Kids Day At Riverview Part 2 Part 2 (continued from part 1) Look at all the sailors waiting in line for the Shoot The Chutes. Must be home sick or something. The Chutes - Remember the obnoxious recording at the beginning. - “Keep your hands and arms inside the boat. Don’t rock the boat. Use the handle” This was cool. The boat entered a dark tunnel and at the other end you turned a corner and were guided onto an elevator. Water was dripping from above and you could hear it hit the canvas cover over the boat. A bell would ring and with a thump you were lifted to the top of the tower. Must have been several thousand feet. A worker would then release the cradle you were resting in. The boat would tip forward and down you would go. Faster and faster. The wind in you face. Screaming in your ears. Then - Valoom-splash. You hit the bottom. Rocking, bouncing splashing. Slowing down now the idiot operator in the rear of the boat was trying to tip the darn thing over. Where’s the fun in that? Always had to ride the Whip. That was another old ride but still a good one. The Old Mill? maybe. Oh why not? it’s still early. Talk about smells. I beleive that if you were blindfolded and someone placed you at any spot at Riverview, you would know exactlly where you were. One year we noticed they had removed Hades Fun House. It was replaced with something else. Hades was a waste of a good two cents and we were glad it was gone. Oh the sad little monkeys. Sitting in their tight little cars going around and around stopping on a winning number. I think the rubber ducks were less cruel. Look at all the sailors milling around the Flying Turns. Look at all the girls also milling. Someday I’ll find out what the milling is all about. This was a neat coaster the Flying Turns. No tracks. It was a very short ride and I remember the dark tunnel where the train would stop and a siren would blast. I have the Bob’s in sight now. Just a short line today. Good. A quick audit of our funds for the second rides, covered. Now the hard part, getting our favorite front seat. Ouch!. The ticket lady stopped the turnstile just as I was going through. Think I am ruined for life. Taking our place for the front seat, here comes the next train. Darn. Those kids are riding again. Just have to wait. “Keep your feet behind the line. Wait for the train to stop. Two to a seat” Here comes the next train. Looks good. They are getting off. It’s all ours. Jumping in and a well rehearsed pocket check for security reasons. The roaring and screaming in the distance as we prepare for our adventure. The thick rubber on the lap bar is reassuring. Then -- The train is set in motion. Heart beats a little faster now. Fingers tighten on the bar. Faster and a turn to the left picking us speed. Around and under the loading platform out the other side. A small chain brings us up and around a flower garden or at least I think that’s what it was supposed to be. Around the curve to the right and Click, click, click were attached to the chain that will bring us to the top of the first hill. Higher and higher. Then the Warning - “Caution, Don't Stand Up” and ........... Well the rest is history. I believe my record on the Bob’s was 13 rides without once getting off and having to wait in line again. The rest of the day uneventful. After the Bob’s, everything else was kids play. Naturally we went on the Moon Rocket. The Greyhound was called the junior coaster. It was still good and I remember being able to go on that long before I was ready for the Big one. Tumble Bug, Octopus, Rotor, getting close to the end. Always had to visit Aladdin and his castle before saying goodbye for the day. The Pair-O-Chutes was a some time ride. Sometime we did and sometime we didn’t. The Ghost Train was a must. We like to pretend we were scared of the dark and the things jumping out at us. Now the test. Did we have enough money to get home? If not, it was a long walk. Wait! I have one cent left over. Running over to the Penny Arcade I fulfilled my obligation of the day not to waste any money. And that was the way it was.