Day Zero - May 29th 2002 - Flight VS019 from Heathrow to San Francisco
Just a selection of photos to set the mood - the trip starts "proper" further
down!
... and we're off
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You see, we told you we'd put you on the web!
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We hit the town - God help it!
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No sooner had the plane landed then went to sea
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A bridge - apparently it's famous, The Golden something or other...
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The first rides of the trip weren't at Six Flags Marine World
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Steve Fagin and Viper letting it all hang out
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Day One - May 30th 2002 - Six Flags Marine World
Well, we're here. A quick report, it's late, both locally, and based on jet lag. In fact, based on jet lag, it's early!!!
Firstly, it's hot, very hot. Lots of red faces all ready - Tony Pycroft looks like a red panda bear! :>
Did a bit of SF (San Francisco, not Six Flags) on first night - hung off "cable car" (the trolley bus thing you see in all those films) - great fun. Took boat ride around bay and under bridge - also great fun. Did I mention hanging off "cabel car"?
Six Flags Marine World is a great park, with a coaster that has had me adjusting my favourite coaster list... Medusa is as you would expect from B&M, smooth, fast and fun. It seems ironic that it sits next to a Vekoma SLC (Kong)...
V2 won't be running for another week. If we were still in the area then, I'd change the schedule. It looks fantastic.
Had a great buffet lunch hosted by Joe Meck. I had heard lots about Mr. Meck - he managed both WBMW in Germany, and then in Madrid. All I had heard was correct, he is a *top* man, and one of the nicest people I have met in my "enthusiast travels". And to see him later operating the Rapids during the staff lunch hour was just incredible. I have never seen a park boss doing that. He has my complete and utter respect.
After lunch it was water ride take over time, and it appeared I was the only one who took a plastic cup with me - oh well. Everyone got wet, some more than others! :> Not that it is a problem here though.
For some reason they have life jackets on the water rides - and not for a joke! We, of course, had to make use of them, and I hope I can find a picture of us to put here...
More followed, before a great ERS on Roar. It is a stunningly good ride. Next to no airtime, but as fast as a rocket, and it never lets up. It really reminds me of the second half of the Texas Giant, which is good, but even more so. It's in my top 10 wooden coasters. The back seat is pure magic.
So there we go, full day one complete, and I'm exhausted, and burnt! See you tomorrow.
Well, a superb start to the trip in all respects - great weather, an excellent park with some
great rides - and the Giant Splash which served well keeping a few of us cool every
few hours!
Roar was great, Kong was rough. Having a great time. Medusa was fast, park was fun, brilliant weather.
Excellent park, Roar was very fast but I still enjoyed it. Good fun day out.
We had an official (!) ride takeover on the Zamperla kiddie-coaster Road Runner Express. This is really the most painful coaster I've ever been on and it's really small. Off course the rest of the park is heaven.
We rode Roar, it's alright. Highlight of the day was riding Cobra and Roadrunner. (ED: I think Derek may have heat stroke!)
Medusa and Roar - two diamonds in a unique Six-Flags-Park.
Nice Park for sure ... typical Six Flags Park. Great Rides , no theming. All-in-all a wonderful day out in the Californian sun.
Funniest moment. Everyone wearing life jackets on the giant splash.
Great trams in San Francisco
Medusa is a great, smooth ride. Roar was one of the best woodies I have ridden. Amazingly intense ride.
FOR THE DUTCH READERS:
Vandaag zaten we in SF Marine World. Dit is best een leuk park voor een SF park! Medusa is een zeer goede baan, maar Roar (de woodie) is echt extreem goed, non-stop actie! Morgen gaan we San Francisco in.
The Crazy Vikings: Medusa was amazing, a great start for this trip! Lots of twists and turns to kick it off! Roar was as good as its reputation. (Til Mona, hvis du leser dette: Kjaeresten din var vill og heftig, men ble kortere og korter for hver gang ;o) ) And for those who didn't know; the Crazy Vikings are: Eirik, Jonas, Torbjoern and Cecilie.
What a wonderful day at a great park, the staff were friendly which really added to the atmosphere. Medusa was nice and smooth but the real highlight was Roar which was absolutely amazing.......
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Chris and Claire McFarlane
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A nice day at a nice park, with some good coasters. Medusa was good especially at the front which for us seemed the only place where the floorless concept seemed to come into its own. As for Roar, it reminded us of the Texas Giant from 1995, which was a well paced coaster and great fun to ride.
The most fun I've had with my clothes on! Medusa: you beauty! Roar: you animal! Both coasters were the dogs... (fill in the blank)
Cheers John - missing you already
First ECC trip, great day, great coasters, great crowd!
What words can I use to describe Roar? Speed, twisted, airtime, laterals......Heaven!
What a way to start!!! Medusa and Roar are two amazing coasters in a park that was small enough not to be too taxing for our first day. Weather today seemed scorching although it's set to get much hotter. We could be in trouble! Very impressed to see the big boss of the park operating the rapids! Managed to upset some of the locals during a waterfight on the Monsoon Falls (Intamin Giant Splash)... that'll teach them to gatecrash our boat...
A fabulous start to the trip - a special thanks to Justin for giving us a solo first
ride on Medusa (well, it is our honeymoon!)
Great day, great weather, great park, great coasters - all overshadowed by Tony "Naomi Campbell" Pycroft's
debut as a poster boy...
Miss you Liz and Crystal. Medusa is a fantastic ride. Roar is high on my list of woodies. Park was very good for
Six Flags, otherwise all is fine. I enjoyed the park.
Weather unbelievably hot. Medusa ok. Roar out of this world. nice park. a great day.
An excellent start to the trip. Medusa and Roar lived up to expectations. Road Runner Express takeover was a great laugh - OUCH! Great weather!
Lovely park - Medusa and Roar definitely two superb coasters. Lovely weather!
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David Ellis and Susan Roberts
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A pretty park, hot weather. Medusa was excellent. Roar is a definite top five coaster. A lovely start to our holiday. San Francisco tomorrow!
Very impressed with SFMW, nice employees, fun animal shows. Roar and Medusa are better than their Eastern counterparts.
WOW: what a surprise to have such a fabulous first day at Six Flags Marine World! Thanks John for planning!
and now... the photos!
Us lot, plus Medusa = :-)
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The Medusa ERS gets underway
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... and seems to be going down well
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And off we go again
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Mark Riley and Terry Jarvis take the choice seats
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Kieth and Judy Turnbull having a Roaring time
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The Roar ERS took place in the evening on trains that were running with the speed set to
"insane"
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Roar - incredibly well received
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Stephen Knight, soaking, but in the 70+ degrees Fahrenheit heat, it didn't last long
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The park arranged this for their own picture, we took advantage
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The guy on the left is Joe Meck - not a ride operator, or a ride manager, but THE boss.
How many times have you seen a "boss" help out operating the rides?
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The boomerang was one of the better ones
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The latest fashion in Californian sunglasses
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No coaster was left unconquered, as David Ellis and Susan Roberts show
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The Zamperla Road Runner Express was out of bounds to those
without a kid in tow, but an impromptu ERS was organised for us.
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Those brave enough to face ridicule for riding Road Runner Express
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It's too complicated to explain, but basically, Mick Fryer-Kelsey,
Tony Pycroft, Chris Penn and Andrew Costin are making total arses of themselves
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