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Trip Report - Loopathon 2008
The annual Loopathon Trip is upon us again when we all travel to the midlands to enjoy Alton Towers & Drayton Manor. The day got off to a cold and damp start on Oblivion, our first ERS of the day. Were we bothered, no, we're british and didn't let the weather spoil our fun.
After a few goes on Oblivion it was off to Rita for a combined ERS with the hotel guests. After this we all had some free time to explore the park so in the same area The Corkscrew had to be ridden as it is going at the end of the season after 28 years. Next was a go on Hex followed by a challenge on the Battle Galleons. At 12.30 it was off to the hospitality suite for some lunch and to catch up on the latest club merchandise and the latest news from the park. After lunch it was back in the park for some more riding, We started off on Squirrel Nutty then Marauder's Mayhem, formally the Tea Cups. Heather was with us and she was on a mission, to see how many rides she could ride covered in balloons. She managed the Squirrel Nutty, Marauder's Mayhem, Tug Boat, Cable Cars & Blade but was refused on Duel! Then it was the turn of The Runaway Mine Train before heading back to the hospitality suite in readiness for our late night Dark ERS on the UK's No.1 steel coaster, Nemesis. This was to be an intense ERS. It was raining and the ride was flying, everyone was having a great time on this great ride. After the ERS it was the end of Day 1 of Loopathon and everyone went to their respective B&B's ready for Day 2 in Tamworth.
Day 2 started at Drayton Manor with a wet ERS on their drop tower, Apocalypse with members choosing from sit down, stand-up and stand-up floorless. This was followed by a take over of Maelstrom then some free time in the park. So it was off to Thomas Land to see how this has transformed Drayton Manor.
We had a chat with the Fat Controller followed by a go on Troublesome Trucks. We also took a trip to the zoo on Thomas then returned courtesy of Percy! Some more of the park was explored before we returned to our hospitality suite for some lunch and a complimentary drink of wine or lager to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the club. The park then told us what's up and coming in the next 12 months and told us how well Thomas Land was doing. After this it was off for some more riding and what better way to start than Dan standing in the 'wet zone' of Stormforce 10! To keep up the wet theme it was the turn of the rapids and a go on Europe's only stand-up coaster, Shockwave. By this time it was getting towards the end of the day so we all gathered by G Force for our last ERS of 2008 as the season was rapidly drawing to a close. After the public had finished riding it was the start of our ERS on G Force which everyone enjoyed. Then it was the closing ceremony, where everyone got into a circle, did the Hokey Cokey, Nev thanked everyone for attending, talked about the forthcoming
trips and then got the newbies into the centre of the circle for the GROUP HUG! That was it, Loopathon and The Club Season over for another year, everyone saying goodbye to each other in the car park then heading off home up and down the UK.
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| Oblivion ERS | Rita combined ERS with Hotel Guests | Heather on the Squirrel Nutty during her Balloon Mission! | Nemesis ERS | Nemesis ERS |
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| Apocalypse ERS | Maelstrom Takeover | Troublesome Trucks | G Force ERS | End of Season Hokey Cokey! |
