VortexBFForever

I. wanna. read. more!!!! Hope it's finished soon! Very nice work so far, it's the right material for an actual guide (like a book).

Vortex, Anaconda, Loch Ness Monster, Magnum XL-200, Gemini and Corkscrew. Of course that isn't all. As for non-coasters: food, computers, cameras and How to Train Your Dragon.

I knew my penguin hat would get myself noticed! (and I'm STILL bummed I missed that Beast tour) and I'm assuming that tour was beastly! (no pun intended) A friendly reminder: Didn't you forget that in between our AE and Vortex rides, we also rode The Racer?

94.5 Lite FM - Dayton's Christmas Music Station I sometimes listen to K99.1 FM, also in Dayton.

You might recognize this picture from a PTR I just wrote yesterday.

I know it's gonna be at least one more, because I just woke up from one 50 minutes ago! (and why am I the only one posting on this topic now??) But this dream didn't take place at KI. It took place at my church, although there were things related to KI! Okay, I was eating in the kitchen like normal with all my church friends, then I discover this cubicle-like room with a glass door, and I go through the door. The one KI-related thing that was in there was none other than Vortex's Train #3 (yes, I saw the number! xD) ! But somehow #3 had raindrops on it, as if it had just run a cycle in a drizzle or a shower. I was even thinking, "Did it rain on Closing Day and I missed it?" I was lingering around the train, sort of how I did on the actual Closing Day. Suddenly, I knew I had to go get my mom's camera so I could take pictures of #3, so I ran to the church's sanctuary. The church's small "band" was rehearsing in there, and as soon as the sanctuary was in my sight, all of a sudden they start playing "Romantic Flight" from How to Train Your Dragon. I went in the sanctuary and tried to get my mom's attention to where her camera was, and then the dream ended... But really, how many more funny/weird Vortex dreams am I gonna have this month, let alone the whole entire offseason? (this one definitely falls in the "weird" category...)

Over three weeks later from the actual Closing Day, I FINALLY start writing the PTR… Here are some pictures of The Beach Waterpark (or should I say, “The Beach at Adventure Landing.”) that I took while whisking past on I-71 south, heading for Exit 25. I arrived at Kings Island at around 3:50- a full 2 hours and 20 minutes after the planned “Tower Drinks meetup.” It was cloudy, and I was sure that the temperature was hanging out in the upper 40s, although the forecasted high was 52. Once I entered the park for the last day of the 2012 season, I immediately proceeded left into Action Zone, where I found my first ride of the day, Delirium. After one cycle length of waiting, I got assigned to Seat #36, just three seats down from the seat that I rode in on 9/05/2010 (seat #39). At this time my hands were FREEZING, and every attempt of mine to warm them was in vain. I had my hands in my pockets for almost the whole ride as cold wind blew in my face. It actually felt pretty good, maybe even almost as good as when I rode WindSeeker during that drizzle on Labor Day. Invertigo came next. Invertigo had a station wait. It was a one cycle wait for the backwards-first row in the 1st car (a.k.a. Row 2). I was expecting a similar experience as that of my ride on August 13, and I got that same experience - along with chilly October winds. I did it without holding on to the handles on the harness, since I just thought it was nice, smooth, and forceful. It’s the thing about inverted coasters that Invertigo had practically taught me to really love. I rode again, on the end row that went forwards first (a.k.a. Row 1), the same seat that I sat in when I rode Invertigo for the very first time on 6/04/11. Loved the forces, especially while going backwards through the inversions!! After the fun on Invertigo, I went to my first Arrow of the day: Flight Deck. Once the station came into view, I knew I would be able to do some rerides because the station was virtually empty (other than the ops). There was a teeny tiny line for the first few rows so I made a beeline for the very back. Little did I know that the train I was about to board had KICers on it! As I stepped aboard (I never caught the train number! AAAAAAHHH!) into row 7-2, I suddenly heard someone say something that sounded like, “OHIOCOLTS!!” I immediately thought, “Hmmm. That sounded like ‘ohiocolts.’ I wonder if any KICers are lurking around here. I really hope so.” The train was locked, I pulled down and buckled my harness, and then: “Are you going to ride Sling Shot with me?” I looked at the exit, and three KICers —ohiocolts, malem and Beastie1980—were standing there. We had a short but plentiful conversation, including the fact that I am VortexBFForever from KIC as well as Beastie1980 trying Vortex again and liking it now. As the train left, malem said he and the others in the small group would be waiting for me at the exit when I arrived back- and now I was off on the first of two consecutive flights. I put my hands up like I normally did now as I was whipped through the turns and the soon-to-be-gone near miss with Son of Beast. When I arrived back, I stepped off, but I didn’t head for the exit, and then I said these words exactly: “I have a sudden and inexplicable urge to reride!” and then got back on the train, into row 7-1 this time. When the train had locked and I had secured my harness, I looked up and saw ohiocolts, malem and Beastie1980 scrambling to get into the seats that still had open harnesses, which were a few cars up in front of me. The train departed with all four of us aboard that time, and I enjoyed another flight through the trees, over the stream, and past Son of Beast. On the maiden voyage back to Action Zone, I mentioned that it DID take longer to walk to Flight Deck than to ride an actual cycle on it, although I already knew it was true. We also found out that ohiocolts had reached Level 4 on FunPerks. I asked malem if one of the nametags he printed had my name on it. He said no and gave me a blank nametag to write my KIC name on instead, along with a blue marker to write it with. Believe it or not, my hands were so cold that I had to work hard to write each and every letter in “VortexBFForever” on that nametag. It wasn’t in my best handwriting, but I did it. We met up with ohiocolts’ mom, (DiamondAceExpress) who had been sitting by FD’s entrance while we were riding. We headed to Sling Shot. Apparently ohiocolts was the one with the free ride voucher, so I had to pay $10 for myself to ride. It took me almost a whole minute for my cold hands to fork each of the $10 out of my wallet. They were just so cold! After I FINALLY got my ticket, I joined ohiocolts in line, with my hands (and my ticket) in my pocket. Two full Sling Shot cycles later, it was finally our turn. We were both excited, as this was the very first Sling Shot ride for both of us, so neither of us knew what the ride was like yet. My mom took a video of the whole cycle. http://img211.images...ahbhjizwmih.mp4 Apparently during the cycle (unbeknownst to me) ohiocolts’ nametag flew off!! But mine stayed on… We were immediately told that by the others as we exited the ride. Beastie1980 had played a game somewhere and had won this gray and white stuffed puppy dog. We found jcgoble3 as well, and we had another informative conversation. I found out that Don had surprised the KICers with a behind the scenes tour of The Beast, and I had missed it. I was really bummed about that. I wanted to ride Adventure Express (less talking, more riding…). Beastie1980 and I agreed to ride it together so we went ahead of the group. I think the number of the train we caught was #2. We rode in one of my personal favorite seats – row 1-3. I really enjoy the lateral forces on this thing, especially on those hairpin turns. I really enjoyed the tunnels as well, especially the last one. We both did the “tiki dance” or at least Beastie1980 did. I was doing a combination of the dance and having my arms straight up, so I looked like I was trying to do the backstroke while sitting upright in a coaster train. When we arrived back, there literally was NO ONE waiting in the station at all!! I literally screamed, “Look! There’s no one in the station!!” What it also meant: there was no one waiting for the front seat either!! So both of us pulled up our lap bars and unbuckled our seatbelts, and headed for the front row. This was actually my very first front seat ride, ever, on AE! I got even more excited when I looked back and saw that the four other KICers had boarded behind us. The result: a KIC-only train! We were calling it the “KIC Train.” The train departed, but this time, I was the only one having my hands up for the whole ride. I kept looking back to see if anyone else did, but alas, I was the only one. Oh well. At least we still had fun! The Racer was right next door, so it won out as our next ride. I rode in 5-2, the second-to-last row, on the Red side (of course, it was the only side running) in Train #1. Was whipped over the first hill, and playfully bouncing (it seemed like it ) up and down the hills, around the turn, and on the way back, I waved and said hello to The Beast, Vortex, WindSeeker and even the entrance to Dinosaurs Alive!! When we got back to the station, I was having so much fun that I couldn’t even believe it was Closing Day! As we were exiting, Beastie1980 asked if I wanted to ride Vortex, and I immediately replied with an enthusiastic “Yes!” (Of course it’s a no-brainer that I always say yes to riding Vortex!). We went ahead of the group again while quickly walking down to the end of the Coney Mall midway, anxious about riding Vortex. We talked about Row 5-1 and how smooth it is, and I having no problem in riding in any row on the train. Upon our entry to Vortex’s queue, we suddenly got very excited at the sight of a very very short line present in the station (and yes, my hands were still FREEZING!) and ran up the stairs, over the bridge, down the stairs on the other side, and into the loading station. She and I chose Row 1-2 for our first Vortex ride of the afternoon, since I wanted to ride in the first car. I immediately mentioned to her how Row 1-2 was practically the bumpiest row on the train, but it didn’t wreak havoc on any of us during the ride. We had a lot of fun. My mom took pics of us before Train #2 (yes, we ended up on my favorite train! ) left. It was weird: in one of the pics Beastie1980 would be smiling at the camera, and in the other pic I would be smiling at the camera. This also was the case on Diamondback. After our ride in Row 1-2 we re-rode in one of my favorite airtime rows: Row 6-2. Again the ride was great. When the train exited the second corkscrew and had made that sudden directional change toward the batwing, I suddenly heard the riders around me (including Beastie1980) saying “Ow.” I was confuzzled – nothing hurt for me! – but then again, I’ve been riding on Vortex on every KI trip for 2 ½ seasons straight, so I’d learned what to experience, when to experience what, and how to experience it - as if it were a natural instinct. (I’m practically “immune” to headbanging, I’m sure! ) When Train #2 was back in the station, I faced a tough decision: I could either go with Beastie1980 to Flight of Fear right at this moment, or I could re-ride one more time and THEN join Beastie1980 en route to Flight to Fear. I gave in to re-riding; I mean, Train #2 was right in front of me, with Row 2-1 (another favorite) open – as if it were actually beckoning to me, “Come on, just ride one more time, and then you can go to Flight of Fear!” So I took the re-ride in 2-1 as a single rider and then continued on with Beastie1980 to Flight of Fear. I wanted to ride Firehawk as well, but she told me she hated it, so we only did FoF. When we arrived inside FoF’s building, we were greeted with a pleasant surprise of a short line! Eagerly rushing through the pre-show area and the (half) saucer, we joined the line which almost extended into the saucer – the shortest line for Flight of Fear I’ve ever seen! If I’m not mistaken (it’s been almost 4 weeks!) I think we rode in either Row 1-1 or Row 1-2. Loved the launch like always, along with the inversions and how forceful that left corkscrew at the end is! Another good thing is that my hands FINALLY warmed up!! I made sure to keep them in my pockets for as much as possible while we were back outside. After our FoF ride, there was only about 30 minutes left of the 2012 season, so we headed straight to Diamondback. We got the Red Train and rode in Row 13. On the way up the lift hill, I knew that this was to be my last Diamondback ride of the season. The train crested, and we were off. Floater airtime is always something to love, especially while sailing over every single hill. During the splashdown, I looked back and gazed at all the water flying up into the air. It was amazing. I decided to head right back to Vortex for the last ride of the season, while Beastie1980 stayed at Diamondback. As I began my last journey back to Coney Mall, people were flooding into Diamondback’s line. I looked at my watch and it said 6:55! I started to speedwalk as I walked past Diamondback’s drop and The Beast’s entrance. By the time I passed Shake, Rattle & Roll I had sped up to a jog and I started to sprint once I entered the queue line. By that time it was 6:57. I was hoping to squeeze two cycles in, but as it turns out, I got only one. By the time I had boarded Train #2 in the front seat, it was 6:58. As #2 climbed the lift hill for my last ride of the season, I watched the chasing lights and repeated a statement I had said when I rode Vortex for the very first time: “At least those lights are going faster than me.” I also looked at the rest of the park below, lit up in the night. At the top, I spread my arms and took in all the cycle had to offer, including the fact that it was after dark, just like my very first ride was. When I arrived at the final brake run, I knew it was too late for another cycle, since they were sending Train #1 out empty. I looked at my watch, which said 7:00. I felt like saying, “Just one more ride! Pwease?” but I knew it would do no good since the park had already closed. I clung to my harness as #2 glided into the station. I was reluctant to get out, but of course I had to so I slowly pushed my harness up, stepped off the train, and ceremoniously pushed the harness back down. Meanwhile, two ops had started pushing the other open harnesses down, so basically I helped them. I gave Train #2 one last hug, and then I finally exited the station for the last time until 2013 – when I would be 14 and Vortex would be 26. The link below goes to a part of a soundtrack from Happy Feet 2 called “Tappin’ to Freedom,” in which that part kind of seemed to narrate the moments when I said bye to Vortex for the season (except for that small opera part at 4:20 during the song). I made the link so the video would start playing at 3:40 and go to the end. I lingered around in Vortex’s vicinity for a few more minutes. I found out that the train behind mine, which was Train #3, carried two passengers, who turned out to be the last Vortex riders of the season (I hope they realized that…) and I was on the SECOND TO LAST train of the season! Hey, at least I was one of Train #2’s last passengers for the season. Since the camera I was using had been used a whole lot of the day, it took no-flash pictures at a really slow shutter speed, although it took pics at a normal speed if the flash was on. Thus, a lot of the following pics are a bit blurry. (you can sort of tell which ones had the flash used and which ones didn’t.) +Delirium: 1 YTD: 3 Overall: 10 +Invertigo: 2 YTD: 3 Overall: 7 +Flight Deck: 2 YTD: 11 Overall: 17 +Sling Shot: 1 +Adventure Express: 2 YTD: 9 Overall: 17 +Racer: 1 YTD: 4 Overall: 7 +Vortex: 4 YTD: 60 Overall: 135 +Flight of Fear: 1 YTD: 3 Overall: 9 +Diamondback: 1 YTD: 11 Overall: 71

I actually have a picture of me "hugging" Vortex (from my 9/03 trip) in case you DO want to see it... <3

I always wear a fanny pack! So if you ever visit KI when I'm there too, I guess I may get counted. If I ever get "sighted." My contribution to the topic: During my 9/30/07 visit, I didn't notice that the Fairly Odd Coaster's air gates moved by themselves until I was next in line. After the people in front of me got on, the gate started to close and I, as a surprised 8 year old, was standing in the way a teeny little bit. I actually pushed against the gate (thinking I could move it ) but I ended up being pushed back into the queue by the gate.

Just like Arrow Dynamics went bankrupt back in 2002, and then S&S Power purchased it!

Just had another crazy one a few days ago! This time, Train #3 is in it. I dreamt that I was walking along the maintenance road that's right by Vortex's two brake runs and transfer track, and suddenly, I see Train #3 sprawled out on the ground right next to the transfer track as if it had actually fallen off (like one may fall out of his/her own bed). I remember thinking,"Train #3, did you fall out of bed again?" Then, all by myself (this was all during a normal summer day), I lifted each of #3's individual cars back onto the transfer track. :blink: . I then looked back at #3 again and saw that it had only five (or six, I don't remember) cars instead of the normal 7. I looked at Train #1, which was patiently waiting outside the station (like in the beginning of the previous dream); and then at #2, which had just finished the helix and arriving safely onto the first brake run (and stopping ) and saw that both of them had 7 cars. Right before the dream ended, I wondered, "If #1 and #2 have 7 cars, why doesn't #3 have 7 cars like #1 and #2 do?" Weird thing: I didn't even think of checking around the transfer track to see if any of #3's "missing" cars were down there. -BFF, who is now wondering, "How many funny/weird Vortex dreams am I gonna have this offseason?"

I love inversions just for the sake of being upside down! I also love negative Gs more than positive Gs, although I generally like positive Gs too; also, lateral Gs are a favorite of mine (Adventure Express, anyone? ).

^Yeah it's too bad I missed that Beast tour!!

Or something bright, like flourescent yellow. Then it would be REALLY easy to notice one another! As for my Sling Shot video, it is finally up. But I can't figure out how to embed it... Edit: I just posted a direct link to the video. If you click it, the video will come up in Windows Media Player. http://img211.images...ahbhjizwmih.mp4

There are favorite things about every trip I've taken...I'll just list the highlights of each trip. May 16 -First trip of mine for the season -Ending up on my favorite train on Vortex (which is Train #2) for my first Vortex ride of the season -Walking on to Drop Tower right when the announcement was made that the park was closed for the evening. May 24 -First trip of the year with a friend (a non-KICer) -Getting off of WindSeeker less than a minute before closing (7:59) -Running like the wind (no pun intended) to Vortex during the 30 seconds left before the park closed at 8 -Caught the last train of the day just in time to be declared Last Vortex Rider of Thursday, May 24. -Coincidentally, Train #2 was the last train of the day in which I was last rider of the day on... July 10 -Vortex's Train #1's screeching (it. was. earsplitting!) -First night ride on WindSeeker! -First ride on Vortex that evening was on Train #2 (again!) -Fireworks while waiting in Vortex's station--Train #1 was in the station at the moment and it was held up a little during the show -When I board, the fireworks END, RIGHT WHEN THE RIDE STARTS! I still claim that I got a fireworks ride on Vortex, though. August 4 -Not knowing that it was a KIC day (I didn't join KIC until 11 days later!) -Another trip with friends (also non-KICers) -Going to Soak City for the very first time -Being the most hyper I've ever been while around Vortex (don't ask) -Fireworks ride on Adventure Express!! -Very bumpy (and really awesome!) night ride on Racer! August 13 -An entire abundance of mediocrity plagued my first ride of the day on Vortex (in other words, it got a little "boring.") -I figure out a solution while riding Vortex's neighbor, WindSeeker. -I try riding in the back on Vortex for the first time since fall 2011. It works! September 3 (Labor Day Monday) -Dollar Days! -Hot, fresh, and truly awesome LaRosa's Pizza! -It was drizzling -One of my rides on WindSeeker was during the drizzle-it felt SOOOO GOOD to have a 30 mph mist blowing in my face! -Vortex had a 20 minute long technical delay. -My 100th ride on Vortex! Train #1 had the special honor of taking me on that 100th ride. -Scored front seat on last train of the day! -Hugged Train #1 afterwards. I couldn't resist! <3 October 14 -Scored 18 (straight!) rides on Vortex that day--a new personal record! -Hot and fresh french fries and chicken nuggets with ketchup and honey mustard. -The food cost $9! (unreal!) -From the 6th Vortex ride of the day to the 16th ride, it rained (there was actually supposed to be a thunderstorm, but all the park got was a rain shower. Not even a flash of lightning nor a rumble of thunder could be heard that day!) October 21 -First ERT visit since October 2010 -Vortex opened 10 minutes late due to slight testing issues (NOT temperature) -First rider of the day! -First ever BLSC ride! October 28 -3rd Closing Day in a row that I've been to KI -Meeting five fellow KICers: malem, ohiocolts, Beastie1980, DiamondAceExpress and jcgoble3 -riding Sling Shot with ohiocolts (really fun!!) -Double ride on Adventure Express with Beastie1980 -Second ride of the double ride: there were only KICers on the AE train! (why was I the only one having my hands up throughout the entire ride??) -Double ride on Vortex, also with Beastie1980 (it was a triple for me; I could not resist riding another time in row 2-1. I mean, Train #2 (the train we rode on) was literally beckoning me as if she were saying, "Just one more ride; then you can go to Flight of Fear!") -Riding with Beastie1980 on Flight of Fear and Diamondback -Catching what was actually Vortex's 2nd to last train of the year (Train #3 was the last, and it was carrying only TWO passengers!) At least I was on Train #2's last trainload of passengers for the season! -Hugging Train #2 after the last ride <3 Uh, Beastie1980, I think you might have forgotten someone.

Same as 2011: 9 KI Trips; 1 CP Trip.

I am totally on the same page as ALL of you! Yep, she (Vortex) definitely has the nostalgia and the Arrow elegance. Don't worry, homestar92. I have a (very) soft spot for Arrow rides too. <3 PKIVortex, I also really LOOOOVE Magnum! Vortex and Magnum are my favorite Arrows. PhantomTheater, I so totally agree with the part of your post in the quote that I underlined. I'm always excited just to step on one of Vortex's trains, let alone ANY Arrow trains!

From 71 I also can see (along with the other mentioned rides) Vortex, Delirium, Sling Shot, Xtreme Skyflyer, Congo Falls, a tiny bit of Firehawk, and maybe even Flight Deck if I look close enough. I've even seen the very top of The Beast's first lift hill all the way from there. Quite a few of the rides can be seen from 71 and Kings Island Drive, let alone the parking lot itself.

Vortex definitely has the visual nostalgia! On my first KI trip in 2007 (three years before I became an enthusiast) I was so awed by Vortex that I watched it for at least 10 minutes non-stop. In fact, on every single KI trip of mine, I take about 5-10 minutes (at LEAST!) just to watch and take pictures of Vortex. It's always a part of my trip "schedule" and it always will be. <3

I KNEW you'd say that! I hope this is just a rumor, in my opinion, and I really hope Vortex continues to operate for at least a few years to come. It is actually a big dream of mine to work on Vortex when I'm old enough (16) and right now I'm 13, so it wouldn't be until 2015 that I would first be able to apply for and possibly achieve that dream. As one of Vortex's big big big fans, I would be CRYING if we lost Vortex.