For the first month since this site’s debut, I visited no amusement parks and rode no roller coasters. This is usually the norm for this time of year in the Baltimore/D.C. region. Honestly, until recent years with the advent of winter holiday events, January used to mark the second or third month I had gone without parks or coasters. Going to places such as Hersheypark, Storybook Land, and Six Flags Great Adventure (SFGAdv) in December let me continue to get that fix later into the year. I just wonder if that will lessen the urge a bit to want to get back out and ride again. Usually by March, I’m out of my mind waiting for parks to reopen. We shall see.
Speaking of parks not being open in this region during the winter, it looks like some of that has been changing for 2021. Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW) appears to be operating all year. With the cold temperatures, however, I don’t think I will be chancing a three and a half hour ride to find out their coaster offerings are all closed. Six Flags America (SFA) looks to be opening in early March, so that might work out for some early rides. I know Sam is interested since she’s still yet to claim that Joker’s Jinx credit and Greg still needs to ride Mind Eraser of all things.
So, with no trip reports in January, the We Were Inverted Blog relied on a handful of different entries to keep the updates flowing. Let’s take a look at the month that was January 2021:
2020's New Credits for the Flight Crew
At the end of last year I came up with the idea to list all Flight Crew members with all the new credits they earned during 2020. Obviously, Sam (+59) and Greg (+39) topped that list. I knew as much heading in. Renee and I were up next, tied with 10 new credits each. The rest of the flight crew earned anywhere from eight to zero credits. For those who didn’t earn any new credits, you can blame the pandemic for that. Hopefully they can manage to get some this year, especially James and Kayla who have always been regular wingmen for me in the past.
Influential Coasters of My Childhood Continued with Wild One
In December 2020 I debuted the series, “Influential Coasters of My Childhood.” I kicked things off with Kings Dominion’s Anaconda. While writing that piece, I came up with the idea to also do a separate “Modern Take” blog entry for each installment as a follow up. Both were popular blog additions to the site and I was glad to see things off to a great start.
Since I planned this series to be a monthly installment, I decided to follow up my Anaconda entry with SFA’s Wild One – the first woodie in this young series. Like with the Anaconda installment, I got some good feedback from people who liked to see what coasters made me became an enthusiast. For those who have not read either of these blogs, or their “Modern Take” follow ups, I encourage you to give them a look. There take me back to a simpler time in my youth where even some of the not-so-popular coaster of today were among my favorites. I left links to all the blogs in this series and its follow up series below. I’d also love to know what coasters influenced all of you to become enthusiasts.
December 2020
- 12/12 – “Influential Coasters of My Childhood – Anaconda“
- 12/14 – “Modern Take: Influential Coasters of My Childhood – Anaconda“
January 2021
Favorite Coasters Revamp
As January came to a close, I was hard at work doing a much needed revamp on all of my Favorites listings. Instead of just restructuring each list, however, I decided to publish a blog showing all four listings and how each and every coaster previously found on the original lists moved about on the revamps. When I tell you that this wasn’t easy, believe me… It WASN’T easy.
The hard work undertaking this endeavor has resulted in a list I’m much more happy with. The original listings always felt rushed since they were one of the last things I finished before launching the site at the end of June 2020.
Most of the movement found within all four lists can be attributed to my giving each and every coaster more of a fair assessment. If I have more fun riding a junior sized coaster, or a classic coaster that is tame by every modern standard, I ranked it higher thank coasters that are 400 feet tall, have won Golden Ticket awards, or are widely considered favorites with many enthusiasts. That’s why you find Alpengeist in my Top 10 in two lists (#6 steel/#9 overall). I just love that coaster. Always have and always will. This is my list and should reflect coasters that I adore, no matter how big, fast, tall, or whatever stats they feature.
A few coasters did make moves based on 2020 rides. Skyrush at Hersheypark is one such coaster. I had more rides than I ever have on this Intamin hyper coaster in 2020. My thighs weren’t crushed like they were in past years and that allowed me to just let loose and enjoy its wildness and ejector airtime moments. Skyrush now ranks as my #4 steel coaster and #6 overall.
If you’d like to take a look at my reasonings for why some of the coasters moved around on each list, check out the following blogs:
- 01/25 – “2021 Favorite Coasters – Mountain Coasters“
- 01/27 – “2021 Favorite Coasters – Wooden Coasters“
- 01/29 – “2021 Favorite Coasters – Steel Coasters“
- 01/30 – “2021 Favorite Coasters – Overall“
Pins, Pins, Pins... And Oh Yeah, More Pins!
During the entire month of January the Pins page on We Were Inverted was constantly receiving new additions. A total of 24 pins were added to the ever-growing collection. A few pins of note were the BGW Dog Tag series that included seven total pins, the Batwing pin from SFA, and the three Ice Breaker pins from Sea World Orlando (SWO). A lot of other oddball pins were also acquired such as the Morey’s Piers 50th Anniversary pin and the National Roller Coaster Museum pin. It’s always neat to find something from a smaller park like Morey’s or an organization like the museum.
If you stay up to date with my pin collection, you’ve already seen a handful of February pins added as well. I have a feeling the additions during February will rival what came in during January.
Possible Site Redesign for February?
With February probably being more of the same when it comes to the lack of park reports and focus on continuing the “Influential Coasters of My Childhood” series, I want to take some of this time to give the site a design overhaul. I don’t have any concrete plans as of yet, but I’m thinking something a little more minimal. I’ve always liked simplicity in design and I have some ideas floating around in my head. Don’t be surprised if you visit one day and things look different.
