Jakfruit

ust when you thought Elitches had died...



PICTURES FIRST! http://picasaweb.google.com/Roozer/Elitches

Elitches is almost closed for the season... It's sad, but things like that tend to end. I enjoyed some visits more than others. Some visits a lot more than others. Some visits were rather disappointing. What? Oh... Closed for a private party. You mean I just got off the bus and now have to wait an hour to get back home!?! Other visits were just plain "dude-awesome." :-)

I don't know why I still enjoy it, but I do. Ok, so I'm crazy. What does that have to do with it?

Beck and I are kind of physics freaks, so here's a couple tips to make your ride more scary:

Hollywood and Vine: You can get your car spinning really fast. Ride by yourself, spread you weight out on the back of the car during fast spins and pull yourself to the center when the spin starts to slow up. If you can catch it right and get the rhythm, you'll come off not being able to walk straight. You can also let yourself out of this ride and totally confuse the operator by sitting on the right side of the car and pulling the lap bar towards yourself.

Chaos: If your a guy, you have a lot more body mass at your shoulders. Use this to your advantage and puzzle the crowd as you're almost flipping upside down when the ride stops.

Turn of the Century: Using your legs in conjunction with the undulating motion of the ride allows you to turn your swing almost completely backwards while everyone else looks on in amazement and the operator yells at you.

Tea Cups: Get sick. What more is there to say.

Spider: Go by yourself. By moving from one side of the car to the other, you can make yourself spin sick even when the ride is stopped.

Troika: I can't figure out anything rewarding enough to make it worth the effort.

Side Winder: All I can say is ride in the back. The operator tells you to "move up to the next available gate", but if you ask the line operator, they'll let you stand at the trash can and get the back car.

Mind Eraser: The front car is the only fun car anymore.

Bat Wing: It actually goes pretty high and if you think about it enough, you can make yourself scared enough that it's fun.

Ghost Blasters: If you're like me, you like it for the effects. For everyone else, concentrate on shooting the targets. The props respond when you do so. Don't concentrate too much on shooting, though, or you'll miss the fun stuff.

Boomerang: Don't ride if you're over 5'3". Look out the side of all the loops if you start to black out.

Tower of Doom: Don't tighten your harness up all the way and lean forward when the operator comes by to check your harness. Next, when you get up to the top, hold your arms and legs straight out and you'll get off wobbly from the adrenalin rush.

Dragon Swing: Only go one of the ends. Let your arms float when necessary. (Let people go around you so you'll be at the front of the line.)

Half-Pipe: Really fun if you know how to ride it. A lot of people don't like it because they don't know the secrets. First, Make sure you do not tighten your harness all the way, especially if you're a guy. (Seriously... This is practical, not scare factor.) Second, always lean forward and keep your head outside the harness.) Now for the fun: Before you put your harness down, loosen the seat belt all the way and only lower the harness just far enough to buckle the seat belt. Lean forward pretty hard when the operator comes by or he'll tighten it up. (Not intentionally, just by checking the seat belt.) Next, As soon as the ride starts, put your hands and arms straight out. Feel like you're holding on by clamping the front harness with your arms and legs. This is a lot of work and makes you tired rather quickly, but the payoff is worth it. Once the ride is going high, you can loosen your "clamp" a bit and enjoy about four seconds of weightlessness on each end. It still scares me, so it's great fun.

Disaster Canyon: Too wet and not fun.

Shipwreck Falls: If it's hot, the sun is out, and you're wearing shorts, this is the perfect ride to remove a headache or cool off. You'll be mostly dry in 15-20 minutes. Sit in the middle. The front gets you too wet and the back soaks your shoes. Hold your feet off the floor on the way up the hill or else your shoes will get soaked. Once you're at the top, put your feet under your seat. Sit up straight with your eyes open to see the big wall of water. You won't get wet till the wall starts to fall. Once it falls, lean over to keep the front of your shirt dry. Once on the other side of the bridge, you're fine. Wait one splash before you exit the loading area or you'll get soaked on the bridge. (Unless you run, but a lot of people don't realize it until it's too late.)

Shake Rattle 'n Roll: Not very fun, in my opinion. Make sure you have nothing in your pockets and your shirt tucked in.

Thunderbolt: Ride by yourself. Sit cross-legged in the middle of the car and hold onto the sides of the car. Use lots of effort and swing the car back and forth as you go over the hills. You'll feel kind of powerless most of the time because the cars seem to oscillate at a 1/3 harmonic of the hills. I.E. Keep rocking and every third hill or so, you'll be able to swing your car WAY out. So far, in fact, that it's beyond horizontal and hits the steal frame. The operator will watch you but won't yell at you.

Twister II: Simple... Sit in the back for maximum thrill and keep your hands up the whole time. Believe it or not, you won't ever hit them no matter how high you stretch. The front is fun, too because you can see a whole lot more. If it's close to closing time, sit in an undesirable seat because, depending on how crowded it is, you might get to go again and again if you ask the operator.