4700 and 47

I usually do the posts as the milestone days are happening. But did not think I could get 35 laps to reach 4700. Boy, I was wrong. It was the best ever day of racing yet. I was able to reach 35 laps and 4700 total by 3:30pm. I did not stop there. Continued to race until the park closed. Got another 12 laps to hit 47 for one day. My previous record was 46. Was hoping I could hit 50. But it was not meant to be. Lap 47 was the last car out for the day. I was in the car all by myself. Almost got to ride with cast members but they were short staffed. Still had fun getting that 47 lap. A former cast member, Sheri B. Called the single rider line "The Jon Hale Expressway. " it sure was on Monday. 

I was able to add another 35 laps on Tuesday and now I'm at 4747 all time. Getting closer to 5000. 

Lap 47

Jordan

Bethanie

Katie

Jamie

Catalina

Heyse

Sonjia

Jason

Andrew

Alicia

4600

Did not arrived at Radiator Springs Racers until 9:45am today. Had to get my teeth cleaned. The first 7 races were all losses. On lap 8, got my first win for the day. At 12:25pm, I'm now 10 rides away from 4600. No breaks until I reach 4600.

At 1:44pm, 5 more laps are in the book. I'm now at 4595. Not a good win-loss record today. In 13 laps, I'm at 3 wins and 10 losers. Let's countdown from here:

Lap 4596: Silver 4, Ramone side for race and won. I was in car with family that saw  me last year. They took a photo of me and their kids after the race.

Started to get humid and a longer wait in single rider line. 

Lap 4597: Teal 4, Luigi side for race and loss.

Lap 4598: Silver 4, Luigi side for race and loss. Don't like this losing today.

Lap 4599: Blue 3, Ramone side for race and another loss.

Lap 4600: Greg at Grouper. Adam grouper assist. Kevin at belts. Silver 3. Ramone side for race and loss at 3:25pm. Took almost 6 hours to reach 18 laps today and hit 4600. Here are the first of the crew photos from today. Still racing until the park closes at 8pm. Only 400 more laps to reach 5000. 

Ruth

Sergio

Bethanie

Carlene

Armando

Kelsey

4500

I need 18 laps at Racers today to reach 4500. Besides trying to get 18 laps, the real test today will be the weather. The weather channel app even has Disney Cars Land setting. So today, I also keep track of the weather along the way. 

I got to the parking structure at 7:45am. It doesn't even open until 8:30am. I always get here early. I'm reading a Star Wars book to help pass the time. "Heir To The Jedi".

The parking lot opened on time. I walked over to the DCA entrance. The temperature at 9am is 82 degrees. And humid. This is going to be fun today!!

I met a nice family from Australia waiting for the park gates to open. Gave them one of my blog cards. I've met quite a few people from Australia. Waiting for the walk down to Racers at 10am. The temperature is now 86 degrees and 36 percent humidity. 

Got to the ride at 10:03am. Waiting for the single rider line to open.  87 degrees and 42 percent humidity.

Started racing at 10:15am. Got in 2 laps then the ride went down at 10:45am. Hope it is only a single car issue. Turned into full power down. So took a break. Went to Pacific Wharf Cafe and got a turkey club sandwich. No tomatoe, no lettuce and no pesto sauce. Some of the cast members there, have also have been following my journey. At 11:11am the temperature is 91 degrees. 

I went back to Racers to wait out the down time. Talked to cast members Emily, Doug, Catalina, Jeri, and April. Ride still down at 1pm and the temperature is 96 degrees.

The ride opened back up at 1:20pm. I got a Fastpass when stuck in car as ride broke down. So I was the first one to get in a car after the ride opened up. I now need 15 more laps to reach 4500. 

On the next lap, I was racing after the finish line and cast member Catalina saw me and waved. I have seen plenty of cast members at this point of the ride before. But they have all been looking elsewhere as I pass. All these laps and it was not until lap 4486 that a cast member saw me and waved after the race. So cool.

At 2:35pm, I have 8 laps in. 10 to reach 4500. The temperature is now 99 degrees. Toasty. 

At 3:53pm, I'm only 4 laps away from 4500. The temperature is 101 degrees. Time for a break to get water and refreshen up for the photo op. Basically, just changing my shirt.

Back at Racers at 4:17pm.

Lap 4497: Cranberry 3, Ramone side for race and loss at 4:25pm.

Lap 4498: Cranberry 1, Luigi side for race and won at 4:36pm.

Lap 4499: Red 5, Ramone side for race and won at 4:51pm.

Lap 4500: Red 3, Ramone side for race and won at 5:05pm.  The temperature was 98 degrees. After a 2 hour and 30 minute down time, I thought the ride would be packed. It was not. And I flew the 16 laps I needed to reach 4500. Now I'm only 500 from 5000. It's getting exciting at Racers.

Teresa and Amos

Jeri on her last day at Racers

Stephanie

Zeina

Alessa

Frances

Tina

Disneyland 5K Run

Today was my first ever 5K event. Of course my first has to be a Disneyland 5K. Got to the starting corral at about 4:45am. They let the top runners go first. Since I was walking, I was in the last group. We crossed the start line at about 5:40am. It went pretty good. I was able to get around the course in about 45 minutes. The course was through both Disney Parks and ended at Diwntiwn Disney. A few people helped inspire me to challenge myself in this event. My Pit Crew friends, Catalina and Carlene. Carlene has run a half marathon and some 5K events. She runs even though she has asthma. And Catalina is running the 10K and half marathon this weekend. That really impressed me to try to do at least a 5K. So beside the race today, I'm also signed up for the 5K runs in November and in January. Catalina was there to cheer me on at the finish line. Overall it was s great first experience. Maybe one day I'll see if I can walk a 10K event. 

Catalina

Carlene

4400

Nineteen laps today will get me to 4400 all time at Radiator Springs Racers. Shorter hours now with the fall season. Park open today from 10am until 8pm.

As usual, I walked over from the parking lot. I walked by the starting line for all the Disney races this weekend and got a little  nervous. I'm trying the 5K for the first time ever.

Let's keep it simple today. After rope drop, I arrived at the attraction at 10:05am. And away we go.

From 10:15am to 11am, 4 laps. Now at 4385.

From 11am to 12pm: 4 more laps. Now at 4389.

From 12pm to 1pm: 5 laps. Now at 4394. Can not walk away now. No break until I hit 4400.

Lap 4395 at 1:10pm.

Lap 4396 at 1:25pm.

Lap 4397 at 1:40pm.

Lap 4398 at 1:58pm.

Lap 4399 at 2:10pm.

Lap 4400: Shou was at single rider entrance. Ruth was at merge and Brian  at merge 2. Got sent to GWD. Carlene  and Teddi at GWD and Grace at GWD assist. At 2:30 pm in Purple 4, on Luigi side of race, I won on lap 4400. 

It was very fitting that on this exact day, 4 years ago, I had double knee replacement. Without that surgery, I probably would not of been on this ride 10 times. Let alone 4400 times. So I have to also thanks my surgeon, Dr. Thomas Bryan. He did both my knees in about 3 hours. The next adventure will be on Friday morning, when I'm taking part in the Dusneyland 5K.

Catalina

Carlene

Rosanna, Katie and Angel

Nadine

Ruth

Brian

First stats for this year

I thought it was time to post some stats for this year.

Last year, I had an average of 11.7 rides per visit to Radiator Springs Racers. This year my average is 16.58 rides per visit.

At the end of August last year, I had a total of 1323 laps at Racers. At the end of August this year, I have 1609 laps. I hope I can keep staying ahead of my pace from last year.

So here are the individual stats for this year.

A total of 1609 laps.

Luigi side for race: 803 times and record of 422 wins and 381 losses.

Ramone side for race: 806 times and record of 400 wins and 406 losses. 

Last year I won more on Ramone and this year it is Luigi.

Now for my records this year by color of car.

Red: 286 times and record of 157-129

Teal: 226 times and record of 105-121

Silver: 206 times and record of 106-100

Purple: 203 times and record of 100-103

Yellow: 195 times and record of 109-86

Green: 170 times and record of 89-81

Blue: 163 times and record of 85-78

Cranberry: 155 times and record of 69-86

Winning cars are Red, Yellow, Silver, Green, and Blue.

Losing in cars Cranberry, Purple and Teal.

I hope to reach 4400 laps all time on Monday. Last year, September was my best month at Racers. I need the same to happen this year. If I can get close to 4700 by the end of the month, I'll be on track to reach 5000 in November. 

4300

I need 10 laps (rides) on Radiator Springs Racers to reach 4300 all time. Let's see how we get there:

I arrived at The Mickey and Friends Parking structure when it opened at 6:30am. I then walked from there to the main gate in front of Disney California Adventure. I was first in line behind entrance gate 41/42. Now I wait until they open the gates at 7:30am. They opened the gates at 7:30am. I went to Starbucks to get a slice of coffee cake. I know some of the cast members that work there. They asked me what number I was at. I showed them my lanyard and told them I'm 10 away from 4300. They were all excited. And wished me luck. I then waited for rope drop at 8am. This is when the park official opens. And on cue at 8am, the Pit Crew members walked the crowd down to the entrance of Racers. Some of the cast members were John G.,April , Carlene, Phil, George, Mikey,and Amos. I waited for the single rider line to open up. Carlene opened the single rider line at 8:10am. And away we go. Dan was at merge. Where the single rider, fastpass and standby line meet up.

Catalina was grouper. She sent me to row 1. A front row load area. I got in car Red 6 at 8:15am. Greg was at belts. My car was on the Ramone side for race and we won. At Unload front was Shou. Unload rear was George. At Unload  assist 1 was Ruth and Unload assit 2 was Mikey. Some of the girls looked ready for photos today. I think it is pretty cool when the crew get dolled up to take a picture with this crazy guy. 

Lap 4292:

Carlene at Single Rider. She gave me a flik card. This card tracks the wait time to get on ride. Mikey at merge and April at merge 2. Grouper was Holden and Dan grouper assist. Sent to row 1. At 8:36am got in car Silver 1. Ruth at belts. Was on Luigi side for race and lost. 

Lap 4293:

Doug at single rider entrance. John G. at merge 3. April: grouper. Sent to row 6. At 8:49am got in car Cranberry 4. Ruth at belts. Luigi side for race and won.

Lap 4294:

Doug: single rider. Brian: merge 3. Carlene: merge 2. Sent to Gwd (groups with disability) area of ride load. David was GWD. Ruth (GWD assist) put me in car Silver 5 at 9:03am. Shou at belts. Ramone side for race and won.

Lap 4295:

Josh: single rider. Brian merge 3. Carlene: grouper. Sent to row 5. At 9:17am got in car Blue 1. At belts was Shou. Luigi side for race. And then we had a traffic jam at start of race. Only took a couple minutes to sort out. Won race but did not race against another car. This has happened a few times.

Lap 4296:

Josh at single rider. Brian at merge 3. Greg at grouper. Sent to row 4. At 9:34am, got in car Purple 3. TJ at belts. Ramone side for race and loss.

Lap 4297:

Brian at single rider. Amanda at merge 3. Doug was grouper. Sent to row 8. At 9:48am, I got in car Green 1. TJ at belts. Ramone side for race and won. 

Lap 4298:

Dan at single rider. Amanda at merge 3. Doug at grouper. Sent to row 5. At 10:10am got in car Purple 4. April at belts. Luigi side for race and won.

Lap 4299:

Ruth at single rider. Christina at merge 3. Josh at grouper. Sent to row 6. At 10:35am, got in car Cranberry 3. Brian at belts. Ramone side for race and loss.

I wanted to talk about all the Pit Crew members the guests interact with as they get on the attraction. It takes all of them to keep the ride moving. I hope I have treated them with the respect they all deserve, on every lap I have taken. They are truly the reason I keep going towards 5000. 

One lap to go.

Lap 4300: Shou at single rider entrance and gave me Flik card. Carlene at merge 3. Sent to GWD. Christina was GWD and April GWD assit. At 11:01am got in car Red 6. Luigi side for race and WON. Lap 4300 in the books. 700 more to reach 5000. Now to get photos with the crew.

Blocked my face. What a goof.

Carlene

Catalina

Ruth

Phil

Andrew 

Christina

Shou

Angel

Grace

Katie