USA 12/18 – Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk + Gilroy Gardens

Day 4 – Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Spited myself with the lack of coinage again from the previous day, having nothing with which to pay for a couple of hours on a meter along the road from this park. All day parking @ $10 will have to do. Can spend a while here right?

Wrong. Once again crowd prediction is a little off as it was hideously busy on a glorious sunny weekend. A sign was up listing the attractions available. I had 6 things on my to do list (3 creds and 3 dark rides). 1 of those 6 was open. Spent more on parking than I did on rides.

Oh well, at least it’s the star attraction. It had a big queue so once was enough.

The starting tunnel was a laugh, not being able to see or knowing what to expect and the main portion of the ride was a bit of fun.

There’s always that unpredictability of roughness with these old rides, but there was no particular unpleasantness on this occasion except for the low part of the plastic bucket it had between the seats digging in a little on the high lateral corners. Blame the modern features.

There’s the beach.

There’s the sea.

Well that was quick. What else have we got?

Gilroy Gardens

More Cedar Fair season pass fun, although you don’t get free parking here, just entry.

Seemed busy in the car park, but the creds weren’t. Walked onto the first one that came into sight.

Tivoli Medium. Whatcha gonna do.

Powered over to the other side of the park for the bigger coaster.

Thought this was going to have a little more to it in terms of theming so was mildly excited. Instead there’s a mince through a shed at the end where nothing happened. There’s some good history about mining in the queue at least.
First half of the ride was amusingly pointless, but then the second lift disappears over the top of that hill and there’s a surprisingly exhilarating drop to be found, followed by lots of twisty hills. Racking up that Morgan count.

Job done. Think that was even quicker than the Boardwalk. Seems like a nice place to spend the day if you’re a normal person.

Passed through this area on the way out, with a well timed sunset.

Settled in for another long drive back down ‘the 5’. In the dark. Wasn’t as bad thankfully. Tumbleweed sleeps at night.

Up next – more flags.

Day 5