- June 23rd, 2015, 12:56 am
#79915
I finally have made a trip back to my hometown and original home park. I've been gone way too long. My partner and I arrived on Monday, June 8 and stayed until the 15th. The main reason for the trip was Carowinds. I also wanted to finally show him around the city I grew up in and visit some friends I hadn't seen since I moved away.
Monday, June 8th
The excitement was just so much for me I didn't get but maybe an hour or two of sleep before we finished packing up the vehicle and got on the road about 2am. It's usually a 6 1/2-7 hour drive from Gainesville, but with stops it's a bit more. Along the way we stopped for gas/rest/bathroom breaks...pretty much the norm. We also stopped for breakfast in Walterboro, SC at the Bojangle's. From there we came straight on to Carowinds for a couple hours to process our season passes and I got a few rides in.
I really like the new parking toll plaza. It's a great addition.
We were able to park pretty close to the entrance since the park wasn't forecast to be busy. We purposely planned this trip while Charlotte schools were still in session just so it wouldn't be as busy. Worked like a charm. This was the longest line I stood in all day coming up...the bag check/metal detector wand check line. While I love the new entrance, this kind of threw everyone off and several people were trying to go in the exit and was a bit confusing. I'm sure they will get it together before the real summer crowds hit.
I'm really loving the new entrance. It's so open now.
My original plan was to hit up Carolina Cobra, Intimidator and then Fury 325 since those are the 3 credits I needed. That would have made Fury 325 my # 80. Well Carolina Cobra was not in operation at the time. I did see it running/testing from the front of the park, but they had it blocked off. Oh well...It's just a list....lol
I'm all late to the Planet Snoopy party. I love how this area looks now. I honestly hated the Nickelodeon theme. I'm 38 so having grown up with it as Hanna-Barbera and see it Nick Central before this turned my stomach. Of course I understand it was geared to children who know and loved those characters. I'm just glad they have Snoopy and the other Peanut's characters since I grew up watching those.
I finally got my first ride on Intimidator. It's credit #78. I did enjoy the ride. It didn't make my top 10 (made #11), however I do place it between Apollo's Chariot and Goliath (SFOG). This first ride I was in the middle and both trims hit pretty hard so it killed a bit of the momentum for me. Later rides were not as noticeable. If it didn't have the trims, it could easily be ranked much higher for me.
After my ride on Intimidator we rode the Skytower which I was so pleased they had up and running in time for my visit. If I ever get around to it, I'll upload the video. I did take pics the next day while riding which I'll share as I go along.
The shadiest place in the park. I hope they never remove it.
Now it's on to Fury 325. All I can say is WOW. This is coaster credit # 79. My ride this day was in row 5. Going up the lift hill seemed endless but once it sped up and then crept over the first drop I was thrilled while I floated the whole way down. The ride never let up until it hit the brakes. The trim hit but actually seemed to assist in the airtime on that hill. While I wasn't sure where to rank it after this ride I was sure it would be in my top 5.
Since this was basically a stop to process our passes we decided to leave after this. We did browse some of the shops on the way out. So far I was very impressed with how the park was looking and couldn't wait to come back the next day.
On the way to our hotel, we stopped at Pinky's Westside Grill. I definitely recommend this spot if you hadn't tried it. There are plenty of options for meat eaters, vegetarians and more (my partner is a pescetarian so he was able to find plenty on the menu for him to enjoy).
After check-in we unpacked and relaxed a while. When it was time for dinner we went down to the street and got take out from one of my old favorites Shomar's.
Tuesday, June 9th
Don't let the gloomy skies fool you. There was no rain to be seen this day...at least after we showed up. We arrived at the park about 9:30 and got an even better parking place than the day before.
For the music lovers... I love this angle.
We decided to go clockwise so I could hit up Nighthawk first since I know how the lines could be. It's nice they have the characters up front providing a bit of entertainment before they officially open.
First ride of the morning: Nighhawk. With one train operation and only 2 train wait...it was still like 15 minutes. This is ridiculous. Now that I've said that I will also say I understand the hate for this ride now. My last ride was in 2008 and it was quite awesome to me then. I even had it as my #7 coaster....well things have changed after this ride. I didn't even want to get back on. It was so rough compared to how I remember it being. Count me in on the ones who say tear it down and put in a B&M Flyer. I now have Nighthawk listed as my #48 and will probably go lower after I re-evaluate some things.
Now across the midway I come to a far superior ride. I was able to get a back seat ride this time and was even better than the day before. I didn't feel the first trim much which was great and the second one wasn't as bad as but still noticeable. I still place it at # 11. I just have a nostalgic thing for Apollo's Chariot since It was my first hyper and rode that one in it's first season.
It's nice to see some of the old buildings still around, tho with updated paint jobs. I have so many memories crossing the bridge and feeding the fish when I was growing up.
I had to get a few shots around here just in case they have some changes in the next year or years to come. I remember this queue being for the Jalopies.
Today Carolina Cobra was running so here's to credit #80. I was wondering how the newer trains were on these as the old ones are awful. Well they were a bit better and ended up raking this at #45; better than Nighthawk obvioiusly.
Next up was an old classic favorite of mine: Carolina Goldrusher. This was my first steel coaster back in the '80s and started my love for roller coasters. While it's not ranked that high on my list it still holds a bit of nostalgia for me.
I didn't get a chance to try Chickies and Pete's but I love how it looks. I'll try it next time I come.
Ricochet was my 2nd wild mouse coaster when I rode it it's debut season. I didn't ride since it had the longest line in the park each day we were here. I've been on it so no big deal.
On to Carolina Cyclone. This was the first coaster I rode with inversions back when I was brave enough to try it way bacl when. It's definitely gotten rougher since my last visit in '08. I had a headache when I got off. i actually ranked Cobra one position higher.
After hydrating myself I decided to jump on Vortex before lunch. Having riden this many times over the years I knew what I was in for. The first half of the ride was fine. Then came that pesky corkscrew. I know how to hold my head and brace for them but I hadn't fully recovered from the head-banging I got from Cyclone. While it's not the worst stand up I've been on, I would welcome a conversion to floor-less even with it's short layout.
Rip Roarin' Rapids was closed most of my trip. While I had no intentions of riding it, it would have been nice to get some pictures of it running.
Our choice for lunch: Harmony Hall. I really like this addition as it was much needed for the park. My partner got the cheese pizza which he said was good and I had the steakburger with sidewinder fries. The burger was pretty standard but filling and the fries were definitely good and more unique than other parks offerings. I'll have to try the barbeque sandwich next time. Now it was time to take a stroll and let the food settle before getting on anything. So it was picture taking time through Planet Snoopy and so on.
Ripcord worked good in this spot. I thought it was going to be a cluttered mess but it worked with the space available.
Once again I was so happy the Carolina Skytower was operating. I was able to take pictures this time which some have already shown up earlier in this report, with more further on.
Another headbanging Vekoma...nice to take pictures of, but decided to pass this trip. I've been on it before and don't want to relive the headbanging. It would be nice to see the new style trains/restraints on this one and any others. The one at Fun Spot is such a joy to ride and reride.
I so enjoyed this ride when I was younger. However on my last visit in '08 this is the one thing that made me nauseous. I didn't ride this time but took a pic just because.
I mentioned before that I was glad to see the Nick theming gone. That especially goes for the carousel. It was the gawdiest looking ride in the area when it was Nickelodeon. While it was mainly on the exterior it still was an eyesore to me. I'm so glad they went with a more classic look when it changed to Planet Snoopy.
I already credit whored this one back in the year it opened as Taxi Jam. No need to get it again...lol
Woodstock Express. This was the first coaster I ever rode when I was about 5. It scared the living daylights out of me and I refused to get on anything (including the monorail) for some time after that. I guess it's not always good to throw someone on a ride until they are ready. Who knows how many credits I'd have today if I had loved it from the start.
I've only been on one of these and due to circumstances later in the trip I didn't take a spin on them this time. I know...I missed out...don't remind me....lol
Next we did Dinosaurs Alive! Since I had a gold pass and he had a silver pass he only had to pay $2.50 so why not? I thought he was still $5 but hey I won't complain. It was a nice stroll after having lunch and wasn't terribly too hot so it was ok. I took lots of pictures that I'll probably never really look at again for awhile, but I'm sure my nephew who loves dinosaurs will have fun looking through them. I posted them all on Facebook so I'm sure my sister will let him look at them at some point. This is definitely a one and done attraction for us. It will be nice to see what they do with the area whenever it's time for their extinction (again).
Once everything was settled I went for a ride on Afterburn. I still rank this one pretty high on my list @ #4. The only Invert I've been on so far that beats this one is Montu. It's interesting to see the T-G still on the station after so many years since it was Top Gun. I guess they have a reason for everything they do. Either that or they just keep forgetting about it...lol
I hadn't done this since it was Scooby Doo themed on my last visit. I guess I should have as we passed by because this was the shortest line we saw among our visits to the park. When I did try to go back the line was just longer than I was wanting to wait.
Classics from my childhood. I skipped riding them but made sure to take a pic just in case this area ends up looking drastically different soon.
On to Thunder Road. My first "big boy" woody. I'm so glad I was able to make it before they "retire" it next month. Only the blue side was open however. Not sure what was going on with the other. I only heard someone injured themselves on the lapbar? Who knows with these rumors. They may have just been running one side since the park wasn't busy. At least I got one side. The ride definitely benefited from the refurbishment done. The rides that I got were the best I can ever remember. They were also quite smooth except the last hill before the brakes...which didn't bother me at all. I used to come off with a headache after a couple rides, but I could have ridden it over and over and been just fine. I'll miss you Thunder Road...if you indeed leave us....(yes I'm holding onto a little hope...I have that right. Until I see it come down I'll hold on....lol
We skipped Boomerang Bay. Once again I did get a pic of the entrance in case it becomes Soak City or whatever next year.
Next it was time to brave Windseeker...all while hoping I wouldn't be one that it decided to get stuck on....lol Fortunately it didn't and I enjoyed the ride. It's not overly intense or anything. It's pretty much an open-air Skytower that spins a bit faster. I would get on again. It was a nice way to cool off...once I got on.
I finished the day off at Fury 325. I had to save the best for last. Since the line wasn't very long I took a chance and asked for the back row and got it. It was like riding a complete different ride than the day before when I was in the middle. I really floated out of my seat the entire way down the first drop and had several pops of airtime throughout the course. I didn't even mind the trim which allowed an extra bit of airtime going over it. The helix was even more intense in the back. This ride made this my new # 1 coaster. This is something since I'm more an inversion kind of guy. If they would build something similar to this in FL (perhaps BGT) I would be a happy camper. SWO is getting Mako next year, but I don't think it will even come close...but a good step for us at least.
After leaving the park we freshened up and went over to my aunt's house in Tega Cay for a visit. She then joined us at one of my favorite restaurants in the area and currently the best fish camp still around IMO: Captain Steve's. They never fail to deliver on the food. I ordered the small popcorn shrimp meal and was only able to eat about half. He got the small combo plate of popcorn shrimp and salt & pepper catfish and only ate about half. This saved us a lunch eating out one day later in the week. I wish they could just pick up and move near where I live. There are a few places here that are ok, but FL really is more so known for more upscale type seafood...I'm more a down home fish camp kinda guy. Even my partner said it's better than the places we go where we live and he's born and raised where we live.
Wednesday, June 10th
We decided to slow things down a bit from amusement parks and just explore some other places I wanted to show him and some places he wanted to see too...lol We started with Manifest Disc on South Blvd. I spent many hours at that place when I lived in Charlotte and worked as a DJ...and for personal music too. He found quite a bit to add to his extensive collection. I wasn't really looking and still trying to play catch up from not getting enough sleep from all the excitement....plus I was hungry...lol
For lunch we stopped at one of the best local dive joints in the city: Zack's. I used to go here all the time when I lived here. I couldn't pass up getting a Zack's Special. Oh I can still taste it. He got the trout sandwich and was quite surprised at how good it was. If there were only more time in our trip we would have definitely gone back.
While we were taking a break from amusements...that didn't stop us from conquering Crowders Mountain after lunch. Oh my what an experience....one that we should have done first thing in the morning....lol While it wasn't tripple-digit hot, it would have definitely been easier before the afternoon heat and humidity set it. It was worth it once we reached the top. This was my first time making it to the top. I tried it about 15 years ago or so and only made it about a fourth of the way up before turning back. This time I was determined and we did it together. It took about an hour and 15 minutes to get to the top using the Backside Trail (shortest one at about .8 miles). It was only about 20 minutes coming down.
For dinner we treated ourselves to The Open Kitchen. I lived in Charlotte from birth to 2006 and never once had I stepped foot in this place. Such a shame...especially since I used to work right around the corner. I liked what I got (spaghetti with meat sauce). However the pizza my partner got? He didn't think much of it. He even said the pizza at Harmony Hall the day before was much better. I tasted it too and while it was ok...I wasn't impressed either. I would have thought an authentic Italian place...the one who introduced pizza to Charlotte...would have been better than that. I guess it depends on what you order.
Thursday, June 11th
This was the day we decided to go to Carowinds after lunch. In the morning we went to visit the cemetery where my maternal grandparents were buried. It had been over 10 years since I set foot in here and sort of knew where they were located. After about 2 hours of searching and eventually getting one of my aunts on the phone to help out we finally located it. It just happened to be right near where we parked the first time. We both literally walked past it more than once. I am a member of findagrave.com and the picture that was on there showed a vase so we were looking for one with a vase. I didn't realize they went inside the grave marker when no flowers were present. My aunt let me know that. Oh well at least we found it. I placed some new flowers and took pictures to share with family and add to the findagrave memorial online. We then went back to the room to eat our leftovers before heading to the park.
Always a welcome view coming down I-77S.
I decided to get some of the rides I had skipped earlier. First up was Woodstock Express. It's amazing that after 40 years this ride is still as thrilling as it is. The coaster that once scared the crap out of me when I was 5 is something I'd love to have in my backyard.
We were passing by Windseeker and guess what. It was stuck....lol It was only a short time because it was running again next time I looked over maybe 15 minutes later. I wonder if anyone contacted WSOC?
I was interested in seeing if the rebuilt section on Hurler made any difference from my last visit in '08. To my disappointment it really did nothing. After that turn it was a complete snoozefest. I just thought it looked slow on the webcam when watching from home. Now I know it wasn't just my eyes. There was no airtime what-so-ever after the first drop, I think I would have rather it beat me up like it used to back in the day. Tear It Down!
I finished off the day again with Fury 325. Having ridden in the back seat far right it once again confirmed it's placement as my new #1.
Here comes the bad news. I was going to ride one more time but something happened on the way down the exit stairs. There may have even been someone from here been there to see. I missed the last step coming down and sprained my ankle. Fortunately I was able to grad the railing so I didn't hit my head on the ground which would have been much worse. There was a nice guy and I'm assuming his sons with him saw what happened and stayed with me until first aid arrived. He had even went up to the platform to get me some ice while I was waiting. I called my partner to meet me at the exit and he starts taking pics...which I'm not sharing here...lol He made sure I was ok first of course. Once the EMT got there and they got me to first aid I rested and had ice on it for awhile until I was ok to walk around. After this I'm just not taking any more out of town trips in June. Last time I went on one was in June '08 and I sprained and tore the MCL in my right knee while in Williamsburg. June is my bad luck month. At least this one wasn't as bad...tho I still have a bit of pain in my foot from time to time, but it's feeling better day by day.
After that ordeal I obviously wasn't about to do anything with stairs so we went ahead and did our souvenir shopping before heading out. Before leaving the parking lot we went to the other end by Thunder Road and I was able to take several pics. I'm surprised security didn't bother us as I've heard they've been a bit more strict as of late. The only sign of security or police was a county sheriff car on the maintenance road riding along the maintenance road beside Thunder Road inside the fence. Anyway, here are some of those pics:
I was happy I was able to get this angle of Thunder Road before leaving.
After leaving Carowinds we freshened up at the NC Welcome Center and then I showed him several places I used to live and the schools I went to.
My High School: Garinger
My Jr. High School: Cochrane
My Elementary School: Devonshire (5th & 6th grade)
Dinner was at Joe Hooper's. Quite a nice surprise. The food and atmosphere was great. It's a place my partner found online and wanted to try so I gave in and was worth it. The homemade potato chips are excellent as an appetizer or side.
Friday, June 12th
This is the day we were supposed to go to Chimney Rock Park; one of my favorite places to go. However with my ankle/foot injury the day before this was just not an option. This was especially the case since the elevator there is out of service. I don't think I could have made that 499 stair climb up to the top of Chimney Rock and then back down. We both had been looking forward to this but stuff happens. I think we may just take another trip just to go there and drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Anyways, this allowed us to sleep in. Well I slept in and he decided to see if he could find his way through Charlotte...during the Friday morning rush hour. Of course he gets lost (sort of) and ends up back over by Carowinds when he thought he was near where we were staying near Matthews. He had been out and about for 3 hours and finally made his way back. I had came up with something for us to do so we headed out when he got back.
I decided to go to Monroe to a cemetery to locate my paternal grandfather, great grandparents and 2nd great grandparents. Since I wasn't close to my dad's side of the family I had no idea where their grave sites were...I only knew they were in this specific cemetery. After looking around a little bit I decided to call the cemetery office and they were able to help me. I went over to the office and they had the cards pulled for all the people with the last name I was looking for and provided a map and circled the plots for me. I appreciate them greatly for this. Once we found them we went and got some flowers so I could put something on them all.
It was a very emotional day since I didn't get to know them growing up. I had last seen my grandfather at Christmas in 1990, about 3 months before he died. Before that it had probably been since I was a baby. I didn't find out until afterwards because they didn't want to upset me as it was right before my birthday. This caused me to not really have any closure even though I didn't know him all that well. It was almost like I was attending his funeral when placing the flowers on my grandfather's grave. It takes a lot for me to shed tears, and did they ever flow. At least I now have some closure and can perhaps move on a bit. I was also able to place flowers on my great grandparents and 2nd great grandparents graves. Even though I had found them on findagrave some years ago (and now manage their memorials), it's like I have a sense of who and where I came from on my dad's side of the family. It's also a shame that they were this close to where I lived when I was in Charlotte. I could go on, but might need group therapy if I do....lol I'm working on it. I'll eventually contact my dad when the time is right. It's just been so much over the last 10 years or so that have made that hard for me.
Ok now that therapy is over, we went to Jack In The Box for a late lunch. I really miss them. I used to go all the time when I lived in Charlotte, especially when they first arrived. There have been rumors of them coming to Gainesville...of course I hadn't seen anything come about yet.
From there we made another stop along the way to place flowers on my step-grandparents grave. It didn't take as long to find it as I was there more recently in 2010. We then went by the house they lived in which was down the road before heading back to the room to relax.
For dinner we went to the Landmark Diner. It was one of my usual late night spots back when I was working the club scene. Plus since it was featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives my partner had to eat there. He was a bit jealous when he saw I went there on my visit in 2010 when me and my brother ate here one evening. I explained I had been eating here years before Guy Fieri was ever heard of....lol
Saturday, June 13th
Saturday was a bit more laid back. We went to the Two On Earth Bakery in Pineville. They have excellent baked goods and a nice cafe lunch menu. I suggest the peanut butter brownie...it's awesome.
Then we went to the Barnyard Flea Market at the state line. I found a few things. It's not as big as some that we go to, but it's a lot easier to navigate. We also went to the Stateline ABC Beverage Company next door and got a few things for later on.
For lunch we went to Culver's. Of course we had passed by several times while going to and from Carowinds. I had also heard about it from family so we decided to give it a try. It was better than most other fast food places. The menu had a lot more variety than others as well. It's hard to find something fast food we both can enjoy...from the same place since he's a pescetarian and all...he needs to go back to red meat or something...lol
From there we went to the Airport Overlook to see some planes land/take off. My family used to go by here all the time when we'd have dinner at the fish camps along the Catawba River.
For dinner we decided to go back to Pinky's Westside Grill again. It was so good the first time, we had to have it again. This time a good friend of mine of almost 20 years joined us. I hadn't seen him since I moved from Charlotte almost 10 years ago. It was great to see him and we even went to one of the clubs afterwards that I used to work at.
Sunday, June 14th
After a late night out at the club we definitely slept in. This was our last full day in town and pretty much just started packing, shopping, had lunch. met with some other great lifelong friends I hadn't seen since I moved and then dinner.
Lunch was Pizza Spiga. I used to go here all the time when I lived off Idewild Rd. It was about the same as I remember. Decent buffet, and nice size menu as well.
For dinner we went back to the Landmark after visiting friends.
Monday, June 15th
After we checked out I couldn't leave the city without getting hoagie from my favorite local spot: The Steak 'N Hoagie Shop. It was as good as I remember. I only got the 7" hoagie since it was about 11 and I knew we were stopping somewhere else later for lunch. Then we stopped at Pinky's Westside Grill yet again this time to get some Tshirts. My partner got a to go meal. I might add the fried pickles are to die for and wish we had tried them sooner.
Our last stop for food on the way back was at Fazoli's in Columbia. If you're not familiar with them, they are a fast food Italian place. They have excellent spaghetti, fettuccine alfredo and the pizza isn't too bad either. If you dine in you get unlimited breadsticks. We always try and stop at one when we pass one in our travels. The one that was in Gainesville closed back in 2009 so the closest one to us is now in Valgosta, GA. They need to come back.
After this we stayed the night in the Savannah area while visiting my parents and siblings. We finally came home the following evening. While I enjoyed visiting the city of my birth, going to Carowinds and visiting old friends, it was really good to be home to sleep in our own bed.
Hopefully this trip wasn't too long winded. I could probably write a book on our adventures we had on our trip...with plenty that I left out.
Monday, June 8th
The excitement was just so much for me I didn't get but maybe an hour or two of sleep before we finished packing up the vehicle and got on the road about 2am. It's usually a 6 1/2-7 hour drive from Gainesville, but with stops it's a bit more. Along the way we stopped for gas/rest/bathroom breaks...pretty much the norm. We also stopped for breakfast in Walterboro, SC at the Bojangle's. From there we came straight on to Carowinds for a couple hours to process our season passes and I got a few rides in.
I really like the new parking toll plaza. It's a great addition.
We were able to park pretty close to the entrance since the park wasn't forecast to be busy. We purposely planned this trip while Charlotte schools were still in session just so it wouldn't be as busy. Worked like a charm. This was the longest line I stood in all day coming up...the bag check/metal detector wand check line. While I love the new entrance, this kind of threw everyone off and several people were trying to go in the exit and was a bit confusing. I'm sure they will get it together before the real summer crowds hit.
I'm really loving the new entrance. It's so open now.
My original plan was to hit up Carolina Cobra, Intimidator and then Fury 325 since those are the 3 credits I needed. That would have made Fury 325 my # 80. Well Carolina Cobra was not in operation at the time. I did see it running/testing from the front of the park, but they had it blocked off. Oh well...It's just a list....lol
I'm all late to the Planet Snoopy party. I love how this area looks now. I honestly hated the Nickelodeon theme. I'm 38 so having grown up with it as Hanna-Barbera and see it Nick Central before this turned my stomach. Of course I understand it was geared to children who know and loved those characters. I'm just glad they have Snoopy and the other Peanut's characters since I grew up watching those.
I finally got my first ride on Intimidator. It's credit #78. I did enjoy the ride. It didn't make my top 10 (made #11), however I do place it between Apollo's Chariot and Goliath (SFOG). This first ride I was in the middle and both trims hit pretty hard so it killed a bit of the momentum for me. Later rides were not as noticeable. If it didn't have the trims, it could easily be ranked much higher for me.
After my ride on Intimidator we rode the Skytower which I was so pleased they had up and running in time for my visit. If I ever get around to it, I'll upload the video. I did take pics the next day while riding which I'll share as I go along.
The shadiest place in the park. I hope they never remove it.
Now it's on to Fury 325. All I can say is WOW. This is coaster credit # 79. My ride this day was in row 5. Going up the lift hill seemed endless but once it sped up and then crept over the first drop I was thrilled while I floated the whole way down. The ride never let up until it hit the brakes. The trim hit but actually seemed to assist in the airtime on that hill. While I wasn't sure where to rank it after this ride I was sure it would be in my top 5.
Since this was basically a stop to process our passes we decided to leave after this. We did browse some of the shops on the way out. So far I was very impressed with how the park was looking and couldn't wait to come back the next day.
On the way to our hotel, we stopped at Pinky's Westside Grill. I definitely recommend this spot if you hadn't tried it. There are plenty of options for meat eaters, vegetarians and more (my partner is a pescetarian so he was able to find plenty on the menu for him to enjoy).
After check-in we unpacked and relaxed a while. When it was time for dinner we went down to the street and got take out from one of my old favorites Shomar's.
Tuesday, June 9th
Don't let the gloomy skies fool you. There was no rain to be seen this day...at least after we showed up. We arrived at the park about 9:30 and got an even better parking place than the day before.
For the music lovers... I love this angle.
We decided to go clockwise so I could hit up Nighthawk first since I know how the lines could be. It's nice they have the characters up front providing a bit of entertainment before they officially open.
First ride of the morning: Nighhawk. With one train operation and only 2 train wait...it was still like 15 minutes. This is ridiculous. Now that I've said that I will also say I understand the hate for this ride now. My last ride was in 2008 and it was quite awesome to me then. I even had it as my #7 coaster....well things have changed after this ride. I didn't even want to get back on. It was so rough compared to how I remember it being. Count me in on the ones who say tear it down and put in a B&M Flyer. I now have Nighthawk listed as my #48 and will probably go lower after I re-evaluate some things.
Now across the midway I come to a far superior ride. I was able to get a back seat ride this time and was even better than the day before. I didn't feel the first trim much which was great and the second one wasn't as bad as but still noticeable. I still place it at # 11. I just have a nostalgic thing for Apollo's Chariot since It was my first hyper and rode that one in it's first season.
It's nice to see some of the old buildings still around, tho with updated paint jobs. I have so many memories crossing the bridge and feeding the fish when I was growing up.
I had to get a few shots around here just in case they have some changes in the next year or years to come. I remember this queue being for the Jalopies.
Today Carolina Cobra was running so here's to credit #80. I was wondering how the newer trains were on these as the old ones are awful. Well they were a bit better and ended up raking this at #45; better than Nighthawk obvioiusly.
Next up was an old classic favorite of mine: Carolina Goldrusher. This was my first steel coaster back in the '80s and started my love for roller coasters. While it's not ranked that high on my list it still holds a bit of nostalgia for me.
I didn't get a chance to try Chickies and Pete's but I love how it looks. I'll try it next time I come.
Ricochet was my 2nd wild mouse coaster when I rode it it's debut season. I didn't ride since it had the longest line in the park each day we were here. I've been on it so no big deal.
On to Carolina Cyclone. This was the first coaster I rode with inversions back when I was brave enough to try it way bacl when. It's definitely gotten rougher since my last visit in '08. I had a headache when I got off. i actually ranked Cobra one position higher.
After hydrating myself I decided to jump on Vortex before lunch. Having riden this many times over the years I knew what I was in for. The first half of the ride was fine. Then came that pesky corkscrew. I know how to hold my head and brace for them but I hadn't fully recovered from the head-banging I got from Cyclone. While it's not the worst stand up I've been on, I would welcome a conversion to floor-less even with it's short layout.
Rip Roarin' Rapids was closed most of my trip. While I had no intentions of riding it, it would have been nice to get some pictures of it running.
Our choice for lunch: Harmony Hall. I really like this addition as it was much needed for the park. My partner got the cheese pizza which he said was good and I had the steakburger with sidewinder fries. The burger was pretty standard but filling and the fries were definitely good and more unique than other parks offerings. I'll have to try the barbeque sandwich next time. Now it was time to take a stroll and let the food settle before getting on anything. So it was picture taking time through Planet Snoopy and so on.
Ripcord worked good in this spot. I thought it was going to be a cluttered mess but it worked with the space available.
Once again I was so happy the Carolina Skytower was operating. I was able to take pictures this time which some have already shown up earlier in this report, with more further on.
Another headbanging Vekoma...nice to take pictures of, but decided to pass this trip. I've been on it before and don't want to relive the headbanging. It would be nice to see the new style trains/restraints on this one and any others. The one at Fun Spot is such a joy to ride and reride.
I so enjoyed this ride when I was younger. However on my last visit in '08 this is the one thing that made me nauseous. I didn't ride this time but took a pic just because.
I mentioned before that I was glad to see the Nick theming gone. That especially goes for the carousel. It was the gawdiest looking ride in the area when it was Nickelodeon. While it was mainly on the exterior it still was an eyesore to me. I'm so glad they went with a more classic look when it changed to Planet Snoopy.
I already credit whored this one back in the year it opened as Taxi Jam. No need to get it again...lol
Woodstock Express. This was the first coaster I ever rode when I was about 5. It scared the living daylights out of me and I refused to get on anything (including the monorail) for some time after that. I guess it's not always good to throw someone on a ride until they are ready. Who knows how many credits I'd have today if I had loved it from the start.
I've only been on one of these and due to circumstances later in the trip I didn't take a spin on them this time. I know...I missed out...don't remind me....lol
Next we did Dinosaurs Alive! Since I had a gold pass and he had a silver pass he only had to pay $2.50 so why not? I thought he was still $5 but hey I won't complain. It was a nice stroll after having lunch and wasn't terribly too hot so it was ok. I took lots of pictures that I'll probably never really look at again for awhile, but I'm sure my nephew who loves dinosaurs will have fun looking through them. I posted them all on Facebook so I'm sure my sister will let him look at them at some point. This is definitely a one and done attraction for us. It will be nice to see what they do with the area whenever it's time for their extinction (again).
Once everything was settled I went for a ride on Afterburn. I still rank this one pretty high on my list @ #4. The only Invert I've been on so far that beats this one is Montu. It's interesting to see the T-G still on the station after so many years since it was Top Gun. I guess they have a reason for everything they do. Either that or they just keep forgetting about it...lol
I hadn't done this since it was Scooby Doo themed on my last visit. I guess I should have as we passed by because this was the shortest line we saw among our visits to the park. When I did try to go back the line was just longer than I was wanting to wait.
Classics from my childhood. I skipped riding them but made sure to take a pic just in case this area ends up looking drastically different soon.
On to Thunder Road. My first "big boy" woody. I'm so glad I was able to make it before they "retire" it next month. Only the blue side was open however. Not sure what was going on with the other. I only heard someone injured themselves on the lapbar? Who knows with these rumors. They may have just been running one side since the park wasn't busy. At least I got one side. The ride definitely benefited from the refurbishment done. The rides that I got were the best I can ever remember. They were also quite smooth except the last hill before the brakes...which didn't bother me at all. I used to come off with a headache after a couple rides, but I could have ridden it over and over and been just fine. I'll miss you Thunder Road...if you indeed leave us....(yes I'm holding onto a little hope...I have that right. Until I see it come down I'll hold on....lol
We skipped Boomerang Bay. Once again I did get a pic of the entrance in case it becomes Soak City or whatever next year.
Next it was time to brave Windseeker...all while hoping I wouldn't be one that it decided to get stuck on....lol Fortunately it didn't and I enjoyed the ride. It's not overly intense or anything. It's pretty much an open-air Skytower that spins a bit faster. I would get on again. It was a nice way to cool off...once I got on.
I finished the day off at Fury 325. I had to save the best for last. Since the line wasn't very long I took a chance and asked for the back row and got it. It was like riding a complete different ride than the day before when I was in the middle. I really floated out of my seat the entire way down the first drop and had several pops of airtime throughout the course. I didn't even mind the trim which allowed an extra bit of airtime going over it. The helix was even more intense in the back. This ride made this my new # 1 coaster. This is something since I'm more an inversion kind of guy. If they would build something similar to this in FL (perhaps BGT) I would be a happy camper. SWO is getting Mako next year, but I don't think it will even come close...but a good step for us at least.
After leaving the park we freshened up and went over to my aunt's house in Tega Cay for a visit. She then joined us at one of my favorite restaurants in the area and currently the best fish camp still around IMO: Captain Steve's. They never fail to deliver on the food. I ordered the small popcorn shrimp meal and was only able to eat about half. He got the small combo plate of popcorn shrimp and salt & pepper catfish and only ate about half. This saved us a lunch eating out one day later in the week. I wish they could just pick up and move near where I live. There are a few places here that are ok, but FL really is more so known for more upscale type seafood...I'm more a down home fish camp kinda guy. Even my partner said it's better than the places we go where we live and he's born and raised where we live.
Wednesday, June 10th
We decided to slow things down a bit from amusement parks and just explore some other places I wanted to show him and some places he wanted to see too...lol We started with Manifest Disc on South Blvd. I spent many hours at that place when I lived in Charlotte and worked as a DJ...and for personal music too. He found quite a bit to add to his extensive collection. I wasn't really looking and still trying to play catch up from not getting enough sleep from all the excitement....plus I was hungry...lol
For lunch we stopped at one of the best local dive joints in the city: Zack's. I used to go here all the time when I lived here. I couldn't pass up getting a Zack's Special. Oh I can still taste it. He got the trout sandwich and was quite surprised at how good it was. If there were only more time in our trip we would have definitely gone back.
While we were taking a break from amusements...that didn't stop us from conquering Crowders Mountain after lunch. Oh my what an experience....one that we should have done first thing in the morning....lol While it wasn't tripple-digit hot, it would have definitely been easier before the afternoon heat and humidity set it. It was worth it once we reached the top. This was my first time making it to the top. I tried it about 15 years ago or so and only made it about a fourth of the way up before turning back. This time I was determined and we did it together. It took about an hour and 15 minutes to get to the top using the Backside Trail (shortest one at about .8 miles). It was only about 20 minutes coming down.
For dinner we treated ourselves to The Open Kitchen. I lived in Charlotte from birth to 2006 and never once had I stepped foot in this place. Such a shame...especially since I used to work right around the corner. I liked what I got (spaghetti with meat sauce). However the pizza my partner got? He didn't think much of it. He even said the pizza at Harmony Hall the day before was much better. I tasted it too and while it was ok...I wasn't impressed either. I would have thought an authentic Italian place...the one who introduced pizza to Charlotte...would have been better than that. I guess it depends on what you order.
Thursday, June 11th
This was the day we decided to go to Carowinds after lunch. In the morning we went to visit the cemetery where my maternal grandparents were buried. It had been over 10 years since I set foot in here and sort of knew where they were located. After about 2 hours of searching and eventually getting one of my aunts on the phone to help out we finally located it. It just happened to be right near where we parked the first time. We both literally walked past it more than once. I am a member of findagrave.com and the picture that was on there showed a vase so we were looking for one with a vase. I didn't realize they went inside the grave marker when no flowers were present. My aunt let me know that. Oh well at least we found it. I placed some new flowers and took pictures to share with family and add to the findagrave memorial online. We then went back to the room to eat our leftovers before heading to the park.
Always a welcome view coming down I-77S.
I decided to get some of the rides I had skipped earlier. First up was Woodstock Express. It's amazing that after 40 years this ride is still as thrilling as it is. The coaster that once scared the crap out of me when I was 5 is something I'd love to have in my backyard.
We were passing by Windseeker and guess what. It was stuck....lol It was only a short time because it was running again next time I looked over maybe 15 minutes later. I wonder if anyone contacted WSOC?
I was interested in seeing if the rebuilt section on Hurler made any difference from my last visit in '08. To my disappointment it really did nothing. After that turn it was a complete snoozefest. I just thought it looked slow on the webcam when watching from home. Now I know it wasn't just my eyes. There was no airtime what-so-ever after the first drop, I think I would have rather it beat me up like it used to back in the day. Tear It Down!
I finished off the day again with Fury 325. Having ridden in the back seat far right it once again confirmed it's placement as my new #1.
Here comes the bad news. I was going to ride one more time but something happened on the way down the exit stairs. There may have even been someone from here been there to see. I missed the last step coming down and sprained my ankle. Fortunately I was able to grad the railing so I didn't hit my head on the ground which would have been much worse. There was a nice guy and I'm assuming his sons with him saw what happened and stayed with me until first aid arrived. He had even went up to the platform to get me some ice while I was waiting. I called my partner to meet me at the exit and he starts taking pics...which I'm not sharing here...lol He made sure I was ok first of course. Once the EMT got there and they got me to first aid I rested and had ice on it for awhile until I was ok to walk around. After this I'm just not taking any more out of town trips in June. Last time I went on one was in June '08 and I sprained and tore the MCL in my right knee while in Williamsburg. June is my bad luck month. At least this one wasn't as bad...tho I still have a bit of pain in my foot from time to time, but it's feeling better day by day.
After that ordeal I obviously wasn't about to do anything with stairs so we went ahead and did our souvenir shopping before heading out. Before leaving the parking lot we went to the other end by Thunder Road and I was able to take several pics. I'm surprised security didn't bother us as I've heard they've been a bit more strict as of late. The only sign of security or police was a county sheriff car on the maintenance road riding along the maintenance road beside Thunder Road inside the fence. Anyway, here are some of those pics:
I was happy I was able to get this angle of Thunder Road before leaving.
After leaving Carowinds we freshened up at the NC Welcome Center and then I showed him several places I used to live and the schools I went to.
My High School: Garinger
My Jr. High School: Cochrane
My Elementary School: Devonshire (5th & 6th grade)
Dinner was at Joe Hooper's. Quite a nice surprise. The food and atmosphere was great. It's a place my partner found online and wanted to try so I gave in and was worth it. The homemade potato chips are excellent as an appetizer or side.
Friday, June 12th
This is the day we were supposed to go to Chimney Rock Park; one of my favorite places to go. However with my ankle/foot injury the day before this was just not an option. This was especially the case since the elevator there is out of service. I don't think I could have made that 499 stair climb up to the top of Chimney Rock and then back down. We both had been looking forward to this but stuff happens. I think we may just take another trip just to go there and drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Anyways, this allowed us to sleep in. Well I slept in and he decided to see if he could find his way through Charlotte...during the Friday morning rush hour. Of course he gets lost (sort of) and ends up back over by Carowinds when he thought he was near where we were staying near Matthews. He had been out and about for 3 hours and finally made his way back. I had came up with something for us to do so we headed out when he got back.
I decided to go to Monroe to a cemetery to locate my paternal grandfather, great grandparents and 2nd great grandparents. Since I wasn't close to my dad's side of the family I had no idea where their grave sites were...I only knew they were in this specific cemetery. After looking around a little bit I decided to call the cemetery office and they were able to help me. I went over to the office and they had the cards pulled for all the people with the last name I was looking for and provided a map and circled the plots for me. I appreciate them greatly for this. Once we found them we went and got some flowers so I could put something on them all.
It was a very emotional day since I didn't get to know them growing up. I had last seen my grandfather at Christmas in 1990, about 3 months before he died. Before that it had probably been since I was a baby. I didn't find out until afterwards because they didn't want to upset me as it was right before my birthday. This caused me to not really have any closure even though I didn't know him all that well. It was almost like I was attending his funeral when placing the flowers on my grandfather's grave. It takes a lot for me to shed tears, and did they ever flow. At least I now have some closure and can perhaps move on a bit. I was also able to place flowers on my great grandparents and 2nd great grandparents graves. Even though I had found them on findagrave some years ago (and now manage their memorials), it's like I have a sense of who and where I came from on my dad's side of the family. It's also a shame that they were this close to where I lived when I was in Charlotte. I could go on, but might need group therapy if I do....lol I'm working on it. I'll eventually contact my dad when the time is right. It's just been so much over the last 10 years or so that have made that hard for me.
Ok now that therapy is over, we went to Jack In The Box for a late lunch. I really miss them. I used to go all the time when I lived in Charlotte, especially when they first arrived. There have been rumors of them coming to Gainesville...of course I hadn't seen anything come about yet.
From there we made another stop along the way to place flowers on my step-grandparents grave. It didn't take as long to find it as I was there more recently in 2010. We then went by the house they lived in which was down the road before heading back to the room to relax.
For dinner we went to the Landmark Diner. It was one of my usual late night spots back when I was working the club scene. Plus since it was featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives my partner had to eat there. He was a bit jealous when he saw I went there on my visit in 2010 when me and my brother ate here one evening. I explained I had been eating here years before Guy Fieri was ever heard of....lol
Saturday, June 13th
Saturday was a bit more laid back. We went to the Two On Earth Bakery in Pineville. They have excellent baked goods and a nice cafe lunch menu. I suggest the peanut butter brownie...it's awesome.
Then we went to the Barnyard Flea Market at the state line. I found a few things. It's not as big as some that we go to, but it's a lot easier to navigate. We also went to the Stateline ABC Beverage Company next door and got a few things for later on.
For lunch we went to Culver's. Of course we had passed by several times while going to and from Carowinds. I had also heard about it from family so we decided to give it a try. It was better than most other fast food places. The menu had a lot more variety than others as well. It's hard to find something fast food we both can enjoy...from the same place since he's a pescetarian and all...he needs to go back to red meat or something...lol
From there we went to the Airport Overlook to see some planes land/take off. My family used to go by here all the time when we'd have dinner at the fish camps along the Catawba River.
For dinner we decided to go back to Pinky's Westside Grill again. It was so good the first time, we had to have it again. This time a good friend of mine of almost 20 years joined us. I hadn't seen him since I moved from Charlotte almost 10 years ago. It was great to see him and we even went to one of the clubs afterwards that I used to work at.
Sunday, June 14th
After a late night out at the club we definitely slept in. This was our last full day in town and pretty much just started packing, shopping, had lunch. met with some other great lifelong friends I hadn't seen since I moved and then dinner.
Lunch was Pizza Spiga. I used to go here all the time when I lived off Idewild Rd. It was about the same as I remember. Decent buffet, and nice size menu as well.
For dinner we went back to the Landmark after visiting friends.
Monday, June 15th
After we checked out I couldn't leave the city without getting hoagie from my favorite local spot: The Steak 'N Hoagie Shop. It was as good as I remember. I only got the 7" hoagie since it was about 11 and I knew we were stopping somewhere else later for lunch. Then we stopped at Pinky's Westside Grill yet again this time to get some Tshirts. My partner got a to go meal. I might add the fried pickles are to die for and wish we had tried them sooner.
Our last stop for food on the way back was at Fazoli's in Columbia. If you're not familiar with them, they are a fast food Italian place. They have excellent spaghetti, fettuccine alfredo and the pizza isn't too bad either. If you dine in you get unlimited breadsticks. We always try and stop at one when we pass one in our travels. The one that was in Gainesville closed back in 2009 so the closest one to us is now in Valgosta, GA. They need to come back.
After this we stayed the night in the Savannah area while visiting my parents and siblings. We finally came home the following evening. While I enjoyed visiting the city of my birth, going to Carowinds and visiting old friends, it was really good to be home to sleep in our own bed.
Hopefully this trip wasn't too long winded. I could probably write a book on our adventures we had on our trip...with plenty that I left out.
COASTER COUNT: 130
Top 10:
Top 10:
