SFGAm 6/27- several firsts for me!

My dad, Andrew (a brother of a friend of mine) and I arrived at about 11:00. As we waited to park, we looked to see if Superman was running. For some reason, it wasn't, and we finally joked that someone must've used kryptonite bolts on the thing. Deja Vu, Ice Mountain Splash, Hometown Fun Machine, and Trailblazer were down for the day.

First ride we rode was Whizzer (4:3 for me). We had a long wait (we were on by about noon), but it's still a good ride.

Viper was up next (I rode in 3:2). The double dip is the drop out of the turnaround visible from the parking lot, isn't it?

Next, I rode Demon (3:1, yellow train, and my first looping coaster) while Dad and Andrew rode Raging Bull. What, exactly, does the recording in the first tunnel ( the one before the lift) say? I tried to make it out, but it was too hard to hear in the station and we were through the tunnel too fast to hear it on the ride.

Then, all three of us saw the "Adrenaline Rush: The Science of Risk" movie in the Pictorium. Very interesting- and an appropriate movie to show at a theme park!

After that, we ate at the Subway outside the park. When we returned, Dad and Andrew rode Superman: Ultimate Flight. I accompanied them in the line and then waited on the exit path. I was somewhat surprised to find that Superman's station has a retracting floor; I also found out that there is an on-ride camera on Superman. From the photos, it looks like the riders are on their backs during the picture- is the camera located at the bottom of the pretzel loop?

After getting a soda, we rode Batman: The Ride (row 5, and my first inverted). That is an intense ride indeed, with those rapid-fire inversions!

I'd told Andrew's brother (who is in South Carolina for Navy training) that, in "preparation" for a possible CP trip later this year, I'd have to ride the closest thing SFGAm has to Top Thrill Dragster- namely, Vertical Velocity. Well, we did (row 8 of the train, and my first launched coaster), and it was fun!

Continuing clockwise, we rode Iron Wolf (row 3, and my first standup). That was fun; I sang the ending of Duran Duran's "Hungry like the Wolf" during the ride. By the way, IW was my 15th coaster.

Finally, we headed for American Eagle. However, the red side (which we chose) went down just as we got in! I don't know exactly what happened, although I did see one of the ride ops cleaning one car of the train, so maybe someone threw up. Eventually, we got on, however (3:2 again). We beat the blue train by quite a bit- then again, the red side does have the inside track on the helix! I bought the on-ride photo.

After that, we left, stopping at Claimjumpers (Andrew wanted to get a sandwich, but they were closed) and Flags (where I got a pen and an Iron Wolf postcard). It was about 8:00 when we got out of the park. I now have 16 coasters in my track record, and I only have Superman and Deja Vu (and Spacely's) to go before I've ridden every coaster at SFGAm!
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"What am I doing?" "OoohwhAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"I'm hungry like the wolf"- Iron Wolf!
*** This post was edited by Hypercoaster Rider 6/28/2003 10:42:22 AM ***
*** This post was edited by Hypercoaster Rider 6/28/2003 10:45:02 PM ***

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Hypercoaster Rider said:

I also found out that there is a on-ride camera on Superman. From the photos, it looks like the riders are on their backs during the picture- is the camera located at the bottom of the pretzel loop?

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If I remember correctly the camera is located at the bottom of the pretzel loop and although it may look as if the pictures are snapped when the riders are on their back, they are actually hanging down (because they are at or near the top of the loop). I imagine the high G forces may cause the photograph to look as though they are actually on their backs. Anyone else has any other observations or corrections please feel free to chime in.

Interesting TR by the way - that tune keep running in my head now - Duran Duran, LOL!
*** This post was edited by HardRider 6/28/2003 11:08:16 AM ***

It is at the bottom of the pretzel loop.

Also you all of a sudden mentioned soemone named Bob. It was when you were saying "My Dad and Bob rode Superman: Ultimate Flight." Is that Andrew or something?

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"Please stand behind the yellow line as the gates in front of you will be closing"
Clear for launch............. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!
*** This post was edited by SFGAMan 6/28/2003 11:30:44 AM ***

The camera is at the bottom of the loop. The riders ARE on their backs. Those G's press you down like a mutha.
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Missing the Fallen:
King Cobra 1984-2001
The Bat 1981-1983

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Hypercoaster Rider said:

What, exactly, does the recording in the first tunnel ( the one before the lift) say? I tried to make it out, but it was too hard to hear in the station and we were through the tunnel too fast to hear it on the ride.

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It is the Demon song they used to play in the line back in the 80's. Most of the clips seem to have the words edited out.
*** This post was edited by SFGAm Shock Wave 6/28/2003 1:51:14 PM ***

SFGAMan: Yes, I did mean Andrew; Bob is Andrew's brother, the one who's in the Navy. Also, thanks to all for clarifying the location of the camera.
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"What am I doing?" "OoohwhAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"I'm hungry like the wolf"- Iron Wolf!

Nice TR,

Just curious, why did you wait in line for Superman and then sit it out?

With the quote at the end of the post "I only have Superman and Deja Vu (and Spacely's) to go before I've ridden every coaster at SFGAm! " It sounds like you wanted to ride it.

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Superman: Ultimate Flight Count (SFGAm) = 47
Dave
http://www.SFGAmWorld.com

Oddly enough, it wasn't that I was terrified to go on it. I guess I had just decided that I would walk through the line and then wait on the ramp. Furthermore, my dad said that it wasn't that much of a ride- aside from the pretzel loop- and I could've done it. I probably will ride next time. It was interesting checking out the queue theming; they could move the "cut out" signs closer to the queue so as to make them more readable, though.

Slightly off topic here, but I've discovered that coasters, as a whole, don't make me nervous; it's their lift hills and/or launches (and the asssociated "mind games") that do. I still have to tell myself, "Just survive the lift hill and you'll be fine".

Edit: Also, I didn't mean by that quote that I am anxious to ride Spacely's. I think that one can wait till I have kids (I hope I have at least one kid who likes coasters!).

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"What am I doing?" "OoohwhAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"I'm hungry like the wolf"- Iron Wolf!
*** This post was edited by Hypercoaster Rider 6/28/2003 10:48:14 PM ***