Summer

As summer draws to a close, I’m remembering what I did over the past 3 months.

Basically it was an amusement park summer.

In June my son & I (along with 2 close friends) went to Sandusky, OH to visit Cedar Point. This is our 4th annual trip there. Had a blast as always. It was during Coastermania, so we had exclusive ride time on several rides. Coastermania was our first enthusiast event, and will not be our last.

The morning started at 5:30 AM. We bought our tickets and went inside. Everyone was stopped in front of the carousel where a short speech was given before the chains were lifted and we were let in. The bulls started running.

The only really bummers were I was bumped from Millennium Force and couldn’t fit in the Top Thrill test seat. I have been on M-Force before but according to my son, they changed the seating/restraints (that and I’ve probably put on a few pounds since then).

Best rides: Raptor and Magnum-XL. The rides on Magnum at night were insane! The trim was off and the return section was completely out of control, seriously so much fun. At this point I had been up for many hours after a hard workweek of early mornings. We all crashed hard once we got back from the park. The park is always terrific.

In July my son & I (along with 4 friends) went to Atlanta, GA to celebrate my friend’s daughter’s 16th birthday. Her present from us was a day at Six Flags Over Georgia.

Best rides there: Superman Ultimate Flight, Batman, Georgia Cyclone, and a really great woody, The Great American Scream machine. The only disappointment was the one ride we really wanted to catch, Mindbender was closed that day. Ah well, that gives us an excuse for next summer. All in all – a great visit and day at the park.

2 weeks ago, my wife (YEAH!) and son went to Muskegon, MI to visit Michigan’s Adventure. We had a delightful time. Best rides were Shivering Timbers, Wolverine Wildcat and a wonderful water ride, Funnel of Fear. It was great to have the Mrs. with me as I’ve been mainly traveling with my son & friends.

Of course, I cannot forget our home park, Six Flags Great America. I’ve been there at least ½ dozen times, most recently this past Sunday. For most of those visits, I had the whole family there (wife, son, daughters & their husbands, granddaughter) so that makes it extra enjoyable.

As for the rest of my summer, when I wasn’t working, I spent it in the swimming pool.

No complaints from me – everybody is well and life is good.

Random thought: For my current listening, lately it’s been Frank Zappa. Over the summer, I picked up Joe’s Garage, Läther, Sheik Yerbouti & Zappa in New York. I had the fortune of seeing him live twice in the early 80’s but before this I had only 3 Zappa CD’s.

I think he was one of the most accomplished composers of the rock era. But Zappa was also a satirist whose reserves of contempt seemed bottomless and whose wicked sense of humor and silliness have delighted numerous fans, even when his lyrics crossed over the broadest boundaries of taste.

The Zappa band on In New York was one of the bandleader’s most proficient, which it had to be to play the given material.

Social spoofs, leering sexual preoccupations, and tight, harmonious songs dominate Sheik Yerbouti.

On Joe’s Garage, Zappa continued his fascination with road stories, cultural stereotypes and toilet activities.

I guess I just really enjoy the Zappa bag of tricks: experimentation, elaborate jazz-rock, straight hard rock, orchestral composition, and comedy.

Well that’s it for now. More to follow.

Out…

-B-