Wooden, Metal or I’d Rather Not Ride?

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…………….