Cedar Point

My first visit to the roller coaster capital of the world was in 1977.  At that time, with just five coasters, CP didn't make that claim.  They were "The Amazement Park".  I was there with my mom, step-dad Jeff and my brother Joey.  Putting it mildly, I wasn't a big coaster fan on that day.  When looking back on that day, Jeff has a hard time believing that I have become such a huge coaster fanatic.  How things change!

Avalanche Run/Disaster Transport

I have ridden this coaster in both of it's incarnations.  It's not the greatest coaster in the world, but I think it's better than a lot of people give it credit for.  I like it much better in it's latest theming.

Blue Streak

The perfect woodie.  Great airtime.  A lot of wooden coasters are too big or have too many twists and turns.  Not Blue Steak.  Perfect.

Cedar Creek Mine Ride

Not the biggest, tallest or the fastest.  But I always make sure I take a ride each time I visit CP.  Every time ...going back all the way to the 1970's.

Corkscrew

My first looping coaster.  A must ride each time I return at Cedar Point.

GateKeeper

My first winged coaster.  The inversion at the top of the lift and the keyholes are like nothing else.  It is smooth and forceful.  You can feel the difference in the ride from right to left sides and from the front to back rows.

Gemini

I have always said that the first drop on Gemini is the best first hill of any coaster.  And now over twenty years later I still almost believe it.  The seat belts that have been added take a bit away from it.  Blue side is the best train to ride to get the full effect of the "head-chopper".

Iron Dragon

Not the mega ride it was intended to be.  It has become a great family coaster.  It's a great feeling swinging through the tree tops.  I especially like the high-G's through the mist.

Jr. Gemini

For years I wasn't able to ride this kiddie coaster because I didn't have a kid to ride with me.  Finally, in 2010 I rode with Xander to get my credit.

Magnum XL-200

Love it!  Love it!  I used to hate the bunny hops that make up all of the second half of the ride.  As I ride Magnum more and more I'm beginning to enjoy the entire ride much more.  Hey CP ...can we loose the trim brakes?

Mantis

Just like Magnum, I love the first half of Mantis.  The rest is a Headbanger's Ball.  The only B&M that isn't just pure perfection.

Maverick

Like nothing else I've ever ridden.  Variety of elements and quick transitions.  Maybe too quick.  CP needs to re-time the water cannons.  I didn't get a drop on me.  Not one.

Mean Streak

I have a love/hate relationship with Mean Streak.  If I'm in the mood to be beaten up, I love it.  If not ...well you know the rest.

Millennium Force

Absolutely one of the best roller coasters on the planet!  Love the first drop.  The third hill has the best airtime.  Lightning fast, right up to the end.  Love the magnetic brakes.  Even the ride up the lift hill is thrilling.

Raptor

My first ride on this great inverted B&M was 1994, the year it opened.  This was the first time I had ever seen or ridden an inverted coaster.  During my first ride, the train was stopped at the mid-course brake run for over ten minutes.  When we finally returned to the station we were allowed to get back into the front of the line and ride again.  Two for one sale, I guess.

Rougarou

This new coaster experience debuted in 2015 as Mantis was transformed from a standup coaster to a floorless coaster.  The new floorless trains with the original tracks give a great coaster ride.  This is a much improved and new ride experience.

Steel Vengeance

Really pushing the limits of what the human body can take.  Countless changes in direction, while still a smooth track.  The second half does not let up one bit.   What a complete transformation from Mean Streak.  WOW!

Top Thrill Dragster

What a rush!  Seventeen seconds of WOW!  I first rode Top Thrill Dragster when it had the original wheels, engine and wing theming, back in the first half of 2003.

Valravn

A great dive coaster.  Great big elements, a great view of the park, good G-forces and a good layout.  More B&M fun.

Wicked Twister

Great acceleration. Zero G's.  Such short lines for such a great ride.

Wild Mouse

This is a great modern update on the classic wild mouse coaster and the addition of spinning cars adds ever more family fun.  The colorful ride has names for each of the six cars with the seventh being cheese.  Ziggy, Zaggy, Mazey, Dizzy, Chase and Larry.  And the cheese car has a special door that makes it ADA accessible.

Wildcat

This is a coaster that I first rode in the 1980's.  But then I avoided it for years and years, thinking it was too small or too boring.  When I took Sarah to Cedar Point for the first time in May of 2006 and I fell in love all over again.  Smooth.  Fast turns.  Great dips.

Woodstock Express

A surprisingly thrilling family coaster.  I first rode this coaster in 2006 with Sarah.  Be sure to watch for the brakes at the end.

Kings Island

In 1975 my dad took my brother Joey and I on our first trip to an amusement park.  Kings Island was in just it's fourth season and had only three coasters.  We rode them all.  Little did anyone know what a crazed fan I would become.

Adventure Express

The best mine ride of them all.  Terrain coaster!  Great theming and a long ride (two lifts).

Banshee

Big elements and big thrills.  This ride packs lots of sustained G-force, especially in the second half.  The forces only let up for a brief moment as the coaster dives into the valley and once again while it rotates through the barrel-roll before pushing you back into your seat for the final helix.  The best B&M invert ever!

Bat

I'm glad to say that I was one of those people to have been able to ride Bat before it's premature end.  No dips or airtime, but plenty of twists and turns.  I remember just when I had though I had become accustomed to the turns and began to relax suddenly there was unexpected turn.  Fun!

Bavarian Beetle

I only rode this coaster once and I don't remember much about it.  What I do remember is the smooth, fast helix.  I'm sure I was scared to death.  But I think deep down inside I loved it.

Diamondback

B&M perfection that combines lots of airtime hills into a terrain coaster through the woods.

Face Off/Invertigo

It's a new twist on the standard Vekoma boomerang.  But it still doesn't answer the lingering question ...is it three or six inversions?

Flight of Fear

Great theming plus a dark ride plus a launch equals a truly great ride.  It's a blast.  I even enjoy the que.  Love that UFO.

Great Pumpkin Coaster

For years I wasn't able to ride this kiddie coaster because I didn't have a kid to ride with me.  Finally, in 2013 I rode with Xander to get my credit.

Italian Job Stunt Track/Backlot Stunt Coaster

This is a great themed ride.  Unique.  Fast.  I like it.

King Cobra

The first time I had ever ridden a standup coaster I kept thinking that I should have tightened my show laces more.  The loop was a no-brainer, every standup has to have one.  The high banked helix and lean-over were great elements.  I miss King Cobra.

Mystic Timbers

This GCI coaster is the perfect woodie addition to the park.  Twists, turns, trick-track and lots of quick pops of airtime.  I would have never imagined that they could have fit any coaster in and around White Water Canyon like they have.  The perfect GCI.

Orion

A B&M Giga with a variety of elements.  The queue and station are packed with themeing and easter eggs.

Racer

Racer was my first wooden coaster.  A rough ride that I'm trying to love more and more.  The white monster is a beauty.

Rugrats Runaway Reptar/Woodstock's Air Rail

A fun family coaster.

Scooby Doo/Beastie/Fairly Odd Coaster/Woodstock Express

I have riden this coaster in all four of it's personifications.  Good family coaster.  Nice layout.

Scooby's Ghoster Coaster

This coaster is had the most gentle ride ever.  Too gentle.  One long downhill slope with a few sweeping turns.  It's not hard to see why they removed it.

Screamin' Demon

This was my first shuttle coaster.  I remember it being a lot higher that it appears in the photos.  Too bad it's not around any longer for me to ride again and see for myself.

Snoopy's Soap Box Racers

This is my first family boomerang cosater.  From Vekoma, this is a good family coaster with a comfortable and roomy train making it the perfect ride for kids and parents to enjoy together.

Son of Beast

Very rough.  This is the only coaster to ever give me a headache.  And now that they have replaced the trains and removed the loop, I have ridden it again and I like it a bit more.  Although it is still the roughest coaster I have even been on.

The Beast

This is the coaster that made me fall in love with all coasters.  It scared the crap out of me.  So much so, that the first time I was on it I didn't realize there was a turn at the bottom of the first hill.  So the second time I rode I had another surprise.  I've fallen back in love with this coaster again and again.

Top Gun/Flight Deck/The Bat

The very best suspended coaster.  Fast.  Good drops.  Good G-forces.

Vortex

The largest Arrow coaster I've ever been on.  Fast and six inversions.  If I remember correctly, Vortex was the first coaster I saw that offered on-ride photo.  Every single black & white picture was printed and them places on clipboards.  Can you say global warming?

Geauga Lake

June 9th 2004 was my first visit to this grand park with over a hundred years of tradition.  2007 was very likely my final visit, now that the rides have been removed and the park has become exclusively a water park.  Most of the coasters were walk-ons or had very short lines every time I visited.  When you consider the price of admission, number of coasters and the short lines, I think Geauga Lake was the very best value in amusement parks.

Beaver Land Mine Ride

This is a nice family coaster with a double figure eight payout.  It's a good coaster for first-timers.  Plus you get to do two laps.  Yay!

Big Dipper

This wooden classic - the oldest roller coaster in Ohio - has a simple out and back layout.  For a medium sized woodie it's a bit on the rough side.  I love the classic trains though.

Dominator

My fifth favorite roller coaster also has my favorite loop.  It seems like forever reaching the top of that loop.  Great airtime.  Dominator was also my first floorless coaster.  A must ride!

Double Loop

This Arrow coaster has a straight forward design ...drop, hill, two consecutive loops and a helix.  A fun ride.  This was Sarah's very first coaster.

Head Spin

Three inversions you get twice.  Once forward and once in reverse.  With a little roughness thrown in just for good measure.

Raging Wolf Bobs

Twisted design, lots of great turns, rough and fun.

Steel Venom

Launch coasters are always an adrenaline rush.  Steel Venom didn't disappoint.  I actually prefer it's rear spike with it's brakes over Wicked Twister's twisting spike.  I'm sorry to see it go.

Thunderhawk

Lots of action in a small space.  A thrilling drop, five inversions, banked turns and great G-forces.  Thunderhawk was my first Vekoma coaster.

Villian

This is the first coaster I've seen with a wooden track and a steel stucture.  Villian is big, fast and rough.  It has only the second lean-over I've seen.  It happens so fast it's actually very rough.

X-Flight

My first flying coaster was a blast!  It's like nothing else I've ever ridden.  What is my favorite element?  Horseshoe.  Dual in-line twists.  Helix.  I'm not sure.  My only request would be ...more flying and less lying.

Kennywood

Some friends, Sarah and I visited this traditional park on August 3rd 2004.  This old classic park is filled with beautiful fountains, green trees and great rides.  The park is a truly timeless and enduring.

Exterminator

A classic dark-ride on steroids!  And as if this weren't enough ...spinning cars too!  Very original theming.  A power plant over-run with rats.

Jack Rabbit

This smooth woodie has a simple oval layout with a great double-down.  A fun ride for all.  It's oldest coaster I've ever ridden (1921).

Phantom's Revenge

The first drop is huge.  The second drop is ...well, huger.  This is a great twisting Arrow hyper coaster.  In spite of all the great things this coaster has and it's impressive size, for some reason it just doesn't seem to be bigger than Magnum at CP.

Racer

Great ride and great design.  A fun ride and not very rough at all.  Am I the only person that knows the meaning of the word 'Mobius'?

Sky Rocket

Great launch, great airtime, great elements and two great cliffhangers.  This ride is so quiet.  I do see how some say the second half is boring, but I still like it.

Steel Curtain

A hyper-coaster with countless inversion.  Seriously, is it 8 or 9 inversions?  The coaster geeks can't decide.  Either way it's the most in the United States.  With all of the twists, turns and inversions in such a compact space, S&S Sansei Technologies has build a smooth coaster without any jerky or uncomfortable transitions.  Themed to the Pittsburgh Steelers' nickname for their defensive line during the 1970s.

Thunderbolt

I had my eyes closed for the entire ride.  Not because I was scared or anything like that.  But because of the pounding rain that hit just as we left the station.  So now I don't have much of an opinion on this coaster.  I get the feeling it's a great ride.  And I don't seem to remember that it was too rough.  I'll give it a thumbs up anyway.

Silver Dollar City/Dollywood

I visited Silver Dollar City with my family in 1981.  Located just outside the Smokey Mountains in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee this family-friendly park featured many arts and crafts, shows as well as a good collection of rides.

Thirty-three years later on June 25, 2014 I returned to the park, now known as Dollywood.  This time I traveled with Sarah.  The park has nearly doubled in size and added several world-class roller coasters.

Blazing Fury

What at first appears to be a scenic ride through several animatronic scenes is actually a long electrically powered incline.  This is then followed by a series of three drops with powered sections in between.  The first drop is quite a surprise as you plunge through a burning covered bridge as it collapses.  The remaining drops are equally thrilling.  The theming of this ride is outstanding!

FireChaser Express

A great family launch coster.  Two launches (one in reverse) and a lift hill.  It has great theming and a good layout on the sides of the mountian.

Mystery Mine

A ton of theming and surprises.  Dollyood has put a lot of details into the coaster.  Two enclosed vertical lifts adds to the theme and the ride finishes with two inversions.

Tennessee Tornado

This is the best Arrow looper ever.  But is seems as if the ride is missing it's second half.

Thunderhead

This ride is just wide, crazy and out-of-control fun.  Wow, what a ride!

Wild Eagle

Four inversions of B&M perfection on a mountain top.  It's a great ride, but it feels as if it is a great beginning for a coaster that is twice as long.

Six Flags Marine World

A friend and I spent July 14th 2005 in the summer heat of Vallejo, California.  This animal and marine park has a nice collection of coasters.  This was my first fisit to a Six Flags park.  It is always a plus when you can squeeze in a few coasters on any vacation.

Boomerang

A standard Vekoma looping shuttle.  Always a fun ride.  Is it three or six inversions?

Kong

Five quick inversions in a compact design.  Ya gotta love it!

Medusa

Fantastic B&M floorless coaster.  Thrilling first drop and huge inversions.  How about busting up that old parking lot below and putting down some sod?  Wake up and lose the asphalt.

Roar

This is the most twisted wooden coaster I've ever been on.  Twists, turns, hills, dives in every direction.  All this and it's still amazingly smooth for a woodie.  Obviously, millennium flyer trains are the way to go.

Vertical Velocity

It's the most unusual impulse coaster I've seen.  The 45 degree spike is one of a kind.  And I can't help but love those launches.  Great fun.

Dorney Park

On June 26th 2006 I took Sarah to Allentown, Pennsylvania for a day of rides, fun and coasters.  Dorney is a beautiful park with grand old tradition and great new rides.  A great setting and short lines too!

Hydra: The Revenge

The low speed heartline roll right out of the station is a blast!  Totally original.   Great inversions, great elements and great airtime.  The best coaster in the park.

Laser

A very good compact double-looper.  Twists.  Turns.  Brakes!

Steel Force

inspired by CP's Magnum.  The first drop isn't as thrilling, but I do perfer it's helix turn-around over Magnum's pretzel turn.  The double-up is a great change up in the bunny hops.

Stinger

It's a clone of KI's Invertigo.  It's another great Vekoma inverted boomerang.  Is it three or six inversions?.

Talon

A smooth, fast, thrilling ride, like all B&M inverted coasters.  Non-stop excitement thanks mostly due to the absence of a mid-course brake run.  Great G-forces.  It leaves you wanting more (e.i.- it could stand to be a little longer).

Thunderhawk

A great classic woodie.  Rough and fun.

Wild Mouse

This was my first ever wild mouse.  It really did seem as if you'd fly right off the track in the turns.  Brakes!

Kings Dominion

Sarah and I had two consecutive days of fun and coasters in Virginia.  We had great weather on June 4 & 5, 2007 for our extended road trip.  Great park ...great rides, lots of trees, good design and layout, great themed areas and a great water park too.  Tomb Raider: Firefall was a truly great surprise!  Flames bursting up through pools of water!  It is as much fun to watch as it is to ride.

Anaconda

What a great first drop into the underwater tunnel.  Multiple inversions and a variety of elements... gotta love all that.  There was a surprisingly rough spot in the middle of the spaghetti bowl that caught me off guard.  I could ride it again and again.

Avalanche/Reptilian

A fun ride.  Only my second bobsled coaster ever.  The new theming is much better.

Flight of Fear

Great theming plus a dark ride plus a launch equals a truly great ride.  It's a blast.  I even enjoy the que.  Love that UFO.

Grizzly

The great wooded setting was reminiscent of The Beast at Kings Island.  Although it is a good ride, it lacks the thrills and speed of The Beast.  It does rival The Beast with it's roughness.

Hurler

Theming sucks.  The high-speed, high-banked turns were surprisingly not as rough as I thought it might be.  Different design.  Fun ride.

Hypersonic XLC

Great launch and first hill!  The rest of the short ride was bouncing side to side.  I was really looking forward to a great smooth ride on the pneumatic wheels.  This is the only coaster in America that I know of that has them.  Apparently it was only a good idea on paper and not in the real world.

Intimidator 305

Great theme, lift hill and first drop!  The second hill did not produce the air time I was dreaming it might.  The rest of the ride is pure speed.  Twists and changes in direction along with the less-than-perfect over-the-shoulder restaints make for a lot of handbanging.

Italian Job Turbo Coaster/Backlot Stunt Coaster

It has a great launch, theme, effects and pyro just like the ones at Kings Island and Canada's Wonderland.

Rebel Yell/Racer 75

Fast.  Good airtime.  Not too rough.

Ricochet/Apple Zapple

Yet another wild mouse.  These coasters all seem to be about the same.  But I would have to say this is the best.  Only because of it's unusual layout.  Not like all the other wild mice I've been on.

Scooby-Doo's Ghoster Coaster

John Allen's family coasters are always fun.  What more can I say?

Shockwave

I was really looking forward to this ride.  Hoping to relive my memories of King Cobra at Kings Island.  It didn't disappoint.  Although it is missing the "lean-over" maneuver.  Brakes!

Tumbili

This was a first of its kind experience for me.  A S&S 4D spin coaster.  I feel the 4D part of the title is dubious, as it has no left or right turns.  It's a wing coaster.  Each lap on this ride is unique.  And it feels more like a thrill ride than a roller coaster.

Twisted Timbers

A great RMC conversion of Hurler.  Lots of twisted and turns.  Three inversions.  The back stretch features three back-to-back hills full of hard ejector airtime.  Great theming.

Volano, The Blast Coaster

Fast with great inversions.  The blast out of the top of the volcano is fantastic.  Very unique layout and heavily themed which adds to the ride.  Two thumbs up!

Carowinds

On June 6 & 7th, 2007 Sarah and I continued our coaster marathon.  The North Carolina - South Carolina state lines runs through the center of this great park.  We returned June 13 & 14th, 2010 to ride the new Intimidator.  Great fun in the deep south.

BORG Assimilator/Nighthawk

Love flying coasters.  Assimilator felt a good bit roughter than X-Flight at Geauga Lake and definately had longer load times with it's single loading platform.  I still had a great flight.

Carolina Cyclone

A good arrow looper.  But like so many of these from the 1980's, not long enough.

Carolina Goldrusher

Good theming, but seemed as if it was all lifts and very little ride time.

Copperhead Strike

Great theming, forceful pops of airtime, amazing hangtime, lots of quick transitions and a truly great restaint and buckle design.  Better than Maverick.

Fairly Odd Coaster/Woodstock Express

Just like the family woodies at Kings Island and Kings Dominion.

Flying Super Saturator

Major fun!  Dropping water on the people below, while being hit with water cannons, water guns and waterfalls.  I'm surprised that there aren't more of thses coasters around.  Either at amusement parks or at water parks.

Fury 325

This was my first B&M Gigacoaster.  Big, fast, smooth, great elements, twists, turns and my new number one coaster!  Non-stop thrills right up to the very end.

Hurler

Just like it's twin I rode the day before at Kings Dominion in Virginia.

Intimidator

Another winner from B&M.  Fast.  Smooth.  Tons of airtime.

Ricochet

What can I say?  Another wild mouse coaster.

Rugrats Runaway Reptar/Flying Ace Aerial Chase

A fun family coaster.

Thunder Road

Good airtime.  Fast.  Not too rough.

Top Gun - The Jet Coaster/ Afterburn

One of the best coasters I've ever been on.  Smooth.  Fast.  G-forces.  Great elements.  Tunnel.  Mist.  No mid-course brake run.  Great fun.

Vortex

Possibly the best standup coaster I've been on.  Vortex doesn't try to over do it with too many twists or crazy elements.  Very long load time.  The Intamin standup seats are not as good as B&M's.

Michigan's Adventure

Sarah and I spent June 9th and 10th 2008 at this small park in Muskegon, Michigan.  We had cool temperatures, small crowds and big fun.  Almost all of the rides were walk-on and often didn't run a full-load.  Michigan's Adventure is definitely an amusement park and not a theme park.  The park is clean, well designed and has a lot of potential for the future.

Big Dipper

A kiddie coaster.  But I still had to ride it.

Corkscrew

A good arrow looper.  A simple double corkscrew.  But like so many of these from the 1980's, not long enough.

Mad Mouse

I've said it before.  Every park should have a wild mouse coaster.

Shivering Timbers

A truly great wooden coaster.  It has great airtime.  Hill after hill after hill.  A double-up hill.  And finishes with a high-G helix.  I love this coaster.

Wolverine Wildcat

This is truly great wooden coaster.  It's the first coaster I've riden that has a double-up/double-down hill.  Unique.  I love it.

Zach's Zoomer

What else can I say?  The same layout as several other wooden family coasters that I have been on.

Canada's Wonderland

On June 11 & 12th, 2008 Sarah and I continued our quest for more coasters.  Located in Toronto, Ontario, this beautiful theme park has a great collection of rides.  Only Cedar Point has more roller coasters.  Great fun in the great white north.

Backlot Stunt Coaster

It has a great launch, theme, effects and pyro.  But it could use a better name though.

Bat

Yet another Vekoma shuttle.  Still fun to ride.

Behemoth

The second best coaster I have ever been on.  A great first drop, a ton of perfect airtime hills, very fast and so very smooth.  I Love it.  It alone is worth the price of admission.

Dragon Fire

It has the same elements as Carolina Cyclone (double loop, double corkscrew and helix), but it just seems like a much better ride.

Flight Deck

It's the best themed inverted Vekoma I've ridden.  A better name would do wonders too.

Fly

A good wild mouse ride, just like Ricohet at Kings Dominion.  This one has a beautiful setting amongst the trees.

Mighty Canadian Minebuster

The best woodie in the park.  Good layout and airtime.  The G-forces aren't out of control, the helix is good and it's not too rough.

Scooby's Gasping Ghoster Coaster

A copy of the family wood coaster I've ridden at several other parks.  Always a fun ride.

Silver Streak

A fun family inverted coaster.

Skyrider

I was looking forward to riding this coaster because it is an exact copy of the now defunct King Cobra at Kings Island.  It was fun reliving those old memories of my first standup coaster.

Thunder Run

A good surprise.  A family coaster built mostly inside a manmade mountain.  It was my first powered coaster ever.  The twists and turn in the darkened tunnels with flashing lights really make the most of this small coaster making it a fun and unique experience.

Time Warp

It has a unique loading station and spiral lift.  But that's about the only good things I can say about this coaster.  I don't like the restraint system and the ride is rough and way too short.

Vortex

This coaster has the same design as Flight Deck at Kings Island, but has a more beautiful setting.  The green grass, the pond and Wonder Mountain.  Great ride as well.  High-G's and good speed.

Wild Beast

The same design as Grizzly at Kings Dominion.  And just as rough too.  It's an OK ride.

Holiday World

Sarah and I spent June 10th 2009 at this beautiful theme park in Santa Claus, Indiana.  We had a great time in the clean and friendly park with it's free soft drinks and sunscreen.  Great fun in the southern Indiana.

Howler

It's a cool family coaster featuring the park's mascot "Holidog".

Legend

A wild helix, lost of changes in direction and plenty of twists and turns.

Raven

It's a fantastic ride throught the trees and over the lake.  I only wish it was longer.

Thunderbird

Another great B&M.  As far as I know its the world's first launched B&M winged coaster. It isn't the largest B&M, by far, but it is a perfect fit for the park and has some really great themeing.

Voyage

A great ride through the woods on the most intense wooden coaster I've ever been on.  Fast, non-stop action and 90 degree banking.  This was my first coaster designed by The Gavity Group.

Indiana Beach

On June 12th, 2009 Sarah and I added five more coasters to our lists.  Located on the shores of Lake Shafer in Monticello, Indiana, this compact park with lots of retro charm, a nice collection of rides and a great boardwalk.  We both made a return visit on May 12, 2024 and scored three more coaster credits.

All American Triple Loop

During the first drop it was immediately clear that this was definitely a headbanger.  Throughout the entire ride I was constantly being beaten by the terrible restraints.  Riding defensively made very little difference.  This was a rough ride from start to finish and only the loops being somewhat a little smoother.  This is definitely the worst coaster in the park.

Cornball Express

This twisting wooden coaster packs quite a wallop for it's size.  Built entirely above the midway and kiddie rides, this thrill ride has a great helix near the end.

Cyclone

At the time I rode this coaster in 2024, I thought is was Galaxi that I rode in 2009 simply with a new name.  But it turned out to be an entirely different coast, although the same model.  So it counts as a new coaster credit.

Galaxi

This coaster has some amazing airtime, especially in the back seats.  I was really looking forward to riding this coaster because it is an exact copy of Bavarian Beetle that was once at Kings Island.  Great fun.

Hoosier Hurricane

The coaster travels nearly the length of this small park, has a lot of great airtime, a smooth ride and is beautiful to look at too.

Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain

Everything about this coaster is unique; lift, seating arrangement, layout, trains, and track.  It's a mix of dark ride, wooden coaster, wild mouse and family ride.  Twisting outdoor track with pops of airtime and themed dark passages inside a mountain with fast dips and hairpin turns.

Steel Hawg

This conpact steel S&S coaster has some great elemnts, including a 111 degree drop and a drive loop with great hang time.

Tig'rr

This was the first coaster I've ever been on that features in-line seating.  Quick, high speed turns and a smooth ride.

Stricker's Grove

Sarah and I traveled to Ross, Ohio northwest of Cincinnati to this family owned private amusement park on August 9th 2009.  This clean, friendly and quaint park can be rented out to businesses, churches and other groups for company picnics, weddings, family reunions and other events.  We were there on just one of the four days the park was open to the public in 2009.

Teddy Bear

A small wooden kiddie coaster.  It is possibly the smallest woodie I've been on.

Tornado

This red and white wooden coaster sits along the road at the front of the park and is a blast.  Great fun.

Waldameer

On August 27th 2009 Sarah and I continued our quest for more coasters at Waldameer in Erie, Pennsylvania.  This clean, and old-fashion park sits on the shores of Lake Erie and is filled with old trees and great rides.

Comet

A small wooden family coaster.  Built in 1951 this coaster is completely engulfed with old trees and is still operated with hand brakes.

Ravine Flyer II

This coaster in the highlight of the park.  This fast and twisting coaster crosses over a state highway and back and is designed by The Gravity Group.  It's a complete blast to ride.  One of the best wooden coasters in the world.

Ravine Flyer 3

A small kiddie coaster.  The unique feature of this ride is that it is completely over water.

Steel Dragon

This twisting steel monster spins too.  Great fun.

Camden Park

Sarah and I traveled to Huntington, West Virginia to visit Camden Park on August 6th 2010.  This small park was founded in 1903 overlooking the Ohio River.

Big Dipper

The reputation of this classic coaster precedes itself.  The coaster has a simple layout and nostalgic trains.

Little Dipper

A small kiddie coaster has a metal structure and wood track.  The unique train cars have one row each.

Luna Park at Coney Island

Sarah and I traveled to New York City to visit Luna Park on June 10, 2011.  This small park in Brooklyn operates the world famous Cyclone at the ajoining former Astroland site.

Cyclone

This classic coaster was on my bucket list for a long time.  The iconic coaster with unique trains was a joy to ride.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg

On June 22, 2011 Sarah and I traveled to Virginia to conquer five more coasters.  I can see how this park has won the award for the most beautiful park in the world.

Alpengeist

This was the first B&M inverted coaster that I've ridden that is also a terrain coaster.  Thrilling elements, beautiful setting and a great layout.

Apollo's Chariot

Another great B&M airtime monster.  Good use of the terrain and water.

Griffon

This was my first ever ride on a dive machine.  Great thrills, but it could stand to be a little longer.

Grover's Alpine Express

We had fun on this steel family coaster.  It's located in the park's Sesame Street Forest of Fun.

Loch Ness Monster

This classic Arrow coaster is the epitome of terrain coasters.  It's first of its kind interlocking loops is one of the most photographed coaster elements ever.

Six Flags America

While vacationing in the Washington, DC area Sarah and I claimed 6 more coasters on June 5, 2012.  This was our first visit to this park and Sarah's first trip to a Six Flags park.

Batwing

More fun on a flying coaster.  It has a different (and better) mechanism to raise and lower the trains in the station than Firehawk and Nighthawk.

Joker's Jinx

This is a clone of Flight of Fear (without any walls).  And I think it is a better ride and maybe smoother too.

Mind Eraser

This is the fourth copy of this coaster I've ridden.  And I think it may be the smoothest of the four.

Roar

This twisting woodie isn't was smooth as its counterpart in California.  Obviously this is because of the difffert trains that are used on the two coasters.

Superman - Ride of Steel

This speed monster is the best in the park.  It opened in 1999 and is the precursor to Millennium Force.

Wild One

This classic woodie was built in 1917 at Paragon Park in Hull, Massachusetts.  It was relocated here for the start of the 1986 season.  A long course for a older coaster and lots of airtime.

Six Flags New England

I was making a solo trip throughout New England and made a stop at this great park on August 7, 2012.  This was my first visit to this park in Agawam, Massachusetts.

Batman - The Dark Knight

This is a great B&M floorless coaster with a quick series of inversions.  I love B&M.

Bizarro

This coaster has a better layout than Millennium Force with more twists, turns, airtime hills and theming.  But the trains are not as comfortable making the ride less enjoyable.  Otherwise, this would have become my new number one coaster.

Cyclone

This 1983 new classic wooden coaster is fast, rough and fun.

Flashback

This is the fourth Vekoma boomerage I've ridden.  Three fun inversions.  Or is it six?.

Gotham City Gauntlet

At it's heart this coaster is a wild mouse.  But there is so much more to it.  The coaster is themed at Gotham City Transit.   Each coaster car is painted as different villians from the Batman universe.

Mind Eraser

This is the fifth copy of this coaster I've ridden.  Another Vekoma clone.  Five quick inversions.

Pandemonium

A great spinning coaster with a great and aggressive layout.  Dizzy fun.

Thunderbolt

A classic woodie with a great double-down.  Great fun.

Lake Compounce

I continued my trip through New England and made a stop at this great traditional park on August 9, 2012.  This was my first visit to this beautiful park in Bristol, Connecticut.

Boulder Bash

This has instantly become my new favorite wooden roller coaster of all.  This terrain coaster is built on the side of a mountain and blazes it's way past trees, cliffs and boulders.  Insane speed and so smooth.

Zoomerang

Yet another Vekoma boomerang.  Still a fun ride.  And great color changing paint on the trains.

Quassy Amusement Park

My trip through New England continued with a a stop at this small family park on August 9, 2012.  This was my first visit to this lakeside park in Middlebury, Connecticut.

Wooden Warrior

A great family coaster designed by The Gravity Group.  It's the first coaster I've ridden with the new Timberliner trains from Gravitykraft.  I can't wait to see these new trains operate on a full-size roller coaster.

Hersheypark

Sarah and I visited this beautiful park for the first time on June 4th and 5th 2013.  This traditional amusement park is located Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Comet

This traditional 1946 woodie has a good layout with a good number of hills and turns.  To some degree this is a terrain coaster.

Fahrenheit

I believe this is the first coaster I've been on that has a verticle lift.  This is the best coaster in the park.  This was my first time riding a norwegian loop.  This coaster goes through it's six inversions quickly and ends with two high G turns and a quick pop of ejector air.  This is my favorite coaster at Hershey Park.

Great Bear

This B&M invert is build in and around other rides and the terrain.  Great elements and inversions.  And B&M butter smooth.  But it could stand to be a little longer.

Lightning Racer

This was my first dueling wooden coaster.  Both the Thunder and Lightning sides are great, wild, twisting and high speed fun.  I enjoyed both sides equally.

Sidewinder

Yet another Vekoma boomerang.  Still fun to ride.

Skyrush

This much hyped ride is a G-force and airtime machine.  It can also be a pain machine.  The pops of air can yank your thighs against the restaints and the quick changes in direction can whip you around in unpleasant ways.  It's a good ride, but it also earns its nickname, Thigh Crush.

Sooper Dooper Looper

A first generation looping coaster.  With its tunnel and layout along the hillside and creek, it seems to be a cross between a mine ride and a looper.  This Schwarzkopf is smoother then most any Arrow coaster.  Great fun.

Storm Runner

The first Intamin hydraulic launch coaster with inversions.  This is a good ride.  But at times it feels as if the different elements were simply pasted together to fit the terrain and space available.

Trailblazer

A classic mine ride set in the woods.  It hides in the trees and hugs the terrain.  Sometimes I think I could touch the tree limbs and even the grass.

Wild Mouse

Another wild mouse coaster.  This one has no trims through the first half of the ride.

Wildcat

This is a good twisting woodie.  Fast and rough.  Even with millennium flyer trains it's rough.

Magic Kingdom

Sarah and I visited one of the most famous parks in the world for the first time on June 4, 2014.  This visit was part of Sarah's high school marching band trip to Orlando, Florida.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

This is the smoothest mine ride I've everbeen on.  And definitly the most heavily themed, as you would expect from Disney.

Space Mountain

This coaster exceeded my expectations.  This twisting ride through the stars packed more punch that I anticipated.  A good ride.

Univeral Studios Florida

Sarah and I made our first visit to this park on June 5, 2014.  The movie studio setting and themeing are great.

Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit

This coaster has an onboard sound system that allows each rider to chose their own sound track to play during the ride.  It's full of twists, turns, inversions and surprises.  Just a tad rough, for a steel coaster.

Revenge of the Mummy

This is the best indoor coaster.  It has lots of action, effects and themeing.  Reversing is great.

Disney's Animal Kingdom

Sarah and I continued our quest with a visit to this park on June 6, 2014.  The movie studio setting and themeing are great.

Expedition Everest

This has to be the most heavily themed coaster ever.  It's no wonder it cost one-hundred-million dollars.  It is the best Disney coaster.

Primeval Whirl

A pair of spinning mouse coasters with a time travel theme.  Another mouse, but with a lot of themeing.  Fun.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

Sarah and I made our visit to this park on June 6, 2014.  It's Disney magic in a movie studio setting.

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster

Sarah said it best, Flight of Fear with Aerosmith.  Oh, it's better than Flight of Fear.  Smoother and better themeing.

Worlds of Fun

I visited this beautiful park for the first time on July 13th and 14th 2015.  This park themed as a trip around the world and is located in Kansas City, Missouri.

Boomerang

This is the seventh Vekoma boomerage I've ridden.  Three fun inversions.  Or is it six?.

Mamba

This is the best of the three Chance hyper coasters than were built for Cedar Fair in the mid-1990's.  I love the high-G helix.  Two hundred and five feet of coaster heaven.

Patriot

This B&M invert is build in and around other rides and the terrain.  Great elements and inversions.  And B&M butter smooth.  But it could stand to be a little longer.

Prowler

Great Coasters International designed this wooden masterpiece and it's awaesome.  It's great layout and location surrounded with trees fantastic.  I can't help but love Millennium Flyer trains.

Spinning Dargons

A great spinning coaster.  It's probably the best spinner I've been on.  A great fun ride.

Timber Wolf

Rough.  Very rough.  I'm fine if I never ride this coaster ever again.

Valleyfair

I visited this park located just outside of Minneapolis for the first time on July 15th and 16th 2015.  This small amusement park boasts a fine collection of rides and coasters.

Corkscrew

This Arrow is another classic looper.  A must for any park.  A good layout inspite of being very similar to other Arrow loopers   It has a great location over the lake at the center of the park.

Excalibar

This Arrow coaster tries too hard.  Big heights and a short layout combine to make a rough ride.  It's a good ride, just not a great ride that it could be otherwise.

High Rollerr

Clinking, clanking, clattering collection of caligenous junk.  One might say.

Mad Mouse

You can't visit the park without taking a lap on a classic wild mouse.  This one is a Arrow model.  Fun.

Renegade

A fantastic wooden twister from Great Coasters International.  The twisting first drop is unique.  A very good ride.  The station fry-by is a great feature.  Oh, I love Millennium Flyer trains.

Steel Venom

A great Intamin impulse coaster.  This version has one twister spike and one straight one with brakes.  I think I like the brakes better than a second twisting spike.  Great fun.

Wild Thing

This hyper is a lot of fun.  But it's not as good as its kin hypers at Worlds of Fun and Dorney Park.

Disneyland Paris

Jenny, Sarah and I vistited with park with the Ohio University Marching 110 on May 6th 2016.  This park is made up of Walt Disney Studios Park and Disneyland Park.

Crush's Coaster

Indoor spinning coaster meets dark ride.  It begins as a dark ride with a quick peek outside of the building.  Next is some roller coaster action, followed by a spinning trip down the EAC (East Australian Current).  This ride was a lot of fun.

Indiana Jones et le Temple du Péril

This is a compact mine coaster with one loop.  A lot of fun.  It's a good ride, just not as well themed as most other Disney rides.

Space Mountain: Mission 2

I like this version of Space Mountain much more than the one in Florida.  It has better themeing, begins with a launch and has three inversions.

Kentucky Kingdom

I visited this park in Louisville, Kentucky on June 11th and 12th, 2016.  The park was in it's third year of rebirth after being closed by Six Flags and then laying dormant for three years.

Lightning Run

A new generation of Chance coaster.  The transitions are very fast.  Maybe too fast.  Being whipped around like that was not fun.  But at least it was smooth.

Storm Chaser

I didn't like my first rideon this coaster.  But then I learned to ride defensively and I loved it.

T3

Another clone of the Vekoma inverted coaster.  This is the roughest of them all, then with the new restaints.

Thunder Run

This woodie is very rough.  Rough.

Beech Bend Park

I made my way to this small park in southern Kentucky on July 12, 2016.  Much of the park has the feel of a county fairgrounds.

Kentucky Rumbler

A great coaster from the folks at Great Coasters International.  The lift passes over the loading station and then the coaster flies past the staton three times.  It is a great twisting coaster.

Spinning Out

A small spinning coaster with an extended figure-eight layout.  Not as much fun as I was hoping for.

Wild Mouse

A spinning mouse coaster.  Fun for the whole family.

Universal Studios Islands of Adventure

With the imminent closure of Dragon Challenge at hand, I raced to Orlando for a quick one-day visit to the park on August 8, 2017.  This heavily themed park is full of fun and adventure.

Dragon Challenge - Chinese Fireball

A great B&M invert and it's companion coaster.  It was all the fun and thrills is was expecting.  And good themeing too.

Dragon Challenge - Hungarian Horntail

B&M did a great job twisting these two coasters together.  I only regret not experiencing these coasters when they were dueling.

Flight of the Hippogriff

This family coaster is also themed to the world of Harry Potter.  A fun little ride.

Incredible Hulk

The best coaster in the park.  The one of a kind launch hill is a thrill ride of it's own.

Six Flags Over Georgia

Sarah and I sent a full day in the heat at this great Six Flags park on June 23, 2019.  This was my fourth Six Flags park and it is clearly the best of the four.

Batman The Ride

A good B&M invert with good theming.  Would you call this a classic B&M now?

Blue Hawk

This is a late-80's Vekoma looper.  It's better than the Arrrow and Vekoma loopers that came before it.  It packs the right balance of thrills and banging around.  The new replacement trains also help the ride experience.

Dahlonega Mine Train

It seemed as if it was all lifts and very little ride time.

Dare Devil Dive

A good Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter.  A vertical lift, three inversions, twists and turns.  A solid ride.

Georgia Scorcher

I don't know if Sarah and I have riden enough of these stand up coasters that we have learned to position the seat just right and ride defensively enough to actually enjoy them.  But we thought this was the best stand up ever.

Goliath

The largest coaster in the park.  A great B&M hyper coaster which seems to have a little more G-force than some of its contemporaries.

Great American Scream Machine

This classic wooden coaster runs wide open with no trim brakes.  A great piece of coaster history.

Joker Funhouse Coaster

It's the smallest in the park.  And unfortuneately, it's kind of a dud.

Mind Bender

Another piece of coaster history.  This is a great example of the first generation of looping coasters of the 1970's.  This gives a really good ride and good use of the terrain for the technology of the time.

Superman - Ultimate Flight

This was my first experience on a B&M flying coaster and it didn't disappoint.  It was a really great ride.  I loved the near-misses and the way it used the terrain  I also liked the restaints and the loading procedure.

Twisted Cyclone

A great RMC rehab.  This coaster feels like a condensed version of Steal Vengeance.  A really great coaster.

Coney Island

I made my visit to this Cincinnati park on September 14, 2019 as the park plaaned to remove its rides and coaster at the end of the season.  This small beautiful park was full of old-time charm.

Python

This Zyklon Galaxi is the portable type of coaster you will find at many state fairs.  Bumpy and jerky with a couple pops of airtime and a good helix.

Pacific Park

I made my visit to this park the Santa Monica Pier in California on September 16, 2021 with Shawn.  This oceanfront amusement park looks directly out on the Pacific Ocean, in the direction of Catalina Island.  It is the only amusement park on the West Coast of the United States located on a pier and LA's only admission-free park.

West Coaster

This is the perfect coaster for this family park.  And for 2021 this Morgan coaster debuted a new Route-66 theme, with road signs and gas pumps inside the station, and trains by Chance Rides that are themed to a 57' Chevy Roadster.  Bonus: each ride is two laps.

Six Flags Magic Mountain

I made my visit to this Valencia, California park on September 17, 2021 along with my friend Shawn.  This is the flagship in the Six Flags family and claims itself to be The Thrill Capital of the World.

Apocalypse

Wild and rough woodie.  A twisting creation from Great Coasters International and featuring a distinctive station fly-through.

Batman The Ride

This is a clone of the first B&M Invert build at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois.  Five inversions and gritty Gotham theming.

Full Throttle

This coaster has a very unique feature with a loop on the inside topped with a hill on the outside.  An imaginative layout from Premier Rides that also features both an LSM Launch and a multi-pass LSM Launch.

Gold Rusher

This coaster opened with the park in 1971.  A custom mine train coaster from Arrow Dynamics with a layout that carves into the park's hilltop.  Two tunnels and two chain lifts.

Goliath

One of only two Giovanola coasters in the United States.  Somewhat unusual for a modern steel coaster, it uses trains with three row per car.  This hyper coaster does not have the more common out and back layout design, but rather uses a twisted layout.

New Revolution

This coaster made history when it was opened in 1976 with the introduction of the first successful vertical loop.  I was impressed with the complete layout of this cosater, as most other steel coaster from this era had very short layouts.  As for the world first vertical loop, they nailed it.  Smooth.  No whiplash.

Ninja

The fifth of ten Arrow suspended coasters ever built.  The coaster weaves round the terrain, structures and other rides  Like many of the other suspended Arrow coaster, it has two chain lifes.  However, these are just before and just after the station and there is no mid-course brake run, so this rushes non-stop from first drop to the final brakes.

Riddler's Revenge

One of the best B&M stand-up coasters.  A great long layout and a total of six inversions.  It has a smooth track and doesn't offer too much head banging.

Scream!

A great B&M floorless coaster built in a parking lot.  I haven't found a floorless coaster that I don't truly love.  Seven inversions.

Superman: Escape From Krypton

A legend in the roller coaster war.  This is a one-trick pony.  But what a hell of a trick it is.  6.5 seconds of weightlessness.  And the first coaster to go 100 miles per hour.

Tatsu

An impressive hilltop layout as it maneuvers around several other rides and coasters.  I wish there were more flying coasters.

Twisted Colossus

This diabolical RMC recreation of a previous giant wooden coaster is wild and... well, twisted.  This was the first coaster I've experienced with a extremely race Quasi Mobius layout.

Viper

This giant Arrow loopper is a massive steel monster with seven inversion.  And just enough of that classic Arrow roughness.

X2

I've been waiting to ride this ground-breaking coaster since it debuted in 2002.  This is the first fourth dimension coaster I've ever riden.  This was a great ride.  I would love to see this concept refined even further or perhaps a version deigned by B&M.

Knott's Berry Farm

I visited to this Cedar Fair park on September 19, 2021.  The park is in Buena Park, California and touts itself as California's original theme park.

Coast Rider

A good Mack wild mouse coaster.  And for some reason, I can't explain why, it seems like better than most other wild mouse coasters.

GhostRider

This is a great wooden coaster with a thrilling, dynamic ride.  GCI's Millennium Flyer trains give a great ride experience.

Jaguar!

This may be the first Zierer built coaster I have ever riden.  A good family coaster.  A nice long layout and good theming.

Montezooma's Revenge

This unique ride is full of history.  It is the longest running Schwarzkopf shuttle loop that is still in its original location.  And has become the only operating Schwarzkopf shuttle loop in the United States.  This coaster features a rare flywheel launch system.

Pony Express

A great family coaster.  This ride has a unique restaint system. Riders lean with their chest against the ride vehicle while a restaint moves from behind and presses againt their back.  The coaster also has a rare flywheel launch.

Silver Bullet

Six inversions and a unique layout.  More B&M perfection.  No mid-course brake run.  Great fun.

Xcelerator

Opening a year before Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster showed what might be coming next.  This hydraulic launch feels like it had more of a kick in the butt than Draster.  And the additional track after the top hat makes this ride a more full-fledged coaster.

Jolly Roger Amusement Park

Sarah and I visited to this small park on August 9, 2022.  The park is in Ocean City, Maryland and touts itself as the passport to fun.

Barracuda

This Zierer design has a ton of right hand turns with gentle and mild drops and a compact footprint.  It seems that a good bobsled theme with lots of scenery might be a good fit for this design.

Wildcat

Another Schwarzkopf design with great dives and twists.  It was ranning great with no trims and still relatively smooth.  This is the exact same Wildcat that was at Cedar Point from 1970 to 1978.

Six Flags Great Adventure

I visited to this park on August 11, 2022.  The park is in Jackson, New Jersey and claims to be the world's ultimate thrill park.

Batman The Ride

Another clone of Batman The Ride, including the gritty Gotham aesthetic.  You gotta love a B&M invert.

Dark Knight

It's a indoor wild mouse coaster with Gotham City theming.  You pretty much know what you can expect.

El Toro

Intamin's only wooden coaster in the western hemisphere built with prefabricated track.  This giant woodie has lots of airtime hills and banked twists, but is too rough to be truly enjoyed.  My guess is that this coaster track has not aged well or perhaps Six Flags has not maintained it as well as they should have.

Green Lantern

This standup B&M started its life at Kentucky Kingdom but has been home at this park since 2011.  The track from the station to the midcourse brakes is a mirror image of Mantis/Rougarou at Cedar Point.  After that the custon layout adds two more inversons for a total of five.

Jersey Devil Coaster

This was my first time riding a Rocky Mountain Construction coaster with their recently introduced Raptor Track.  This coaster uses a single rail track and trains with inline seating.  Three inversions and lots of forceful twists and turns.  The ride isn't as smooth as I thought a new high-tech steel coaster would have been.

Joker

A spinning wing coaster from S&S Sansei.  Each lap is unique based on the weight and distribution of riders.  And with that, my ride was forceful and disorienting.  It feels like a thrill ride and not a roller coaster.

Kingda Ka

Opened in 2005 as the world's tallest roller coaster.  This is a must for an coaster fan.  Six flags wanted a larger version of Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster and they got it.  I could feel a more forceful launch and higher G-forces.  A noticeably rough ride for a steal coaster.

Medusa

The first B&M floorless coaster.  Seven inversions and a great layout.  The best looper in the park.

Nitro

An L-shaped out and back design into the woods with a helix on the return trip.  A B&M hyper coaster and airtime machine.  My favorite coaster in the park.

Skull Mountain

An indoor coaster where the theme of the facade and queue is completely different from the coaster inside.  First there is the spooky mountainous skull and pathways through caverns to the themed loading platform.  Then the coaster itself is a rave with colorful lights and modern music blasting.  What's going on?

Alton Towers

Sarah and I visited to this unique and beautiful park on June 15, 2023.  Located in the West Midlands region of England and touts itself as Britain's Greatest Escape.

Galactica

Bolliger & Mabillard's first flying roller coaster.  With a combined two inversions and flys low to the ground giving riders a greater sense of speed.

Oblivion

The world's first dive coaster.  Like many coasters at this park, this B&M creation has a unique setting.  A 87.5 degree drop and no inversions.  It's a one trick pony.

Rita

This Intamin hydraulic launch coaster accelerates from 0 to 61.1 mph in 2.5 seconds.  The ride is loosely-themed as an abandoned drag racer that is used to escape the Dark Forest.  The ride has potential, but is sadly far too short of a ride.

Runaway Mine Train

A powered mine train roller coaster from Mack Rides.  This is the oldest roller coaster in the park.  The ride runs alongside and shares a tunnel section with Congo River Rapids.  The train normally makes two circuits for each ride, although on quiet days it has been known to run for three or more circuits.  This coaster was a nice surprise and quite an enjoyable ride.

Smiler

This Gerstlauer coaster features 14 inversions, a world record.  It has both a chain lift hill and a vertical chain lift hill.  With all of these twists, turns and inversion, you might think the ride is jerky or rough.  But, it is actually quite smooth.  This is my favorite coaster in the park.

Spinball Whizzer

A great intermediate coaster from Maurer Rides with spinning cars.  The theme is a giant pinball machine, with the balls being the trains which are finished in metallic silver.  Good fun.

Th13teen

This very unique ride from Intamin features the world's first vertical freefall drop on a roller coaster, on which the track and train freefall approximately five meters in darkness.  The ride has great themeing throughout.  The first portion of the ride is what you might think of most coasters, a booster wheel lift hill and a coaster ride through the woods.  Next, another booster wheel lift hill and more coaster hills.  Then the coaster comes to a stop in a darkened crypt for the vertical freefall drop.  Next, the train is launched backwards for the final journey back to the station.  Truly a one of a kind experience.

Wicker Man

This twisting wooden coaster was created by Great Coasters International.  The lift hill is unique in that it changes angle as it ascends.  It has great theming including a preshow in a wicker dome, smoke-filled tunnels with fire-effect lighting. The compact layout passes through the large Wicker Man effigy multiple times.  This is a great woodie.

Knoebels Amusement Resort

Shawn, Brian and I visited to this family-owned and operated amusement park, picnic grove, and campground in Elysburg, Pennsylvania on September 1st 2023.  This beautiful park is located in a wooded valley in east-central Pennsylvania within the heart of the Susquehanna River Valley.

Flying Turns

One of a kind.  Built in house by the park themselves.  Twists and hairpin turns through the world's only wooden bobsled roller coaster.  This most unique coaster packs more of a punch than you might first expect.

Impulse

Four inversions from ride manufacturer Zierer.  This smooth twisting coaster has a vertical chain lift hill and a 540 degree helix.

Phoenix

Rising from the ashes of its history as Rocket built in 1947 in San Antonio, Texas, Phoenix was reborn at Knoebels in 1985.  It has consistently been ranked as one of the top wooden coasters.  The double out and back layout offers up lots of airtime.  It's the best coaster in the park.

Twister

The park's tallest coaster is based on the famous Mister Twister at Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado.  Fast swooping curves, a double helix and a tunnel.

Lakemont Park

Shawn, Brian and I made a brief visit to this local park in Altoona, Pennsylvania on September 2nd 2023.  This small park has some good coaster history.

Leap The Dips

Built in 1902.  It is the oldest operating roller coaster in the world.  This is the only side friction roller coaster remaining in North American.  It's rough and it needs a lot of love.

Skyliner

This woodem coaster originally operated at Roseland Park in Canandaigua, New York from 1960 to 1985.  It opened here in 1987.  This feels like it was once a great coaster, but it is rough, shaky and needs immediate maintenance.  The sketchiest coaster I've ever been on.