Our mid-trip stop, coming back from Pittsburgh, was Cedar Point, where we discovered that the Midway Carousel's band organ was not playing. They were back on the old carousel music CD that I'd have thought worn out by overuse. We were getting worried the band organ had, very shortly after being repaired, been taken out of operation again. But when we visited for Halloweekends the band organ was going, not just well, and with a big stock of Halloween music, but also sounding even better than it had. Maybe they were just re-tuning it in mid-July.
As with any drop-in trip like this we didn't have expectations of doing much. We ended up discovering a little corner of the park we never paid attention to. It's this little observation patio from which you can look over the Thunder Canyon river-rafting ride. ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bunnyhugger and I haven't been on it, as we don't tend to go in for the rides where you're sure to get soaked and this ride aims you at a couple waterfalls to make sure you're splashed enough. The patio has always been there, of course; we just hadn't noticed it, and spent a pleasant, tranquil time watching the lifeguard looking over boats coming around one corner and then aiming at the waterfall.
We got some good looks at Top Thrill Dragster, deep in its renovations but without any official announcement about what was to become of it. The only clue we had was that Cedar Point had gotten a new ``CP Racing'' logo and was plastering it on the ground and on signs around the coaster. All we could do there was take the same pictures everyone else was and wonder, shouldn't they be announcing something by now? Or something?
Also we spent some time in the Coliseum. It's stopped being a must-visit place for us since they got rid of the pinball, and miscellaneous old mechanical contraptions. It's joined the world of stuff that's just magnetic swipe cards for imaginary tickets. But we did notice they had a miniature golf course in there, and that's worth a peek. We didn't play, but we did agree we might just give that a try one of these times. As of the end of the 2023 season, we have not.
We closed our little visit out with a ride on the rabbits of the Kiddie Kingdom carousel. And hit the road around 7:30, before the park was even near closing. This meant we could get home before midnight, and did, and I could get a reasonable amount of sleep to plunge back into office work. bunnyhugger retrieved our pet rabbit from her parents the next day, and everything was back to regular life. For now.
KennyKon trip ended, let me now finish our first trip to Gilroy Gardens in photos. And what's next, if you can remember that far back? Just wait and see.
Us, joining the remaining masses, walking out along the bridge that was so happy and a way into the park just a few hours ago.
And here's a look over the side at, in the distance, a pavilion, but nearer, a bridge that sure looks like it was used for something at some point. I think we had the impression it might have been a miniature railroad bridge but that implies a heck of a realignment.
Ah well. Here we are, come to the topiary figures of Giant Earbuds.
And here's my album cover picture of the earbud topiaries.
As we near the exit ... there! I did see some of the Circus Trees up front! Sideways Rope Rectangle (center distance) and Picture Frame (right, near). I don't know why it didn't occur to me the rest were up here since that's where the map points to, too.
Better view of Sideways Rope Rectangle and that great body plan it has.
And oh, something I failed to get earlier ... a picture of the park's entrance, and their logo, featuring both garlic and the Basket tree.
Trivia: Skylab 4/3 launched at 10:01:23 am Eastern Daylight Time the 16th of October, 1973, with a planned mission of 56 days, with an option to extend to 84 days. Source: Skylab: A Chronology, Roland W Newkirk, Ivan D Ertel, Courtney G Brooks. NASA SP-4011. (In 1973 the United States never went off Daylight Saving Time.)
Currently Reading: The Wright Flyers 1899 - 1916: The Kites, Gliders, and Aircraft that Launched the 'Air Age', Richard P Hallion.
