And at a high speed!
Yes, it’s a thrill ride. Watching it from the ground with a 70-200 lens, you’re mesmerized.
You wonder why a person would want to get buckled in and subject oneself to the sensation.
Close
Closer
Closest
Actually they look serene.
I would be screaming, I know.
Here’s a youtube post of the ride in action so you can get a better idea.
After I drove Jack and Maura to Aunt Linda’s and Uncle Frank’s (where I got to sample cookies for the wedding cookie table tomorrow) I pulled into the Kennywood Parking Lot drive at the bottom of their hill.
I marvel at roller coaster design, engineering, construction and contemplate the desire of those who ride,
ed the clouds and the people headed up to the first drop.
Showing the final shot first. The clouds looked threatening for sure..
Anticipation- I watched and listened to the riders scream.
Once you start looking for photographs in your archives that say “serenity”
-you think of more and you’re seeking the ones that make you feel calm and peaceful inside, just to look at them.
So you just go with it, like a raft on a gentle ocean wave.
Lots of images came to mind.
The trick was digging around in the files and finding what I was envisioning for the Weekly Photo Challenge: Descent created by Cheri Lucas Rowlands at WordPress. Her example was excellent.
Here is my gallery of descent.
Jet Blue making descent to Baltimore July 2014
How I love being the passenger with a camera in hand. My DIL was driving.
Low clouds and a truck making descent in WV enroute to Hardy VA
Down the slide at Idlewild Park -Michael, Erika and Maura
Grandson Jack coming down the Giant Slide at Idlewild Park
Mark climbing the deer stand in Centerline OHio
Some random Skycoaster riders at Kennywood. Lots of screams
Anna diving into the pool at a swim meet. Descending into the water.
from a previous post – City Sidewalk -paper street steps- 2010 Garfield when I taught at Fort Pitt School
Third Eye Mom, a blog I’ve been following for awhile, created a great challenge this week- HUMANITY
Makes me think of a crowd and my blog theme- ” place with a trace of humanity”
They call it challenge for a reason. Escape. Or trying to.
Escape defined : Break free from confinement or control (School is out June 17th)
Need to get away. Get out. Break free.
Attempted escape. Some of mine seem like “trapped” or “escape is necessary” . It makes me consider posting a photograph of our jail that they built along the Monongahela River, spoiling the scenic view. Escape from reality. A fire escape?
Me in the mail chute at the City County Building today when we took down the art show.
Fencing so the Cheetahs Can’t Escape!
Kayaks on the Allegheny River Photographed from the Roberto Clemente Bridge
Fence and Branch at the Softball Game
Did you ever feel like you can’t escape when you are in the middle of the car wash?
Take the keys and lock her up! Little sister tries to escape
A hopeful escape from reality and the rat race. I guess I need to buy a ticket. Oh well.
The Book Loft– Columbus Ohio. Reading is a terrific escape!
A roller coaster is good for a brief escape
at Kennywood Amusement Park
Ready for the get away
A Couple of Fire Escapes ( I was shooting the Bitter End, I think)
Central Park Pastorale
This post of the electric poinsettia is inspired by Leanne Cole Photography Playing With Light post. Thanks Leanne. I had the students work with the same method and it was a lot of fun. Bringing the light to the front helped the foil reflect the penlight.
The weekly challenge: illumination by Cheri Lucas is a great one for this time of year.
2008 Cathedral of Learning Festival of Lights
Don’t know the people who paid an extra $15 to be pulled up high on a cable and released. It sure looks high!
Summer coming to a close.
Photographed at Kennywood Park in West Mifflin PA when the family was here this summer.
A nice couple let me photograph their fries. (with cheese)
The condiments still-life was from a different concession- The colors are what caught my eye.
And my son pointed out the pile of Idaho potatoes, catching the late day light.
The family was waiting to ride the Turtle.
the close-up crop of above photo Here is the salt and fat.
Spin around and upside down.
Roller Coaster connoisseurs have a preference I’m sure. Some prefer solid ground and wait for family and friends while they ride.
I know our friends Rob and his son Bradley were touring the country, riding roller coasters in many states. I even have a friend who told me tonight that she sat in the first car on the Phantom’s Revenge and I was in awe of her bravery.
That’s not for me but I’m fascinated by the lines of people waiting to get on and ride. Summertime is the time for thrill rides at Amusement Parks and if you live in Pittsburgh the place to go is Kennywood Park in West Mifflin, along the Monongahela River.
Thunderbolt is the big wooden roller coaster but there are two other wooden coasters- The Jackrabbit (built in 1920) and Racer, which is a double track wooden coaster.
One of the newer coasters is the Phantom’s Revenge. You watch it go up, up, up to the peak and then drop. Even though I’m not on it, I imagine what it is like, just before that steep drop and the rapid drop itself. You hear the screams.
Here’s a photo of the wooden Thunderbolt and the metal Phantom’s Revenge, photographed as my family waited to board the Turtle.
Both coasters make different sounds.
I rode The Jackrabbit last week and still can’t believe I actually went on it-
and yes, you do lift out of your seat, YIKES!
I’ve ridden the Thunderbolt and the Racer but that was when the kids were younger.
Here are a few photos of the Phantom’s Revenge
And the RACER. You have to wonder why they have that big yellow sign- DON’T STAND UP!
And the kids loved the Pittsburgh Plunge, getting wet on a hot day didn’t seem to bother them. It goes up slowly slowly and when it comes down…………….
