2nd Annual STN "Ride to the Rides"

[kendenton]

2nd Annual STN Ride to the Rides






A ride through the twisties to the Twister  

Some of you may know that I’m a big roller coaster fan as well as an avid motorcyclist.  On Saturday, May 14th I’m once again going to combine these passions for an STN “Ride to the Rides” up to Knoebels Amusement Park in Elysburg, PA.

The Plan

We're still hammering out the details, but basically: Leave from Downingtown, PA  and spend 3 hours or so riding a fun route through the twisties up to Knoebels in Elysburg.  We’ll spend the afternoon at the park, riding their world-class wooden roller coasters and other rides as well as having lunch.  After that there will be a return ride on a different route back to SE PA.

If you are not at all interested in the Knoebels part of this ride, I’d suggest sitting this one out.

About Knoebels

Knoebels is, in my opinion, the finest traditional amusement park in the country (with Kennywood a close second).  It was started in 1926 by the Knoebel family who continue to own and operate the park today.  It boasts free parking, free admission, reasonably priced (and decent quality) food, and some of the best rides to be found anywhere.

Some highlights:

• The Phoenix - a classic 1940's wooden coaster that rates in the top 5 of almost every enthusiast (it's my #1 out of over 400). The Phoenix is all about airtime and consistent speed
• Twister - a wooden coaster copied from the now-bulldozed Mr. Twister in Denver, Co. Twister is a fast, powerful ride with lots of lateral g's.
• Haunted Mansion - outside of Disney, perhaps the best haunted house ride
• Skooters- Simply THE BEST bumper cars of any park. Classic 1940's Lusse cars with a track so slick you can smell the graphite 50' away. T-bone collisions are bone-crunching.
• Flyers- a deceptively simple ride that allows you enough control to scare the s**t out of yourself.
• Carousel - Knoebels operates one of the last remaining "grab the brass ring" machines left.

When

Saturday, May 14th.  Kickstands up at 9am.
Raindate will not be until late summer/early fall.

Where

Downingtown, PA.  Meet at the rear of the WaWa at the intersection of Boot Rd and 322.  Gas, food and restrooms are available.

Overview map | Satellite Map

What will it cost?

$10 will be enough to ride the roller coasters, bumper cars, and a few flat rides.  There is also a $20 handstamp available that day to ride all the rides.  If you are planning on staying all day this is a great value. Lunch options are very reasonably priced.  Plus gas money of course.

Please post up if you’d like to join me.

Attendees so far
KenDenton
JamminJere
The Frenchman +
Cablebandit +1
Squeezer
Spanky
Mastros2

If there are enough riders for 2 groups we will split into a "Spirited Group" and a "(Slightly Less) Spirited Group"

[Sport-Touring]

[JamminJere]

We are in for this great trip again this year!

Ken as soon as you know where we are starting from.... I"ll get busy making a twisty route to the park..

JJ

[Cablebandit]

In!

I'm a +1 this year.  

[squeezer]

I'm in! Don't know about the family yet.

[Skee]

I was just thinking last night (happens once a week or every so often; not much I can do to prevent it) what a great trip this would make later this summer - was wondering if Ken would do it again - sooner than later.

I'm in.

[Rincewind]

I gotta coach a soccer game - have fun guys. 

[Smoker]

And I am coaching noobs on motorcycles. Wish I could go, last year was a blast. Have fun fellas!

[Skee]

So bring the noobs along...

[Smoker]

So bring the noobs along...

Methinks the Eliminators won't keep the pace you nutbags run...

[JamminJere]

Hey.......who you call'n an........eliminator?  

[Spanky]

In! If the Frenchman will hold my hand on the rollercoasters, I'm scared.  

[Mastros2]

I'm in Ken!  

[Moto Morphin Power Ranger]

Another gathering i will try to make.

[MrsCablebandit]

 
Aw, baby, we don't need to rollercoasters as an excuse.  

My goodness, you two, get a room!    (SO looking forward to your exchanges next weekend!!!)



I am uber excited to be Cablebandit's "+1" this year!!!  

Last year's "Ride to the Rides" was the impetus* for me finally woman-ing up and starting to ride with Chris!

* Get the full story here!   https://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,56953.msg1307841.html#msg1307841  

[Jeets]

I just knew this house in the Poconos was going to be a bad idea.  Anybody wanna buy some property?

jeets

[Cablebandit]

June Poconos Meet at Jeets' place.  

[Smoker]

I'm in!

And Matt's in Ken.  

This site is really weird lately!

In Ken's defense, Matt is really cute.

[Jeets]

June Poconos Meet at Jeets' place.  

Done!  Which week works best for you?

[Cablebandit]

Anytime but the first weekend.

[Mastros2]

Did Ken consent, or did it take lots of alcohol?  

   I don't kiss and tell!

In Ken's defense, Matt is really cute.

  Thanks Shane!  You are really handsome if I’d say so myself.  

[JamminJere]

I don't know if I'm gonna go camping with you guys again!?      

JJ

[Mastros2]

Ok, I'll include you too Jer!  

[MrsCablebandit]

I found $4.75 in Knoebel's ride tickets last night under my jewelry box!    Bring on the Phoenix!!!

[ConPilot1]

I'm in.

Knobels is the freaking park of parks if you ask me. There ain't too many of them around like this one left.

Dibs on the tail seat of the Phoenix + the other big woodie.

I'll be riding solo down as I'm coming from the northeast. Many of you sound as if you're down SE/SC PA.

[Cheddarhead]

I don't know if I'm gonna go camping with you guys again!?      

JJ

Beware the banjo music...and maybe sleeping in the Bohn body armor isn't quite as crazy as it sounded a while ago...

I have this on the calendar...but it'd be at least a weekend outing for me...so this is a 10% at best potential for me.

[Cablebandit]

I'll be riding solo down as I'm coming from the northeast. Many of you sound as if you're down SE/SC PA.

Squeezer and I made the 3 hour trek to the start of the ride last year.  Come on down!

[squeezer]

Squeezer and I made the 3 hour trek to the start of the ride last year.  Come on down!

Wanna do it again, this time with Mrs. cablebandit?

[Cablebandit]

Sure...

[nnjhawk02]

Hmm - I've passed this place in the past> Maybe I'll drag one of my kids w/ me or ride & have wife van da crew -

So - I'm a maybe

[Mastros2]

Ken, I may be a +1.  We'll see!  

[Bravo12]

I'm a maybe! If we don't have any plans, I'll meet up to ride with the group, and have the wife-to-be bring the kids up in the family truckster, like we did last year.

[kendenton]

More than a couple folks at the Burger Run mentioned what a great route we did last year, and that they wouldn't mind a repeat.  Jerry and I (well, 99% Jerry) have put together a route for this year that doesn't duplicate last year's ride up at all, but of course I still have the route info from last year.

Customer satisfaction is job 1 here at kendenton.org.  Please post up with your preference:

A) how can you improve on 897, 645, Gold Mine Rd and 125?  Let's do it again!
B) I'm up for something new

- and don't be one of those "oh, I don't care" folks.  I really want to hear your preferences (though of course I reserve the right to ignore them  )

[Spanky]

I am going B. I know Jerry has put significant effort into the new route and there is no way a Jammin Jerry approved route will be anything less than great! He does not charge for his expertise or his efforts - I would hate to see them wasted.

[Cablebandit]

B

[squeezer]

I was one of those who said he wouldn't mind doing last year's route because I thought it rocked.

But new is even better. B.

[chosemerveilleux]

Where would you folks be leaving from?  I am definitely interested, but if the ride to the ride to the rides is too much I'm probably (I'd be coming from Toms River, NJ) going to pass.

[kendenton]

Frenchie's correct, most likely leaving from Downingtown and heading N to the park.

[Skee]

Ken & JJ

Just confirming - I have to bail and cannot ride.

But all this talk of a new route is making me seriously regret doing the sensible thing...

[nnjhawk02]

For U Ken

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-39448051

Have U hit all these?

[kendenton]

For U Ken

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-39448051

Have U hit all these?

Most  

[kendenton]

First post updated with specifics for the meeting location.  Let's hope for the weather we had last year!

[Bravo12]

Turns out I can't make it.  Big community yard sale in my fiancee's neighborhood, and we need to clean out both of our homes before we move this summer.  We'll have to take the kids to Knoebel's soon, though; we still have a whole bag of tickets from last year.

Have fun!

[kendenton]

Forecast not looking great at the moment.  A week of rain is moving our way starting on Saturday.  Hopefully it will slow down and not get here until Sunday.

[Mastros2]

Forecast not looking great at the moment.  A week of rain is moving our way starting on Saturday.  Hopefully it will slow down and not get here until Sunday.

Or Monday!!

[JamminJere]

Really?  All I've seen so far for Saturday is Partly to mostly cloudy with a 15% chance of a late afternoon or evening thunderstorm?  
I haven't seen anything that shows a washout for Saturday yet..

JJ

[kendenton]

Hopefully it stays that optimistic  

[Cablebandit]

Really?  All I've seen so far for Saturday is Partly to mostly cloudy with a 15% chance of a late afternoon or evening thunderstorm?  
I haven't seen anything that shows a washout for Saturday yet..

JJ

That's all I've seen as well.  It's a little less optimistic out my way but still only 30% at this point.

[ConPilot1]

Looks like 30% chance up here. I'm an 1 hr 15 min from the park.

I don't think I'm going to make it either. I have a lot of things I need to do and can't really do a FO day as much as I'd love to.

[MrsCablebandit]

While I was out running errands at lunch, I noticed that Weis Markets is running a promotion for Knoebel's.  They are selling a $20 book of tickets for $16...a 20% savings.  It looks like the closest Weis to the starting point is in Gap, PA.  Those of us in Central PA have many more stores to choose from; we have three in State College alone!  

Anyhoo, if you plan to do quite a few rides and/or are coming +1 or + many, this might be a deal worth investigating!  

See you all Saturday!  

[kendenton]

If you're lookingto ride a lot, handstamps are only $20 that day  

[ConPilot1]

If you're lookingto ride a lot, handstamps are only $20 that day  

that's pretty good. I think it's about 2.50 to ride the Phoenix and the other bigger rides there.

[squeezer]

AccuWeather.com is saying 73 degrees and "chance of a shower" at the park (well, at Elysburg).

weather.com is saying 63 degrees and 40% chance of rain.

I guess it depends on how fast that front moves in.

[ConPilot1]

PA residents know full well enough to bring the rain gear.

It could be sunny most of the day, rain-wind-hail-storm like a bastard for a half hour, then clear out and be sunny again.

[Mastros2]

Updated weather report from "Mastros the weather man"... Everything will be fine for Saturday.    

Bump for a reminder!

[kendenton]

I'm seeing 60% chance of showers, but I'm OK with that.

Looks like we've got 8 folks meeting in Downingtown for the ride.  Anyone else interested?

[kendenton]

Ken when do you make the rain go/no-go determination?

We're having a few of the kids' friends join us and I want to work out the logistics.

Thanks. 

Tomorrow afternoon.  Unless the forecast gets significantly crappier the ride is on.

_{(why is every group ride I organize plagued with rain decisions?)}

[kendenton]

Eh, I'll still go in the rain but the kids and kids' friends might not wanna trek up there to walk around in the rain  

How does everyone else feel about that?  Is there a point to riding up there for a rainy afternoon?  The weather in Elysburg looks slightly worse than down here.

[squeezer]

How does everyone else feel about that?  Is there a point to riding up there for a rainy afternoon?  The weather in Elysburg looks slightly worse than down here.

I think they still run the bumper cars in the rain.  

[kendenton]

Forecast as of 4pm Thursday

Downingtown:
Weather.com: Showers possible (60%). Highs in the mid 60s and lows in the upper 50s.
Weatherbug: Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs in the upper 60s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40 percent.

Elysburg:
Weather.com: Showers (70%). Highs in the low 60s and lows in the low 50s.
Weatherbug: Patchy fog in the morning. Cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers. Highs in the mid 60s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.

[JamminJere]

Maybe I'm always the optimist, but what I saw for Elysburg was a possible shower, .005" of rain 2 hours late in he day with more coming in the evening...  Even at that...not a washout....a shower    unless there is a big change in the forecast.....  Come on... Your mom said you were born wet anyway?      

JJ

[Mastros2]

Come on... Your mom said you were born wet anyway?      

JJ

 

[ConPilot1]

So is a a go or no-go?

[Mastros2]

I'll still meet up anyway.  

[The Dude]

This is a decent weather site for planning trips. If you scroll down under Road Trip, you can select Saturday's date and click Get Directions and Forecast. For some reason it wouldn't let me link it with the date saved, so you'll have to update that. It doesn't let you adjust the route, but it gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect without having to look up the forecasts for towns along the route. It's only predicting 20-35% chance of precip on the trip up. About 50% on the return. If you do go, have fun and ride safe!

[JamminJere]

Looks like 30% chance up here. I'm an 1 hr 15 min from the park.

I don't think I'm going to make it either. I have a lot of things I need to do and can't really do a FO day as much as I'd love to.

???   Change yer mind?

[ConPilot1]

???   Change yer mind?

It's iffy. As of tonight anyway.

[DosEquis00]

Looks like "Ride to the Rides" may separate the "Men from the Boys".

[kendenton]

Still "Go" at this point.  Tomorrow afternoon I will make final call.

[Jeets]

Wish I could be there rain or shine!  Have fun and post of pics!

[MrsCablebandit]

Still "Go" at this point.  Tomorrow afternoon I will make final call.

We'll be on the road by 3:30 this afternoon, so hopefully "tomorrow afternoon" is sometime before that!  

[squeezer]

As far as I can tell from checking a few sites, rain is likely and all day rain isn't. Things seem to be converging on lower 60s with passing showers.

[ConPilot1]

What time's everybody going to be there?

[kendenton]

I'm still thinking "GO".  

[ConPilot1]

Still not sure and I won't know until after coffee tomorrow.

But if you guys see a filthy gold C10 with a little white good luck kitteh on the turn signal you'll know who it is.  

[squeezer]

I'm still thinking "GO".  

I'm in.

[kendenton]

I'm happy (enough) with tomorrow's forecast at this point.

The ride is ON! 

See everyone at the back of the WaWa on Boot Rd in Downingtown.  Please be gassed up and ready to leave at 9:00am.

[kendenton]

And I'll see you in ~3 hrs. I have to stop and put gas in the Duc. I've been enjoying the long and twisty rides home.  

And, perhaps strangely, I've been enjoying the scoot.

[squeezer]

So, the reason Chris hasn't bought a new bike in the last week or so is that he isn't riding any of his own anyway?

I'm glad that's been explained.

[JamminJere]

Ken,

Ain't it fun hitting the twisties with your feet up on the front boards???   Sneaky quick for a scooter.

See you all bright and early.... Mr and Mrs cablebandit and Leisa and I should be at the wawa early... 8:30 ish

JJ

[Mastros2]

I'm happy (enough) with tomorrow's forecast at this point.

The ride is ON! 

See everyone at the back of the WaWa on Boot Rd in Downingtown.  Please be gassed up and ready to leave at 9:00am.

Nice!    See you all in the AM.

[Mastros2]

What time's everybody going to be there?

I'll probably get to the Wawa a little after 8am.  Looks like a quality wawa breakfast for me tomorrow!  That stuff tastes good but will kill ya!  

Edit: Thought ConPilot was meeting us at the Downington WaWa.  Yeah, Noon sounds about right.

[Spanky]

I'll probably get to the Wawa a little after 8am.  Looks like a quality wawa breakfast for me tomorrow!  That stuff tastes good but will kill ya!  

Edit: Thought ConPilot was meeting us at the Downington WaWa.  Yeah, Noon sounds about right.

Chef's Diner
81 West Lancaster Avenue, Downingtown, PA 19335-2846
 
(610) 873-6700

Is right around the corner from the Wawa. Great food if it is still there.

[Mastros2]

Thanks Spanky!  

[SuperSlider]

Hope you guys have a great time, wish I could be there.

[Moto Morphin Power Ranger]

DAMMIT! Sorry people i am out. Work just called and i am needed. this is the 2nd meet work has screwed me on. have fun people.

[Spanky]

Hope you guys have a great time, wish I could be there.

Fly over, Superhero!  

[Spanky]

Home safe. Great day! Thanks to Ken and Jerry for a very nice route. Great company and great rides, what could be better?

Lets meet tomorrow morning and do it again   .

[JamminJere]

Home Safe...  Leisa and I had a great time today.. The weather could have been better, but the company and the fun we had couldn't be topped.. I'll post up a little report and some pics after I get settled in...

Thanks again Ken for doing this again this year!

JJ

[MrsCablebandit]

We rolled in just before 7 and got an enthusiastic welcome home from Oscar.  The rain started at 7:20...whew, just made it!  Our ride home was largely uneventful - well, except for being trapped in Sunbury (thanks, fireman's parade!) and a bout of roadside projectile vomiting  (neither of us...some poor schmuck on PA 45...we're still laughing about it...it was like a Tosh.0 clip!).  

Thanks to JJ and Leisa for the overnight accommodations and hospitality, to JJ for the excellent route this morning, and to Ken for the "ride to the rides" idea.  It was a wonderful day with a great group of friends!

Pics later...probably tomorrow...

[kendenton]

Home safe and sound around 9.

Thanks to everyone for coming out, and a big thanks to Jerry for the route and for being out front.  Some spritzing on the way home, but never any real rain (except for when we were in the Haunted House).

[Mastros2]

Home safe and warm now after a nice HOT shower!  Haha.  Great day today!  Special thanks to JJ and Kendenton for putting this together! Excellent route up and back.    

Home safe. Great day! Thanks to Ken and Jerry for a very nice route. Great company and great rides, what could be better?

Lets meet tomorrow morning and do it again .

You just want to do the haunted house with the frenchman again!!!  

[MrsCablebandit]

Great company and great rides, what could be better?

Not getting ditched while in line for the Twister?!?  Just hazarding a guess...

[Mastros2]

Not getting ditched while in line for the Twister?!?  Just hazarding a guess...

Wow! Haha!  

[Spanky]

Not getting ditched while in line for the Twister?!?  Just hazarding a guess...

Yeah, that one hurt more than most, I thought we had something special  . The Frenchman's kids are still awesome in my book!  

[squeezer]

Yeah, that one hurt more than most, I thought we had something special  . The Frenchman's kids are still awesome in my book!  

It was heartbreaking to watch.  

I made it home without problems, though deep in reserve, and I'll spend some time today shopping for batteries.

Great route, really fun time, thanks a ton. And doing it again today is really not a bad idea...

[squeezer]

Thanks, Chris, for the info. I've ordered a Westco AGM battery online.

I had thought about changing out the battery during the winter. I had more years out of this one than anyone has a right to expect. You get lazy, you pay.    At least it got me home. I'm glad it didn't leave you stranded somewhere.

[Mastros2]

That's great news Squeezer.  Not the best of days to get stranded.