Knoebels Grove 2016

Knoebels Grove | Photos | Videos

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October 8, 2016
Elysburg PA
Phoenix Phall Phunfest

My previous visit to both Knoebels and PPP (also my first) were in 2010. It was a sucky day leading up to getting to the park much later than I’d planned, and it really wasn’t the type of event I thought it was going to be. But I dug Phoenix and Twister, and some of the classic flats, so there was that. I had intended on taking Isaac to PPP in 2015, but then in August I found out after constantly telling my then PCP that I really didn’t think it was bronchitis that part of my lung had indeed collapsed because I had a tumor growing right at the start of the airway leading to the upper lobe of my left lung And even though the first surgery to remove the tumor was scheduled for the Thursday before PPP, I really felt I’d be able to make it.

Isaac wisely decided we should wait a year. So here we were. I needed a Knoebels redemption in the worst way because I was not so impressed on my first visit. And it was mostly not Knoebel’s fault. Because we had just gotten back from an amazing trip from SoCal the weekend before and were both trying to have a smaller budget for this trip, we opted to drive. After work on Friday I drove up to meet Isaac an hour away, parked my car at his friend’s place, and then headed up to Pennsylvania. Several hours (and some hotel/hotwire drama) later we had a room and a few hours of sleep. Then we got up the next morning and headed up to Elysburg.

Arrival was around 9:30 AM, but the park opened at 10, the rides at 11. The covered Bridge Festival, however, had already started. And I saw a sight I didn’t like that was very reminiscent of the last time, non-moving cars trying to get in to the park. And the last time it took me almost 2 hours to go a quarter mile to park. We turned around near the entrance of the car park, then realized they had just stopped so they could move some cones and let everyone in. We realized that because the line of cars that had just grown much larger was now making it’s way in, so we headed across to the opposite road, turned around, and headed in, parked, and walked to the park.

Knoebel’s Grove 2010

Knoebel’s Grove | Photos | Videos

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October 8, 2010
Phoenix Phall Phunfest
Elysburg PA

Knoebel’s Phoenix Phall Phunfest was one of the last of the major yearly coaster events that I’d yet to attend, and having cancelled out so many times before, I really wanted to make it in 2010. I’d heard so much about the park and how great Phoenix and Twister were and I really wanted to visit. Plus, there were some other folks going that I’d yet to meet in person after knowing them online for many years.

I was flying out of Greensboro early Saturday morning heading into Philly, and then driving to Knoebel’s. I’d forgot to fill the Xterra up on Friday evening, so I had to stop and get gas, which took a little longer than I’d have liked on Saturday morning. I hadn’t actually driven to GSO from my house before as previously I headed over from work, which was about 20 minutes from the airport. The drive was longer than I’d expected.  Though I’d wanted to get there at 6:30 AM since I’d left my boarding pass at work after checking in and printing it out on Friday, I needed to print one at the airport.

Once I parked outside the main terminal’s front gate I ran into the terminal to print my pass…only to find out that the self service machines have a cutoff of 30 minutes prior to departure. It was about 27 minutes prior to departure so it said to see someone at the counter.