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chowmama

(864 posts)

86. I'll go on most scary rides, but haven't in many years

Mon Jul 21, 2025, 10:34 PM

Jul 21

I've nobody to go with - DH won't, the kids think they're too old and the grands aren't interested. I used to like big roller coasters and double ferris wheels.

I don't know any of the ride names, though. When I was a kid and we all went to the fair, we usually were restricted to the Tilt-a-Whirl (I can remember that one) and similar. But there was one ride and I wish I could remember the name of it. I'm not sure why I was allowed and I'm not sure why my youngest sister volunteered to go with me.

It consisted of two capsules, each at the end of a long stick. It started horizontal, as I remember, and eventually went vertical or almost vertical. There was no safety equipment in those days, just an open hole for entry on each side, each closed with a single bar meant to keep us inside. No seat belts, no padding. We were just told to keep all body parts inside.

It started up and my little sister panicked. Somehow, she became convinced that the only safe place to be was on top of my head. She's clawing her way up me, I'm getting pushed against this 2" metal pipe with nothing else between me, air, and a long way down, and I'm trying to fight her off without pushing her out her side. The ride operator was magnificently unaware of anything wrong and didn't even slow it down. Obviously, we lived, but I've never gone on a ride with her since.

She did the same thing once when a June bug got into the car. I think she's part cat.

Does this ride sound familiar to anybody who's old enough? I haven't seen it on a midway in 40, 50 years.

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debm55

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Highlight:

What was your favorite ride/s to go on, at an amusement part, fair or carnival. Mine was "The Mouse", What about you? [View all] debm55 Jul 21 OP

Water slides and flume rides! displacedvermoter Jul 21 #1

Yes, loved those, Thank you very much for sharing. displacedvermoter. debm55 Jul 21 #2

The Dragon Coaster pdxflyboy Jul 21 #3

Thank you very much for sharing pdxflyboy with us. debm55 Jul 21 #5

The wild mouse? The little roller coaster? bullimiami Jul 21 #4

Yes, bullimiami. I loved the "mouse" It wasn't long but it went fast and it curved around those bends. Thank you debm55 Jul 21 #6

Pal Park!! Nittersing Jul 21 #7

Thank you Nittersing. We went to Kennywood Park, in West Mifflin, PA debm55 Jul 21 #8

Swings all day and after dark .. displacedvermoter Jul 21 #9

Thank you very much for sharing with us, displacedvermoter. debm55 Jul 21 #12

The Tilt-A-Whirl. Ocelot II Jul 21 #10

thank you very much for sharing with us. I liked the Tilt A Whirl. I only went on the Round Up once as it made me dizzy debm55 Jul 21 #13

I liked that one too but was on one of those when someone dgauss Jul 21 #76

Oh my that is so gross debm55 Jul 23 #98

Roller coaster, my least favirite I am scared doc03 Jul 21 #11

Thank you doc03. I was always afraid of being stuck at the top of the Ferris Wheel. thanks for sharing. debm55 Jul 21 #14

Hanging onto the horses on a carousel is about as much excitement as I can handle. 😳 Polly Hennessey Jul 21 #15

Thank you Polly Hennessey. Did you go the ones on outside( they stayed in one place} or the one inside (they moved up debm55 Jul 21 #16

Me too. It's up 🆙 and down ⬇️for me. I guess we are super risk takers. Polly Hennessey Jul 21 #21

HAHAHAHHA. you got that right. debm55 Jul 21 #24

Scrambler, Tilt a Whirl, water flume. Diamond_Dog Jul 21 #17

Thank you Diamond_Dog. I think at 13 you will ride anything. If you want to see scary coaster , you should visit Cedar debm55 Jul 21 #26

So true about age 13, Deb. No Cedar Point coaster for me either. Diamond_Dog Jul 21 #33

Amusement park the roller coasters, carnival The Bullet. Emile Jul 21 #18

Thank you very much for sharing with us, Emile. I have been to Cedar Point numerous times. Never road on one of their debm55 Jul 21 #23

None after an encounter with the Octopus at Playland at Rye Beach NY Ritabert Jul 21 #19

Thank you, Ritabert, I am sorry that happened to you. It could have led to something much more dangerous. I always debm55 Jul 21 #20

Sounds awful!! ailsagirl Jul 21 #46

I can take the Haunted Mansion and most of the rides at Disneyland Ritabert Jul 21 #69

Loved the haunted mansion ailsagirl Jul 25 #108

Me too. debm55 Jul 25 #110

merry go round . didnt like the others . esp ferriss wheel AllaN01Bear Jul 21 #22

Now, it's the Merry Go Round. When I was younger, way younger, It was most of the them. I didn't like rides that spun debm55 Jul 21 #27

AllaBear join Deb and me. We liked the merry-go-round too. Polly Hennessey Jul 21 #25

Yep. the three of us and the water park. debm55 Jul 21 #28

You got it! randr Jul 21 #29

Thank you randr. "The Mouse" was well known for those sharp turns. Luckily, mine didn't go over the ocean. If so I don't debm55 Jul 21 #30

I went on that w my dad on a summer vacation! electric_blue68 Jul 21 #36

It sounds like you both had a great day. Thank you electric_blue68 debm55 Jul 21 #39

Definitely fun. 👍 electric_blue68 Jul 21 #44

The Original Octopus & The Zipper justaprogressive Jul 21 #31

Thank you justaprogressive. I have been on the Octopus, I liked it. I have never been on the Zipper. debm55 Jul 21 #32

Problem is they're so beat up now justaprogressive Jul 21 #38

Wow, Mine was at an amusement park. They moved the Octopus to the section called Old Kennywood.--Octopus, the Turtle, debm55 Jul 21 #41

Roller Coaster for sure. LoisB Jul 21 #34

Thank you very much for sharing with us.LoisB. I liked the older coaster--not too high or fast. The ones today I would debm55 Jul 21 #35

I never had the nerve to to go on the big roller coasters even before the really wild ones... electric_blue68 Jul 21 #37

Roller coasters with 360 degree loops LogDog75 Jul 21 #40

What a great post, LogDog75, Thank you very much for sharing. debm55 Jul 21 #42

My sister and I and one of our friends used to Mad_Dem_X Jul 21 #43

That sounds like great fun. Thank you , Mad_Dem_X for sharing that fun on the Tempest with us. debm55 Jul 21 #48

Himalaya JoseBalow Jul 21 #45

JoseBalow. what kind of ride was it? Looks more a game attraction. debm55 Jul 21 #49

It was the fastest ride at the fair! JoseBalow Jul 21 #56

Oh we had one of those at Kennywood, except it was called the Baren Curve. I got on with my cousin and because of the debm55 Jul 21 #61

Ya, the key was getting the inside seat JoseBalow Jul 21 #70

I remember the Rotor. Never went on it. But you could go to a top level and watch the kids spinning as the floor dropped debm55 Jul 21 #73

The Giant Dipper Oeditpus Rex Jul 21 #47

Thank you very much for sharing.They used to have those at Kennywood Park--The Jack Rabbit, The Racer and the debm55 Jul 21 #50

The Mouse was my favorite as well. SamKnause Jul 21 #51

It was fun. Thank you very much, SamKnause. debm55 Jul 21 #53

Tunnel of Love! 4TheArts Jul 21 #52

OH my. That was bad and funny at the same time. Thank you 4TheArts. debm55 Jul 21 #55

Yes Deb, gab13by13 Jul 21 #54

Agree, thank you gab13by13 for sharing with us. debm55 Jul 21 #58

Ferris Wheel annalog Jul 21 #57

Thank you annalog for the sharing the Ferris Wheel. I was always afraid it would tip over or I would fall out of my seat debm55 Jul 21 #59

The Pippin at Kennywood Park. I liked all of the livetohike Jul 21 #60

livetohike. I remember the Pippin at Kennywood. Thank you for sharing. Didn't they change it to the The Thunderbolt? I debm55 Jul 21 #63

Yes! I should have added that for those of us livetohike Jul 21 #71

How about that dip almost in the river and a quick turn. Never went on again. debm55 Jul 21 #75

That's what I loved! Funny story. Back in the early livetohike Jul 21 #77

HAHAHHAHAH. That is funny. Thank you livetohike, debm55 Jul 23 #94

Always the most scary roller coaster or MuseRider Jul 21 #62

Thank you MuseRider. for sharing with us. Been to Cedarpoint. and never got on one coaster there. debm55 Jul 21 #64

You either love them or you don't. MuseRider Jul 21 #78

I can't blame you, they are scary. MuseRider Jul 23 #92

Thank you MuseRider. debm55 Jul 23 #93

Love roller coasters 😁 TommieMommy Jul 21 #65

Thank you TommieMommy. You are brave soul debm55 Jul 21 #66

The Octopus was my favorie sestina Jul 21 #67

Thank you sestina. I liked the Octopus also. debm55 Jul 21 #68

Roller coaster Coney Island way back when malaise Jul 21 #72

Thanks for sharing your adventure with us, That sounds wonderful. debm55 Jul 21 #74

I liked the Tilt-a-Whirl and The Scambler. They were wild enough for me. MIButterfly Jul 21 #79

Thank you MIButterfly. I didn't like the Tilt-a-Wheel. It made me dizzy. debm55 Jul 23 #97

None. The merry go round made me dizzy. surfered Jul 21 #80

HAHAHAHHA. Thank you surfered. debm55 Jul 23 #96

I wasn't joking 😁 surfered Jul 23 #99

Oh debm55 Jul 24 #104

Bumping Cars and Laff in the Dark, for this kid at Compounce dem4decades Jul 21 #81

Thank you dem4decades. I liked both of your choices--bumper cars and the Laff in the Dark. debm55 Jul 23 #95

Paratrooper ride at Kennywood Park some_of_us_are_sane Jul 21 #82

Ah yes, thank you very much some_of_us_are_sane. the white lights at night. debm55 Jul 22 #87

Roller Coasters and "Dark Rides" (like Disney's Haunted Mansion) emulatorloo Jul 21 #83

Thank you very much emulatorioo for your selections. I really enjoyed Disney's Haunted Mansion. debm55 Jul 22 #88

Back in the day, on the Canadian side of the Detroit River MIButterfly Jul 21 #84

Thank you very much, MIButterfly, for sharing your memories with us, debm55 Jul 22 #89

Mine Train The Madcap Jul 21 #85

Thank you very much, The Madcap. I agree with you about the loops and rolls. debm55 Jul 22 #90

I'll go on most scary rides, but haven't in many years chowmama Jul 21 #86

chowmama, it does sound familiar. I have never been on it, For the life of me I can't remember the name. I remember debm55 Jul 22 #91

I always liked the Fun House and... LudwigPastorius Jul 24 #100

Tilt-a-Whirl or the Scrambler - now its Cosmic Rewind! woodsprite Jul 24 #101

Thank you woodsprite for sharing. I went on the Tilt-a-Whirl, once. Never again. debm55 Jul 24 #107

I loved the jungle cruise rides. markodochartaigh Jul 24 #102

Thank you very much, mardochartaigh. That does sound neat. debm55 Jul 24 #106

The Phoenix roller coaster at Knoebels Amusement Park. Borogove Jul 24 #103

Thank you very much, Borogrove. debm55 Jul 24 #105

I used to like the double ferris wheel at the state fair, Ohiya Jul 25 #109

Yep. It always scared me. Even a regular ferris wheel scares me. debm55 Jul 25 #111

Yeah, and the double ferris wheel is at least twice as scary! nt Ohiya Jul 25 #112