The Hurricane (C.C.I., 2002, out & back with some helices) had impressed the three of us since we first saw it.  Driving in Friday night it just stood there.  The massive helix sat next to the road and in the distance we could see the lift hill.  For some reason it looked a LOT bigger than one hundred feet tall.  We began our visit by utilizing what was left of the sunlight and walked around the park, getting pictures of the coaster from every angle.  Finally we got our tickets.  After a quick look around I knew I would be a very happy man.  This park had a TON of flat rides and they all appeared to be running very well.  I had to push down the flat ride fanatic in me as we walked up the steps to the Hurricane. 

          We first pondered why the design did not have the train coming in the left side of the station and leaving for the chain on the right instead of the way it runs.  As it is now, after a short straightaway the train dives down, accumulates a lot of speed and shoots up the chain- that can’t be good for the entire lift mechanism.  The ride to the top is nice and the first drop was good.  After the first hill was a bunny hop that gave us some airtime, but after bottoming out on that hop the train shook like crazy.  It was some of the worst vibrations I have felt on a wooden coaster in some time.  From here we were shot up the third hill and down into the first helix.  The helix was fast; full of laterals and from there we sped down a hill (with some decent airtime) and flew over two pseudo-airtime hills.  I must say that these hills provided an interesting problem as they were shaped like the triangular bunny hops on Magnum.  The main difference was that hardly any airtime was to be had on them, be it violent or otherwise.  After this we sped around another helix, this one went the opposite direction of the first, and headed back to the station (for a good view of the layout check out: http://www.customcoasters.com/images/hurricanecat505.jpg ).  We all seemed a bit surprised as the coaster did a lot of things- but just did not seem to do a lot for us. 

          One interesting thing about this ride was how badly the Gerstlauers tracked on the layout.  After my rides on Legend last year I thought that these were hands-down a lot better than P.T.C.’s.  This made me wonder, when it comes to comparing P.T.C.’s and Gerstlauers are they similar in the initial ride they give?  If so, does the way they act as a wooden coaster gets older have more to do with how the track was originally designed and kept up?  I do not propose to know the answer- but after my recent experiences on the trains I fully expect that the trains on the Legend this year will be just as good as the Gerstlauers.

          We walked around the front of the park and got a ride on the Pavilion’s kiddie coaster- The Little Eagle (Mack, 1986, kiddie twister).  This is one of the nicest children’s coasters I have seen and it was cool that the ops had no problems letting us go for a spin.  Although I am not what some consider a coaster whore (stealing kids for rides, begging ops for one spin, etc.) I do enjoy being allowed to ride on a children’s coaster when it is unique.  The train was reminiscent of a Zierer Tivoli ride and is a simple twisting layout.  However, what sets this experience apart from others is the fact that the ride is built into a fake mountain and ends in a tunnel.  I always appreciate it when a park goes to the same length to make a rides exciting experiences for the younger set as for their parents.  (PS: I’ll ring the bell when I want to, damn it.)

          I have seen few menagerie carousels as beautiful as the Herschell-Spillman ride that graced the park’s entrance.  This ride, which was reportedly assembled in 1915, was in very impressive shape.  Most every animal was here, from American animals like frogs and storks, to more exotic creatures like elephants, lions and everything else from various childhood stories.  The organ was not running but the ride has music and Mark noted that it was from the Dr. Floyd carousel at the Casino Pier in New Jersey.  This ride was the stand-out in a park full of well-kept flat rides.

           Nearby was the Haunted Hotel, a dark ride that had the same (early Sally?) cars as those found on the dark ride at Lake Winnie.  It was ok, I guess I was expecting a little more.  One large problem was that the layout consisted of long straight-aways on multiple levels instead of switchbacks.  I am guessing that they had only a small amount of space, which is the reason the ride goes up instead of back.  But, the fact that several of the tricks were not working made this an average dark ride experience. 

          Just up the midway was the log flume, an O.D. Hopkins installation.  I really enjoyed this ride, so much so that I hopped back on for a second ride.  The first half features a speedy little jaunt that eventually heads through a pitch-black tunnel.  Inside there is a small hill, but the sounds of rushing water and screaming kids make the trek feel much faster.  We exited the tunnel into a mixture of fog and colored lights onto the lift hill.  After a good drop we sped around a u-turn and head up onto the second lift.  On this upper part of the trough there were great views of the park.  We enjoyed a nice drop and small splashdown before disembarking.

          The Mack Caterpillar (a.k.a. Raupen Bahn) looked awesome lit up and beckoned us on for a ride.  I had enjoyed the older version at Canobie Lake, but this is a style of ride that the bulk of enthusiasts and the general public seem not to have ridden.  Even though the concept is simple (essentially Traver created a Music Express sans music and with a cover) people still have a fun time on these rides.  

          Nearby the Zierer Wave Swinger was spinning- fast.  Naturally we hopped on board and enjoyed a spin on a swing ride that only spins slower than the wonderful Compounce version.  This ride (like the Mack Caterpillar, Huss Top Spin, Mack Calypso, Huss Rainbow, Mack Petersburger Schlittenbahn and others) was a trailer-mounted version.  The interesting thing is that unless you have a well-trained eye it is hard to believe that these rides can be moved.  The park did a great job of making everything look permanent.  Our guess was that it was bought used from a German showman.  Like portable versions worldwide this set of swings stood elevated several feet above the midway.  However, a different aspect of this ride was that it was on a raised brick platform and there were no fences around it.  In addition, there was an umbrella at the ride’s entrance and speakers that surrounded the swings’ perimeter.  Both were hit many times by feet as the ride lowered and I feel that the umbrella will not make it many weeks into the season. 

          It is worth it to note that the swings, like every ride at this park, had over 90% of its lights working.  Obviously this is important because the park needs to attract people from the streets and bring tired beach-goers in.  However, I have a feeling that this goes deeper than shear profitability.  When visiting you know if a park cares for its rides.  All the rides had good paint jobs, the majority of the lights worked and restraints that were in great condition; no stuffing was missing and they were not torn.  On almost every attraction I felt that the park wanted me to have a good time and that the management felt pride in almost every attraction they owned.

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