Anyone remember the Swingin' Gym ride?

The supports. As it is no longer mounted on a trailer it is mounted to the ground as a perminate fixture that you can still ride. It's not portable anymore.

Got a pic or vid? I still don't get how these things work. Maybe once I see something I'll understand...maybe I've even been on one.

I can get some pics if you want. I might stop by my parents place over the weekend. I found this pic on th e web.
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~innwigs/ImageArchive/Porter/Encha...970-SS.jpg
My dad's is close to this one but has an "A" frame on either side.

Ooops...by "Get it over easy" I thought you were talking about transporting it somewhere vs. getting the cage to go over the top.

I saw them in an advert for Fronteir Village in San Jose when I was a kid, but never had a chance to get on one. They are pretty weird...I guess it's all about the counter weights.

Idora Park used to have some. I remember myself and my two brothers (ages 5,6 and 7) somewhere around 1972 in a single cage, and not being able to get it over the top. :)

-Tambo

It actually a lot harder to get it to go over the top with more people in the cage. It's all in how you shift your weight.

I remember seeing that contraption -- or one almost identical to it -- at carnivals when I was a kid. They were cool-looking, but too intimidating for a youngster like me to try it.

There was a Swingin' Gym ride operating at Paul Bunyan Land in Brainerd, Minnesota two years ago. Isn't it still there?

They used to have one at our county fair every year and every year we'd ride it a couple times a year. It was fairly easy to get to swing over the top, maybe about 10 swings back and forth. Once you get it over once it's easy to keep it going until they tell you stop. Never got hurt on one.

I just googled the Paul Bunyan Land and it seems they may still have one. They have a ride called the swinging cages and it says it is limited to one person per cage. Do I sense an event at Paul Bunyan Land next year just to ride these silly cages? :)

Funtown in Erie had one before they went all water rides.

As a skinny 10yr old I didn't have much luck swinging the cage and I doubt would have much better luck as a overweight 40+ something. My older brothers however could get in it together and get it to go over. They were the close to the same size. From what I observered total weight under 100lbs or over 250lbs your chances diminished greatly of getting a complete swing.

For those of you who crave the "self-propelled over-the-top" feeling, might I propose a lap on an Extraordinary Bicycle. The only places I've seen one are on the Jersey Shore (Casino?) and in Kissimmee at Old Town. I came really close to going over, but couldn't keep my feeet planted to the pedals well enough. Of course, the most "flippable" ride that you have some control over is probably KG's Looper (but that's really mechanical power, not human power). And you shouldn't ride that with AVMatt...if you know what's good for ya. ;)

I love Looper. It's fun to pretend to be a hamster.

^Rock-O-Planes might be right up your alley. I love those things (but I generally can only get about a dozen or so flips at most). One of my friends can just roll those cages like crazy - shoulda taken video of her instead of pics at Arnold's Park, LOL.

I just Googled Rock-O-Planes. They look fantastic! I would totally be into that. Funny how I totally dig Roll-O-Planes and had never heard of Rock-O-Planes.

Are there any on the East Coast? I don't think I'll be going to IA anytime soon.

I remembered seeing them at Knoebels, but couldn't remember exactly where they were located. I also remember a dairy bar near where I live having a set of those back in the 60's. Wish I could find pictures of them.

As I remembered, the op would give you a push to start it. Then like riding a swing, you'd have to use your body to create momentum. Just like the Looper, a lot of people never got enough momentum to go over the top-- they just went back and forth.

At Knoebels a few weeks ago, while standing in line for the Flyers, I saw two teenage boys get their Looper cage totally upside down BEFORE the ride even started-- just from rocking it back and forth.

It'll try to make a video of me going over.

rollergator said:
^Rock-O-Planes might be right up your alley. I love those things (but I generally can only get about a dozen or so flips at most). One of my friends can just roll those cages like crazy - shoulda taken video of her instead of pics at Arnold's Park, LOL.

My favorite trick on Rock-O-Planes is to keep the cage upside down for the entire ride.

^I was trying to think of one in the East for KGC. My brain now hurts, LOL, but the only ones I'm coming up with offhand are Puyallup, Sandy Lake, Arnold's, and lakeside. Someone help, KGC needs a Rock-O-Plane....stat! :)

^^ I think I found one!

Water Safari Enchanted Forest in NY. I was thinking of going up to Montreal next summer anyway to do the historical stuff and hitting Great Escape & La Ronde so I can add this into the trip!