So my chance to return to SDC finally came this past Friday and despite travelling alone, I was determined to make the most of it. I woke up from an excited light sleep at the crack of dawn to an awful weather report that prolmised a potential for rain all day. So the first order of business was procuring some rain gear at the old Walmart. It was still early but I wanted to eat breakfast at the park so I took a little side jaunt through the light showers and early morning mist out over the dam and back. I arrived at my preferred parking spot at about 8:30. I purchased my entrance ticket from an automated kiosk located at the park exit. This worked flawlessly. I enjoyed an original cinnamon roll and cold milk breakfast at Delilah's. The rain was coming down steadily but rather lightly so hope was winning out at this point because the entrance was just as I remembered. In a word, beautiful. By the time, I got to the plaza, there was a children's choir performing in the gazebo and the rain was letting up. No one was guarding the ropes which were hanging tantalizingly low, but I headed to the general store and picked up a sheriff's badge. I chose to be sheriff Dan for the day, prompted by the angelic voices of the children. Soon they were finished and it was time for the opening ceremonies. The emcee and square dancers motioned for us on the more eastern part of the square to come closer and so we did as the Grand Ol Flag was sang. The emcee actually put the mic up to me and so I got to sing a few bars for the crowd. Well, things were heating up now.
After the drop I decided to very casually peruse the midtown and more upper areas at a very leisurely pace while everyone else was racing to the back. This turned out to work just fine for me. I spent the first 45 minutes or so just looking for the where in sdc sign from the other thread. I found George I think, but not his sign. But I got sot some nice pictures and went through Grandfathers Mansion. Thankfully, it's still just as I remembered. Everything was up and running, but somehow I missed the pipeless faucet. I was basically estatic at this point and remained so for the remainder of the day. The showers were intermittent and very light and only served to keep the temperatures and quite possibly the crowds down. It was basically perfection with puddles.
I had a great conversation with a shopkeeper at the knife store and got some great advice and left with a needed, sweet Smith & Wesson blade with a lifetime warranty. Later, I saw a great demonstration of the making of a railroad spike knife. Typical SDC stuff you know, but after 15 years of a lean diet of Six Flags St. Louis (which is great fun), I felt like I was eating steak or lobster, or maybe drinking some fine aged wine or something.
The ride on the Plunge did not disappoint. It was basically a walk on. Then on to my first ride on Wildfire....ever. Ive watched the YouTubes and read accounts countless time over the years and it lived up to every one of them. I barely managed to get the restraint buckled on my own but I did and it was just awe inspiring.
I next headed to PK which was the last ride I rode the last time I had came. Back then it was Buzzsaw Falls, though. This one seemed to have a longer line though, as did Fire In the Hole. So I continued on towards Outlaw Run. Along the way I was stopping and lingering to enjoy the sights and sounds and smells, and I've now come to believe that the death of Mary has been greatly exaggerated. I was just floored by how great everything was and still is. Yeah, I can't walk behind the waterfall anymore, but did I really miss it? No. There was too much beauty and attention to detail that remained that the few negatives that I saw could really only be categorized as nitpicks. I'll personally be giving HFE a wide berth when it comes to SDC.
Outlaw Run had a very short wait and absolutely blew my mind. The videos and words that I read about the ride prior, which were all quite flattering, failed to express to me just how wild this ride is. Nowhere did I see anything informing me that I would be out of my seat more than in it. This is the most fantastic roller coaster I've ever contemplated.
I skipped the swing and headed instead for the Lost River. It delivered as it always has, although I remained pretty dry, which was alright with me. Over at the landing, I decided to try Firefall and just loved it. It was more than super enough for my chicken wings.
A nice jaunt through the exposition (which was under construction during my last visit, if I remember correctly) capped by a dizzying electro spin ride was next on the agenda. The flooded mine was brilliant. Nearly everything was in tip top shape and working order and the operators were taking care of us like royalty. I took a second ride without getting off and frankly could have just rode all day. But lunch at the Wagon Works awaited. A very tasty kebab and fries with beans. Everything a-ok. This is theme park food? Really?
I then took my turn on PK which was a definite improvement over the Falls that I remember. Then another ride on Outlaw Run, a great, stomach-churning turn on the swing, and a thoroughly drenching turn on the timeless masterpiece, FitH (Woohoo!), and I was ready for the 3:30 Sons show at the Dockside. But first I picked up a sweet handcrafted necklace from The Bent Spoon. The sons did not disappoint. Lee Greenwood never gets old. I can't wait to see them again. Two more turns on the American Plunge and one corn dog and funnel cake later and I was wore out and headed for the exit. Time: 520pm.
So if you are wondering if traveling alone to the city will be fun, my answer to you would be a very emphatic YES. Go. And if something about the city today gets you down, like a changed vista, or tired mannequin, or missing tree, then I say step away for about a score and then come back and see what you think. This wasn't my reason for being away for so long, but over the years, I had gotten the impression that maybe things weren't so great anymore and that the magic or some special ingredient was missing. This was oh so wrong and couldn't be further from the truth. I am overjoyed to report that SDC is bigger and better than ever and I can't wait to return.
