Nicole's Blogger Blog: Knoebels

So this year was my first year in years to not be playing with the band during opening weekend of Knoebels. So I went up anyway just to see all my friends and ride on the Phoenix.

I'm pretty sure the few who read this know I love roller coasters, and know that the Phoenix is my all time favorite wooden coaster. (Remember how many times I rode it during summer 05??)

Good food and hanging out with friends made this day really fun. I'm being lazy and making a repost but here is my Trip Report I posted in the Yahoo! Group Roller Coaster Talk.

I arrived right around noon, and met up with my two friends and we
went straight to the ticket booth/handstamp line. It was a little
crowded but a 2 for 1 deal couldn't be beat as the weather was
wonderful out. So we are now all equipped with our wrist braclets
and hand stamps so we go to Cesari's for our pizza.

Our first ride was on the haunted house and I must admit, haunted
houses creep me out but my favorite part is the skull room. Next
ride was my personal favorite, The Phoenix. I was a little
disappointed in the fact that they had the Yellow train running
instead of the orange train (because at least for me I get more air
time riding on the orange train). I must say The Phoenix gets better
every year. After The Phoenix we went to Gasoline Alley (The Antique
Cars) my one friend had never gone on them so we let her be
the "driver" and drive the rest of us around the track. It was a
nice relaxing ride, and I wish I could have gotten a picture of the
Phoenix going while on the Antique cars.

Next we walked past the construction of The Flying Turns. They look
like its going to be an interesting ride to say the least, but there
is a lot more work to be done then I thought there was. (I mean from
all I had heard from friends up there was there wasn't that much to
do, but from what I saw there is still a lot to be done.) Hopefully
they will be open later this summer and I can take another trip up
to Knoebels.

Then came The Twister. Again they only had one train running and
for the length of the ride I would have thought they would have had
two trains running. At some points the line for The Twister was
ridiculously long, but we waited and it was a half decent ride. I
got more air time then I had in previous years, and at some spots it
was rougher than usual. Hopefully it will get better as the season
progresses.

After The Twister we got in line to ride the Grand Carousel. I love
that ride. I love trying to grab the rings and feeling like I'm
going to fall off the horse. My friends and I decided to see who
could grab more rings, we ended in a tie.

Next was a little refreshing ride on the Pioneer Train. I like this
just for the simplicity of the ride and it's a break from doing all
the other bigger rides.

My friends and I parted ways after the train so I headed back to The
Phoenix for my second ride on the coaster. I sat in the front as I
try to sit in the front at least once. I got a little more air time
this time around but still not as much as I would have gotten if I
were on the Orange train.

I then walked over to visit Hattie and Henry the Bald Eagles, and
one was sitting on a makeshift nest and the other was splashing
around in the water.

I then went over to get my funnel cake, as I always get funnel cake
before watching the Jazz Band performance. I caught up with some
friends and we had a good time. While the Jazz Band was still
getting ready I snuck over to the Phoenix one last time to get a
final ride in before the end of the day. It was the shortest wait I
had for The Phoenix but it was still busier then I had seen around
that time of day in recent years on opening weekend.

After that I went back to watch the rest of the Jazz Band
performance and visit the rest of my friends who I didn't get to see
before the Jazz Band took the stage.

All in all it was a good day at Knoebels.