Got a message Thursday from a Security staffer at SFGAdv that several of the items I lost while riding El Toro 53 times on 10/24 had been found. Actually, they were found under Toro on 11/1, more than a week later. I had notified them I lost the billfold, but they didn't go back that far in their logbook to find my info. They actually contacted AAA, because that card was found, and set up a conference call which I missed while at work, so they left a message. After talking with the woman Friday, I decided to take a ride down and retrieve the items, even though what was found had either already been replaced or was in the pipeline. These items included my credit and ATM cards, health insurance cards, and the afore-mentioned AAA card. Figured I'd have them before they could fall into the wrong hands, since they refused to mail them. Other items and the billfold itself did not turn up, including my 2010 CF/Dorney pass..which, granted, I should not have had with me..no reason to, it just happened to be in there.

Stopped for fresh squeezed orange juice, visited the KFC/LJS parking lot by the main gate, and picked up the items at the security gate about a half-mile up Rt. 537.

Back in July, after I got out of the hospital, a very special lady came to visit me, and we did a couple of Jersey-centric things, including a round of mini-golf at Blackbeard's Cave in Bayville. The small amusement complex has a handful of rides, including a junior Dragon coaster. I wasn't ready to ride it...recuperation, ya know...and I told her to go ahead, but she didn't. So I took a ride over there today. Wasn't sure if it'd be running, but the place itself is open year-round, I think.

I walked back to the coaster, but saw no one around in the rides section of the place. Walked over to the ticket booth, and I could see a jacket on the chair inside, but no occupant. Then I saw an attendant behind the ticket booth, and I asked him if the rides were even open, he answered in the affirmative, and I asked if I could ride the coaster. I paid my 3 bucks...hey, a credit's a credit!...and grabbed a front seat all by my lonesome.
This one unofficially became my 253rd coaster, but here's where the "firsts" I cited in my subject line come into play.

Today is November 7. I have never in my life rode a coaster locally this late in the year. But it gets better.

This coaster really doesn't have a lift "hill," per se. The train leaves the station and winds its way through an upwards-curving track. Got up to the top, and the train stops dead. All of a sudden, I'm on my way back to the station...the wrong way! All the dozens of rides I've had on Kinda Krap, Dragster, and Stormy, and BAYVILLE, NEW (BLEEPING) JERSEY is where I get my FIRST rollback! It was great! When I got back to to station, I said to the attendant, "The hell with the ride, I wanna do THAT a few more times!" He fooled around with the control box for a minute, and adjusted a chain, and sent me on my merry way again. Gave me four circuits, then the train overshot the station at the end and went about a third of the way up again. Guess what? Yep, anothe partial rollback! It was a lot of fun.

I then went over to Seaside. I knew the rides wouldn't be open, but I like the peace and quiet of walking the beach and boardwalk in the off season. I usually do it once in the dead of winter after the new year, as it's a good opportunity to reflect on the previous year. But this has already been an interesting year, in some ways one of the best of my 45...so, no it wasn't too early to do this. My first beach walk today was with covered feet, but I did the second the right way. The Atlantic felt absolutely beautiful on my bare feet. Back on the boards, I took a spin on the very nice Freeman Carousel for two bucks. I was upset to find the Arcade in the carousel building in a state of flux, with the retro video games and pinball machines of recent years nowhere to be seen

Also made a point of partaking of a coupla culinary treats I can't get in MY neck of the Jersey woods...a Windmill hot dog and a Roy Rogers Sourdough bacon cheeseburger.

Coasters, junk food (no vegetables) and sand beneath my toes...could it get any better?

Mike

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