PPP... no fancy name

PPP 2006 has come and gone and it was another great day. This time the weather gods decided it was to be a nice fall day. Not a drop of rain compared to last season's downpours and not hot like 2004.

I crawled out of bed to make my 7 AM leave time. After a quick stop for gas and energy drinks one for the ride up and one for the ride home I was on my way. Thanks to Evanescence putting out a new cd and my recent purchase of tickets for Live's show in Atlantic City in November music choices for this ride were easy. The ride was uneventful except for a slight slow down on 80 West for construction. Arriving right on schedule at almost 10 AM I find the lot filling and weave my way through the huge crowd at the Covered Bridge Festival. After breakfast I headed over and got my ride all day Phunfest combo (dang stamp is still slightly lingering 2 days later) and headed over to the flyers.

Waiting in the queue for a ride op we didn't know what was about to occur but a ride op shows up and fires up the ride for a test. They flyers float around empty and we notice a few trying to snap with no one in them. This is going to be a good day. As the first session with riders is running the op decided to go all ride nazi and slow the ride down to yell at people for snapping. This continued for a few cycles where people were getting singled out for snapping the flyers. Well let's just let it be known that snapping wasn't hard this day. The winds were great and the ride was just perfect. At one point I turned and mentioned maybe some video of the op should be taken and shown at Eastcoaster for a good laugh and proof of what a ride nazi this guy was. It was so bad the queue actually emptied at one point. I only took one cycle while he was operating the flyers and stood by watching laughing and enjoying the sight of some marvelous snapping action by some excellent flyer pilots.

When I finally couldn't take no more laughter I headed over to the skooters since they are always a good time. For anyone who doesn't know Knoebels Skooters are some of the, if not the, finest bumper cars around. I was ready to deal some pain and really bump some cars around. They run with about 20 or so people out there so it can be real mayhem when you get a good group with you. The groups I rode with throughout the day would be some great groups. I am still feeling it in my spine two days later. I got one person with a particularly good hit and three laps or so later they came back and got me just as good with a great "PAYBACK... B____" to which I complimented them on the hit. Good times.

After the first scooters ride it was almost 1 so I knew my possible meetup with some friends was due. I headed over to the handstamp booth to find them waiting for me. I guess they could tell I was having a good time cause they asked what I had been doing with a laugh.I informed them that I had saved the coasters for when they got there and let them know I had only ridden a few rides.

We headed towards Phoenix as those of us who had been to Knoebels before were in withdrawl. On our way over we passed the looper and it was mentioned that we had to have the one person who hadn't been to Knoebels before ride it. The pedal was not to be used by me so no locking them upside down just plenty of good flipping and rocking. We even had three times we almost got it to flip the opposite way. It's still a fun ride for me but most of my group is swearing it off as too nauseating.

Now it was time for some Phoenix. I love this coaster it's so non intimidating looking but man does it pack a punch when you ride it. The air whore in me still say this ride kicks ass even during the day. But the night rides in the fog from the haunted antique cars are just silly.

Fandango was next and I just relized we only rode it one time. SAD! This is one of those flats that I love for it's air and visuals. Man I feel cheated but oh well there was more to this day than riding.

Twister was next on the menu and let's just say I want rain or no thanks. This could also be a reason for the soreness after our daytime ride I told my group I would only ride it again at night and that may be only one lap also. Dear god that ride shakes you. Not Son of Beast shake but shaken not stirred to say the least.

I needed to relax and knew the perfect place to relax. The carousel. I love the atmosphere over by it and the ride has just classic written all over it with it's two organs and the ring grabbing. Great spot to chill out and relax. Again it was one ride in the day and one at night. The night ride makes it even more of the feel of amusement park history with the lights and the organ. I wish more parks would pay attention to details and not forget what a carousel could be. CD music and no ring machine carousels are so sanitized it makes me sad. Knoebels does it right. Thanks!

The day and night were full of nice light riding and chatting with people in lines. I will always try to be at PPP and as the years pass I hope to keep having the times I have had. Thanks all for a great day and great night.

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At one point I turned and mentioned maybe some video of the op should be taken and shown at Eastcoaster for a good laugh and proof of what a ride nazi this guy was.

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Video is already showing up.

Hmm never saw him the rest of the day after that.

Thanks for the TR Frost, Was great meeting you.

Pat, we arrived right after the ops changed at 1pm. I think someone got wind of the nazi and he was moved somwhere else.

Normally you have to pick ops carefully on the phyers but we've never been told not to snap, Warned to tone it down but never to not snap at all.

Chuck, who says if the wings slightly in, The darn things snap themselves.

The snap nazi was back on Sunday, but he took breaks from 1pm to 2pm and again from 4pm to 5pm, which made for a GREAT time. I got about 20 rides in over those two glorious hours. :)

Glad I didn't encounter the Phlyer Nazi during my short visit. That video is quite funny. Now where is the video of Tina when she got those amazing snaps? Maybe we need to send it to the nazi.

-Nicole

I got all kinda video of Tina and others snapping.

It will take a while though to get it online though as I don't have a Video card.

Chuck, who even has the Tina Cable hook on video :)

Sweet. Looking forward to seeing THAT.

Frost, I think I was right behind you in the line for Phoenix one time. You did say you were going to be wearing the Portis jersey right? You were already talking with some other folks, or I would have razzed you about being one of Dan Snyder's boys. :)

I thought I saw the snap nazi (aka The Phlyer Phascist) back on duty early Saturday evening, maybe between 5 and 6. There were only little kids and their parents in line at that time.

"No snep for-r-r you." (Best way I can approximate rolling an "r" in text.)

He was there when I took my phirst phlyer ride on Saturday at 4:30ish.

Edit: The nazi that is *** Edited 10/10/2006 5:40:38 PM UTC by Acoustic Viscosity***

Here's a few pictures I took during the event, mostly of Flying Turns progress and Looper action:

http://photos.tideblue.com/ryan/themeparks/knoebels06/ppp/

Yes I had a Portis jersey on during the day and my Broncos coat at night. You should have said something. I love being razzed for that shirt.

It was so great to meet ya Ryan and Bear! I don't think I met Frost, or did I?

Phlyer Nazi was there on and off all day on Saturday, and looked kind of ticked when I had my ultimate "snappage" moment. I thought I was going to get yelled at. ;)

The Phlyers were one of the best times EVER over the weekend. I spent a majority of my time there.

-Tina

<-----the QUEEN of Snappage! The video of it is SWEET! I can't wait to see it again.

Epic TR coming soon..............:)

Nice meeting you too, Tina-- for all of about 30 seconds. :) I must have gone past the flyers during your off moments because I didn't see you again after our brief intro. You still owe me a spin on the Looper. Now do you pronounce that SNAP-page or snap-PAZH?

Chuck it was nice meeting you also. Again, another brief intro.

Frost, I would have said something but you were already talking with other people.

Don't think we met Tina but we probably passed each other during the day.

Most of my time was at the Phlyers since I was practicing snapage and I had a friend who was learning. I was aslo enjoying watching the wonderful pilots that day.

Voy-age, Snapp-age. Now we just gotta get HW a ten tub model :)

Chuck, who can see both Knoebels and HWs as yearly events :)

http://sobrider.com/gallery/v/album_008/IMG_0117.JPG.html

Heres the best I can do for now on the Flyer Queen's cable hook. It's a pic of my brother trying to fix it after she got out.

Chuck, photo by Sobrider

Was it announced when next year's event is?

Not an announced date but my bet would be Oct 6th.

It was nice to meet you Chuck, and thank god the op at night wasn't saying anything about snapping. You were getting some great ones. Although, I was distracted by the monkey.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y279/raptorboyasu/East%20Coaster%20Trip%202006/Knoebels/DSCF2202.jpg *** Edited 10/12/2006 4:12:12 PM UTC by Blaster_1578***