Signs you might be a die-hard coaster junkie

Well, SFMM and I were talking about this last night and came up with a list of things.

Some of them are based in real life and I'm guilty of a few. Others might be too extream, but they get the point across.

1. You drive two hours to check out ONE coaster.

2. When you plan non-coaster road trips, you check to see which coasters are on the route and plan in extra time so you can stop an ride.

3. You move to SoCal or Florida so you can ride coasters year-round

4. Your kids are named after coasters. (Maggie, Millie, Zeus, Beast, ect.)

5. Most of your wardrobe was bought at a park.

6. You considar anything under two hours a "walk-on"

7. If you live somewhere where you can't ride coasters year-round, there are two seasons: Coaster season and 6 months of anticipation.

8. You ALWAYS make sure you have opening day for CP off, even if you live nowhwhere near Sandusky.

9. You've planned your family vacation around opening day for a new coaster.

10. You've built or dreamed of building a coaster in your back yard.

11. The numbers for Intamin AG, Verkoma, Gravity Group, and B&M are stored in your cell phone.

12. You've followed a truck carrying track 300 miles out of your way just to find out where the coaster's going to be.

13. You "barrow" your neighbor's kids just to get a credit on a kiddie coaster.

14. Your wedding picture was an on ride-photo

15. You have a tatoo of a park or coaster. Bonus if it was a coaster that was renamed.

16. You have more season passes in your wallet than photos of your kids.

17. Your cat has a season pass, AND has ridden more coaster than some people.

18. You know more about the ride op's kids than you do your own.

19. You don't remember the origional color of your car because of all the park and coaster stickers covering it.

20. You have a vanity plate on your car related to parks or coasters (Guilty!)

21. There is more than one room of your house full of park souvieners.

22. You'vc already worn out the strip on your season pass and it's only June 1st.

23. It's easier to tell people the coasters you haven't ridden than the ones you have.

24. You have ridden more than 500 laps on a coaster.

25. You buy q-bots in bulk.

26. You can cram a giant stuffed animal into a small locker and STILL have room for two backpacks.

27. There is a "lanyard tan" on your neck.

28. You can remember how to get to all the parks in Pennsylvainia using back roads, but need a GPS to get to work in the morning.

29. The only porn in your DVD collection is "coaster porn."

30. You think the ride op's uniforms are sexy.

Very funny.

I too am guilty of a few of these.

Oh - Em - Gee!
You done took it to another level.

Perhaps the most telling sign was missed: You start a thread about signs you might be a coaster junkie.

(Followed by replying to said thread)

Hopman said:
6. You considar anything under two hours a "walk-on"

Actually, now that I'm a card-carrying Platinum Passer, I don't have as much patience for long lines, because I know I'll be back another day when lines are shorter. I went to CP 13 times this year, never once on a Saturday (except July 4th I went from about 11 pm - 1 am...).

How about...

31. You buy park maps on eBay so that you have one for each year of your life, even if you didn't go to that park in that year.

32. You have a banner from a defunct park hanging in your bedroom. (Geauga Lake here)

33. You think coast2coaster.com is the most important map ever made, surpassing even the works of Ptolemy and Vespucci.

34. The season just ended 2 weeks ago and you're already budgeting and planning for next summer. (also guilty)

35. (Perhaps Cleveland-specific) You know all the owners and various names of the Geauga Lake property from 1872-2009 and what years they were under that ownership/name. (quasi-guilty: I only know 1968-2009 :) )

I guess I'm not die hard enough. I still haven't convinced myself to make the 1:20 drive to Dutch Wonderland for the credits there, let alone the 3+ hour drive to Lakemont for my missing LTD credit.

Although most of my wardrobe isn't from a park, my park t-shirts do take up about half a drawer. And yes, I do sort t's according to parks, sports teams, Beatles, other tourist attractions.

Bonus points for #3. You move to Florida or California to ride coasters year round, but don't start looking for a place to live or work until you've nabbed at least 3 credits.

# 36. Your honeymoon was at an amusment park OTHER than Disney.

Well, I got bored the other night. I'm not as crazy as I seem. I'm guilty of a few of those. #2, (see Knobles TR :) ) that was on my way back from Indy after moving my sister out there.

I'm also guilty of #20. I had a car with the NH vanity plate CDR-PNT. The folks at the NH DMV had no clue what it ment. When I sold the car, I kept the plates.

An addemum to #3: Your company offers you a transfer that pays more, but you refuse because there are no parks within three hours, you TAKE a transfer to Ohio, even though it pays less because you're less than 2 hours from CP.

29. The only porn in your DVD collection is "coaster porn."

For me this is true. My hard drive however is another story.

37. When ride ops recognize you when you walk up to a coaster. I have had this happen at MM and KBF.

38. When other park employees recognize you from seeing you in the park so many times. In 2005, I also went to KBF so many times that a cashier at a restaurant recognized me from seeing me walk by so many times, even though I had never ordered food from her before that day.

39. When the park closes in 30 mins or less and you are the only person walking deeper into the park to keep riding, when huge groups of people are going the other way toward the exit. I've had this happen to me too.

Stuff from the original list I am guilty of.

10. You've built or dreamed of building a coaster in your back yard. I have wished I could do this many times.

13. You "borrow" your neighbor's kids just to get a credit on a kiddie coaster. I assume it still counts if you rode the kiddie coaster alone or with another adult. This is how I got on the Little Dipper at Scandia and the Little Dipper at Castle Park this year. I also rode the Canyon Blaster at SFMM for the first time in Aug. It is listed as a family coaster, but is very small so I am counting it anyway.

16. You have more season passes in your wallet than photos of your kids. I don't have kids but I have two season passes and one family picture in my wallet.

24. You have ridden more than 500 laps on a coaster. I have rode the Silver Bullet at KBF more than 500 times.

25. You buy q-bots in bulk. I bought a Q-bot at SFMM on 4 consecutive visits in May, June, July and August.

How bout you get a moon roof installed in your truck just so you can stick your hands thru the roof on the way to CP to see how cold it will be riding Raptor??

Now who would even dream of getting a tattoo of a coaster or park? Come on! ;)

Jo
Lifetime Raptor flights: 2175 :)

^ Don't you have a tatoo or two of Raptor, Jo?

I have often dreamed of putting a coaster in my back yard -- both as a child and an adult. From the back of my driveway behind my house, my lot extends 200' deep, and is 40' wide. I've often imagined what I could fit in there.....

40. You own both SF and CF season passes, even though you live in Europe

41. You're willing to share a hotel room with Richard Bannister.

Martin here's one for you UK guys:

42. You enjoy falling over the edge into Oblivion and facing your Nemesis.

43. If you know how to say "roller coaster" in eight different languages

I will in fact be partaking in #1, at 11:00am tomorrow morning, as I head up to SFMM from San Diego. For roughly 2 - 3 hours.

44. If you know which states don't have coasters and refuse to travel to them.

45. If you've ridden coasters on three or four OTHER continents besides North America.

Martin Valt said:
41. You're willing to share a hotel room with Richard Bannister.

Only if he's willing to share with me a serial number for Emulator Enhancer. :)

This is fun, and I am guilty of a few of those. I don't have any kids, but my cats are named Timbers and Kumba. ;)

I know of at least 3 people who have coaster tattoos. :) Now that's dedication! ;) I love tats and have a few myself, but I don't think I am THAT dedicated enough to get anything coaster-ish. It definitely wouldn't be any specific coaster. The ones I have seen look awesome, though!

Oh I have one! You have coaster calendar posters from 2003, 2004 and 2007 still pinned on your wall just because you like the pics. ;)

-Tina

I have 8x10 post cards which I bought in the late 80's and had framed at that time which are still on my walls today.

46. You already know when you will be visiting farther in the future, even though you have not made your next scheduled visit in the current month yet. Yes, I am guilty of this one too.