My girlfriend, Susan, and I were really excited about this trip. It would include
many, many firsts for both of us. Our first time in Alabama. Susan's first Six
Flags park. My first trip to SFOG. My first event as a representative of ACE.
My first meeting with several respected RRCers. Our first Batman. My first
lesson in "alternative" coaster clubs. Experiences o'plenty in Dixie.
Starting with the heat. Sweet Jesus!!! Now we *knew* it would be hot but we
just weren't prepared at all for the sauna that IS the South! It's equatorial!!!
Mother of God, I felt like a wrestler trying to "make weight." In a way it felt
good to just sweat away without worry, but poor Susan kept whispering "Is it
just me? I think I'm grossing everyone out here." I assured her that only Todd
had commented on her offensive smell and she shouldn't be so self conscious.
Black people. There are SOOOOOO many black people!!! I still can't believe
it! It was an absolutely AMAZING sight to see black people everywhere. You
have to understand, coming from Minnesota, where nearly everyone is
Scandinavian - where the entire African American population is only .02%,
this is just a major shock. Did it scare me? No, not at all, which is kind of
surprising but definitely a good thing.
Waffle House. I had been hearing about Waffle House since I joined this
newsgroup and I really wanted to eat there. Well, we passed our first Waffle
House shortly after leaving the airport, but we missed the exit. "Gee, I hope
there's another one along the.... oh wait, there's one." I put my blinkers on
and tried to get into the exit lane, but some car from about a mile away
apparently LIM launched itself to within inches of my rental car and managed
to force me back into the other lane and miss my exit. Geez, people drive fast
here! This would not be my last experience with LIM launched automobiles in
Atlanta.
Waffle House here, Waffle House there. My fears about missing that exit were
quickly subdued when it became obvious that a Waffle House is attached to
every single dwelling in the South. We ate at a Waffle House just off I-20 (you
know the one!) and I had pork chops and hash browns- "TRASHED!!!," as our
waitress shouted at the top of her lungs to the cook standing an arms length
away. Our dining experience included a window seat with a lovely view of
another Waffle House across the street.
We got into Birmingham at..... three..... o..... clock. Actually we stayed in
Pelham, which is about 15 miles southeast of Bessemer. The Travelodge in
Pelham *looks* gorgeous from the outside!!! But once inside it became
obvious this place was infested with cooties. The carpet, from the lobby to
and inside our room, had clearly never seen a vacuum sweeper. Now I don't
like to dwell on things negative so let's just say this about the Travelodge in
Pelham: the only time our feet were bare was in the shower where we stood
ankle deep in water and drain clogged hair.
After three admittedly good hours of sleep we got up at 6:00 a.m. and slowly
found our way to Visionland! This was the day I've been waiting for. The park
is not located nor visible from the highway, and the drive down Visionland
Pkwy is kind of neat, with tall timbers bordering the road. We didn't get there
until 7:45 and I was really nervous since this was my first time participating as
an ACE member. In the parking lot I said to Susan "I'm really scared." "Why?"
she said. "I don't know, all of a sudden I don't feel like myself. I
feel..... scared, kind of shy." "Oh brother Mark, you'll be fine."
We walked to the front of the gate and before we even got to the ACE
entourage a very pleasant looking woman marched up to us and said
something like "You're here!" Her name was Debby Kidd, an ACEer, and she
immediately got us checked in and gave us our badges, chatting away the
whole time. She quickly rattled off the morning's itinerary and gave us some
other information which I couldn't process because inside I was a little bit
freaked out. Oh my God, I don't know ANYBODY here!!! What are we
doing??? These people all know each other! I don't know JACK about roller
coasters!!! They're gonna think we're idiots!!
Debby stood next to us the whole time, still chatting away, when a very pretty
woman came up and started talking. "HI!!! MY NAME IS KIM MORGAN,
WELCOME TO ALABAMA!!!" "Oh. Hi, it's nice to meet you, (oh my god I
don't know anything, please don't ask me about brake systems or physics),
my name is Mark and this is ah, Susan.... um... Barth." "WELL HI, HOW
Y'ALL DOIN'?"
Whew. Wow, these people are friendly. What's the matter with me? I wasn't
at all nervous when I went to WOF during FMM and met Cindy Stout and
Shawn McLaughlin. Well, thank God these people are so nice. I just need to
relax. What I want to know is how that Debby person knew who we were
before we even got to the group?
Mark Fluharty introduced himself. Really nice guy. Sam Marks walks up and
starts talking. Oh my God, this is Sam Marks! The guy who always yells at
people for being critical is really a nice and funny guy! Someone passed out a
bag of Visionland Opening Day buttons. Another nice lady from Alabama with
red hair spoke to us. I'm starting to relax. A guy with a beard walks up and
says something funny to me, this has to be....TODD LONG! We shake hands
and give each other a friendly hug. Another guy right behind him is smiling.
ROBERT ULRICH! He steps back, extends his hand and says "This is
Alabama for God's sake!" Okay, now I'm laughing, these guys are cool.
Somebody, either Mark or Debby, announces that Visionland is picking up our
admission tickets for the day!! All right!! I'm looking around and noticing wow,
this is really cool, we're here on a park's opening day, everyone's really nice,
and the park is paying our admission. We enter the gates and within minutes
we meet Mayor Larry Langford. From what I understand he's the man who's
"vision" started it all, hence the park's name. And I don't think he's even the
mayor of Birmingham or even Bessemer, but some other town that didn't even
get the park. I don't know what the circumstances are surrounding the
evolution of this park, but it's obvious that credit's being given where credit is
due. Just inside the park's entrance there's a very beautiful frieze of the mayor
walking with two kids, and bricks with inscriptions of I would guess financial
contributors. It's a very fitting tribute and to me the sculpture seems very
emotional. Anyway, Larry addresses our group and tells us he's glad we're
here, and you can just instantly tell that this is a VERY nice man. Later on I'll
see him high five and hug one of the park managers and I'll feel very glad to be
a part of this special day, in more ways than one.
We start our walkback early! We were supposed to stay at the front gate until
the opening ceremonies, but somebody decides to let us ride early. Along the
way I get to meet Judy Curtis!! She's the other person, along with Mark
Fluharty, who helped organize ACE's participation in this event. The walkback
is very cool and I am really starting to love this. Todd Long chatters away the
whole time and invites us to PPPP at Knoebels.
Meanwhile Rampage sits
majestically atop a hill overlooking the entire park. It is an absolutely beautiful
roller coaster, and Visionland and CCI have preserved the surrounding
forestland so that it's impossible to see the entire ride. We pause for a group
photo at the base of Rampage, and everybody raises their arms. I can't
believe I'm finally a part of this. This entire group of about 30 ACEers is just so
relaxed and friendly.
We get up to the station and wait, but get called back to the front gates. The
park wants us to participate in the opening ceremonies. Well, I for one am
really happy! I really wanted to see it and videotape it and be a *part* of it, not
some weird separate offshoot. It's appropriate that we take part in the
ceremony. Plus we got a sneak peek at the coaster!
The ceremony was really nice. We were standing just inside the park's
entrance on either side of the Larry Langford frieze. Kaylyn Chapman-Roller, a
former Miss Alabama and now the park's PR manager, was outside the gates
and introduced each speaker, including the current Miss Alabama (the South
is so into pageants and traditional things like that), actor Robert Townsend
and, of course, Mayor Larry Langford who seems to be adored by the crowd.
They cut the ribbon, a band with dancers starts playing (they don't dance like
that in Minnesota I can tell you right now!) and we follow right behind the band
down the park's Main Street. It's a VERY nice, formal entrance to the park,
with brick buildings that mostly contain shops. One of them, though, is an
outstanding arcade that we went into later in the day. At the far end of Main
Street is the park's carousel which bookends the entrance nicely. Wrapping
around one side of the carousel is yet another frieze, this one incredibly
beautiful and a sure photo op for anyone who visits the park. It also provides
the most complete view of Rampage, which looks majestic from any point in
the park.
The band veered off one way and we went to ride the coaster. There were a
few more ACEers than seats available on the first train, so Susan and I
decided to hang back with Todd and Robert, who chose the last seat. We
would be in the next to last. After the first train was loaded Mayor Larry told
everyone that he was very glad we were here, and that we had made his day.
Someone on the train yelled out "No, Larry, you made OUR day!" And they
were right. Off they went. All of a sudden people start coming up the exit
ramp to ride. Oh no! The next train makes its way into station. Finally, here
we go! Suddenly, Miss Alabama, who came up the exit ramp, makes her way
to the back of the train and takes the seat that was supposed to go to Todd
and Robert. I hate Miss Alabama!! I'd like to take that crown and plant it
upside down!!! I watch helplessly as the train is loaded with enemies from the
exit ramp. Off they go, cheering and clapping and everyone one of them gives
me and Susan and Todd and Robert the finger. Even Miss Alabama. In
comes the first train, the ACEers train. One of the park managers (or maybe
he's the mayor of Bessemer, I don't really know and I don't really care
because what he's about to say will make me swear never to vote for him
should I ever move to Alabama) announces that, courtesy of Larry Langford,
they all get to go again! Cheers, hoots and hollers and chants of "La-rry,
La-rry." And once again as the train leaves the station every one of them turns
and gives us the finger. I hate ACEers.
Finally Miss Alabama pulls into the station, all aglow. GET OUT OF HERE!!! I
think Robert Townsend rode in this train, too, but I didn't get to see him.
Anyway, after they exit, Mayor Larry escorts what would normally be
considered a very cute little girl into the back seat. But the second she parks
it into that back seat she suddenly becomes The Bad Seed. Todd and Robert
are very nice and point out that they didn't get to ride with the other ACEers.
Mayor Larry tells her to move up one seat, my seat. And he gives me the
finger while doing it. Todd and Robert say "They're with us, they came all the
way from Minnesota to be here." And Mayor Larry stands up, looks at all four
of us and says "You know what? I'm glad you're here!" He takes The Bad
Seed and moves her up again. The pearly gates open and we finally settle in
for our first ride on Rampage. I turn around and everyone waiting in the station
gives us the finger.
As we leave the station we're cheering and clapping, Susan is pumping her
fists and yelling, and I am already screaming. This is the coaster I have most
looked forward to riding all year and now we're going up the lift hill. It's a
SLOW lift, really giving you some time to think about what's in store! I loved
it!
You turn to the left and suddenly the entire park is laid out before you.
Then AAAAAAAAAAH!! down the first drop under a head chopper beam and
up and over the second hill that gives you your first bit of airtime. Back up and
around a banked turn that pulls a good lateral but also kind of fakes you out for
what's to come. You think you're getting a nice smooth twister ride. Un-unh.
Up and over two more hills and then BAM!!! you get absolutely *slammed* into
an unbanked turn which turn which takes you by surprise and begins part two
of this Jekyll and Hyke ride.
After the turn you get *thrown* out of your seat on
the next drop, no more floaters tonight folks, over another hill, then into another
lateral which is even more violent than the one before, the kind that never fails
to make me scream "AAAAAAA!!!! OH MY GOOOOOOOD!!!"
Robert pointed out that
you can still hear the underwheels spinning long after the ride has stopped.
Finally, after the other train has left the station you leave the break run and are
given a wonderful "Thank you for riding Rampage, here's a lovely parting gift"
turn and SWOOP DOWN to the right, go up and a very sharp drop back into
the station.
I absolutely LOVED this ride, and the more I rode it the more I LOVED IT. It
wasn't at all what I expected. I didn't expect a ride with a split personality.
But I do love a good fake out, and this ride has it. At night it became
increasingly hard to keep my hands in the air if I sat on the wrong side. For
me the back is best- I was PUNCHED and LAUNCHED from the back, but
really, any seat is fantastic. And the difference in rides between day and night
is amazing. DO NOT LEAVE THIS PARK BEFORE DARK!!!
Visionland is off to such a great start! There's lots of cool flat rides, including a
Ferris Wheel with tubs that spin! You control your spinning by turning the pole in the middle.
This is a great ride! You're spinning while going up 100 ft. in the air! This is one of the tallest ferris wheels I've seen. Unfortunately, the log ride is very short both in height and duration and is probably the weakest of the park's rides. The Visionland ride
ops, on the other hand, were most impressive. They were very very nice, well-trained, no attitudes, and the Rampage ride ops
in particular were AWESOME!!! Talk about getting you PUMPED UP!! Every
employee at Visionland was polite and genuinely happy to help. The water park is
cool, and I love the name Steel Waters! One thing I really appreciate about
this park is the respect they paid to the area's heritage. It's very visible in the
design of the park, and I like that.
I also liked the park's affordability! The
admission price is a reasonable $21, and the food and merchandise are very
sensible for attracting families. I had a barbecue pork sandwich, fries,
coleslaw, baked beans and a large Diet (shut up!) Coke - total price five
dollars. I ALSO had the park's signature food item, THE BIG DOG. Five point
thirty three ounces of pure beef hot dog smothered with mustard, ketchup,
onions and relish. Susan got it on videotape and Robert razzed me about it
that night and the next day. All I can say is it was ONE TASTY DOG! I also
bought a great Rampage t-shirt for $15 that has a hint of a menacing looking
beast overlooking the roller coaster, and a nice bronze paper weight.
We met a lot of people. Some of them I didn't even get their names. One man
just tapped me on the shoulder, asked me where I was from, said he was an
ACEer from Alabama and was glad I was here. Chris (Psyclone70) and his
Mom were very fun, and Judy Curtis' husband Mike, was great. He walked us
to their car and gave us a Birmingham paper that had all kinds of great
VL/Rampage articles in it. I'm glad I got to say goodbye to Judy and Mike and
Mark and Debby, because I really appreciated being not just included but
made to FEEL included.
We spent the day with Todd and Billy Long, Todd's nephew Matthew, and
Robert and Sam Ulrich. Now Todd and Robert - these guys are just fantastic.
They can talk to you like they've known you for years and treat you like a
friend. They were funny. They were also incredibly nice to Susan, who they'd
never even communicated with in any way before - that impressed me a lot.
But the thing I enjoyed the most was watching their boys. If I'm ever lucky
enough to have two little boys I would want them to be just like Sam and Billy.
They're the cutest, sweetest, most well-mannered boys I've ever seen - and
they absolutely LOVE roller coasters! Watching Billy high five the ride op as
he left the station was just too cute for words, and so was listening to Todd tell
Billy "Now Billy, make sure you say something nice to these people about the
roller coaster because they were nice enough to pay for our tickets, okay, so if
you hit your head or you think it's too rough just be nice and say it was fun."
And Sam was so much fun to be with all the next day at SFOG I just want to
take him home and make him a big peanut butter and jelly hard salami and
American cheese barbecue sauce and bread and butter pickle sandwich. It's a
proud reflection on their parents that these kids are so cool.
The last thing I want to say, to everyone, is thank you. I started out the day
scared stiff and ended it just being stiff. I will always remember this day
fondly.
Mark McKenzie
Then there's just a little pull out from that turn and then..... THE BIG DROP, the one that
VAULTS you from your chair and threatens to take your head off from the
beam overhead. You barely have enough time to get back into your seat when
you are THROWN into the finale, which tosses you this way and that and
makes you go OOOOOF!!!!! Then down one more drop and up into the brake
run, which sits a good two stories above the station!
Member, ACE
RunawayMT
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Email: MarkinArk@earthlink.net
