KennyKon/SFWOA and camping...weeee! 7/13-7/14
Associated parks:
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Anyway, it's Saturday morning and my friend and I contemplate hitting CP early for Joe Cool (for another Dragstergasm or two). Learning that it was STILL down, we decide to make our way to Aurora and try out some of the new waterslides at SFWOA. We later learned that Dragster opened at 2:30. Oh well. It's a good thing I live closer to the park now.....woohoo!
Once we get to SFWOA we opt to park in the shopping center across the street, which I have done before to save the $8 parking fee. Unfortunatley there are now signs posted around the entrance warning those who park there o who's intentions are hitting the park...... Hmmm, and I thought I was the only one? Kidding. :-)
We decide not to chance it and fork out the cash for the parking. We head straight to the waterpark but not without getting a quick ride on SUE. Damn what a slow launch!! ;-)
The new Hurrican Mountain slides are pretty damn cool. :-)
After relaxing in the wave pool I decide I NEED to ride, so I left my friend for a few hours and went nuts. At this point ALL the major coasters like X-Flight, Villian, and Batman were walk-on to 20 minutes tops. This was the first time I had seen both of X-Flight's stations going. Sweet! Enthusiasts either love it or hate it. I LOVE it!
The Serial Thriller, Big Dipper, and Raging Wolf Bobs had the LONGEST lines, due to the capacity. I did manage to get a ride on the Bobs with the VERY nice G-trains. I am not a big fan of the G-trians but I must admit it has improved the Bobs beyond my expectations. This ride was better than opening day's. :-)
SFWOA is strange, meaning that the midways are PACKED like sardines, but the major coasters have little wait. The "minor" coasters, however, have the LONGEST wait.
The Villian was kicking ass and running like a bat out of hell. Batman was the best as usual, as was the no-wait rides on X-Flight (seriously...there was little or no wait that evening!!)
After a few hours of coaster bliss I met up with my friend and we decide to go to the Country Acres Campround, which is about 30 minutes east of Aurora, on the way to Pittsburgh. Our plan was to stop somewhere for dinner, check in, set up the tent, and meet our other friend back at the park for some nightime rides. That never happened. :-)
The campground was cozy, and we managed (with some degree of success and with the selfless help of a fellow camper..lol) to pitch the tent. I got a very nice campfire going. It had been about 12 years or so since I camped out (or pitched a tent for that matter) so it was quite an adventure. Our friend met up with us later that night and we just kind of chilled in front of the fire, while I fought off the mosquitos.
Besides the bugs eating me up it was awesome. The sky was clear, we took some painkillers, and contemplated everything in life......Heh.
The next morning we were tired, cranky, and I was eaten up with mosquitos and chiggers (and I even use repellant). My friend decides to bathe in the sweet-smelling well water (lol) Ok.so it's the typical campground sewer fragrance. lol. I try in vain to to wrap up the muddy tent back into it's bag (with no success).
After a quick Mickey D's breakfast off the turnpike we finally make it to West Mifflin and just in time. It seemed that the crowd was much smaller than last year's Kon, but that did not stop the enthusiasm during ERT on Thunderbolt and then The PhRevenge. Damn what a kickass coaster!! Short but VERY sweet. Our first ride for the day was back seat, and I almost thought I got whiplash at one point. Yikes.
Magnum and Steel Force EAT your heart out. OK, I honestly like the latter two better. PhRevenge would kick everyone's ass if it was JUST a little longer, but that is just MHO.
After the official ERT I got a few nice rides on my Pittfall before the masses started pouring in. My friends and I then head over to Exterminator which was NUTS! That was probably the best ride I have had on it......it's great when the damn thing does NOT stop spinning in almost total darkness. I seem to remember the ride having more lights last year? I prefer them off. :-)
I missed the Racer but we got one ride on Jack Rabbitt, which the double-dip cannot be beat. The Aero is one of my favorite Spin-N-Pukes.....crazy....CRAZY RIDE! Gotta love it.
The Bayern Kurve was a little rough, but fun as always, as was the Magic Carpet and whatever other flats we rode. lol.
I was looking to ride the new King Kahuna (Huss topspin with some brutal jets of water shooting up) but decided not to. How in the hell people don't keep from getting electrocuted I don't know.
The picnic was enjoyable and DEE-LISH with the typical enthusiast fare.....burgers, chicken, and sausages... with all the fixins' of course. Very nice. There were several door prizes.
The crowd was pretty sedate and relaxed. I met up with some familiar faces and old friends which was cool.
After the picnic we attempted to drive back to western Ohio, which turned out the be one of the biggest challenges ever. A three hour trip turned into a 7 or 8 hour trip from hell.. I guess getting little if any sleep at the campground caught up with us before we knew it.
Basking in the sun for two days while riding coasters over and over also caught up with us, not to mention that we just pigged out at the KennyKon picnic.
We were both falling asleep at the wheel while taking turns, and I finally stopped at a rest stop after the Ohio border and managed to pass out for a few hours. Rest stops make me nervous but at this point my body took over and forced me to sleep before I got ourselves killed on I-70.
We made it back here around 3:30-ish Monday morning, tired beyond belief but happy to have had a good time. It rocked. Great friends, great coasters, awesome food, and a kickass campfire.
Dragster is up and running now so I look forward to hitting the Point this weekend. ;-) Life is good.
-Tina
*** This post was edited by coasterqueenTRN 7/18/2003 9:11:37 AM ***
I like X-flight too! I would hit it over and over again with no waits. That is the beauty of that park. It just doesn't get the huge crowds. Now, if Villian was a bit less rough (for wusses like me) and B:KF wasn't a brutal headbanger, I'd get back more often.
Still, glad you get the opportunities, and yes, those parking signs were there in May.
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How much more black can this be? - and the answer is none... none... more black.
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