Last August I was able to sit down with the Knoebels Public Relations Director, Stacy Yutko, for the feature, “Phoenix & the Path it Blazed for Wooden Coaster Relocation.” With her help and numerous enthusiasts from all over the country, that piece has been responsible for more views on this site than any other blog, interview, or feature to date. I am forever grateful to Knoebels and Yutko for helping We Were Inverted so early on. That first visit of 2020 was indeed special, but so was our second.
In the beginning of October, I made the trip back up to Elysburg, Pa. to visit Knoebels again. I was joined by both Sam and Greg – his first-ever visit. Sam, who had been once before during our 60-plus person work trip that I arranged in 2019, had yet to really experience the park as an enthusiast. The only coaster she rode that day was Flying Turns. So this park was new to both and would result in something very special for both Sam and Greg – Sam’s 50th coaster credit and Greg’s 75th. We timed both to happen on Phoenix on the same exact ride.
It goes without saying that Knoebels was responsible for some great memories last year. Now it’s responsible for some in 2021 too. Here are some of the highlights of 2021’s first Knoebels visit for We Were Inverted.
For this visit, Sam and I were joined by Kaylee. You might remember her from the blog, “Six Flags Great Adventure – Coasters with Kaylee.” That was the day after Easter when Sam and I met up with her for the very first time at Great Adventure (SFGAdv). And spoiler alert, I have since asked Kaylee to join the Flight Crew. As you can see by clicking her name, she did in fact enlist.
Sadly, Greg was unable to join us since he already cleared his schedule for Thursday for our trip to Kennywood. I know he wishes he could have come, but since he still needs the Flying Turns credit, which was not open on Tuesday, it is probably better he returns when both it and Impulse are running.
1 New Coaster Credit for Both Sam & Kaylee
Speaking of missing credits, the only coaster Sam still needed to claim was Impulse, hence the title of this blog. As for Kaylee, the only coaster she needed to for her credit count was Kozmo’s Kurves. Both were on our agenda, but so were our favorites like Phoenix and Twister. We also managed to get in some flat rides since the park wasn’t busy. All in all, it was a very relaxing day and one where Sam also discovered a fondness for a ride type she always swore she hated. More on that in a bit.
Impulse
After hitting up a few rides, we made our way over to Impulse for the first of two rides on the day. There wasn’t much of a line and they were only running one train at that time. It took about 10 minutes to get up onto the station, which gave me time to take some much needed photos. Most of my Impulse content from last year came during my first visit when they were adding the new trains to the coaster and it was not operating. I was finally able to get some shots of the coaster in action.
I have to say, I was excited to ride Impulse again. These were my first rides on it since 2019. Those new trains are so comfortably too and the ride was glass smooth. Our first ride did run a bit slow and I wasn’t sure if it was because of the new trains. When we went back later in the day, I realized it was because the train hadn’t yet warmed up. Our evening ride has a bit more zip on the inversions and the helix.
Phoenix
Of course there was no way we were visiting Knoebels without several rides on Phoenix. We got in three rides together before I ran off to buy some merchandise at the nearby gift shop. While I was shopping, Sam and Kaylee managed to get one last ride to give them four on the day. It was in the front row ride too.
As for how Phoenix was running… Wow! Seriously, wow! It’s always run like a well-oiled machine and I’ve never had a bad ride. On Tuesday though… It was hitting different. Phoenix felt like it was running a little bit faster than normal, especially at the end of the day. That airtime though, was next level.
I’m used to being lifted into almost a stand position on Phoenix, but not in quite the same manner as it was doing on Tuesday. Phoenix was throwing you into those buzz bars harder than I’ve ever experienced before. My thighs were constantly hitting the bar, especially on the airtime hill finale. On my final ride, I actually dropped a hand down to the buzz bar to lessen the blow to my thighs. I’ve never done that before.
I wasn’t the only one who noticed this increased intensity. Both Sam and Kaylee were saying the same exact things I was feeling pulling into the brake run at the end of each ride. It was nuts and I hope it keeps riding this way all year and into the future.
Giant Flume
Okay, I know I typically always talk about the coasters, but I just had to include Knoebels’ log flume in this trip report. Why? Well, ever since Sam began her quest to overcome her fear of roller coasters last year, she still held onto the notion that she doesn’t like log flumes. You don’t know how many times I have tried to get her on Hersheypark’s Coal Cracker during our many visits the last two years.
Well, for some reason Sam decided to ride the Giant Flume with Kaylee and I on Tuesday. She wasn’t too excited about it, as you can see in the above photo. That’s the same look I’d always get when asking her to get on Coal Cracker. I just wish I had an after ride shot because she was all smiles and the first words out of her mouth her, “Pat, we can ride Coal Cracker when we go back to Hershey.”
I guess we’re going to have to go back to Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW) for Le Scoot, the Saw Mill Log Flume at SFGAdv, Thunder Creek Mountain at Dorney Park, and the Shenandoah Log Flume at Kings Dominion now too. Plus, we have plans to visit Dutch Wonderland and several beach front locations in New Jersey that have log flumes too. Maybe I can get Sam to launch We Were Inverted’s sister site, We Were Wet?
Final Ride Counts
Cosmotron (1)
Downdraft (1: Patrick, Kaylee)
Giant Flume (1)
Haunted Mansion (1)
Impulse (2)
Kozmo’s Kurves (1)
Phoenix (4: Sam, Kaylee, 3: Patrick)
Pioneer Train (1)
Power Surge (1: Patrick, Kaylee)
Twister (1)
Never a Bad Day at Knoebels
I have probably said this a million times in my life, but I never have a bad visit to Knoebels. Even last October when it was busier than I had ever seen in all my visits, I had a great time. I was looking forward to getting back to the park here in 2021 and will be headed back again a few more times. I want to be there when Greg gets to ride both Impulse and Flying Turns.
My friends Amber and Jason also want to visit. They’ve never been to the park and I was telling them all about it during our Hersheypark visit back in May. If I can get them out there, that’ll be close to 80 people I’ve gotten out to Knoebels in the past five years for their first-ever visits. Some had never heard of the park prior to our conversations/visits either. And the best thing about all of it is I’ve never heard a single one of them come away with anything but praise and enjoyment from their time at the park. Here’s hoping I can get a few more people out in the years to come as well.
Knoebels Photo Gallery - June 1, 2021
If you would like to use any of the images in the gallery above for your non-commercial projects, feel free to do so. I ask that you credit We Were Inverted whenever they’re used. I also ask that you do not alter the image or remove the watermarks. If you need any images/video resized or without the watermarks, please contact me directly.
CREW MANIFEST
The following flight crew members attended this park, & earned the respective credits below:
Patrick
CAG
New Credit(s): n/a
Sam
Captain
New Credit(s): Impulse
Kaylee
Ensign
New Credit(s): Kozmo's Kurves
