New Jersey July 2006


	July, 2006: New Jersey


	It simply wouldn’t be summer without a trip to Six Flags amusement park and some insane rides. My friend Hans invited me to spend some time with him and his family in the Lakewood, NJ, area, where he’s spending the season performing as Batman at Six Flags Great Adventure.

		After a full day of conquering vomit-inducing marvels like Kingda Ka and El Toro, we managed to do some exploring along the Jersey Shore and surrounding areas. All in all, this trip was one of the best!


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The city of Lakewood is about midway between New York and Atlantic City.	Rockefeller used to have his home here, in what is now Ocean County Park.	Hans and I are all about the treats... and nothing’s better than Stewart’s Root Beer on a hot day.	Taking a look at the family garden.	It won’t be long before the corn is ready for picking.

Doing some shopping at one of the many Six Flags shops.	Kingda Ka is the tallest coaster on the planet, as well as the fastest. 128mph in less than 4 seconds.	Getting ready to ride Kingda Ka.	The newest ride in the park is a monster wooden roller coaster called El Toro.	This is merely a portion of the almost mile-long track.

Hans poses for a quick picture in front of our first two conquests of the day.	Next, it was off to the other side of the park for more thrills on Nitro.	We caught up with some of Hans’s co-workers.	On the set of the Batman show.	Exploring part of the elaborate Gotham City backdrop.

Taking a peek at the Batmobile.	The overcast sky kept things nice and cool, while the flowers added plenty of color.	The advantage of going to the park with Batman?? You get to skip most of the lines, like this one.	Superman Ultimate Flight. Fun, but it gives you a headache.	The sun came out, and the day ended beautifully.

More of the amazing Six Flags gardens.	After a full day, we got ready to head out... but not before one more picture!	The Boardwalk in Seaside.	Ice cream, pizza, taffy, and rides... and one best friend.	Hans tries his hand at shooting paintballs.

Neither one of us had the stomach for another rollercoaster.	Of course, we never say no to ice cream.	Hans has a close encounter with a scary Elvis statue.	Sticking him back.	Taking a break to check email.

Hans’s grandma always made sure we started each day right.	We went to check out “Clerks II” one night and followed it up with a visit to the REAL Quick Stop!	The store is located in Leonardo, New Jersey. We had a nice chat with the owner.	Heading south into the city of Red Bank.	A perfect summer day.

A beautiful view of the lakeshore.	Hans took us everywhere in his fuel-efficient Honda!	Posing for a family photo with his grandparents and father.