Happens every spring right about this time.

Time for the coasters to reawaken and for employees to demonstrate their loyalty.

Time to ride.

We started with The Raven.

Later on at a meeting, someone asked who had gotten to ride.

Quite honestly, all you had to do was look around the conference table and check out the tousled hair.

Here's the train coming back into the station after the first ride.

There's Will in the back seat. Eric, in the front, gives the ride a thumbs-up. Poor Kristine, right behind Eric, opted out after the first ride.

Are you admiring the groovy eyewear? Those are safety glasses, as the earliest rides of the season are accompanied by the occasional flying grit from the graphite that is used to prep the track.

And speaking of trendy accessories, look at this fellow:

The bucket for Kima Bay has at last arrived.

They're swinging it into place.

This fellow looks a little nervous...

But these rascals don't have a care in the world...

Up four stories the bucket flew and landed safely in place.

One step closer to opening.