Ride the Cyclone!

[yesthattom]

With Astroland closing today, it was quite fortunate that I had already planned to be at Cony Island on Friday. It was part of a “mandatory fun” event that work does every summer.

A few months ago I decided that I had to get over my fear of roller-coasters. So, I road The Cyclone. cartographer found a YouTube video of the ride, which pretty much captures it:

Sadly, Coney Island is fairly dilapidated now. Such a shame. 50 years ago it was “the place to be”.

Comments

[kazmat.livejournal.com]

The anticipatory fear as you're yanked up the back side of the first big drop is half the fun!

Did riding the Cyclone help you get over your fear?

I love all kinds of roller coasters, but the wooden ones are much less comfortable than the modern ones. They rattle your teeth right out of your head and bruise the hell out of your hips when you slide back and forth and slam into the sides of the cart. They still hold a place of nostalgic charm in my heart, but I prefer the modern coasters because they're much less brutal.

[yesthattom.livejournal.com]

> Did riding the Cyclone help you get over your fear?

I feel a mini-panic attack when they drop. I think the only thing that is going to help that is going on more rides. It is getting better.

[kazmat.livejournal.com]

Well, if we ever find ourselves at an amusement park together, I'll be happy to hold your hand on the roller coaster :}

[geekosaur]

That mini panic attack is what everyone else calls exhilaration, I think. (not a big fan of coasters, but not afraid of them particularly either. they are.)

I think Cedar Point is still "the place to be" these days, although some of their newer coaster ideas seem to have either jumped the shark or gone to self-parody IMO.

[digamma.livejournal.com]

I like to pretend I'm heroically piloting a plane with a broken wing or something.

[airshipjones.livejournal.com]

What? No chess board?

[marmota.livejournal.com]

http://www.archive.org/details/ConeyIsl1940

[missionista.livejournal.com]

I went on the Cyclone a few years ago, and screamed the entire time. Those old wooden coasters are especially scary, as you hear the boards clicking as you go up, up, up...However, I do have a particular fondness for the wooden Dragoncoaster at Rye Playland, as it was the first roller coaster I ever went on (at around age 8). I've gotten more scared of rollercoasters as time has passed, and after having been on one that went upside down once, I refuse to do that EVER again.

The Cyclone is awesome!

[mrfantasy.livejournal.com]

Luckily, it's staying open even though they're closing Astroland. I remember the first time I rode it (I think I was 12) and realizing my parents rode it when they were my age.

[cyan-blue.livejournal.com]

My parents and grandparents have great memories of Coney Island in its heyday...

I decided last year to get over my fear of roller coasters too, and rode one with brian1789, who enjoys them. I realized that I'm not literally afraid of them... it's just deeply unpleasant because I get this icky vertigo sensation during freefall, that scans as sensory overload. Having figured that out, I don't feel the need to put myself through that experience again anytime soon.

[arkham1010.livejournal.com]

No, 50 years ago it was not the place to be.

I remember my grandfather talking about how when he was a kid in the 30's, he would go there and thing it was old and run down then, and that "it was really jiving back in the aughts'.

[wordmad.livejournal.com]

It was dilapidated then too, believe me--but so much fun (for a ten year old who'd never been out of Baltimore.) Just has about 50 more coats of peeling paint on it now, so it looks shabbier.