Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Knoebels Trip Report Pt. 3

The Knoebels fun is 'chugging' right along...
Eh?
 The miniature train at Knoebels is great for a lot of different reasons. It moves at a nice clip, takes a nice journey underneath Twister - one of the park's wooden coasters - and there's a place where the park sets out corn near the train's turnaround that often attracts squirrels.
 This picture was taken from the Knoebels Scenic Skyway, which takes a stunning climb up and down one of the mountains that border the park. Wooden coasters are best in lush settings like this!
 That aforementioned coaster is Twister, one of the two big Knoebels woodies. Celebrating 20 years in 2019, Twister was my favorite coaster at Knoebels on my last visit in 2016, but it couldn’t top the awesomeness of Phoenix on this trip. Twister is a semi-faithful recreation of the old Mister Twister at Elitch Gardens, one of the most legendary wooden coasters of all time. When the park re-created it in Pennsylvania, however, they didn't quite have enough room so two lift hills were built pretty much right on top of each other to save space. These two lift hills build anticipation, and this is certainly the wood coaster in the park for people into huge drops. 
The last of the three wooden coasters at Knoebels that is Flying Turns. This is a coaster built on determination. If you're not familiar with this style of roller coaster, they are essentially cars that ride freely through a trough without a set track. They were initially popular in the 1930s, and although some versions were resurrected in steel form around the 1980s, a wooden version of the "bobsled" coaster was nonexistent for about 70 years. That is, until Knoebels stepped in and took on the project! Starting in 2006, they worked to bring this ride back from the dead. It took... wait for it... 7 years (mainly to develop the train)... but the ride eventually opened to much acclaim in 2013. It's an all-out fun experience that's completely unique to Knoebels.

I hope that you've enjoyed this trip to Knoebels!

By the way, I've been enjoying doing this blog every day, but from here on I think that I'm going to take a step back from doing daily posts. The show won't stop, though! I'll probably still have a post at least once a week. I appreciate everyone's support. I really wasn't expecting it!

8 comments:

K. Martinez said...

What a beautiful view from the Skyway.

And here are the three relocated and rebuilt coasters that drew my attention to Knoebels in the first place. Of those three, it's the Flying Turns that most intrigues me.

I can understand you going from daily posts to periodically. It's a lot of work to do a blog daily. I sure have appreciated all you've shared with us and look forward to whenever you are able to or are inspired to post. Thanks, Andrew.

Major Pepperidge said...

That old wooden coaster looks great. It's funny, "20 years old" means it dates back to the ancient date of 1999. Seems like yesterday to some of us!

I don't blame you for stepping back from the "a post a day" thing. Only crazy people do that!

Andrew said...

Thanks for following and your continued support, Ken. I'm glad to know that someone is enjoying this!

Andrew said...

I see what you did there!

TokyoMagic! said...

That is a beautiful view from the Scenic Skyway, as Ken said. I love how the park is surrounded by trees.

Six Flags Magic Mountain had a "Flying Turns" type of ride for a short time, but it was the steel version, rather than wood. It was a little scary being in a car that wasn't "locked" onto a track!

I had originally tried to write a post a day on my blog, but I started spreading them out further. I don't know how the Major does it (but I'm sure glad that he does!). Don't worry about the frequency of your posts. We'll all still be here!

Andrew said...

Knoebels is really in the middle of nowhere. You have to know it's there to go there, so most of the people that visit are exceptionally kind. People would hold the swinging exit doors for you on pretty much all of the rides.

I have been on a steel bobsled roller coaster, and I must say that I prefer this wooden version.

And finally, thanks for sticking around! I'm glad to know that at least a couple people will still be reading.

Chuck said...

Andrew, don't worry about not blogging daily; I haven't even managed to blog lifely.

Looking forward to the posts you do put out from time to time.

Andrew said...

Ha! I appreciate your support and am anxiously waiting the start of your blog, even if it's ten years from now. ;)