The Boardwalk August 6th... surf, rides, free abuse...!!!

okay, you do have to pay for ride abuse, but I'll heckle you for free.

Here's the site for the "park" http://www.beachboardwalk.com/

If you get your tickets in advance on line, you can save $8 on the all day unlimited plus, which includes:

"...for just $26.95 (a special on-line $8 savings), includes all-day rides AND two attractions: Mini golf, Laser Tag, Fright Walk, Climb 'N Conquer, Boardwalk Bowl bowling (one game and shoes), or 12 arcade tokens."

REMEMBER YOU HAVE TO BUY THESE AT LEAST 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE!!!

Otherwise pay full price at the gate or go find a coupon. You can pick up the online purchased tickets at the park, so you don't have to stand by the mail box.

There are other options as well, but for a day of fun it seems like a pretty good bargain. The mini golf is awesome (not as good as the black light one at the Great Mall, which might be another event in the future?) and is indoors, so we can cool off if it gets too hot.

Laser Tag for those who have never done it before:

http://www.beachboardwalk.com/02_laser_tag.html

There are things to hide behind, and I'm not real tall, so I was just going to wear whatever I was wearing and depend on my Sithy sneaky stealth to catch you not watching me. Besides, I grin like a low flying sharky madman at these things, and since I'm not painting my teeth black, I stand out like the Cheshire Cat, don't matter if I DO wear black, just look for the glowing grin. So, I'll use my "Bad Ash" side, dress comfy and take my lumps.

I'll leave it up to you if you want to wear black at the beach during the August summer sun.

If we get a group that wants to do this of twenty or more, we can schedule a time for JUST US, so you can be guaranteed of shooting someone you know, satisfy that grudge you've been holding in your heart,
Take the opportunity to even the score, relentlessly, ruthlessly, doggedly, letting the hate flow through you....

Ahem.

Sorry.

Quick senior moment on the dark side. I'm better now.

Where was I? Ah, to continue...

There is lots of fun to be had, food is your typical fast food fare at the park. Yes, bring extra $ for parking, it's $10 per car for the day in the lots nearby. Carpooling is a good idea if you can manage it.

It's also near the pier. If interested we could consider authentic good seafood eatin afterwards, prices for meals vary but are in the $7-$25 for per person range there. There is also Marini's on the pier an at the beach, a candy shop which used to be the bane of the diabetic, but now they also carry sugar free chocolate.

As far as the water itself, it?d have to be pretty damn hot to take a dip in THIS ocean, even during the summer it?s still pretty you-know-what shriveling cold. People wear suits mostly to show off skin and tans, and if you stay later in the day towards sunset, the fog rolls in and it gets cool quick (typical San Francisco/ North coast beach weather), so just in case keep something warmer in the car.

I?ve been going into detail for our central coast friends who may not know how weird the place is, in more ways than one (more of that shortly).

SO, fun, food, chocolate, vividly colored golf balls, shooting your friends in the back.... did I leave anything out?

Oh, yeah, downtown is pretty fun and weird too in the evenings.

From fine dining, classy used book stores, Pizza My Heart: THE BEST PIZZA ON EARTH (IMHO), Cold Stone Ice Cream, to home made toy shops for the kids to an "Adult" toy store (I?m not providing the link, there could be minors out there, do a search on downtown stores if you are really obsessed). If you want weird shopping, it's likely downtown, they despise and barely tolerate major chains like Boarders and really embrace their weirdness.

You can even buy a bumper sticker, ?Keep Santa Cruz Weird?, they are proud of their strange heritage.

So, to summarize, here?s the plan:

We'll meet at the Boardwalk at the Neptune?s Kingdom Entrance (look for the green diving bell), at 10AM Saturday, August 6th, and then

 

We are going to be there, and I'll let SF know that it's gonna happen!

 

As yet another option for buying discounted tickets, I noticed that Boardwalk tickets were on sale at the San Jose Costco yesterday. The deal appears to be a discount of 33% for a block of 4 unlimited ride passes, no extra perks (ie laswer tag) that I could see. So basically, if you buy 4 unlimited passes through costco, the price comes out to around $18.06 per person. (Comparison would be $26.95 without the discount.) I don't know if all Bay Area Costcos have this, or if it's just down here in the south. (But the Costco where I saw this is just off I-880, which turns into Hwy 17, which is the route anyone would be taking over the hill from up north.)

Just another option, in case there was anyone who wanted just the unlimited rides and not necessarily the added attractions.

 

Awesome, didn't think to check Costco! I'll give the one off Highway 17 in Santa Cruz a look this weekend.

 

Yeah, I wouldn't have expected boardwalk tickets at Costco! But, there you go. I'm not sure where you'd get them in the regular warehouse part of the store - I saw this as a flyer displayed up at the register. Since they listed an item number, perhaps you just tell the cashier that you want tickets, when you go through checkout?

 

I just put this into my calendar. I've never (gasp!) done laser-tag before. Or...well...shot anything. So, I can be an easy kill for the rest of you!!!!

*ZOTZOTZOT*

*THUD goes the level 1 Jedi*

*XPs awarded*

Time to level up!

 

I've never played laser tag, either, but I am kinda curious. So yeah, I'll surely be another of those level 1 Jedi going thud. But hey, we can say that it's like a recreation of those scenes from RotS, where all those Jedi were taken out way too easily...

 

Would I do that? Shoot all those hapless unsuspecting Jedi in the back?

/blush

Well, maybe a few, I mean look, there are only TWO Sith after all, I'm just trying to balance things out.

 

You know, back in the day, REAL Sith, like Revan...? They balanced things out by recruiting loads and loads of people to THEIR cause.

I mean, just something to consider. Having to balance things by bringing opposing numbers down to two, because you can't get anybody interested in your side of the fence? Sort of smacks of desperation, don't'cha think? You need a Sith membership drive! Explain the perks!

"Join the Sith, and you, too, can have this pasty complexion!"

Hmmm. Not that. Ok, how about,

"Sith are cool! Get a free forehead buttcrack with every use of Force Lightning!"

Uh. No, no no. That's not really it either...

"Sign up with the Dark Lords! Got extra limbs? Bothered by bilateral symmetry? Complimentary amputations at sign-up!"

Argh. On second thought, better go with slaughtering the Jedi. I just can't see people signing once they read the fine print...

 

So now you see why Sid's Speeders is such an important business!

I'm just having trouble with, ah, inventory.

 

Ah. I grok your subtle and devious plan now. But yes, having inventory...? Helpful.

 

ROFLMFJAO regarding the slogans that Kai came up with! Yeah, that's gonna reel em in! Wanna do lazer tag, but depends on physical limitations at that time. (hmm, does a metal leg brace reflect the lazer beams? .this might work after all!) LOL Can hardly wait to see everyone again!

 

Think of it this way, Master--Kenobi...even with a bum knee (as long as you can stand on it), with competition like ME (who has never shot anything before), you're guaranteed a few kills even if you're non-ambulatory!

 

At least we know Master Kenobi's waterproof from the last visit to the place.

Riding one of those carnival rocket rides IN THE RAIN is something you never catch ME doing, heh. I thought MK was speaking aquatic Ewokese, "GLUB, BLUG, GLUB!"

Maybe that is why he did so well on Mustafar, stays saturated or something.

 

Hey...your wife was with me on that ride, Sid!

 

Looking forward to the rides and a walk on the beach. Color me there!

 

Hey all

Can anyone join in? Im a member of the Sacramento Valley Rogue Force, but more to the point my wife and I are slugs (academically speaking), '96 Oakes and '95 Stevenson graduates respectively and we love returning to our old stomping grounds. Probably has something to do with getting back in touch with the time in our lives where responsibility was...well... not something to worry about.

 

Any and all Slugs are welcome! Come on down and join the fun! (Actually I was planning on becoming a Slug myself - but at the time, everything with SC was Pass/Fail and since Mom/Dad was paying the way..they said "No." (I think they were afraid they would lose me even more to the beach. And yeah...Santa Cruz and Responsibility ...What a Concept!! I LOVE THIS PLACE! Peace Out and Welcome

 

Thanks!

Yes , the whole pass or fail, written evaluation deal is a little dubious, and since I was a fine art major to boot, college was never the high pressure thing Id always heard of.

Looking forward to meeting you guys and cashing in some Atlantis Fantasy World coupons I've got

 

Hey, Bith!

I'm a slug, too. Just an older slug than you are. I'm Merrill, History BS (how true!), graduated in '92. And went back for Science Illustration and graduated THAT in '98, but I digress.

So, welcome, fellow slug!

- Kai

 

Hey Kai

Then you got to visit Elfland before it got bulldozed. Only Santa Cruz would have a hobbit village for people to frolick in and leave poetry. It is missed

 

Sounds like fun!! Got it on my calander and I'll be there!!!

Though I will be somewhat limited in what rides I can go on LOL, I can hold purses and backpacks and wave at you guys as you fly by hehehe.

I am SO having a waffle cone sunday. Man I dig those hehe.

Anyone else into the midway games? I adore skeeball and Fascination. Though I always wonder why I bother trying to win tickets to get junk ROFL. Lately I've just given them to kids, the smiles are worth far more (though plastic parachuting aliens ARE cool heheheh)

 

Hey, after knee reconstruction - I'll probably be right there with you in the limiting of what rides I can go on.. (But the Giant Dipper...oh man.. I GOTTA figure out how to get on tha one..Its tradition!)

And Yup, parachuting Aliens are the ultimate in cool!

 

Hey Sid and LadyCieone... are there any places that we can do an old-fashioned Beach Party bonfire (or little fire) and BBQ or potluck the night of this thing. A potluck was suggested on SF Boards and well, it sounds good to me. So, what are the chances?

 

I did, yes. I miss Elfland. That little stretch of woods had a lot of love put into it.