The last week was full of adventure, Because I had a Tech School, at Respironics in Murrysville, PA scheduled for Thursday and Friday, I requested a couple of vacation days for Monday and Tuesday and decided to go on a coaster adventure. My trip began after work on Friday the 2nd, By One AM, I managed to drive to a Turnpike Service plaza between New Stanton and I-99. Hearing people talk that all lodging was full, in the area I spent the night in the parking lot. Saturday morning I drove into Altoona, checked out the Locomotive shops, and got an early morning view of Lakemount. I then drove RT 22 to Harrisburg and after a visit to Gettysburg, I arrived at Hersheyparks High Meadow Campground about 230 PM. For 29.95 a night you get free shuttle buses to the park, free admission to the museum and Hershey gardens, the Campground has three pools, the only drawback for some, is the railroad on the south edge. That evening, I drove around Hershey and Lancaster. I got in a hailstorm on the way back!
Sunday Morning arrived too early; thanks to a defective warning siren, it began wailing at 0430 and didn't stop for half an hour!! Needless to say we were all up trying to figure out what was going on, I knew it wasn't a twister as it was pea soup fog outside.
I caught an 845 shuttle bus to the park and got in line. I love the entrance to Herhesypark, sort of like a Campus gate. The gate opened at 1000 but the rides were not running until about 1030.
First ride Comet, this is a great old out and back Woddie. No one on my train put there hands up, weird!
Next up was Great Bear, I really enjoyed this Beemer, I actually prefer it to that Green thing on Lake Erie. I loved the spiral drop and ground level station. One of the Ride op's noted my Raven/Legend shirt, and commented about how great Raven was. The shirt was a conversation pice all day.
I rode the mine train, this was exceptional tight fitting compared to others. and then got on the first row of the first train on Viper. just another Boomerang.
Finally the reason for coming, Lightning Racer.
this is a cool ride, I love the great trains and the dueling aspects, My train won every time.
I took a break and had lunch in the big portable "clubhouse" next to Wildcat. Great kid food--Mac n' Cheese and Chocolate pudding.
Wildcat was a cool twister, it was a pleasant surprise as was the Wild mouse it seemed faster than the one at Kentucky Kingdom.
I finally went back to SuperDooperLooper witch was closed earlier. I enjoyed this early looper and its industrial conveyer look.
As it was about 1300 I decided to check out Chocolatetown USA, can we say Disney? and the Hershey Museum, I then went back to the campground and decided to listen to the Brickyard 400 on the radio and take a drive to cool off. I returned to the park about 6:30 and got rerides in the dark, One of the coolest places in the park is the walkway along the river after dark In one spot you can stand under Great Bear, SDL and the Ski Lift turnaround, with the lights and Eddie Money playing in the background I could have sat there all night. In fact I found a park management type doing just that, She said it was her favorite spot in the park.
Next Dave actual drives to New Jersey
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Parks for 2001:
PKD,PKI 3x
CP
SFKK 2X, SFOG, SFStL,SFWOA, SFGA
HOLIDAY WORLD 2X
INDIANA BEACH 2x
*** This post was edited by kneemeister on 8/11/2001. ***
The boomerang you speak of is actually called "Sidewinder." But yes, just another boomerang. ;)
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Matt Lynch
Co-Webmaster, Kennywood Boulevard
http://kennywood.coasterbuzz.com
oops, viper is at SFGAV isn't it. o well a sidewinder is a Viper so technically I was correct. ;)
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Parks for 2001:
PKD,PKI 3x
CP
SFKK 2X, SFOG, SFStL,SFWOA, SFGA
HOLIDAY WORLD 2X
INDIANA BEACH 2x
