Magenta Lizard

Who could hate Don?

A Roman soldier will fit right into Rivertown. I think Don is trolling us from somewhere cool, at least he doesn't seem to be near the trains he keeps tweeting about

I check every day, there is nothing new on the trademark front. Riding the blue:red train just to see, right now.

About 20 of them. Scratch that, about 15 because I'm pretty sure boddah can tell a woman from a man. So the question is did I spend my morning convincing myself the same performer is two different guys?

Looking forward to seeing the show today! Curious to see who might be performing and who may be visiting from a previous cast

I had to go back to the photos I took at the preview and look hard to see what you were talking about. I think one might be forgiven for not noticing the change, they do look remarkably similar in the makeup and costume. Second rope performer even closely mimics the first one's bearing. There are some facial differences and a more significant difference in physique that I hadn't noticed until reviewing the pics. Even still, I'd be tempted to believe it was the same guy if I wasn't being told different (I mean, look at those hands!) As far as I know, the second one is the one I've seen more often: I think the first one I only saw at the preview. I thought the performer was just trying more intense tricks than he had in the preview, I didn't realize it was a change to a more skilled performer. I'm disturbed he was injured, I hate to see any of them hurt. I hope to see him back again soon.

Could you tell what the fight was over? I bet that's one or two trucks that won't be asked back. Being earlier in the season, maybe they are (or were) planning to have more than one this year? There were definitely more things I wanted to try than I could conceivably eat in one day.

Or a station for a coaster...

I love this cast so much! Look at all that personality encapsulated in one pic. What was really funny to me is that while we were having the picture taken, "Jacko" kept nuzzling me, and he was making a noise I can only describe as a purr the whole time. That's why I'm laughing in the pic. The other performers pictured, from left to right, and my current mental designations (I could ask names, but it takes away the joy of discovery ) Pilot Smurf: he does both the juggling act and painting act, both very well, which makes him ostensibly the "star" of the show. Charlotte and Nicolas, although I think of their act as Titania and Oberon (from A Midsummer Night's Dream): in their Hand2Hand performance, they are the true machines of the show. Much like Trevor the Bycrobat in previous years, they have come out and done amazing things in a consistently perfect manner. Princess Puck: a tiny woman with a giant character, she expertly performs on the dual trapeze with... Tattooed Gnome: his character is just a total trip. He is very high energy, with a bit of implied naughtiness. Suspenders: he has a slightly silly goofiness that charms me whenever I watch him. From a prior performance Proud Smurf: until last weekend, the slack and tight rope performer The Drummer: usually seen high on his perch, I don't think a lot of people realize he is the one playing hand instruments during the artist sketch Packo: the quieter half of the monkey/lizard team, he is still not lacking in fun personality And finally The replacement rope walker. I haven't come up with a name for him yet.

As I was scrolling down the page, I thought for a moment one of the foodtrucks had Don Helbig's picture on the side.

So, gforce1994, your pic of the stake with "T-5701 5702", where did you take that? If it is the transfer track, should be near the eventual station...

Photo courtesy gforce1994 I hadn't seen this one until he posted it.

I've only seen it when I ride near the front of the train. Kind of like the voice on the final lift hill, it's over before the back of the train can see or hear it.

Fortunately, there is no need to carry it around the park! The ushers give you a slip of paper that IDs which showing you were on stage, and you use it to pick up the painting at guest services later at your convenience. So you only need to take it out to the parking lot. Fortunately I was parked close, because it was windy and that thing becomes quite the sail! I remember when I was younger it was quite the thing for teenage guys to win big stuffed animals and carry them all over the park, through ride queues, and if I'm not mistaken, on rides. I've only seen someone with one in a queue one time in the last three years, and it was actually a somewhat older smallish woman with one of those big stuffed gorillas in the FoF outside queue of all places.

Yeah, I figured that was what you meant, but without further reporting, no one else here would know something had changed unless they saw the show too. I hope the next change is an awesome new additional act, because I hate losing performers I've come to enjoy. I did forget to mention that they were down a tramp wall performer. The one who previously did the slack rope and tight rope was the fourth on the wall. So with him gone, his replacement isn't doing that part of the act (yet, probably) either. Something else I forgot to mention, I bet they are having a lot of the paintings left behind at guest services. I didn't really recognize just how large it was until I went to pick mine up. It was surprisingly heavy, and took up nearly the entire width of my SUV bed. I can't imagine trying to take one home in a car, especially one that is loaded with people and supplies for a family day out to KI. It could possibly fit in some trunks but I wouldn't count on it. This is a pic of it behind my couch, with added cat for scale: It's my favorite piece of art I own now, but I understand most people aren't as into cirque or KI as I am (last year I only finally got one of the t-shirts they tossed into the audience, despite trying very many times, because whoever did catch one just threw it into the mulch outside the theater). I wonder how long they keep ones that are unclaimed, and if they paint over them in black and use them again?

Today there was a new performer replacing the one who had been doing the slack rope act. He has long dark hair. While he is good on the slack rope, he did not do the tightrope walk at the top of the stage like his predecessor. The rope was still up there, but unused in the performance. I have no idea if this is a permanent change or not. The two monkey/lizards seem to be named, at least as far as the performances go, Packo and Jacko. Suspenders was not seriously injured the other day, and is back performing very well. He's grown on me a lot since the first few shows I saw; he has a cute personality that is coming out now.

Any reports on the food from someone who attended today? I'm very intrigued by the bacon stuffed garlic bread grilled cheese KI tweeted about today. I'll be going with my husband tomorrow and was hoping maybe someone could give their personal experiences of things they tried.

The horse race announcing is what I recall it having from the time I was a kid, until the last I went, about ten years ago.

Oh good! I liked to occasionally use that stand as an option last year, because the lines were typically non-existent around the times I was looking to eat, and the dogs were surprisingly good. When I saw it wasn't where it used to be I assumed it was gone entirely.

The top of it has a flat spot that does almost seem to beg for people to try the Snoopy sleeping position. Not that I would encourage anyone climbing on it, especially adults. As far as I can tell it isn't anchored.

"My mom thinks dating a tomboy is a sin"

The hot dog and Italian sausage place that used to be in Soak City is now gone, too. It is interesting, and I would hope it means there will be a new special themed food item, but I fear it is just more cutting corners/saving pennies in food service.

So some pics from yesterday. Deconstruction has carried on pretty much in the same vein as it has been, with much clearing going on behind a few feet of trees being left to line the train station area ^this is the best I could get of the "set pile" flags down in the ravine near the reservoir. The side of the reservoir that faces the train has continued to be cleared, it is pretty much bare at this point

I've been thinking they might do something interesting at the Coaster Campout (June 11-12). Didn't the ones camping at CP get an overnight visit from some Rougarou teasers a couple years back? I forget where the camping is this year, was it behind Backlot, or near DB? At the very least it is in the actual park rather than Picnic Grove.

Take any pics?