Stark Raven Mad 2003

Stark Raven Mad at Holiday World is the enthusiast event. It's probably the only event that draws in people from all over the country, which makes it a great opportunity to meet people you've only "met" online at CoasterBuzz.

We stayed off I-64 at the relatively new Comfort Inn. Nice and clean, if not cheap, and overall very roomy.

I'm not going to go into The Raven and Legend, because the experiences those rides offer has been described over and over again. Legend remains my favorite wood coaster, and that's not likely to change any time soon.

As for the new rides, I didn't get to do Zinga, because Stephanie and I were not ready to deal with sub-65 temperatures and water rides. Hallowswings is a beautiful new ride, a real score. Liberty Launch is a lot of fun, though not as intense as I thought it might be. Dr. Doom's Fearfall at IOA remains my "most forceful" S&S tower ride.

Friday night, one of the Legend's restraint release pressure plates in the station apparently broke (makes it kinda tough to let the passengers out). I was impressed at how fast they fixed it. Nice job by the HW crew.

Steph and I got to hang with a fairly diverse posse. Kristin, Rob, Kara, MooreOn, Nasai, Peabody, Jess, among others. Friday night we hung out at their RV by the campfire (much to the dismay of surrounding guests in the campground). In addition to finally meeting Rob/Ethyldrummer/Nasai, I also finally got to meet Mamoosh.

We consumed much beer that night, took a swing on the vine hanging next to the trailer, and generally had good times.

You know someone died Saturday after coming out of The Raven, and I don't need to explain what a downer that was for everyone there. Regardless, we went to the campground again, and made the most of the evening.

Did I celebrate and drink more? You bet. Some people apparently had a problem with that, but I don't care.

You see, if the accident affected me personally in any way, it was to reinforce the fact that you just don't know what tomorrow will bring. You could very well be dead tomorrow. That shouldn't upset you, but it sure as hell should provide motivation to do what you can with the time you have.

You see, I will always cherish the time we had at Stark Raven Mad this year. I cherish the time with friends, time that is so precious and rare to have in our busy lives.

Even in the face of death, it's the only way to live.

------------------
Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
"Pray that your country undergoes recovery!" - KMFDM

Great TR, Jeff. I'll never forget your first words to me: "So...you *do* exist!" [or something to that effect]. Great to finally meet you & Steph, too.

mOOSH

------------------
Vegas -- June 7-9
ACE Con-Quest -- June 11-22

Play loud. Play hard. Play like you have a ......Anyway, wait until you meet me. Maybe at IAAPA. Good report. After all, you were at an amusement park.

------------------
"Step on that lapbar and make it nice and tight!"

---

Jeff said:
You see, if the accident affected me personally in any way, it was to reinforce the fact that you just don't know what tomorrow will bring. You could very well be dead tomorrow. That shouldn't upset you, but it sure as hell should provide motivation to do what you can with the time you have.

---

Well said, Jeff. I had a lot of time in the car to think on Sunday and I struggled thinking that I should have felt kind of guilty for heading to IB, and even for still believing it was a great weekend overall. And while I did feel sad, I decided I didn't have to feel guilty.

Friday and Saturday nights around the campfire were fun...at some point on Friday I said something about you being able to take credit for the good time everyone was having. And I was sort of buzzed when I said it, and probably sounded like a jerk, but it was meant to be genuine. I met so many awesome people this weekend who I first "met" through this site...so thanks. :)

-Dawn

And crap, I knew I forgot to mention someone in my TR! :(

------------------
Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
"Pray that your country undergoes recovery!" - KMFDM

How could you forget... her? Great TR, and well put. Friends indeed.... :)
------------------
I have been arrested more than you

I take it all back, then. You are an a**hole. ;)

-Dawn, teasing.

Please note my sig. As shocked and numb as I felt on Saturday night, it didn't take away from the great time we had at SRM.

Heck, when I mentioned the fall Coasterbuzz event to the husband in passing last night, he immediately suggested we reserve one of the new family suites at Santa's Lodge and attend the event. For someone who isn't much of an enthusiast, he sure seems to want to attend these events, and I can only think it's because of the people.

------------------
I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead
http://www.webtechnik.com/ebony/CPLady.htm

Dawn: Ssssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhh! Quiet hours!

------------------
Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
"Pray that your country undergoes recovery!" - KMFDM

Yeah, I should've drank more on Saturday so that I wasn't in work mode.

Hello all. This is my first post on coasterbuzz so I will make this short and sweet. I am from Evansville In and Holiday World is "home" to my wife and I. We love going there and enjoying the great atmosphere you get when you go there. They might not be as big as some of the parks, but I think they are better in many ways. I did not start looking into any sites like this until I heard of the awful news Saturday night (no more need to be said). It makes me excited to see so many from out of town coming to HW to enjoy what we have enjoyed for years. I can only wish that HW only grows bigger and better as time goes on. To Jeff: I did get the opportunity to ride ZINGA on the 1st day it opened and it is one of the best water rides I have been on! Next year I hope to meat some of you because you all sound like a great bunch of people.

Bruce

---

Some people apparently had a problem with that

---

Different people react to these sorts of events in different ways. Often, people who are grieving think that those not reacting the same way are unaffected by the loss. That is almost never the case.

------------------
http://www.eecs.umich.edu/~bnoble/

SRM was my first event, and hell, it was my first time even hanging out with any enthusiasts. Im glad Draegs brought me along, and even with the tragedy, I had a really fantastic weekend. Campfires Rock!

------------------
Chris Holderbaum
"The Brightest flame Burns Quickest"

As everyone else has mentioned, you did an excellent job of summing up the weekend (especially Saturday night). Hanging out around a campfire with friends and just making the best of the evening was the way each of us their chose to deal with what had happened at the park.

I must say that I was in quite low spirits when entering the campground. Getting lost and ending up at the same set of cabins twice was amusing and caused me to crack my first smile...but it was the good times and company of later that night that really got me out of my funk.

And besides...seeing you own that vine like it was your job on Friday night made my weekend :)

------------------
James Draeger
"Scroll buttons aww yeah...like that, heart attack."

Nice trip report Jeff. I'm glad that everyone seemed to have an excellent time as usual overall and you were lucky to be in the wildly entertaining and friendly company of nasai (did he tell you the story of his s/n? hilarious dude!), Peabody (got me hooked on Family Guy this week!), Kristin (the sweetest!), Rob (er, Sir-humps-a-lot ;)), and the others. All I need to drink is a Shirley Temple and I'm out for the night... =p

Dawn, Rob, and Brian: I'm sorry "The 3" couldn't get together in one place during the trip. Hey, that's also the name of the script Charlie's brother, Donald, writes in Adaptation. Anyways, what's that list actually about, Dm? Know one--> nose... not it!

-Danny
------------------
Coaster Insomniacs

Nice addition to Jeff's TR, Danny. It was great to be around you Thursday.

Nasai = nothing. ;)
------------------
I have been arrested more than you

I thought it meant creepy jackass who hung out with the younger kids.

------------------
Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
"Pray that your country undergoes recovery!" - KMFDM

Only when he speaks in limericks.

-Danny
------------------
Coaster Insomniacs

Well said, Jeff.

I too had an incredible time at my first coaster event and enjoyed meeting lots of you in person. We took Sunday off to visit with some friends and their new baby before spending the 2 best days at a park I've had at Cedar Point.

I had been debating posting a TR for SRM 2003, but I don't think I could add anything else.

TR's from CP and PKI to come.

Fafolguy

------------------
I sing sometimes for the war that I fight, 'cause every tool is a weapon, if you hold it right. -Ani Difranco

I don't usually do TR's, but Jeff really summed everything up for me. I now know why everyone raves about this park.. There is such an amazing feeling once you step through the gates. I still can't get over the fact that I was at Holiday World!

The event really is about the people, not how many laps you can grab during ERT. I must say, I got to hang out with some very interesting (in a good way!) people who absolutely made the whole weekend for me. That, I thank you all for.

------------------
Don't ask me if I'm in a bad mood; I naturally look "mean." I don't ask if you're goofy because you have buck teeth.

AIM: Pritti Kittie