It was getting late in the evening and I couldn't let Skyrush be the only coaster to beat me up that day.

Somehow, Sidewinder ended up being my first Vekoma Boomerang I ever rode back in 2002. I guess the only other one I had seen before was at Geauga Lake and it was closed then.

Sidewinder's catch car mechanism that makes the shuttle concept work.

The real reason I wanted to try Sidewinder was because I was curious to try out the new Vekoma trains with flexible restraint vest.

Would new restraints make this boomerang a more comfortable riding experience than Skyrush?

The only way to find out is to assume the proper hand placement...

Sidewinder getting pulled backwards up...

Going slow...

Going fast!

Sure. Yeah. It was better. Although I'd contend that the vest restraints offer a deceptive trade-off between less head banging and more lung collapsing and spine compressing.

So there. Two mixed reviews in a roll.

Ehh, Trailblazer, you don't get your own review. Seriously, it's such a lame mine train it couldn't even be bothered to decently look like a mine train.

This is about as close as Hersheypark gets to being chocolate themed.

The Boardwalk is still there, awkwardly bisecting the middle of the park...

Wild Mouse. Didn't ride it. Remember it being okay last time.

Wildcat, GCI's first roller coaster. Oddly specific wait time board.

Wildcat with its new(ish) Millennium Flyer train.

I'm guessing that having standard parts for both Wildcat and Lightning Racer was a key factor in getting almost the exact same trains, save for the front grill.

Hersheypark's Wildcat, doing its best impression of Hersheypark's Lightning Racer's Lightning side.

Wildcat is still possibly the most beautiful of Great Coaster's rides, even as it's possibly the least dynamic.

Wildcat is unique in that it focuses mostly on long curves and extended laterals, as opposed to GCI's current modus operandi of fast transitions and dynamic pacing.

Wildcat doing another long turn.

I found something comfortingly mid-90's about this line-art painted photo booth sign.

That's what a wooden coaster should look like.

Wildcat vs. Fahrenheit.

Wildcat dominates.