VortexBFForever

Wow. This immediately got me wondering: Why would someone do something like this if they're gonna get in trouble anyway? People ARE going to notice; the more significant it is, the sooner. I just don't get that.

I've usually seen a couple cell phones and change, but one time I thought I saw a wallet.

For me, I hang out in Coney Mall most of the time, especially during the fall season when I'm power-riding/marathoning Vortex. I usually am at the end of the midway, riding either Vortex or WindSeeker. At the very beginning and end I'm usually in either Rivertown or Action Zone, occasionally stopping in Oktoberfest for at least one ride on Adventure Express. -Trips with ERT always begin in Rivertown. -Evening trips start out in Action Zone, so by the time I get to Diamondback, it is after dark (night ride!) -Afternoon trips typically start out in Rivertown, but occasionally start in Action Zone (my Closing Day trip started in Action Zone, hint hint). -If I want to hear carousel music or get an extended panoramic view of the park while in the middle of a trip, I would be located at the far end of International Street. -If I'm not on/near WindSeeker or Vortex while I'm in Coney Mall, I'll either be at/near X-Base or taking pictures of Vortex at the overlook directly in front of 3-Point Challenge My collaboration of time and locations always varies, because they rely directly on my strongest interests of rides, in which those interests can pop up or disappear at any time. Therefore, it may be a little "difficult" to locate me.

One of my most memorable trips (I can't decide which one's best) was on the evening of Friday, July 23, 2010. This KI trip actually happened "accidentally." You see, my mom and I were going down to see a performance of "Pilgrim's Progress" in Cincy, so we were dressed up in semi-formal clothing. I was wearing brown gaucho pants, a yellow and white shirt, and brown dress sandals. We got there only to find out that the performance was on the next Friday, on July 30. On the way up Interstate 71, I eventually persuaded my mom to stop at Kings Island, since she had her wallet which contained our Gold Passes. It felt a little weird going to an amusement park in gauchos, a pretty shirt and dress sandals, but I still really enjoyed being there. My mom used her cellphone (since she didn't have her camera with her) to take a picture of me standing in front of the Kings Island sign in front of the Royal Fountains. By then it was getting dark as it was about 9 pm, and the park closed at 10. I rode Diamondback a couple of times. Each time my DB train climbed the lift hill, I looked longingly at Vortex while mental debates were raging inside my mind about whether or not I should try it, since I had NEVER been on a looping coaster. At about 9:40, I still hadn't decided if I wanted to ride Vortex, so I decided to ride Shake Rattle & Roll in case I wanted to try Vortex. After I got off SR&R it was about 9:50. Vortex's entrance was right there, so I decided to go for it. As I started to climb that first flight of stairs upon entering the queue, "The March" from the movie March of the Penguins popped into my head as I stepped into Vortex's loading station for the first time to find a really short line, pretty much a walk on. I waited for the front seat, and got all the more anxious when I was next and the train that was going to whisk me through my first six inversions was rolling into the station. The train stopped, the gates opened, and I stepped into the open train. I immediately saw how spacious it was, especially in the front of the lead car. I slowly pulled the shoulder harness down and buckled the seatbelt. The "bell" rang, the harnesses were checked, and...."All clear!" I knew there was no turning back now, as the op was saying, "That all clear means you are rolling outta here! Enjoy your ride on Vortex, at night....." I said to myself, "I hope so..." as the train engaged the lift hill and the soon-to-be-familiar Arrow anti-rollback noise hit my ears. For the first time in a long time, I could smell the already-familiar chain grease smell (I had first smelled it on Woodstock Express and The Beast). The ride's chasing lights and The Beast's two lift hills were to the left of the ascending train, and the rest of the park, lit up in the dark of the night, sat to the right. I looked at the chasing lights and said, "At least those lights are going faster than me." The higher the train climbed, the more nervous I got. I looked at the track ahead as the hilltop got closer and closer, as the train would soon be swooping through the inversions waiting below. The train crested, and I thought, "Here goes nothing..." as the first turn and drop took it away. I didn't scream since I had rode the taller and faster Diamondback beforehand. My method of relaxing and being open-minded during the ride had become a habit long before; I knew the ride was a little bumpy, before the ride I was thinking, "This ride is 23 years old; it's SUPPOSED to be bumpy!" I actually liked the bumps. Finally the first loop was upon the train and I. I sat back and held on tight. The first two loops jerked me forward a little (I had yet to learn about loop forces at the time) but still, it was cool! As the train was slowed at the MCBR, I said, "Going upside down isn't too bad at all! Okay, corkscrews and batwing, I think I'm ready for you!!" Meanwhile, I had been holding on to the harness so tightly that my left hand had "fallen asleep". But when I let go, my hand would "wake up" again, and if I started holding on again then my hand would fall back asleep. So I slid my hands under the handles and held on that way as the train entered the first corkscrew. The hang time caught me by surprise, and I instantly began to love the feeling of hanging against the harness. The train slowly exited the second corkscrew and then maneuvered onward to the batwing, which contained Inversions #5 and #6. It had the forces similar to those of the loops, and a fraction of corkscrew hangtime. The flash from the ride-photo camera was a bit disorienting; almost blinding, as the last inversion was executed, which I thought was also cool. The train wound up the helix and finally arrived at the final brake runs; and later, the station. As the train in front of it was loading the few waiting passengers, I thought, "This is a neat ride! Maybe I can try Firehawk sometime...it won't be that bad." (the only thing that kept me from riding Firehawk was the inversions) When I disembarked, I said to my mom, "Oh my goodness; I can't believe I just went upside down SIX TIMES! I feel GREAT!" At the time it was about 9:55, so I had enough time for another cycle on Vortex before the park closed. So I went and rode Vortex again. From that first ride forward, I loved it. Vortex is truly the ride that began my thrill-seeking and inversion conquering. It totally changed my point of view about "those big, scary-looking rides." Not only did I heroically take my first ride on a looper, it was also my first KI trip that I got to see a fireworks show. What a great (and memorable) night it turned out to be! (I know, it's pretty long, but I LOVE mentioning the little things too )

So horrible to hear! Praying for her family and friends. Sounds like she would have been a great person to hang out with!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/85200936@N03/7882987672/'> Easy: A shot of the Eiffel Tower from anywhere in the park Hard: Night shot of Vortex Expert: Grand Carousel organ facade

It's been over two days (three days - the sun set on the second day yesterday ) so we'll have to move on, I assume... http://www.flickr.com/photos/85200936@N03/7854489770/'> Easy: Any shot of the park during a sunny day Hard: Night shot of WindSeeker in action Expert: Close-up of one or more horses on the Grand Carousel

Merry Christmas! I hope you all are having fun today, as Christmas only happens once a year. Make the most of it! And most of all, be thankful for the presents you get.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/85200936@N03/7932744544/'> The Tower's in the background. It's kind of hard to see it because it was drizzling outside. Easy: A shot of any ride from the top of the Eiffel Tower (Original) Hard: Night shot of Vortex (me) Expert: Grand Carousel organ facade (also me)

Taken when Beastie1980 and I rode Diamondback on Closing Day at night (I'm the one in the penguin hat ) Easy: Royal Fountains Hard: Night shot of Vortex Expert: Grand Carousel organ facade

A week or two ago, I had another Kings Island dream. Unlike other dreams I've had this offseason, this one was shorter and more vague. The only things I remembered from the dream was that I was looking at Vortex from a spot adjacent to WindSeeker's entrance, and I was just watching Vortex's trains do their normal thing. That's it. Oh well, a small KI dream is slightly better than no KI dream.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/85200936@N03/8107346478/'> This photo has one! Easy: brick pavers in Coney Mall Hard: Vortex train in any inversion Expert: Close-up of Vortex train (taken from anywhere in the station)

I don't have pics of the Hard or Expert things, so I'll just go with the Easy. http://www.flickr.com/photos/85200936@N03/8110445806/'> Easy: Any tree in Rivertown Hard: A shot of a Diamondback train going down the first drop (taken from under the first drop) Expert: Front car of a Vortex train, close up

Hard: Picture of Vortex taken while inside Vortex's station Easy: Drop Tower at the top, about to drop. Hey it rhymes! haha...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/85200936@N03/8110560105/'> Easy: a shot in Coney Mall (standbyme) Hard: Picture of Vortex taken while inside Vortex's station (originally from me, reposted by kblanken)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/85200936@N03/7933310022/'> Easy: Vortex in action, seen from in front of 3 Point Challenge Hard: Picture of Vortex taken while inside Vortex's station

Yes, I had the pizza at Kings Island during my Labor Day trip (one of the Dollar Days )

http://www.flickr.com/photos/85200936@N03/7932693244/'> Easy: a shot from up in the Eiffel Tower at night (KIfan73) Hard: pic inside of an IS shop (also KIfan73)

I have quite a few - and counting! -Viper, X2, and Green Lantern: First Flight @ Six Flags Magic Mountain -Tennessee Tornado @ Dollywood -Fantasia Special @ Tongdo Fantasia -Disneyland and Disney World -Canyon Blaster @ Adventuredome -At least one of the remaining Arrow Launched Loop coasters (Diamond Back @ Frontier City; Sidewinder @ Elitch Gardens; and/or Irn-Bru Revolution @ Pleasure Beach) -Big One, Revolution (mentioned earlier), and Steeplechase @ Pleasure Beach, Blackpool -Corkscrew @ Silverwood

http://www.flickr.com/photos/85200936@N03/7932692280/'> Hard: Graveyard Shift Easy: Any of the Planet Snoopy gang (jcgoble3's idea )