- August 25th, 2005, 6:50 pm
#14162
Carowinds Trip Report August 25, 2005
I arrived at the park around 10:15 this morning and was handed a flyer by the parking attendant that listed the attractions that would be closed today. But the rides I wanted to ride were all going to be open, so all was well.
I started out riding the Borg, just walked up and got on. Then I went and rode Top Gun twice in a row, got off there and headed to Thunder Road. I entered the station around 10:45. Little did I know that I wouldn't be leaving for the next 4 hours.
Well, nobody was in line and only the forward side was running, so I hopped in the front seat of the train and had it all to myself. The train I mean. I was the only person on the train. It made me feel like the park was closed to everyone but me, and I could ride any ride at my leisure. So after about five rides in a row on Thunder Road, I inquired about the consecutive rides record. The young lady serving as ride operator came over the loudspeaker and said that this season someone had ridden 33 consecutive times. With the low number of people in the park today (1850 last count I heard), I thought that there was a really good chance I could ride that many times without having to leave the train.
Off I went, with the temperature rising and the train flying faster and faster down the track, never having to get off the train except once when they had to do a safety check and send an empty train. If someone was in line for my seat, I would hop out and find an empty one somewhere on the same train. The ride operators were very nice and even challenged me to keep going. I met lots of nice folks during my marathon, and some even thought I was crazy. But everyone wished me luck.
After my 34th consecutive record breaking ride, the ride operators even brought me a cup of water so I would stay hydrated. Everyone in the station cheered me on. The number of rides kept climbing. The ride ops kept bringing me water as I watched park-goers exit the ride.
Now all this time I had tried to stay close to the front of the train, because in the last car the ride gets a little wild. But for my final and 50th consecutive ride, I hopped in the last row of the last car and up the lift hill I went. Being yanked over the top of the lift hill. Flying out of my seat over the first few hills. Then up to the turn around, only dive back down and travel through the camelbacks on the second half of the ride. The ride grew wilder over each hill. Finally through the cool and dark of the tunnel the train grinded to a halt on the brake run, then coasted into the station. I had done it! Fifty consecutive rides on Thunder Road, a Carowinds classic since 1976.
And that was that. My marathon had come to an end. I shook the hands of every ride operator and exited the station. Another excellent day in the park I'll never forget.
I want to thank all the ride operators that made this even possible. Doug, David, Aaron, and a few others (sorry I forgot your names).
So, does anyone know the all time record for most consecutive rides on Thunder Road? Does the park even keep track of this?
How cool would it be if the park printed me a certificate or something at least acknowledging that I rode Thunder Road 50 consecutive times?
I arrived at the park around 10:15 this morning and was handed a flyer by the parking attendant that listed the attractions that would be closed today. But the rides I wanted to ride were all going to be open, so all was well.
I started out riding the Borg, just walked up and got on. Then I went and rode Top Gun twice in a row, got off there and headed to Thunder Road. I entered the station around 10:45. Little did I know that I wouldn't be leaving for the next 4 hours.
Well, nobody was in line and only the forward side was running, so I hopped in the front seat of the train and had it all to myself. The train I mean. I was the only person on the train. It made me feel like the park was closed to everyone but me, and I could ride any ride at my leisure. So after about five rides in a row on Thunder Road, I inquired about the consecutive rides record. The young lady serving as ride operator came over the loudspeaker and said that this season someone had ridden 33 consecutive times. With the low number of people in the park today (1850 last count I heard), I thought that there was a really good chance I could ride that many times without having to leave the train.
Off I went, with the temperature rising and the train flying faster and faster down the track, never having to get off the train except once when they had to do a safety check and send an empty train. If someone was in line for my seat, I would hop out and find an empty one somewhere on the same train. The ride operators were very nice and even challenged me to keep going. I met lots of nice folks during my marathon, and some even thought I was crazy. But everyone wished me luck.
After my 34th consecutive record breaking ride, the ride operators even brought me a cup of water so I would stay hydrated. Everyone in the station cheered me on. The number of rides kept climbing. The ride ops kept bringing me water as I watched park-goers exit the ride.
Now all this time I had tried to stay close to the front of the train, because in the last car the ride gets a little wild. But for my final and 50th consecutive ride, I hopped in the last row of the last car and up the lift hill I went. Being yanked over the top of the lift hill. Flying out of my seat over the first few hills. Then up to the turn around, only dive back down and travel through the camelbacks on the second half of the ride. The ride grew wilder over each hill. Finally through the cool and dark of the tunnel the train grinded to a halt on the brake run, then coasted into the station. I had done it! Fifty consecutive rides on Thunder Road, a Carowinds classic since 1976.
And that was that. My marathon had come to an end. I shook the hands of every ride operator and exited the station. Another excellent day in the park I'll never forget.
I want to thank all the ride operators that made this even possible. Doug, David, Aaron, and a few others (sorry I forgot your names).
So, does anyone know the all time record for most consecutive rides on Thunder Road? Does the park even keep track of this?
How cool would it be if the park printed me a certificate or something at least acknowledging that I rode Thunder Road 50 consecutive times?
Fifty Consecutive Rides on Thunder Road
August 25, 2005
August 25, 2005