Rumblefest & SFKK and trip notes

We started our day barely making checkout at the hotel. While I was ok a couple in our group were determined to sleep till they coudln't anymore. 11:00 and were were on the road to Beech Bend.

We were barely out of Jasper and we wanted to get lunch. I was for a stop and go, They were for a sit down lunch. We comprimized at Wendys in which I had the very first experience like this.

I remember being 16-17 and waiting to be legal to buy beer but this was the very first time that I was asked if I get the Sr. Discount! I was dumbfounded and honestly quite shocked and just looked at the girl like yeah, I could be your daddy but not your grandpa! She then tried to apease the situation by saying well you look like a young Sr. which was only digging herself deeper. Finally she said she ask's everyone!

IM 42 and was told many times over the weekend that I look much better than I have in years past having lost 70pds. Oh well. Later that day I had another moment. More later.

We arrived at Beech Bend about 1:30 to our first taste of Southern Hospitality. I'll just say it matches Hoosier Hospitality step for step. Charlotte which we didn't know it was her was all "Were glad your hear!" Need anything, Just ask!" We got our registrations and event info and entered.

The park itself is layed out in a big circle and the upper part is kinda baron of trees but they are planted. It will look real nice in the future. The rides are layed out around the outside of this circle and we started with a Wisdom Tornado followed by a Zamperla Power Surge and then Rumbler.

Rumbler sits at the top of the park at the top of the slight hill the park sits on. It uses the backside of this hill a little in it's layout.

The ride was great, Lots of air all over but not really extended air or ejector air either. Latterals, I love latterals and find them lacking on many GCII's but this one was different. Id say overal it has much more of it and even more air than Thunderhead and the ride is very, very good. The ride length is also very good for it's size. More later.

We exited thru the gift shop, Most of the group was chillin but I dashed for the looping star. The ride IMHO was better than the horrid reviews. I liked it and the very small loop made for a interesting experience. The other very interesting and quite embarrasing experience of it was sitting on about a four inch rubber spike that I guess is supposed to keep small kids in the seat area. I'll keep it clean. I'll just say, I was not excited :) IT takes a bit bigger.......... Coaster to do that.

We did the bumper cars and I hoped to do this again but it never happened. Noticed a big 30ft diamater pad poured by the lake. I had heard that they were getting flyers. Don't know if thats where its going or what might be going on but it was just a observation.

Some rode the Gravitron. I don't do these often and decided to sit out and have a smoke. We then did the Moser drop tower which I like but doesn't stop and sit a the top and create a little anticipation.

Haunted House, Now this was a classic and part of the original park. The ride like many of the few remaining most likely is missing half it's elements but still. The old coffin cars that you sit deep in. Banging doors ect make this a unique experience these days. I really haven't ridden one this old since Lesourdsville closed their last one back in the early 80s.

Antique cars then the Scat 2.
I'll never ride a scat 2 again! Same reasons I don't ride the gravitron. Didn't like my cheeks pinned behind my ears. The next time I want to feel G's that strong is on a space shuttle launch!

Did the Tilt. Then over to the Crazy Mouse which broke down frequently this day. The group broke up. Deb and Kris wanted to go swimming so they did. Me and Rob did the Karts and then it was time for a Flume ride and a couple rumbler rides before dinner.

Dinner was nice, All roadkill except for the corn on the cob provided by Coasterqueen. (Actually pulled pork and chicken which was quite good) Lots of door prizes and then a Q&A that was quite funny with the GCII guys and interns. I video taped this whole thing and after I cut about two minutes out of it I'll post it on youtube and myspace.

ERT started with a walkback/thru and inside Rumbler to which was fun, interesting and very informative. I got answers to several questions by the GCII guys and other interesting information on the ride and their company.

Got a first train ride of ERT with Coasterqueen :) and then headed over to Looping star which I found a seat without four inch seat device witch was much more pleasurable without it.
(The ride darn it!)

Bolted for Scat two and Mousey, I personally skipped the scat but arriving at the mouse. Found my brother and his wife stuck on the ride for about 20 minutes. The got it running and they got a second no stop ride and I got on with a couple teens. The new restraints on this type mouse are a plus compared to the old and work well.

The Mouse ride though, Well we didn't spin a bit as I guess we were too ballanced in weight. The second ride was full of block stops of which we were stuck for about 10 minutes but we spun in the mid section and even spun on stopped block brake for a bit. My brother and wife irronically were also in another car and were stuck again for that ten minutes. However they got spinnage the rest of the ride once they got started. Kris and myself were at a point in the ride that didn't promote anymore spinnage.

ERT on Rumbler. Talk about ERT. i think we got off the ride only twice in the last hour and a half. I rode with Rob and Kris a lot taking rides in every seat here and there. GCII Joe joined me most of the last hour for all front seat rides Im guess ing durring ERT I got about 30 rides.

Rubler became a bit of a different animal the later it got. There were a few rides I felt like they turned on the turbo boost. Latterals? Droves of em including the final three corners and the turn into the brake that gave a richochet latteral like Legend does. Airtime. The fly bys and a couple even came as a surprise as it wasn't really noticable durring the day.

All In all, The hospitallity was great, food excellent, ERT Fantastic and GCII guys a plus!
Rumblefest will be a staple for me!
This park while a little immature is just my style, no rush, no worries, lots of fun.

Im going to be short with this one and say that we basically made a big loop of the park, Did all the majors including my first Chang Ride in five years. Thunder Run was rough in spots and needs work. The park was clean and operations of the rides were much, much better than past years under SF managment. I even told em so. Food stands and prices however were off the hook rediculous with one window open at the few stands open and 25 dollars for a medium pizza? HOLY BLEEP! I didn't check out any other pices. I was afraid to look. We decided to eat on the way home.

Weekend Reviews, Seeing Rev, Lonestar, Kelly, . Rob Leclair and lorie, Bobby and Dawn and the rest of our gang and HWN regs as well as several new meetings with people I've talked with but never met. Riding with the GCII guys and four new coasters were all great highlights. Four days of sensory overload, lots of exercise, great food and good times was the order for the whole weekend.

Except for leaving a wallet at the hotel in Bowling Green, The weekend went off without any flaws and luckily were were only 20 miles up the highway when we realized that. A cell phone call resulted in a quick find of said wallet.

The only two things we'll change for next year is reserving a campsite earlier. (Saves about 200 dollars) and a Mamouth Cave tour which is only 25 miles north of Bowling Green instead of SFKK

Thanks to the Koch's, Jones' and everyone we met and socialized and rode with over the weekend. It was.

FANTASTIC!
Chuck

I know the park has purchased a large Carousel for this year, so Im not sure if that was what that pad was for. They have a Carousel Pavilion, did you see if a Carousel was in it?

I don't think they are getting flyers.. they were outbid on the ones from Wild West World, but I do think they got the Flying Swings.

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Chuck said:
We arrived at Beech Bend about 1:30 to our first taste of Southern Hospitality. I'll just say it matches Hoosier Hospitality step for step.

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Absolutely! I still say Beech Bend is the overall friendliest park I've ever been to.

There was one pavilion over by the Tilt that was obviously a old Carousel Pavilion. However the slab by the lake was plenty big enough for one.

Could be.

Charlotte, Dallas, Butterball and the rest of the ops and staff were more than friendly :)

Chuck

From everything I've seen and heard, BB is in the running to win "friendliest park" in the next GT awards...and probably in the lead.

My two visits, in '06 and '07, do nothing to dissuade me from voting for them.

Excellent couple of TRs, Chuck... :)

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Charles Nungester said:
There was one pavilion over by the Tilt that was obviously a old Carousel Pavilion. However the slab by the lake was plenty big enough for one.

Could be.

Charlotte, Dallas, Butterball and the rest of the ops and staff were more than friendly :)

Chuck

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Who knows, maybe the pad is the ultimate destination for the Rocket Ships from Geauga Lake... :-)

But rollergator, aren't those GT numbers dependent on voters actually getting to the parks in question? It seems to me that BB would be at a definite disadvantage compared to other more visited parks like HW.

Kentucky Rumbler...what a ride. Although RFII is giving it a run for its money...

Charles;

Coasterphan here! I was the one talking with you on the way out of BB after the ERT; About PTC trains, and a few other things that I fail to remember now.

About that newly poured concrete slab, it is for the carousel. I talked with the Rumbler ride op (Older gentlemen), during the day, and he mentioned that the carousel would go there. For a follow up inquiry I also brought it up with Charlotte during the ERT, and she too confirmed this to be fact.

They picked a great location for it. It should look great at night, reflecting off of the lake.

Now we need to convince them that a ferris wheel should be next, or close to next, on their shopping list.

Priorities.

1. Flyers!
2. Anything else. ;)

I think I will definitely have to go to Rumblefest next year. The Rumbler is running better at 3pm now than it did at midnight opening year.

^I second that. ;) When I saw the area where the carousel is going in I thought "Could it be flyers? Maybe? Hopefully?" :) Oh well.

I am glad I made it to Rumblerfest (a last minute decision) and enjoyed every second of it. The loose pork sandwiches (or whatever they are called) were worth it alone! The GCII guys are a blast as always. They had me cracking up!

The walkback through Rumbler was pretty cool. It was a very laid back, enjoyable event with as much ERT as you could handle. Too bad I spent most of the evening in the rocking chairs exhausted. ;) I think I am officially addicted to sweet tea after last weekend. :) I drank it by the gallons between HWN and Rumblerfest.

By the way, Matt, you probably already "heard" but apparently they won't let you "snap" at Camden anymore. I didn't try on Monday but I wanted to. There was some killer winds and I could of SO easily, but I didn't want to chance it. I heard they "stop" the ride as soon as someone attempts to snap, but that could depend on the ride op. Last year the ride ops were in awe.

I guess word gets around. ;)

I wonder if I am to blame? The Knor's? ;) The Nungesters? :)

-Tina

*** Edited 5/31/2008 11:19:53 AM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***

I heard. That's a real bummer. So glad I live close to Knoebels now. :)

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coasterqueenTRN said:I think I am officially addicted to sweet tea after last weekend.

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Eventually, all ya'll will become disciples... ;) :)

Ensign: KRumbler has been around for awhile now - more "voting" people have visited at least once than you might think.

*** Edited 5/31/2008 5:26:56 PM UTC by rollergator***

Good point, gator. (Dare I say as usual without inflating your head? ;) )

Thanks for the info Phan. It was nice meeting you as well.

I had heard like Last fall that BB was getting flyers, Of course rumors don't always come true but A carousel is nice.

Wasn't me at Camden. Haven't been there since they installed them.

Thankfully only three weeks till we hit Knoebels for five nights and one day of Phyler fun!

Chuck

Not only is the carousel going there, but it will have a nice pavilion to go under as well. Charlotte drew a a rough sketch of it for me and then said, "...but that looks too much like a barn. It will be nicer than that."

That was a great weekend and I really enjoyed meeting you all and getting to know you a little bit better!

Now for those of you that enjoyed Rumblefest, and for those of you that wish you could have, mark your calendars for the Storm Tour August 8, 9, and 10th!

^It was nice to finally meet you, Andy. :) I had a blast at Rumblerfest!

-Tina

What's snapping?