwave was the absolute worst steel coaster in the world, period. I can't even begin to describe how much I hated that POS, and how much I celebrated it's departure. GASM was better, but not by much. There are a *few* coasters I've ridden that are worse than GASM, but not many. I actually enjoyed SFMM's Viper quite a bit. It's nowhere near a top ten ride, but it's relatively painless and has some nice moments.

SFGAdv's Viper, surprisingly, wasn't *that* bad. There are two terrible spots (exiting the first inversion and the final turn into the station) but the ride is over so quickly that it didn't strike me as God-awful. The barrel roll is fantastic and the theming is nice. I'd ride Viper over GASM anyday (again, that isn't saying much).

Where is this "flag" underneath Gasm? All I see are ugly stripes of red and white gravel. Where's the blue? http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery34.htm?Picture=6

For what it's worth, my ratings of the above rides in Mitch's 2002 poll (out of 83):
SFMM Viper: 36
SFGAdv Viper: 61
GASM: 81
Shockwave: 83

-Nate
*** This post was edited by coasterdude318 2/4/2003 9:49:30 PM ***

Wow. GASM and SW lower than GAdvs. Viper. I must be missing something when I ride that Togo "masterpiece."
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Be polite and ignore the idiots. - rollergator
"It was like that when I got here."
"I'll procrastinate later."

Well, I wouldn't call it a "masterpiece" at all, but GAdv's Viper was much more pleasurable than Shockwave and GASM (combined!). Perhaps it's because Viper is so short compared to the other two, or perhaps it's because the barrel roll was just that darn cool. Either way, Viper gave me much less of a beating *overall* than Shockwave and GASM.

-Nate

I find this discussion amusing. I've heard for years that Shockwave is just unbearable. I've never ridden it, but I have ridden GASM, which I feel is a great ride. Now I hear from some that GASM is more brutal than SW, or Viper is more brutal than both, or whatever...

I must have much more tolerance for 'intense' rides than so many of you (in my opinion, GASM is intense, not painful). Sure, I get whipped around into the restraint every time the train makes the turn into the midcourse, but it's never been so bad that it warrants complaining about, or pegging the ride as a lousy coaster. I dunno, maybe it's because I was riding coasters way before B&M ever came on the scene, and Arrow was the dominant manufacturer. Although I hadn't ridden an Arrow looper before '91, so that shouldn't really matter...and I guess I got accustomed to the entrance into Anaconda's midcourse brake. Plus, I'm one of the only Buzzers that claims Drachen Fire as one of my top 10 steel coasters, and I never thought it was too rough. Intense, yes, but not rough. Still, I don't think my head is any more resilient than anyone else's on CBuzz, so it must just boil down to the fact that you're all a bunch of wusses. ;)

-Vater, who is of course kidding (sort of...).

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-Vater
Take a ride...

GASM was a walk-on every time I visted SFGAdv last summer. Personally, I thought it was a pretty decent ride. A few rough spots, but for the most part, I like it.

As to Viper.... ugh.... it looks pretty, but as we all know, looks aren't everything. I'll gladly walk by this ride on all of my future trips.

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Men are like parking spaces... the good ones are all taken and the rest are handicapped or too far away.
www.TiggerMan.com

Ehh...I'll say the same thing about Viper that I stated above. If you can overlook the couple of far-from-perfect transitions, Viper is a great little coaster. Uniqueness counts a lot in my book.

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-Vater
Take a ride...

While it's true that there are some pansies on the list (koff*coasterdude318*koff ;)), sometimes coasters just *are* rough. I find it odd to see the comparisons of these three all over the place. Personally, I liked Shock Wave, but abhore GASM-II. You would think that two coasters so similar would ride alike but I though about nothing but getting off (shut up Bill) the whole ride. I've never ridden MM's Viper so I wont comment much, but it *does* eliminate the one trouble I had with Shock Wave, the nasty turn into the midcourse.

SFGAdv's Viper in an engineering sense is very poorly executed. However, the coaster is so all around *weird* that it becomes enjoyable, if you can ignore the sprain in your neck :)

For the record, "T" rode Adv's Viper twice but would only ride GASM-II the one time

lata, jeremy

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"Sunshine, daisies, butter-mellow! Turn this stupid fat rat yellow!"

OK, so I'm a wuss....whatever...;). Bottom line, I didn't exactly *do* the steel poll, but I think Nate's rankings are pretty close to how I'd have ranked them. SFMM's Viper is a DREAM in comparison to either of those other *abusive* Arrow megaloopers. Last trip to NJ, GASM-II fot a total of 0 rides....granted, it wasn't an all-day trip, but there's no need to ride THAT thing when there's so many SBNO flats to look at....;)

bill, who gladly ignored the neck sprain and re-rode SFGAdv's Viper, several times...:)

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Never go unarmed into a battle of wits...;)
"I may be wrong, but I doubt it", by C. Barkley (and Shaq thought HE was "The Big Aristotle")...;)

It just goes to show, that different people experience the same rides differently...When I was at SFGAdv in June of 2000, I rode GASM and loved it even though I do/did not like Shockwave. (And I thought that TOGO P-O-S, Viper was the worst waste of steel ever.)

I rode Viper at SFMM in Oct. 2001 and liked it the best of the three "siblings", with GASM a close second and SW a distant third.

Go figure!

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--George H
---Superman the ride...coming to a SF park near you soon...
Currency tracking experiment... http://www.wheresgeorge.com (Referring to The "George" on the $1 bill - Not Me)

Gator said "steel poll." Hehehe.

Anyway...I was pleasantly surprised by how pain-free SFMM's Viper was compared to Shockwave.

As long as Viper survives at SFGrAdv, GASM can happily proclaim, "I am not the worst rollercoaster in this park". When Viper goes, that tune will have to change.

the line usually is very short for GASM, so you dont gotta rush to it first. For the best ride, sit in the front. its a pure rush.

I have ridden all three of Arrow's "mega-loopers" and by far GASM was my least favorite...Well let me elaborate. When Great Adventures added that brake after the first loop, that ruined the ride in my opinion. That brake is absent from Viper and I believe it was absent from Shockwave as well. I would like to think that passing through the 2nd and 3rd vertical loops would be a better thrill at the full 68mph rather than 55mph or so. I know Im exaggerating, but I am just making a point. In any case, they were /are all good coasters. I just think a park has no clue what too many brakes can do to a good ride. As far as wait time, the last time I was at the park was a Sunday in early June. I think the longest I waited was 15 mins....and that was because I wanted the front seat =D
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Ive had roller coaster rides that lasted longer than that date!
*** This post was edited by CoastrStud31 2/5/2003 2:17:27 PM ***

The lines for GASM are usually very short. The themeing as mentioned before is American with red, white, and blue trains. The ride itself is only rough after the trim brakes and heading into the corkscrews. I still love the lift hill and first drop because it gives a great view of the boardwalk area.

dawnmarie313 said:
Gator said "steel poll." Hehehe.
Anyway...I was pleasantly surprised by how pain-free SFMM's Viper was compared to Shockwave.

What happened to coasterbuzz, anyway?

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Be polite and ignore the idiots. - rollergator
"It was like that when I got here."
"I'll procrastinate later."

It was sold-out to DDRBuzz.

I can't wait to head out to SFGAdv, after loving Drachen Fire (#3 steel coaster in my book) I'm sure I'll love GASM.

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Emerging from the ashes of Eric 013...

You were, what, ten years max when you rode Drachen Fire? Don't worry, we were all young and stupid at one time. ;-)

dawnmarie313 said:
Gator said "steel poll." Hehehe.

UpsideDawn, makin' people think I've got a dirty mind....tsk-tsk....;). I very well couldn't go and put *ass-terisks* next to "do" AND "steel poll"....options for making it worse than ot already sounded were virtually limitless, and I figured *someone* would pick up on it anyway....little did I know...;).

But if you'll look closely....closer....closer....you'll see jeremy started it...:)

Small wonder that Viper can still draw lines like it does, while Shockwave gets transported to TX...;)

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Never go unarmed into a battle of wits...;)
"I may be wrong, but I doubt it", by C. Barkley (and Shaq thought HE was "The Big Aristotle")...;)

WOW! I'm being perfectly honest when I say the "abhore GASM-II" phrase was completely unintended....:)

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"Sunshine, daisies, butter-mellow! Turn this stupid fat rat yellow!"