TR day one of PA, NJ, NY Trip.... Lakemont-Degrossos LTD-WTH????

My brother, his wife and I basically had this trip planned for three months before doing it and Im glad to say that the entire trip with a couple of exceptions went off without a hitch, as planned and funner than expected.

It was basically Me and Rob's 5th trip to PA in the past seven years and we've done almost all of them now save for Bushkill (Closed) and a couple kiddy parks also some of the ones we've visited have since closed (Conneaut, Williams Grove) But the trip is still worth every bit of effort to do.

We started out thursday July 19th about 6 in the morning leaving Cincinnati and arrived in Altoona PA about 2pm. Pulled into Lakemonts free parking lot noticed there was going to be a double header at Altoona Ballpark later in the evening.

We entered Lakmonts (Free addmission park, Me and Rob had visited twice before. This was Debbies first time.

We bought the all day pass for a whopping 9dollars and proceeded to LTD.

Visiting in 2001 LTD was a slow, shuffling, riding a coaster on a couch seat coaster that barely cleared each hill. In 2003 some of the rolling surfaces had been replaced with a nylon rail and this time they were replaced with steel rail. 2003 was quite a bit faster than the 2001 ride but this year was WHAT THE HECK???? LTD with all three of us in the car was flying around it's course generating UNBELIEVEABLE FOR ITS 3ft dips airtime and bouncing at the track joints in every curve. I honestly was worried the rail would crack. Riding in the backseat i got a spinal worse than the Cyclone I rode later in the trip. Read another TR that LTD was closed the day this guy visited, Maybe it was getting the work it needs. It definately had a unsafe feel to it but we rode it four times reguardless :)

We next took a ride on the Octopus which in 2001 spun the crap out of me. didn't get that in 2003 and this one was a little better than that.

Twister we took three rides on and its pre programed and not run by using the brake. Thus very little spinnage. Tobbogan wasn't painful as I learned to duck after the first ride I had on it in 01. The Little Leaper, My 100th coaster is now off limits to adults so Debbie did not get the credit I got in 2001

Antique cars were nice but now it was time for my favorite Allen. Skyliner! The lights on the sign are all burnt out and the coaster looks like it needs a lot of paint but it was running relatively smooth. Dishing out mass air on the first drop and pops thoughout and running pretty smooth. Rode this six times.

Went back, rode LTD a couple more times where I got the most unexpected sustained air on the middle of the ride double dip (Have video somewhere) and then got a mass spinal in the next ride on the backseat. WTH? The biggest drop on the ride is 3ft!!!!!!!!

Tried to ride the Funked out ferriswheel thingy which you can't ride single and cant fit two adults double so we didn't.

Rode the train and noticed the old train almost totally restored. This has been going on since my first visit in 2001.

Couple nice hours at Lakemont and it was off to Degrossos for a couple quick new credits.

Degrossos is a kiddy park that my past two visits were very dissapointing and basically in those two visits I rode the old Zyclon twice both on the 2003 visit as it was closed in 2001 for rain and nothing else.

This time we did a few more things, The way overbraked spinny mouse, The train, The Casino which was Kings Islands old wheel of fortune and the whacky worm. Had a good time. Stopped and had a piece of pizza (Best pizza I've ever eaten) and had to buy a bottle of Degrossos Spaggehti sauce and pizza sauce before leaving.

Arrived at Lake Glory (Knoebels alt campground at 7pm to setup camp, cook dinner (BBQ Chicken) and get a good nights rest before fridays Knoebels visit.

Next TR. Knoebels day one.
Hope you enjoy these and respond or any questions I'll be glad to answer.

Chuck

I wouldn't call Delgrossos a kiddie park in the usual sense of the word. It's a family park with an emphasis on rides that the whole family can ride together including about a dozen full sized flat rides. They don't have the intense rides like KW or Lakemont but that isn't what this park is about. They do, of course, have a nice kiddieland for the little ones.

I do agree that the spinning mouse is overbraked and not at all like Exterminator. The park does have good (and very iinexpensive) food and a very friendly staff.

When we visited in 2001-2003 the park had only five rides adults could ride. Its changed some I got no problem with Degrossos being what it is. Thing is, Every time I've been there it seemed rather busy. I can't understand why they can't get the woodie Fetterman designed for them built or the loop screw they purchased from Libertyland auction put up.

Chuck

^The owner who was at ACE's Eastcoaster event this past February said that they are still trying to figure out the best place to put it with out having to move too much. He felt that would have that decision by the end of this year. I don't know if that means they think it will be up for next year or not.

^^Agreed about Delgrossos not being a Kiddie park. A better description would be Small regional park.

^^^If Debbie is still interested, Lakemont has typically let us ride the kiddie coaster during Ridefest. The event flier will be up later this year. I usually do both Phun Fest and Ridefest every year as the events are run back to back. At Ridefest we have the park to ourselves. Because it's already been closed for the season, many of the rides are disassembled. All the coasters run and they give us a few different flats every year.

Also I've been told that the Pizza flavored Spaghetti sauce is very good. I plan to find out later this year. *** Edited 7/1/2008 11:59:57 PM UTC by Jason Hammond***

They actually sell Pizza sauce's at Degrossos now.

We did PPP two years ago and made the mistake of not attending ridefest. Id love to get a full train skyliner ride sometime :)

Chuck, who did Idlewild instead that day to find most of the stuff adults would like to do closed. Holiboo.

Ridefest is a good opportunity to get full trains on Skyliner and probably the longest lines ever for LTD. Also they have (for the past few years at least) are infield photo walk backs for LTD and Skyliner while they are running.

That LtD is running so crazy fast with so much air time is kind of concerning to me. Considering it's a side friction coaster with no upstop wheels. When I rode it in 2006, it wasn't running nearly as whack as Chuck experienced now.

Concerned me as well. The running rails were flexing so bad I thought they might break.

The side rails seemed fine and no it never felt to get high enough to jump out of the tracks. Even my first visit the rear wheels left the ground on that final out run but not much.

Chuck

Loving these TRs, Chuck. Saves me time to add on to yours, LOL.

LtD was *flying* this year. I got to take AV Matt's inaugural lap, then had to explain that we got "freakinshly fast" rides...Skyliner, even with a near-empty train, was delivering as well as any rides I've gotten before.

DelG's needs to decide where the Arrow is going, and soon....it's not getting any better sitting around.

P.S. to Chuck - tell that brother of yours I said hello! :)

Agreed, Bill your always welcome to CNA and tell him yourself but I will do so.

Chuck, I know, I know. LTD does have me concerned tho.

Just a couple of things:

1.) Let me assure that the Leap The Dips is VERY SAFE! As a matter of fact, it is running much to slow right now.

2.) The Skyliner sign must not have been turned on as it is very well lit!

3.) Thanks for visiting, I hope that you enjoyed yourself.

4.) Try to get here for Ridefest in October, it is a great time and I'll get you on the kiddie coaster!

Thanks!

Barry Kumpf

GM - Lakemont Park

Leap The Dips is awesome! I can't imagine it running any faster than it was on Saturday!

It was nice meeting you, Barry. Thank you for the nice park. I won't make it another ten years before returning. :)

Rollergator and AV. I agree. It was running much faster than I've ever ridden it. I believe it's safe. it had a unsafe feel which surprised me considering the previous visits.

That being said, we seen a girl who rode alone barely make it into the station.

Must be the three full size adults thing. Actually some teen jumped in with us for one ride :)

Chuck, who didn't get the spinal and airtime till later in the day.

I took my first trip to Lakemont (and most other PA parks) in June. Leap the Dips was running VERY slowly at this time, and on our second ride STOPPED on the final stretch. We had to jump out and walk back to the station (loved every minute of it).

For my 6 park trip I think I can say that Skyliner was my biggest surprise hit...it's a great little coaster!

Thanks Braden!!!

The Skyliner is a VERY underrated coaster!

Barry, it was really nice to meet up with you, and I appreciated your time and hospitality. While LtD is certainly the "drawing card", Skyliner and everything else was well-run, well-maintained, and your staff was as friendly and helpful as ever.

Getting Matt on the Twister was a big plus, and the train ride was a new-to-me bonus. The landscaping has come a long way over the last few years, adding a lot of "charm" to the park.

Go Curve! :)

Thanks for the kind words rollergator.

I like to think that "Dollar For Dollar", no one offers a better amusement park value than Lakemont Park.

Free Parking

Great Promotions (ie Wednesdays are just $3.00, we have one FREE day per year, $4.00 on July 4th and if you come when there is no promotion, it is only $9.95)

Courteous Staff

Barry, you forgot to add that you also drive the train every thursday and sunday from 3-345pm to cover breaks.

How many GM's can say they do that?

Is the Toboggan at Lakemont still around? Every park I have ever been to that has had one (since I was a kid in the 60s even) it was always broke down :(

Gotta get on one!

Yep, still running.

Wow, I can't believe there are only four Toboggans left in operation in N. America:

http://rcdb.com/ir.htm?type=1&order=7&coastername=Toboggan&status=9&location=1

(The one at Little Amerricka is repeated on the list.)

Edit: my search was flawed. It's limited to coasters with 'toboggan' in their name. There may be others out there with other monikers. *** Edited 8/6/2008 8:57:40 PM UTC by Ensign Smith***