Man, I must be getting old. I totally forgot to post this November 2022’s CAG Report, even though I had written the majority of it weeks ago. I realized it when I logged in to write up my newest trip report for Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW). I saw the draft sitting there and all I could do was my best Homer Simpson, “Doh!”
So this intro is a rewrite of what I originally had as is the conclusion teasing my visit to BGW. The rest, however, has been sitting here on the site, just waiting to be published. So here it is!
A Couple of YouTube Videos
I was finally able to publish my last POV video from Camden Park. It features Lil’ Dipper and was a video I debated on whether or not to publish. By no means is the video “bad,” but I faced some difficulties in filming footage that I felt was on par with the rest of the rides I filmed that day.
My biggest difficulty with Lil’ Dipper was the configuration of the train. It sits very low and you sit far back from the front of the train. On my first ride I just tried to hold both hands together and brace myself since it’s a smaller ride. It didn’t matter, though. My footage was too bumpy for my liking and I deleted it. I rode again, this time leaning forward as far as I could to hold my hand with my hand-mounted GoPro steady. Out in front of the camera, however, was a large black lip/border that I knew was going to hinder the view.
My gut feeling turned out to be right as the border did rise up and down throughout the POV, but there was enough footage to where it didn’t inhibit the view. I ultimately decided to post it since it’s on the shorter side and I had published videos of all their other major rides. If I get back to Camden Park, I intend to try Lil’ Dipper again, but with my chest mount and at a wider angle. I had my chest mount with me, but the park didn’t allow re-entry and I had left it in my car.
The only other We Were Inverted video published in November was an Off-Track Bonus from the B&O Railroad Museum. It felt weird calling something with trains in it an Off-Track Bonus, but alas, that’s the name I came up for these non-amusement park videos a few months ago. I’m not going to change it for one video.
Anyhow, for those of you who checked out my recent videos, thank you. I hope more of you get a chance to check them out. I appreciate any likes, shares, subscriptions, and views you give my content. I’ve been trying to have more engagements with my content, so anything you can do helps.
Hersheypark Sends a Media Trailer
Hersheypark sent out a press release to members of the media and content creators in November to announce Wildcat’s Revenge. Like pretty much every other YouTuber out there, I shared this with all of you on my channel, including a second B-Roll video that gives a better look at the ride and it’s elements. Both videos are courtesy of the park and I thank them for sending them our way.
When this ride finally opens, you best bet I’ll be posting my review. I will also try to take photos of any construction I see when visiting the park. Be on the lookout for that. And now that the park has picked a name for the coaster, I guess I can change the “RMC Wildcat” listing I have for it in the Hersheypark Photo Gallery here on the site to say Wildcat’s Revenge.
Steven Sends Some Pins
Steven, from Thrill Maxx, bought me the seven pins you see above during his recent trips to Kings Island and Six Flags Great America (SFGAm). Over the past few months I’ve had to slow down a bit on my collecting. I’ve been trying to watch my spending and my Pin Collection, while amazing, can get quite costly.
The seven pins above are the most I’ve added to my collection in any recent month. They feature several coasters that were not previously found in my collection. So a huge thanks to Steven for looking out for me during his journeys.
December might have a few additions as well, mostly from Busch Gardens Tampa (BGT). Two of them are already on the site and I have a few bids on eBay waiting for auctions to end as well.
One Adventure, But It Was a Great One
For the first time since this site launched on June 29, 2020, I was able to get out to a park with James. He and I have been to so many parks together and our love for Top Gun was the inspiration for this site’s name and use of Naval lingo. Covid, family, work, and scheduling kept us from visiting any parks for two years, but that all changed in November.
While James was up in New Jersey to do some training for a new job, I asked him if he wanted to hit Six Flags Great Adventure (SFGAdv) during Veterans Day weekend. We was staying/training only 20 minutes away from the park. I won’t recap the day here, as you can read the trip report down below. All I will say is that I’m glad that I got to ride some coasters again with James and hope we don’t have to wait two more years to do so again.
My Updated Teaser for December
Originally I had a small teaser here saying that I hoped to make it out to a park or two for some winter holiday events, but didn’t have any plans made. Well, in the time since I wrote that I made plans for two trip, with one already in the books. As you can see in the photo above, I was at BGW for their Christmas Town event. Sitting down to write this trip report is what made me realize that I had never published this CAG Report.
In addition to the BGW Christmas Town report, there will be at least one for Hersheypark’s Christmas Candylane hitting the site soon as well. I said “at least one” because there might actually be two. Sam and I made plans to visit Hersheypark on Monday, December 12, but while writing this, Renee asked me if I wanted to go on Sunday, December 18 as well. I said sure, so be on the look out for those.
Finally, I will be working on the 2022 entry for the annual “All the New Credits” blog showing all the new credits earned by the Flight Crew this year. I might also do some Reflections interviews again for 2022. I will see if the crew has any interest in doing mini-interviews again this year.
