Kirk Sheppard

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After two showings of Way Too Much TV, I walked over to the Rivertown Buffet and got a bite to eat. On the way there, I saw two first aid vehicles driving through the park with people that I assume were afflicted by the heat. It was so hot. I've eaten at the buffet 3x and so far I've had turkey, roast beef, and ham as the carved meat option of the buffet. The roast beef was by far the best. The ham was too fatty and not hot enough for my taste. The fried chicken was great today. After eating, I walked back to the Festhaus for one more showing of Way Too Much TV. I was experimenting with various creative shots with my new camera. Like this one: And this one: More are available here: My Facebook Album - Visible to all (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4672673&l=056e24087a&id=665656877) and soon on my web site at KirkSheppard.com. After this, I headed over to Signed, Sealed, Delivered and watched the 3:30 performance. I'll have those pictures available soon, too. Then I decided it was too hot to do much else and I was beat so I headed back, turned my locker key in, and walked to my car for the hot hot hot ride home. Actually, it was only hot in the car until I got out of the parking lot; my A/C works great! I might go back up on Sunday or I might wait till next week; have to see how the weather is on Sunday and what else is going on.

Well, the one on KI's site is wrong anyway. Way Too Much TV is at 12:30, 1:30, 3:00 and 4:00 Signed Sealed Delivered's first show is at 3:30 and I'm not positive on the rest... Down Home Country starts at 5:00, and then I think its 6:30, 7:30, and 8:30. Don't Stop the Music starts at 5:30 and I'm not sure the rest of the times. Ice show is 2:00, 4:00, and 6:00 and it ends on Sunday so you'll want to see it before its over.

Thanks PurpleHaze! I imagine I would be quite a bore for most people to hang with as I'm quite at peace sitting and watching people go by.

It depends. I've got my camera and iPad and tripod that all need stored in a locker. I might stay here for the first two shows and then I'll either go watch the ice show or put everything back in the locker and ride Viking Fury or go up on the tower. I'll likely try to catch at least one of the Signed, Sealed, Delivered performances today, too. I've already ridden a few things but I don't fit on many of the coasters and I get motion sick pretty easily. I will definitely get another ride on Congo Falls in before I leave, though, as there's never a line and it cools me off quite well.

Maybe all four. Some people ride Diamondback 3,000 times; I happen to enjoy watching the shows

I cared; I was in fact quite glad that I wasn't in the elevator or up on the top of the tower when it broke! Why not!? So many people here are so convinced that they want to take the stairs on that thing... I know of a few here who would LOVE to be stuck at the top without a working elevator just so they could walk down. Maybe but not during a heat advisory and not in the kind of physical un-shape I am in. :-) -Kirk, who is staying in the Festhaus because its too hot to be anywhere without A/C.

I cared; I was in fact quite glad that I wasn't in the elevator or up on the top of the tower when it broke!

I arrived about 9:30 and walked right through security into the park with no wait. I rented a locker and put my camera and iPad away and after I walked through the Gold Pass entrance I realized I didn't have my locker key. I hurried back and found it still hanging in the locker. Close call, that was. My walk back to The Beast was lonely; there didn't seem to be anyone else around at all short of the occassional security guard and employee walking towards their station. I hung out around the rope drop by The Beast so I could get on BLSC without any wait. I think Friday the 13th might be an unlucky day for KI as it seemed like they were having some technical difficulties with the national anthem. Usually someone sings it and around the time I expected that to happen the park speakers switched to a radio station playing an ad for Meijer. Abrputly we switched back to the music feed that was playing earlier. Then a voice said, "Our national anthem" an a canned orchestral/choral version played. I rode BLSC in the front seat and it was great as always. I then walked around through the back of Coney Mall and headed towards the Eiffel Tower. It is so hot. The young lady working the Tower told me it was closed and that maintenance was working on it. Better to be on the ground when its broke than in the elevator or up on top. I then walked to Action Zone for a ride on Congo Falls. I rode in the 3rd row, middle of the seat - and was in the boat alone. The park feels empty, which seems strange for a Friday. Most schools haven't started yet, but maybe people are out school shopping instead. After Congo Falls (and not getting very wet at all, I suspect because the weight of the boat was less with only me in it), I went for a ride on Flight Deck. This is a pretty intense experience for me, I guess because of the swaying and the sharp changes in direction. I am usually light headed and woozy coming off of it and this was no different. I grabbed a Coke out of the vending machine as I was sweating pretty good. Then I walked to guest relations and wrote a compliment for Area Supervisor Ronny who has been delightful upon every encounter I've had with him all season in a variety of roles at the park. The ladies in Guest Relations knew him and agreed he was awesome and said they'd take care of calling that in for him. I grabbed my stuff from my locker and headed into the Festhaus; its just too hot to do anything. I'm going to wait in here until Way Too Much TV starts. I got a new camera last week and I've been testing it out by taking pictures of the shows as the moving targets are a good challenge and a great way to learn some of the settings on the camera. I'll post some of the best shots later. I brought my new tripod today and am going to try some different things today. The tech crew seems to be having trouble with the lighting for the stage. Its Friday the 13th I'm telling you. More later . . .

Just tried to board the tower but was told maintenance was working on it. Haven't seen that happen this year yet. Is it common?

Congratulations!

Really? "Parading around" and "bragging" aren't words that sound attacking to you? This is now two threads in a few days where his choice of words appear quite angry and bitter and then others rush to his defense because we don't really "know him." Choice of words matter on a forum. Mean what you say and say what you mean. So what if Gary is getting a little attention for doing what he's doing. As you can see from the show of support tonight both at the park and on this forum, he has had a positive influence on many people. This is a good thing. I agree that some questions about how he has accomplished this are expected and warranted and that Gary would gladly answer them. But if someone walked up to him and told him he was "parading around" and "bragging" - well, Gary is kind and would probably shrug it off. However, if many of us were with him, there'd likely be a different tone to the discussion. Words matter.

Ironic given your signature lists your ride count.

Gary had 13 friends riding with him, many of whom I believe are regular posters here. I was there, too, but didn't ride. Don Helbig was also on hand taking photos and supporting Gary in this fun and great event.

Seriously? Parading and bragging? Promoting himself? You've obviously never had a conversation with the man.

Sounds like the 3,000th ride is scheduled for around 6:30 PM. I plan to be on hand to help him celebrate. :-)

Last Friday, I watched all four showings of "Way Too Much TV." Sunday I saw it twice. Weird? Yep. Do I care what anyone thinks? Nope. Its a great show, the cast is wonderful, and it speaks to me on several levels! And if it plays next year, I'll see it 100 times. Point is, lots of us do things that others might find strange. I'm a functioning productive member of society. Gary is too. Leave all of us alone! :-)

He's there most evenings, I think. And he takes advantage of the hour long ERT on Saturday mornings. You can get a lot of rides in then and DB loads fast, especially single rider.

Per a tweet from Kings Island's PR dept: "Season passholder Gary Coleman will take his 3,000th ride on Diamondback Thursday." This is great. Gary rocks!

Sarcasm...I love it! Kirk...it's possible that if you don't know BavarianBeatle his post may come off wrong...but I know it was not meant to be mean. Thank you. I can't believe that anybody would take what I said seriously. It was obviously a joke meant to poke fun at Purple Haze and to make light of the situation (once I learned that the performer wasn't injured, of course). Kirk, many people find falls to be humorous, hence the existence of things like The Three Stooges, Americas Funniest Videos, and Wipeout. Please doon't take it personally, and be aware that humor of this nature is common on this site. --Beatle, who remembers the puns and jokes during the discussions of the KK accident several years ago. Sorry that I misinterpreted your comment... though I don't think you were making fun of anyone for falling. I took it that you were insinuating that Kings Island performers do not have difficult jobs and that PurpleHaze was being ridiculous for saying that they did because they don't work as hard as other non-related career professionals . . . it didn't seem that you were being jovial, but that you were being negative and sarcastic, that's all. We don't need negativity on this board, but I'm sure I overreacted and made it worse. All is good, thanks for clearing it up. Kirk, who is moving on now and hopes to avoid any controversy for the next few days at least. :-)

I thought that was what I was doing?! I suppose, but I'm right. See, that's how it works in my world. :-)

As I mentioned, if you "know" him you would know that it was not meant to be mean spirited. Check out some of his older posts and you will find that he is a very valuable member of this site...check out the "KIC What Happened" thread. If a performer is a regular member of this site they know what kind of poster he is. I don't care if it was our beloved Terpy or CoasterRZ (who I love) or someone new. If someone says something I disagree with, in content or in tone, it is OK to comment on. Right? Or did I miss a memo somewhere?

And imagine that you are one of the performers who works VERY hard at Kings Island every day to entertain people and came on here to find this sarcastic comment. How would they take the post? Perhaps its because of my professional life, but people's feelings DO matter. Inappropriate sarcasm IS mean, whether its intended to be or not. Belittling the thing about the parks I love the most - the shows - fires me up. I'm already defensive enough about not being a ride warrior because they've designed the rides for short skinny people. Leave my performers alone! :-)

Wow, having to know how to walk and sing karaoke at the same time for almost 15 hours a week. I bet the men on Deadliest Catch and UFC are glad they don't have a job that difficult. Oh, and.... http://www.youtube.c...h?v=mqotKEKEvcM This is perhaps the most inappropriately bitter thing I've seen posted on this forum. I would imagine the folks on UFC AND Dealiest Catch make considerably more an hour to do what they do, as well. But my best guess is that the poster of this comment hasn't done any of the three . . . .

FYI I caught part of the show a couple times today and she was there, singing her heart out . . . so I guess she's fine. One of the other female performers had her ankle wrapped, though . . . poor girls are getting beat up!