Beech Bend

If Beech Bend hadn't have built Kentucky Rumbler then I'm not sure it would have been on the itinerary, as without the park it would be nothing but a collection of fairground rides in a field.

From the outside the park looks much like any other.

Inside there is a mix of spin rides, children rides and a crazy golf course. There are a few coasters but it's the new wooden ride that steals the skyline and the attention of most of the public. Since its opening attendance at the park has been up by well over 100% so its obviously had the effect that the park owners intended.

First coaster of the day was the mouse coaster which was pretty good although or car didn't spin as much as we'd have liked. In fact it barely spun at all. I guess we got the weight balancing wrong on this occasion. We did have to queue for a little while before riding, not because of the crowds, there weren't many but because there was a guy smashing some part of the track with a hammer. Once he had finished whatever it was he was doing, we were allowed to ride.

This is Scat 2, an absolutely insane G-Force machine. Each cage spins like a centrifuge and the fact they're then spinning around each other makes the forces even more intense. Of our little sub-group only myself and Jeff were brave, or stupid, enough to ride it. In the heat, the forces felt stronger and I was very close to blacking out, I could barely move a limb. I'm glad I rode it so I can say I did it, but I'm not sure I'd ride it again.

I'd never seen so many Gravitron rides on one trip before, and we even had one here in Kentucky. Having just been spun more than I'd have liked on Scat2 I gave this ride a miss.

The park's history goes back to the 1880s but it didn't really become a proper park until the 1960s. As well as the park it has a oval race track, which was in use whilst we were there, and a drag strip. (For racing cars, not where men dressed as women disrobe).

Looping Star had no legroom and reminded me of the looping coaster that used to be at Drayton Manor. You have to ride cross legged just to get your legs in, which makes it really painful on some of the turns. Needless to say I only rode this the once.

In 2002 Viper had a close encounter of the rabbit kind when one bit him. In the park's petting zoo there were rabbits and other animals. Fearing a repeat we felt obliged to tag along on the off-chance that he might be bitten again. But it wasn't to be. I guess animals in Kentucky are more laid back than those in California.

Once again, the heat and humidity was getting the best of the group. Some of the members hijacked the rocking chairs outside the Rumbler shop to relax. I chose to play a round of golf instead, as there was some shade there.

Kentucky Rumbler is a really fun ride, that offers a great experience regardless of where on the train you're sitting. It has the record for most crossovers, but to be honest you take no attention of that.

A lovely little compact coaster that deserves to be cloned around the world.

Here's the manga hair I mentioned in my Great Adventure report. Nicely modelled by Jeff and Andy the hair comes in various day-glo colours and two styles; rockabilly quiff and little bunches.

At the end of the day we had an ERS on the Rumbler and we all had a great time. The ride is so re-rideable that most of us stayed on it.

Beech Bend is a park that is growing and the Rumbler coaster is now the catalyst for that. I hope the park does well after all they've taken a big gamble investing so much on this coaster that they deserve it. If you're visiting Holiday World then you may as well make the trip to visit here too. It would be good if the two parks could get along as there's an opportunity for cross promoting the rides. They both definitely have the best wooden coasters in the area.

South-east to Tennessee and Dollywood