originally posted on 11/5/2021 1:05:17 AM
Photo: Rus Ozana Collection. View full-sized image.
September 25 brought a beautiful, sunny, early autumn day to Bristol, Connecticut’s Lake Compounce. Forty-four ACE members and their guests gathered to enjoy the region’s first informal event. Informal? How so? Well, there was no registration. No group meal. No Q&A with park representatives, for starters. Attendees with park season passes visited using those. Those without season passes were admitted at the park’s discounted senior rate by showing their ACE membership cards at Guest Services. Showing an ACE card at the parking booth provided free parking for all attendees as well.
As the daylight operating hours were totally unstructured, some arrived at the park when it opened. Some paid a visit to Six Flags New England or Quassy Amusement Park in the morning before making the 30 to 45-minute drive to Lake Compounce.
By late afternoon, more and more ACEer faces were spotted. The eateries at dinner time truly reflected the number of ACEers in the park (primarily because not all the eateries were open).
Photo: Rus Ozana. View full-sized image.
In celebration of the park’s 175th anniversary, an extremely impressive fireworks show began at 8:30 p.m. Once concluded, the park was open only another 10 minutes or so, and as the general public headed for the park exit, attendees gathered at the queue entrance to Boulder Dash. Not long after the closing time of 9 p.m., the signal was given that the one hour of ERT was to begin.
Fred Ross (left) received his photo contest plaque from Coaster Con from Emery Picotte (right).
Photo: Rus Ozana. View full-sized image.
Double rides were given on Boulder Dash during ERT.
Photo: Rus Ozana. View full-sized image.
Before the first ride, Assistant Regional Rep and Coaster Con Photo Contest Organizer Emery Picotte had some business to attend to. This year’s second-place winner did not attend Coaster Con. He was at “The Lake” though, so Picotte presented Fred Ross with a plaque recognizing his photographic achievement.
Night rides on Boulder Dash are always wild and crazy and did not disappoint riders this night. Double rides were given, and if no one was in the queue for a row when riders got back to the station, ACEers didn’t have to get out of their seats. There were more than a couple of riders who rode the entire hour, filling in seats as they were vacated.
Deep and sincere thanks went to General Manager Larry Gorneault for offering up this free day/night of fun at Lake Compounce!
— Rus Ozana, ACE New England Regional Representative
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