Yeah. Something I've been doing since college. I got interested when a bunch of kids burned one down a little south of where I lived in 1981. I started out trying to find all of the Kentucky and Ohio bridges, but I've never limited myself. It was always a good excuse to drive back roads with a stack of tapes/cds. My wife occasionally goes with me, but twisting roads upset her stomach and my driving makes it worse, so it's usually something I do by myself. There are a couple of websites out there that have my pictures posted and several of the bridges I've photographed have since been destroyed, so it's like doing my part to record history. Rocket geek, bridge geek, barn geek, I'm a man of many hats. ;)

It just so happens that one of your other hobbies mixes with one of my other hobbies.

Every October in a little town called Elysburg, PA, there's a local business that hosts a "Covered Bridge Festival". I have no idea what all is involved with this festival, but later in the day, this same business holds another festival called the "Phoenix Phall PhunPhest".

Where does that name come from?

Why, from the classic Phoenix roller coaster that resides in this business' fairgrounds, also known as Knoebel's Grove. It's an old-school, buy-individual-tickets style amusement park that looks like it's been lifted right out of the Fifties. The last time I was there, the older gal at the ticket booth quite literally did the money via a cash drawer, pad of paper and pencil.

If you've never been out that direction, it's a fantastic weekend. In fact, this year's Festival and PPP are on October 8. Sadly, I won't be able to make it.

Later,
EV

I've been to Reading, Lancaster, Gettysburg, Chambersburg, York and Hershey, but never up that far. I have heard of Knoebel's Grove, though. I hit a lot of websites that have caused me to cross paths with that name. Oddly enough, I like the abandoned amusement parks more than the occupied parks. There's a website dedicated to stuff like that, which shouldn't be a big surprise to anyone. History is where you find it. ;)
OTOH, I can't ride roller coasters. We went to Cedar Point in 2001 a couple of days before my brother in law and I left for NARAM 43 in Geneseo, NY. I rode one of the old coasters up there and I was afraid I wasn't going to walk again. That was it for me. Too many hard miles on my lower back is my guess.

Oh, Knoebel's isn't abandoned. It's very much a functioning, enjoyable old-style amusement park. The Phoenix was actually relocated TO Knoebel's in the 80's from a park in San Antonio. It's only 80 feet tall, but it still holds a spot on the Top Ten list of many a coaster enthusiast. In fact, it holds the number one spot on mine! :D

Later,
EV

I realize that. I just became familiar with it through a website that dealt with abandoned parks. Two of them were local, Fantasy Farm and Americana up north of here, so I had to see if anything jogged my memory. The story about relocating that coaster may have been why I knew the name. That sounds REAL familiar.
http://sbno.illicitohio.com/
Not the site I'm talking about, but an example. Not sure why this strikes a chord with me. :confused:

Cedar Point Coasters
 

Bill,

Seems you may have gotten the "Cedar Creek Mine Ride", the "Blue Streak" or the "Mean Streak". These three are all flat rail wooden coasters and can be tail-bone busters (especially the Mine Ride). If smooth downward G-forces wouldn't hurt you, I recommend the Raptor or Millenium Force. These rides were both made after computer simulation came onto the ride design scene. If you ever wanted to fly in a fighter jet, the Raptor gives you very smooth loops and rolls very much like that. Millenium Force is just a flat-out speed-freak's dream, with a SECOND hill higher than most of the park's other coaster's FIRST hill! (Sitting at my computer with a mild adrenalin rush at the memory. :eek: )

I have found that it's often the size of the seat and/or who you're riding with. I got on one kiddy coaster with my 6yo daughter that like to killed me. Worse than sitting in the back seat of a Chevy Vega. The bar hit me in the wrong place, and my legs were sideways to fit in the car, with my knees pressing hard against the side. It hurt sitting still. But Haley wasn't gonna get left out :)

Even on the adult sized coasters, sitting with one of my kids, they had the leg bar pulled down so tight on me I thought I was gonna crack a femur.

Legend has it the old Fountain Ferry park in Louisville had a coaster that dumped some folks in the Ohio River...on more than one occasion. They tried to bring the park back to life in the seventies as "Ghost Town on the River". Anybody know anything about the legend?

Doug

The Mine Ride sounds familiar. Does it run next to (overlooking) the lake? Thanks for the advice, but I think my coaster days are done. I think my size has something to do with it, like Doug said. I don't fit well into those cramped little cars. The only good thing about the Cedar Point experience was that my wife didn't complain when I wanted to go back to the hotel room and watch baseball. She knew I was in misery. Luckily I'd packed Tylenol PM. ;)

No, but you know me and Kentucky history. I'll dig through my old Kentucky Explorers and see if anything pops up. :cool:

Bill,

Another of the 'overlapping other hobbies' .... I myself am an abandoned amusement park enthusiast. ( more of a closet enthusiast, lol ) .

got starte da couple years back when the old Skyline park from my childhood (Tioga county, NY, not sure technically what town, maybe Owego ?) , was turned into an IHRA drag strip .

all the rides,etc have been gone a while, but not sure when, so started looking for info, found stuff ont he net, including another local one (Ghosttown in the Glenn), and had to hunt for more info,and go looking fo rphotos, etc.. it;s infectuous, same as rebuilding all these old rocket kits I drooled over as a kid :-)

~ AL