For the last few months my face has been glued to this computer screen. February focused on the site’s redesign while this month focused on content creation. Nine blogs were published to the site, which included trip reports, an interview, entries in the Influential Coasters of My Childhood series, and a few editorials. Add in the first-ever mini-VLOG on the We Were Inverted YouTube channel and an uptick on Instagram (@WeWereInverted_IG) traffic, March was quite busy. And yet, there appears to be no end in sight this month either. I’m not focused on that here, though. This is a look back at the month that was March 2021.
Interviewing the Site's Newest Crew Member, Carrie
For some time I had plans to interview Chris D.’s daughter, Carrie. I had visited a few amusement parks with the both of them since this site’s creation. After a few months, I came up with the idea to do an interview with Carrie to tell her story of growing up to be a coaster enthusiast. Carrie was more than happy to take part and I asked Chris to write the foreward. If you haven’t read “Q&A Carrie – Growing Up an Enthusiast,” yet, be sure to do so. It’s a great read and will surely take some of you back to what it was like growing up to love coasters too.
Unknown to Carrie, the day her interview was published, I also added her as a member of the site’s Flight Crew. It’s well deserved and I look forward to getting out to some different parks with her moving forward. Hersheypark is certainly calling!
Big Bad Wolf Brings Back a Popular Series
With my focus on the site’s redesign in February, I did not publish any entries into the Influential Coasters of My Childhood series. I was overdue and I wanted to get something up that I knew people were going to love. I decided to publish the entry detailing my love for the Big Bad Wolf.
For this entry I faced a major hurdle. I had three photos of Big Bad Wolf of my own and they were all blurry. I had to ask for help online and I got it. Three members of the Facebook group, Busch Gardens Williamsburg Insiders (BGWI), supplied me photos of the coaster and surrounding area. I also spliced in some videos found on YouTube including old commercials and news segments. Be sure to check out what is looking to be the most popular entries into this series below:
- March 13, 2021 – Influential Coasters of My Childhood – Big Bad Wolf
- March 29, 2021 – Modern Taken on Influential Coasters of My Childhood – Big Bad Wolf
We Were Inverted Gear Hits Teepublic
A few months after opening We Were Inverted, several friends asked me if I sold shirts. I told them no, but maybe it would be something I’d look into in the future. I wasn’t really sure if there was going to be a market for it, especially since I was still so new. Now that I’m approaching a year online, I looked into opening up a online store. Elaina suggested TeePublic since one of her friends uses it. Long story short, now I sell shirts… and magnets… and buttons… and pillows… and notebooks.
I invite you to visit the We Were Inverted Teepublic Store and pick up some merch to wear at home, at the office, or at your favorite amusement parks. The site is always running sales and promotions, so be sure to take advantage of those. I like the shirt quality and have had a few people who purchased their own say the same. If you pick something up, be sure to send me photos of you wearing or using it. I’ll post them on the site’s Instagram for sure.
A Huge Focus on Pins
Pin Collection Surpasses 400
On March 26 a vintage Loch Ness Monster button arrived in the mail from an eBay purchase. That button marked the 400th pin/button in my collection. I thought the milestone warranted a fun feature talking about some of the collections traits. On the very same day that button arrived, I published the blog, “400 Pins – 5 Fun Facts About My Collection.”
Asking Hersheypark for More Pins
The first blog I published in March also had to do with pins. On March 3, I posted, “Why Hersheypark Should Consider Pin Trading.” In the lengthy editorial, I gave countless reasons why Hersheypark could have a very interesting and successful pin trading program and several ideas that I think would go over big in pin trading community. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that even just a handful of those ideas become a reality.
2 Trips to Six Flags America
Meeting Up with Chance, the Cheapthusiast
My first amusement park trip of 2021 came on March 21 – a visit to Six Flags America (SFA). After months of trying to plan a meet up, I finally met up with Chance, the Cheapthusiast from YouTube. You might remember Chance from being the first person to be featured in my Coaster Collectibles series back in October 2020. If you’re new to We Were Inverted, I’ll leave the link to that series entry down below.
The March 21 meet up was certainly a fun one. Chance was accompanied by Aaron and Matt, who were also fun to hang out with for the day. We rode every coaster, some of them multiple times. This looks like it won’t be the last time we meet up either. Weather withstanding, it looks like Hersheypark is going to see us meet up yet again. Read all about our first meet up at the link below.
- March 22, 2021 – Six Flags America – Coasters with the Cheapthusiast
- October 2, 2020 – Coaster Collectibles – Chance Knight: Magnets
Sam & I Get Soaked, make a VLOG, & Meet Kaylee
A week and a half after meeting Chance at SFA, I was back again with Sam. We went on the final day of the month, Wednesday, March 31. This trip was done on a whim, making the plans the evening prior. The forecast called for rain, however, so we weren’t sure if we were even going to be able to go.
As you can see by the site’s first-ever VLOG above, we did go and Sam was finally able to finish off the park’s coaster credits. Joker’s Jinx was the one she needed, and after failing to get it a few times in 2020, that wait is finally over. Be sure to read the detailed trip report, “Six Flags America – Jinxed No More,” after watching the VLOG.
While at SFA during this visit, Sam and I were noticed by a park employee, named Kaylee. Kaylee follows the site’s Instagram account and mentioned seeing us while riding Penguin’s Blizzard River. From there, we started chatting.
Without getting into too many details, Sam and I met up with Kaylee yesterday while she was visiting Six Flags Great Adventure (SFGAdv) the very next week. It was a great visit and we made ourselves a new coaster friend. I’ll go into details on this once I’m able to get to that park report, hopefully tomorrow.
Congrats to Coaster Appreciation Society
On March 8, the Facebook group, Coaster Appreciation Society (CAS), a group I help moderate, reached 2,500 members. If you’re on Facebook and are not a part of this group, I urge you to join. It’s a great group of people and one I’ve been a part of since it launched just over two years ago. The discussions I had there played a big part in me feeling the excitement to finally make We Were Inverted a reality.
April is Well Underway
As I teased in a few different segments up above, April is looking to be just as busy, if not more, than March. I have begun toying with the idea of adding a photo gallery section to this site. Everyone I talk to seems to love the idea. That might not come just yet, but if you have any suggestions for it, I’d love to hear them.
A few interviews, trip reports, and editorials will also be coming your way. A few already items have already been published including Part 1 of JD, the HersheyAddict’s interview. Part 2 should be landing later this week. Be sure you let him know you saw the interview and give him all your support across his various platforms
