Quassy & Lake Compounce

[Edwardo]

I slept better Saturday nite than I had on Friday. Not sure about Matt, I was having allergy/sinus issues, so I snored pretty badly. On Sunday morning we got up and headed out, leaving our room at La Quinta behind. Our first stop of the day was Dunkin Doughnuts for breakfast. What is up with New England? They don’t keep chocolate cream filled doughnuts all year round, they’re only seasonal. Whatever.

Breakfast was still good, though, even if I settled for Bavarian cream. Matt learned not to call the cashier a Yankee, even if she tried to take his $10. Then it was thru the back roads of Connecticut and off to Quassy. We arrived at the park after 11am and families were already pouring in. My first thought was that it reminded me of a nicer Camden park. Walking around, though, it reminded me more of a smaller Beech Bend.

We walked over by the Mad Mouse but decided to walk around so I could take some pictures first. The park was very nice, and we walked all around snapping pictures. I was going to ride the kiddie credit, but ended up skipping it. One thing I liked was that they had a ticket machine back by the carousel, so we got 2 tickets and headed back towards the coaster. This will be its last year here, so it was our chance to check a rare ride out.

Mad Mouse-I wish Matt and I could have rode it separately, but oh well. The car was uncomfortable, but the ride was fun. The first drop after the mouse section was a ton of fun, and going around the tight turns was rather scary (the ride shakes). I honestly was hoping the car wouldn’t derail because of our weight. Overall, though, it would have been a great ride if I’d been in a car by myself.

We walked around and did some more photos before heading out. Quassy is a nice park, and I really hope they have a hit with their new wooden coaster for next year. Matt keeps calling it the Quassy Comet, and I think that’s a great name. Hopefully they’ll put a nice light package on it as well. And maybe next year I’ll get back up there to try it out. We got some construction photos as we were leaving.

Next up on the trip was a stop by (World Famous) Ted’s Restaurant, a hamburger joint (one of many) that steams the burger. I was excited to try it. We met up with Kyle & Jenna for lunch (they treated us, thanks again folks!). The burger was very good, and we had a nice lunch and a chance to sit and talk for a while.

Lake Compounce wasn’t very far away. Joe & Steph had called Matt and said they’d meet us there for some Boulder Dash rides. I was excited because the park looked great in pictures. Little did I know I’d have a chance to see ESPN while I was there! And we saw some odd looking tall building where they test elevators. Double score (and Foursquare now has a check in by me at ESPN to boot!).

We got to the park and it looked packed. Once we got in, though, the crowds were fairly dispersed throughout the park. I had packed my swimming trunks yet again, but it was just too cool to go to the water park. We walked around the park and headed straight to the reason both of us were there, a new credit for me, and one of Matt’s favorite coasters…

Boulder Dash (#230): The line was about a 30 minute wait, and I must stop here and say that this line had people line hopping each time I was in it. I was kind of caught off guard each time (I didn’t think it would actually happen as much as it did) or I would have stopped it. Anywho, I loved that the lift went thru the trees up the hill. We rode in the back and there is some great airtime on that first drop. Then the next hill. Then the next hill, too! The turn around near the sky ride was filled with laterals, and then it’s just all out airtime madness on each hill as you hop and jump back to the station. Boulder Dash was a lot of fun, and I’m glad I finally got a shot at it. Matt said it was running at about an 8/10, so that’s good enough for me!

We headed to the sky ride next, which afforded me the opportunity to get some decent shots of the park and especially Boulder Dash. The sky ride was pretty awesome (best thrill in the park!) I got some pictures in between my hyperventilation (I’m so afraid of heights). It reminded me of the tram at Pipestem State Park in WV.

We headed down to the train afterwards and rode back over to the main section of the park, hitting up some pizza and taking a break from walking. Next Matt took me over to Wildcat for a ride.

Wildcat: It has a decent layout, and some nice hills, but it needs some work. If it ran as well as Boulder Dash, it would be a nice classic wooden coaster. My biggest issue was that I hit my knee on a metal box in the train going up a hill. Still, the first drop is fun, the turns were forceful, and there is definitely airtime to be had. It wasn’t the worst thing ever, but it wasn’t that great either.

We walked over to Zoomerang but the line was too long. We walked around to a few different spots for picture taking and eventually headed up to Boulder Dash’s entrance to wait for Joe and Steph. We ended up waiting for about 40 minutes before heading out to other parts of the park. In fact, we may have checked out the Zoomerang line after waiting. I do know we ended up riding the Rotor. I hadn’t been on one of those in years! It was tons of fun, with the floor dropping out and everything. I hate that Kings Dominion got rid of their Time Shaft, it was really great.

We headed back to Boulder Dash’s entrance, but no Steph or Joe, so we got in line. Eventually, once we were close, we saw them in line and they waited for us after the ride. Boulder Dash was even better than the first ride, which was nice.

I needed to get my Zoomerang credit, so we headed over to that line (after I stopped for some Birthday Cake Dip N Dots). Steph and Joe waited for us as Matt and I got a front seat ride.

Zoomerang: My 2nd new Boomerang in as many days. It’s a Boomerang. The drops are great, the inversions a little more intense than I like, and I come off all disoriented. That’s about it. Oh, but this one has pretty trains.

We headed up to the park’s S&S swings, Thunder And Lightning, where we waited for a quick ride. I love those rides, even if they’re ugly. They’re a lot of fun. After we rode we headed over to Downtime, the park’s S&S drop tower. This one seemed to hold you at the top longer. I was nervous, but I’m still getting a little better at these types of rides. As we were in line, some weird guy who kept riding over and over gave someone in line with a kid some grief over the Red Sox shirt the guy in line was wearing. Drama ensued and a manager had to come over. The creepy guy on the ride wasn’t all there mentally, I don’t think, and Matt said he’s always at the park.

So we headed back to Boulder Dash for a mostly dark ride. That first drop was still insane and the airtime coming back was great. Joe and Steph had an interesting on ride photo as well. We hurried around to the front of the queue to ride again, but they had just closed it. Oh well…

I wanted to ride the dark ride, but the line was always really long. Lake Compounce has a great selection of rides, and I wish I lived closer (or at least that the park was closer to me). The gang took a spin on the Wave Swinger while I sat out. I wish I had known that they had one of the bouncing tower rides that Beech Bend has, but it was too late to ride it at this point.

We headed out and talked to some other enthusiasts Matt and Joe knew. The park is really very pretty at nite, esp. in the front where it’s all lit up. And I love the tunnel lights going into the park. We headed to the truck and met up with Joe and Steph at a nearby BK where I proclaimed myself King. Matt still has the crown, too. The drive to Jersey was long, but we went thru NYC and I went over the GW Bridge. Sadly, it was not lit up like it usually is (Do they turn the lights off late at nite? We went over it around 11pm).

We arrived at the Crowne Plaza near Six Flags Great Adventure a little after midnight. Thankfully there was a sofa bed for me, as the room only had a king sized bed. I slept like a baby. Which was bad for poor Matt, since I’m sure I snored like crazy.

[Edwardo]

101_0887 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

Ghetto slide looked fun, but we didnt' ride it.


101_0890 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

Yay Quassy!


101_0889 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

This thing looked SICK.


101_0895 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

Unfortunately, it requires 2 people per car, and you sit like this.  Have you seen me?  And my friend Matt is actually taller and just as broad as I am.

Yeah, it was uncomfortable (and a bit scary).


101_0896 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

I almost peed a little on this turn.


101_0898 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

This looked fun.  Next year when I come back for the woody, I'll spend more time here and ride it.


101_0904 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

They had a nice Carousel.


101_0906 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

"Unlike MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, we guarantee our tigers will not attack, or your money back."


101_0909 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

It looked really fun, but I didn't want to ride with a bunch of kids.


101_0912 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

The lake Quassy is on was very nice, and it was a beautiful day.


101_0921 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

"In the jungle, the mighty jungle..."


101_0928 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

Warning!  Construction Pr0n!


101_0933 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

Next year there's gonna be a coaster here!

[Edwardo]

101_0937 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

Such a beautiful park!


101_0939 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

Loved the entrance.  Very vibrant and classic.


101_0941 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

The front plaza is so iconic.


101_0942 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

OMG they have a ROTOR!  I hadn't been on one in like 20 years.  Seriously, at least 20.


101_0943 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

Wanted to do this, but the line was way too long (is it really that good?).


101_0944 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

Every park should have a Ferris Wheel.


101_0945 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

Oh yeah, this is here too.


101_0954 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

I love the lift up the mountain.


101_0955 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

Downtime.  They should have called Kingda Ka Downtime instead of this.


101_0962 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

Look at all that massive airtime!


101_0964 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

Even fire hydrants like Lake Compounce.


101_0972 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

And they like all the glorious airtime on Boulder Dash.


101_1008 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

Wildcat looks nice, but doesn't feel too nice.


101_0975 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

Also very cool, they have a trolly.


101_0989 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

And a sky ride that last 30 minutes (and is terrifying).


101_0994 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

Many Bothans died to bring you this picture.


101_1001 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

Choo-Choo!


101_1010 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

My 2nd this weekend, this one with extra pretty trains.


101_1023 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

Yummmmm...Screamin' Swings...


101_1037 by C. E. Beavers, on Flickr

The park closed at 8 o'cl...what?!

[Edwardo]

As usually, all the pictures from my trip are at Flickr Here & Here.

[AV Matt]

"Many Bothans died to bring you this picture."

LOL!

[Bubba Z]

You really need to post the picture of you on zoomer. And of course the awesome on ride photo. I'm glad I decide to go and not sit home. Even tho it was a long day it was fun!

[coastersue]

Next up on the trip was a stop by (World Famous) Ted’s Restaurant, a hamburger joint (one of many) that steams the burger. I was excited to try it. We met up with Kyle & Jenna for lunch (they treated us, thanks again folks!). The burger was very good, and we had a nice lunch and a chance to sit and talk for a while.

Wow, you actually found a seat in the 2 x 4 building?  It's so cramped in there that I don't think I'd be comfortable sitting in there.  Great burgers, but we got ours to go.

If you like these places, you should try this one next time you're in the area:

http://roadfood.com/Restaurant/Reviews/14/shady-glen

We haven't been there yet, but I'm hoping to get there in October.  Looks very interesting!

The line was about a 30 minute wait, and I must stop here and say that this line had people line hopping each time I was in it. I was kind of caught off guard each time (I didn’t think it would actually happen as much as it did) or I would have stopped it.

Unfortunately, line jumping is a very frequent occurance in the Boulder Dash line.  What's even worse is if you try to stop them, the people in line around you will defend the line jumpers and tell you to let them go.  People there must be so used to it that they think you're wrong when you have a problem with it.  We've told the park many times that they need security to watch the BD line, but it never happens.

As we were in line, some weird guy who kept riding over and over gave someone in line with a kid some grief over the Red Sox shirt the guy in line was wearing. Drama ensued and a manager had to come over. The creepy guy on the ride wasn’t all there mentally, I don’t think, and Matt said he’s always at the park.

No doubt that's the guy we refer to as "Stinky".  We avoid him at all costs!  You don't even want to know what the inside of his car looks like!

[AV Matt]

Hmm, that Shady Glen cheeseburger looks interesting.

Only had to wait a couple of minutes for a table to clear at Ted's. Eating with the people is part of the experience.

[Bubba Z]

"Stinky" has a car, I thought he lived on the Mt.

[AV Matt]

"Yeti!!!!"