I needed to get one more burst of rides to end the season, so I figured I'd try a Friday night for once. It was a nice 42 degrees the entire evening and the rain held out aside from the occasional spitting. Here we go!
Got to the park about 6:30. I had to go get my pictures of Shockwave for the last time. I was very surpised at how open the track is. You literally can walk right up to it and touch it (or sit on it like I've seen some pictures of). I payed my final respects and headed into the park. First up was Fearanoia. The park still did not have any body taggers out in the park, so it was just a random drawing every hour. I was 6 numbers away. Oh well. Great idea for Six Flags though.
Whizzer: Even better in the dark. Never done that before. Walk-on.
Bypassed Deja Vu because I assumed it was not running due to the cold and rain.
Viper: Still a very popular ride. Continues to gain better marks from me as I ride in the back more than the front. The poorly designed restraints are not an entirely bad thing as they allow you tons of room for air. 25 minutes.
Demon: Always a fun ride. What more can be said? walk-on
When going to Demon, we saw that Deja Vu was indeed open, but we deiced to do it later in hopes that the line would go down.
American Eagle: Maybe it was the cold, maybe it was the rain, maybe it was the dark, but the drop seemed much longer and faster than usual. The most stomach-in-my-throat feeling I've had in a LONG time. 20 minutes, blue side only.
Iron Wolf: Still just plain old Iron Wolf, not Iron Werewolf. I still think it is one of B&M's most intense rides. 15 minute wait.
Vertical Velocity: Eh, its a ride. 15-20 minutes.
Batman: Always the best in the dark. 15 minute wait.
Headed through the Necropolis to go back to Deja Vu since there is no reason to go through Orleans Place (I think thats the area...I'm really blanking right now!) at this time. There were more ghouls in there than a few weeks ago, but it was still kinda lame.
Deja Vu: Line looked short, but that was because everyone was crammed in the station. Not a single problem in the cold weather. The station heaters were on and everything ran smooth. 45-1 hour wait.
Raging Bull: Two trains, but the line still moved very quickly. Third hill trim was on, but not the finale trim. Always a good ride, though our third row seats were a bit rumbly, maybe because of the cold. 20 minute wait.

Overall, a good way to close out my year, unless I make it back for the Last Blast. I was still disappointed in the amount of decorations this year, but thats okay. Looked like there was even more Superman track in the back, but I didn't take the walk back there. I'll try to post some pictures later of shockwave, if they turned out okay.

-RCD

I almost forgot - while in line for Raging Bull, I spotted some rather large bundles of lumber in the parking lot. My guess is that it is replacement timber for Viper or AE, but it looked like small pieces...2x4ish. Maybe for the Superman station?

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X, shmecks.

Yes there was actually quite a bit of wood. I'd say 5 or six bundles. If it is for AE, then that would explain why they are running it faster (anyone else notice the LACK of braking?). And I do think that there is more track out in the parking lot of superman, and I did look at it, and I do think it is a flyer. What struck me as odd was that there were 4 pieces of all blue track. Weird huh?

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The College of William and Mary Class of 2009
Delta Chi - ΔΧ

Did you get a close look? Or was it from far away? Because those were most likely just larger supports that you confused with the track... but if you're SURE that it was track, then... hmm. Maybe we aren't getting a S:UF clone!

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Raptor, that is exactly what I thought when I saw it too. But, I wanted to be sure, so I looked at every picture I could find of SFoG's S:UF and I did find blue track. It is in the sheds for the trains when not in use. So based on that, It would seem to be a clone.

BUT

There are two things that point to no clone:
1. With the track just sitting there, why would GAm choose not to announce the ride if the other one has been announced? Granted the GP will not hear about GAd (is that where it is??), but it just seems that if both parks get the same ride, the announcement would be at the same time. I don't recall if the Vertical Velocities and Deja Vu's were all announced together or not...
2. I've looked very carefully at the pictures of the track on site. Several pieces have a rather LARGE spine, obviously for where the support connection will go. There is one piece in particular found here: http://americacoasters.com/Construction/SFGAm/15.php
I haven't looked extremely carefully, but I can't find a piece that matches that and some others on the existing ride. It makes me wonder...
http://www.geocities.com/upsidedowner02/dsc00181.jpg - the third piece from the right also has a very wierd spine shape to it.

-RCD

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X, shmecks.

Um yes I did go way up close to the track. Infact I got out of my car and walked around for a little bit, and I could kinda tell where some of the track would go. For example it seems that they lined up two pieces of an inline twist together, one in front of the other.

Yes the blue track has huge braces that connect to the spine. Like bigger than any I've ever seen.

EDIT: And the piece with the large spine is (I'm guessing) the bottom of the pretzel loop. The reason I think that, is because you see that thing sticking out of the part where it connects to the support? That is where it will go into the group. It won't have a support. It will go right into the footer.

__________________
The College of William and Mary Class of 2009
Delta Chi - ΔΧ