ThrillRide! Special Features

What do you call these trained-growth covered walkway jobbies? Anyway, whatever they are, I like them a lot.

"The Crystal Pistol," I think this has been at the park since opening day, right? Those banners... oh, well.

Here's one of the bolder reminders that there are still themed zones at this park. But, yeah, I mean, really, Superman: Ultimate Flight is in the "Cotton States Section," and Georgia Cyclone is in the "British Section." I guess you could argue that Georgia was one of the original British colonies, so fine, but I'm almost positive that cotton does not play a major role in the Superman mythology. It's not even in any clothing Superman wears; that's all Kryptonian space-polyester or something, right? And even if Clark Kent wears 100% cotton shirts, or socks, or briefs, that's too much of a stretch for me. Let's move on, shall we?

I did not manage to get one decent shot of the Dahlonega Mine Train, but we did ride it and it was okay. I do like the way "Dahlonega" rolls off the tongue.

There's Georgia Cyclone behind the train, and that's the only photo I took of that woodie, so I'll say a few words about it here: the retracked first drop, and first turn? Great! The last time I rode this coaster, it may have been in 1999 or 2000, yikes, anyway, it RULED back then, the whole deal. Well, last August, the split-second you were past the retracking, things went all to hell. Has more retracking been done over this past winter? I hope so.

That said, during the Water Challenge, Georgia Cyclone's violent turbulence totally worked. For the uninitiated: The Water Challenge is now a semi-regular feature of Theme Park Review Bashes, wherein participants are given plastic 8 oz. cups filled with water and are tasked with riding a roller coaster and spilling as little of the water as possible. As you can imagine, on a silky smooth roller coaster, this would be, at best, a bit difficult. On a bone-shattering wooden coaster, abject failure is all but guaranteed.

Beer (good beer, too, I wish I could remember the brand) was served during the Bash dinner, so we were in the right frame of mind (read: a little stupid) for this sort of tomfoolery. Wow, was it fun. I think my first run, one good jolt made my hands pancake together, completely crushing the cup and soaking my entire upper body. The Deep South Bash Water Challenge turned what might have been a really unpleasant experience into some of the funnest, most memorable coaster rides I've ever had. Can't wait to do another one.

Morning ERT included SFOG's 2011 addition, the Dare Devil Dive Coaster, my second Gerstlauer Eurofighter. I guess it was a foregone conclusion that there would be a Dippin' Dots stand here. Darn diggity, dawg.

After riding Dollywood's Mystery Mine just a couple of days prior, this was bound to be a little underwhelming, but it was still a fast, smooth and very enjoyable ride.