TR: Stark Raven Mad

From           Jerry Dorf <jerryd@mirage.skypoint.com>
Organization   SkyPoint Communications, Inc.
Date           1 Jul 1997 18:54:51 GMT
Newsgroups     rec.roller-coaster
Message-ID     <5pbjpr$jfd$1@shadow.skypoint.net>

My Quick trip report while I'm still in recovery!


  Trip Report for Stark Raven Mad, June 27

  Park 3 of my insane 4 park tour!

  After spending all day Thurs at Paramounts Kings Island, I stayed near
  Eaton OH.

  Driving to the park, orange cone terriorists delayed my arvial by about 1
  hour, this also put my parking space way in the back row.

  This was my first visit to Holiday World, Santa Claus IN.

  Got to Holiday World at 1:00 PM, I was hoping to get there before the
  Raven walkback started.  I got to the front gate got the registration
  materials etc and followed several others to the gate for the walkback.
  This was my first look at the Raven, got to see the layout before I ride
  it.

  First ride after the walkback, did knowing the Ravens secrets ruin it?
  Not at all, I have heard soo much about the 5th hill over the net, IRC
  and the America's greatist coaster video that I was expecting a great
  ride and it still delivered it!  Over the rest of the afternoon the lines
  where very short and I took in 5 more rides.  During the other times that
  I was not on Raven I had to try out some of the other rides like the
  round-up.  Up until 2 years ago I would have avoided they spin and rise
  stuff as they get me dizzy watching them, but I discovered that riding
  them does not bother me at all.  Can not forget the Flying Scooters or
  "Flying Eagles" as HW named it, Coasternut had to introduce me to them at
  PKI the day before.  It is possible to get a real good swing out of them!

  HW has some well run and maintaned rides.  All of the ride ops and
  employees where very friendly, most parks should take lessons from HW in
  this department!

  The evening lunch, always feed your group well and that they did.  Pizza,
  chips and fudge were great.

  Raven ERT came at 8:30 pm, just starting to get dark.  I did not count
  how many times I got to ride during ERT but it was alot.  As metioned
  before, park management was even checking lapbars etc.  Raven crew
  provided some entertainment as they let the train run through the station
  x2!  Double rides became the norm.

  The Raven at night is not to be missed, seemed to get faster as the night
  whent on!  The fireflys also provided a good show.

  This was the 3rd CCI I have experanced and it is easy the best of the
  bunch.  The others are Cyclops (WI Dells and Outlaw (Adventureland IA)

  At one point there was a anouncement "It has come to our attention that
  Paul our mantaniance man has never experianced the Raven"  he got his
  ride in the back seat.

  The standing up incident, yes someone did do that, I was on that train
  and witnessed it from the back seat and was delt with both by SRM
  participants and management.  Enough said here.

  I left at midnight as I was attending Changs gang the next morning.
  Where is my car!  That parking lot got alot bigger in the dark.  Where is
  Tell City where I have hotel reservations!  The Indiana highways can be
  challenging to drive in the dark!  Found the hotel at 12:45, lots of
  boats in parking lot!  No problems checking in.

  I liked SRM, this is my 3rd coaster event that I have been to and I
  thought it whent over much better than my 1st with a much better group.

-- 
****************************************************************************
=  jerryd@skypoint.com  *                       =   Lost in the world of   *
*  Jerry Dorf, N0FWG    =   45.11.24  N         *   Telecommunications?    *
=  Buffalo MN           *   93.51.54  W         =   Internet, Usenet!      *
****************************************************************************