silver2005

MIA during all 90 minutes I was there- all the walk ons. Except Timbers. 2 cycle wait there.

Spent about 90 minutes at the park just to get the coaster run down. Shivering Timbers- #75 in the books. Early opinions- Thunderhawk is pretty intense, but not as bad as I thought it could have been Corkscrew- Fun but short Wolverine Wildcat- Good forces, but a bit of jack hammering on the turns, decent air Shivering Timbers- Excellent airtime and laterals, but they feel a bit separated, like it can't have both at the same time. Definitely getting 10+ rides on it. I may do the water park at MIA given how small it is. Glad I brought swimwear. Also- Why isn't there a path between Thunderhawk and Timbers? Also, also, MIA is a beautiful park. Very pleasing aesthetically.

Made it to my hotel in Michigan. Grand Rapids was a pain to go through and I got lucky in guessing which lane I needed to be in. Oh, and I found out about a Hartland Winery while driving through Indiana. I also need to double check the routes Google Maps takes me as I went through a few farm roads while going between highways in NW Ohio and NE Indiana. Gonna spend a few hours in MIA before grabbing dinner after the park closes. May focus on photos a bit. Need to make sure to hit Timbers 4th as it will be #75 for me. The dinner location is right on Lake Michigan as well.

My day tomorrow- 6:30 AM- Wake up, double/triple check everything 7:30 AM- Breakfast 8 AM- On the road Approx. 3-4 PM- Arrive at Muskegon (1 or 2 stops/driving breaks planned) 4:30-5:30 PM- Either take in a few hours at MIA or get a nice dinner (depends on energy level and weather) I have found a few nice dining options in Muskegon including a few nice places along Lake Michigan. I have a few bits of nicer clothes for roaming around Muskegon and Port Clinton. I'm also hoping for a spot of rain on Monday, just enough to soak Wolverine Wildcat and Shivering Timbers.

Me, on the road, 8 am, Sunday. I'm hoping to get up to Muskegon by 3-4 pm and grab a few hours at MIA that day before a full day on Monday. Either that or take a visit to Lake Michigan. #greatlakeert

I forgot to mention something about Flight of Fear that occurred on my last visit. I got a ride where the brakes on the MCBR didn't even engage and the 2nd half was absolutely incredible. I'm not sure its a consistent occurrence, but was a great experience none-the-less.

Well, they opened 2 new ones in Rivertown (one by Diamonback and one by LaRosa's) so the one at the train station is pretty much useless. RT doesn't need 3 stations. A bit of oversight by management.

Muskegon's weather has been looking more solidly good, aka, no rain since I've been checking it daily. Sandusky's, for the days I'm going, has been going back and forth between rain, scattered showers, and just all out rain.

I know most of us are more fond of riding Bat in the front, but I've found an advantage of riding further back. I've been noticing slight kicks of airtime as it makes major swings to either side. It's particularly noticeable as it pulls off the s-curves after the big fan turn over the station. Those pops are slightly stronger towards the middle and back, the best of which is that curved hill before the brakes and as it comes up to the brake run.

I think I've heard Banshee's color as mystic red (which...it's magenta). EDIT: I feel safe in saying that Bat's previous color scheme was that of primer because that's what it looked like before the orange.

^You can't do both?

^Just checked out my routes, and they have small inklings of construction, but nothing major. I chose option 2 to go up I-75 and zig-zag through Indiana and Michigan. All that's left now is to hope that the weather is nice next week. Muskegon looks promising, but Sandusky is shaky.

Pfft...try a mayfly to the face at over 120 mph. Even had a cut across my forehead.

Speaking of the kids conversation, I had a lovely ride on Banshee during my epic visit Thursday where the kids around me were screaming F-bombs for the entire ride. They couldn't have been older than 12 either.

I don't think there are Gold/Platinum Pass discounts on lockers. I know for certain that the lockers in the main park are, but I'm not 100% sure about Soak City lockers, though I would lean to saying they aren't either.

I just got it during my Memorial Day visit and just happened to not need it on Thursday, so I have no input as of yet.

Here are the route options Google Maps is giving me from shortest to longest- 1- I-74 to Indianapolis, take US-31 up through Indiana which merges with I-196 for a short time in Michigan, however, once I'm ultimately on US-31, its a straight shot to Muskegon- 5 h 40 m 2- I-75 up to US-33 (just south of Lima), get on I-469 and I-69 around Ft. Wayne, do some zig-zaging through MI to Muskegon- 5 h 53 m 3. I-75 up to Toledo, get on US-23 up through Ann Arbor (takes me somewhat close to Detroit), take I-96 to Muskegon- 6 h Part of me wants to do option 1 just to do a new route and I've never been through Indy before, though, if my drive to Santa Claus last year was any indication, Indiana is pretty sparse outside major population centers. This route would take me along Lake Michigan as well which sounds pleasant. Option 2 would be the next likely as I'm more familiar with I-75. I hear Dayton is finally done with their never ending construction of I-75. That's probably my biggest dilemma concerning travel for this. I'm well aware of how to avoid the Ohio Turnpike concerning the trip from Muskegon to Sandusky and then back to Cincy.

The only pain I had on T3 was getting stapled even though I let the bar have some distance between my legs. Its that much of a positive g beast. My legs nearly had the circulation cut off.

Kind of intriguing actually. They already have a GCI, and 100 ft is a bit above a family coaster height. A Grizzly RMC overhaul comes to mind, a Mack looper/launcher sounds plausible, maybe a small B&M flyer.

Something I'm considering is doing ride reviews of everything, even stuff I've been on before. I want to see how my tastes have changed. That and I want a reason to write stuff.

I also wore my BUCKeye State shirt to the park (where UC and State are highlighted in white, its an official UC made OSU troll shirt), and I got a lot of props from people including a Delirium attendant who thought I went to OSU (the C in buckeye is a C-paw). Another reason I let myself have this kind of visit is to prepare myself for CP.

I got a goooood ride session in today. This is the kind of damage I can do when left to my own devices for a day with only the usual suspects over a 15 minute wait- Rides ridden once- Invertigo, Timbers, X-Base, SRR, Zephyr, Viking, Delirium, Eiffel Tower, KIMVRR, Congo Falls, WWC, Backlot Banshee- 4 including night ride Bat- 2, once for front seat Drop Tower- 2 WindSeeker- 2 (including a spectacular sunset ride) Adventure Express- 2 including night ride Vortex- 4 (including a front seat zen ride just after opening, prior to said zen ride, I introduced myself to VortexBFForever) Diamondback- 5 (twice in a row during morning ERT) Beast- 4 including night ride, twice in the front including said night ride Racer- 6, 2 front seat rides, 3 per side I did manage the ultimate night ride trio by getting in Beast right before they closed for the fireworks, power walked a la malem to AE, then barely made it in line for Banshee, but was the train before the fireworks ride. BTW, they are closing Beast closer to 9:35-9:40 for the fireworks now. The line separaters were a bit over zealous today, in that they were so intent on getting exact amounts that they were not paying attention to the station and often sent half empty trains, mainly on Flight of Fear, Beast during about mid-day, and Diamondback. Food service is improving little by little though. Diamondback, for most of my visits, had its crew on their A game. They were dispatching trains, at times, when the train ahead was just hopping off the MCBR. And they didn't have to rush anyone, includes letting people use the bins, but still being efficient about it. Vortex's crew also had a great showing, especially later in the evening. Beast's crew is a bit sluggish and Banshee's is still on Red Bull and caffeine pills (aka, just mowing through lines with ease). Oddly enough, Adventure Express had the longest wait outside the usual longer wait rides for a good part of the day. It didn't die down until the late afternoon. I ate at the Smokehouse in SC for the first time, and they blew me away. Had the wings, which, while a bit tough, was still easily the best thing I've eaten in the park...ever. Now can we get that kind of quality and service in the main park? I ate on I-Street for dinner at LaRosa's with a helping of a full rendition of Rhapsody in Blue which really puts the cherry on top for I-Street. Off the Charts still does a great show, probably my favorite show in the park with Imagine disappointing me. I'm also glad its back at the band stand. Overall, a perfect day at the park including incredible weather. Glad I took the day off!

Mad props to the Diamondback crew. They have been on their A game on my last few visits.

Mostly 5-15 minute waits for most rides sans X-Base and MT. EDIT: Updated park average waits now at 10-30 minutes.

Just over 10 days away! Still deciding on a route between Cincy and Muskegon though.