The kick-off to this year's Western New York Coaster Club's Coasterfest was close to home: Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury, Connecticut. We hadn't been there since the park stopped hosting their annual Wooden Warrior Day event. The journey there was along peaceful back roads under threatening skies. The forecast was for severe thunderstorms. We were optimistically hoping that the weather might clear. Otherwise it would be our first Coasterfest washout. We arrived at the park about 10:00. There were already quite a few other cars there. The first thing I noticed was a new red metal fence that surrounded the entire park. Previously, you could just walk onto the midway from any place in the parking lot. The only entrance seemed to be a large vertical turnstile (like those revolving bank doors), but it only opened outward toward the parking lot. We both wanted to use the rest room but there apparently was no longer a way to get to it. The park now had gated entry, with no more ride tickets. Parking was now $10, but because we were meeting there for the event, we didn't have to pay. Bob and Yvonne Wheeler were managing the event for the WNYCC. We saw them near the fence and they told us to head through the ticket gates and then around. Unfortunately, there were fewer than two dozen enthusiasts joining us. So instead of a buffet lunch, the park was giving us food vouchers and we could eat whatever we wanted and when we wanted. We also didn't have an hour of ERT (Exclusive Ride Time) on Wooden Warrior, but instead Bob said we had ITOT (Informal Takeover Time)on the coaster, train and kiddie coaster at certain times throughout the day. In other words, we would just meet up there and ride together. George Frantzis II, one of the park owners, arrived and talked with us for a while. He mentioned the park's difficult decision to fence off the midway after over a century of free admission. He was going to let us get on Wooden Warrior a few minutes before the park opened. Because of the impending storm, he couldn't guarantee how long the park would be open. But he said that being by the lake, the bad weather often bypasses them. In any case, they weren't expecting a big crowd so we'd be able to get as many rides as we wanted, even after the park officially opened at 11:00. More club members began arriving and we congregated at the entrance to Wooden Warrior. Yvonne remained near the parking lot to direct people in. Frantzis gave us our wrist bands and our meal tickets. When all in the group were accounted for, we headed up the queue line to the Wooden Warrior station. The ride attendants were really friendly and engaging. I was glad that there were several club members joining us who were riding this coaster for the first time. The first group of riders was secured into the comfortable Timberliner trains and were sent off on their way. When they returned to the station, they were cheering and clapping. This was a coaster that never failed to delight. Karen and I were next in line for the front seat. It still surprised me how much speed the little coaster had and how much ejector air time there was. Every hill threw me out of my seat, but not in a violent and painful way. It was fun and exhilarating. The group was pleasantly surprised with how re-ridable it was. I went for another ride while Karen took photos. When the park opened to the general public (of whom there were few), Karen and I headed over to the always-enjoyable train. As we waited in the queue line, streaks of sunlight teasingly appeared across the midway, giving us hope for a milder day than what was forecast. The track layout was a giant square around the edge of the park's sports field and under the Wooden Warrior's track. Even though it was a respectably long ride, the park always had the train make two circuits. In the big Fieldside Pavilion next to the train station, there was a sizable party underway with peppy polka music playing. After our relaxing ride, Karen wanted a snack and I was thirsty. So we walked over to the park's rustic restaurant. She got onion rings and Diet Pepsi and I got a Gatorade. We didn't use our meal tickets at that point, assuming we'd have our meal later in the afternoon. After that refresher, I decided to make a park walk-thru video while the weather was still cooperating. As I got further into the walk-thru, rain began coming down at a steady pace. Since the park is relatively small (at 20 acres), it only took me a few minutes to make the video. And then I realized the club was supposed to meet at the train for some ITOT rides and a group photo. So Karen and I headed back over to the train just as the club members were dispersing. So instead we joined them for a ride on the Grand Carousel next door. Quassy originally had a rare Stein & Goldstein carousel. But decades ago when the park was financially struggling, they chose to sell the horses to collectors and replace the ride with a modern fiberglass one from Chance Manufacturing. It turned out to be a smart move, because that was able to keep them afloat as the management team brought the park into a new era. After that enjoyable ride, someone suggested that we head over to the bumper cars. So we walked to the opposite end of the park. There were just a couple of people on the ride so we queued up. And once that ride ended, we had the arena all to ourselves. And then the skies opened up. When our ride ended, the attendant asked us if we wanted to stay on, and we all agreed. The cars moved fairly slowly and they had big sponge bumpers, so there was no way to bump anyone with any amount of force. The arena had no island in it, so it was a free-for-all, although most of us kept going around in a counter-clockwise direction. When that ride ended, the ride attendant was replaced by someone else, and older gentleman who'd been with the park a while. He asked if we just wanted to stay on since there wasn't much else to do. We ended up with the longest bumper car ride I've ever had -- nearly a half-hour of non-stop driving. We discovered some amusing quirks. For instance, there was no stop on the steering wheel. So you could turn it completely around and the car would run in reverse. The rain started coming down in sheets and the midway looked like a series of rivers. The attendant said he'd have to stop the ride and told us the park would be closing soon. So we thanked him and headed for the park restaurant to have our complimentary meal before everything shut down. The restaurant had a few people in it and thankfully had several workers there. So we were able to place our orders and get served in a short time. There was a good selection we could choose from. Karen got fried shrimp (which strangely was just batter-dipped, not with the usual breading). I got a veggie burger with fries. The food was plentiful and good. After that we all parted ways for the day. The next day we'd be heading east to Lake Compounce. Even though our time in the park was relatively short, we had one of our more enjoyable visits to Quassy. I think it helped that we had people we knew there and were part of a group. It gave us a bit more focus and purpose. Some members of the group got their ITOT on the Little Dipper, so they were able to ride both coasters. But the rides are no longer a bit focus for me when I go to parks. I just enjoy absorbing the ambience. Quassy was a good primer for the day to come. I was glad that some of the club members got to experience Wooden Warrior for the first time and really liked it. And we certainly got one heck of a bumper car ride! I wish Quassy continued success and look forward to our next visit, hopefully on a drier day.

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