UPDATE: Is that you, TATSU?

Finally home from a long drive to Valencia, CA. I am like so exhausted and can barely eat and just want to sleep. But first, let me tell you how the day went.

We drove through CA-134 (Venture Highway) and merged onto the I-5 which was a stand still. Good thing we were close to the Lancaster exit, which we took thanks to proper alternative route provided by my GPS. Yes, the pretty expensive multi-function Garmin.

Arriving at the park something like 40mins later, we parked out fronting a huge white rollercoaster structure (later identifed as the Colossus). Entering the park at around 10:30am we had some time before noon-time lunch and tried to lineup for Tatsu -- the newly opened amusement just this month. Alas, the line stretched forever and the toss was probably quality vs. assured quantity. Hey after all, the other rides used to be the top at one point.

We headed off to Dejavu at the back of the park. Turns out due to some mechanical failure that a couple of people leave the line. Thats fine, we're patient and I remember waiting in line 30mins for fixing Stealth a few years ago at Great America. Finally getting onto the ride, we were pulled back up vertically, released, it was a blurr, lifted straight up in the air with my feet up, released, another blurr, arrived back vertical and slowly lowered. Coming out of my seat, I was pretty unsteady. Turns out, this was one of the craziest rides in the park. Just our luck for a starter!

The closest next one was Psyclone which we rode. It was my first wooden roller coaster and the extra shock of it almost coming off the track was an added treat. Pretty nice ride, except for the fact that I was mostly struggling for my shades not to drop off into the yonder or my wallet and keys. One of the rides I'd recommend again and again.

Lunch time and we took a quick one at Panda Express where the prices were about twice the usual from outside the park. Next real meal is around 3:30pm at the Picnic Grounds.

Did we want to lineup for Tatsu at all, or proceed elsewhere? The lines were still huge so we turned left looking for X but ended up finding Revolution. Nice ride, one the classics and the first one to ever have a vertical loop.

Walking back looking for X sent us to Viper, one of the longer rides. We never realized it actually had several loop-the-loops. A nice long ride surely.

Back near Tatsu again, we figured its not really going to work. So off we were and turned left into Goliath. Too bad we didn't have a camera, the wall markings were just too cool to have missed. Lined up for that, a pretty long wait going around bends, up stairs. Appears this was one of the longer rides, 3-minutes by calculation. Several spins, and a nice centrifugal turn left sent us spiraling down into a cave and up again. You can tell I'm not as excited anymore, yeah?

Its past 3pm and we find ourselves near Batman and the Riddler. Walked into the picnic grounds, had some food and watched entertainment. Nice MILFs, with the one in red totally perky, if you know what I mean. Had an ice cream bar, had a sofa, another ice cream bar. We left the grounds heading toward Viper and looking again for X. We found found X, the entance must have been elsewhere.

After going around again, we decided to try Ninja as a finale. It was getting late and yours truly driver hates driving at night. Waiting in line, a bunch of BMW come walking through the line. How come no attandant pulls them out? A line is a line, no matter if you had a few other friends ahead of you! Reaching our turn, "Enjoy Ninja ... hiya. Haya. Hayy-yah!".

All day, not a puff at all. But walking down from the top of the mount I wasn't waiting any longer. Soon as I saw the smoking section and the rest room, I settled down to rest my acheing feet.

Coming out of the park and looking for the exist we got lost. Finally finding the exit, we forget where the heck the car was. Totally disoriented, we probably walked 2 miles left and right lanes. Until finally I spotted it 4 rows back from the front.

Driving out, we got some gas at Arco where I paid cash. Ronald's aunt Chona calls and asks where we were, they were still in the park after all since their eldest decided to skip the 8th grade party in favor of the lights. Well, too bad but no way am I driving back. Besides, we didn't get ourselves stamped to be able to.

And so I drove ... fast!

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Arriving at the appartment I figured to borrow the vacuum cleaner. I may as well cleanup and save myself from all the junk on the carpet. Reached home and did just that. Sipped some Guiness Stout and relaxed on the love seat....

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I ended up dozing in the sofa last night. Moved to the bed around 4am in the morning.