Backyard Rides (NonCoasters)

Wow Bear, and here I thought that flying turns technology was extinct (The dead horse still needs a few more beatings).

Hey RGB, my cousin and I did that once. She lived up where it actually snows in California and they'd get a couple really good ones each year. Fun stuff!

I built an orbotron a couple years back. The thing was an amazingly good upper body workout. Welded 2" schedule 40 steel pipe, bent into a 12 sided shape by one of those $60 harbor freight pipe benders. The pivots were just grade 5 bolts, but it moved suprisingly well on those. Downhill ski boots locked you in in the bottom, and there was a padded tubular steel cage around the waist. padded steel handles on the top. We had about 100 people ride it with no injuries.

Oh yeah, it had encoders on it and tracked to a flying type game projected on the wall. Also had a throttle slider by the right hand handle and a fire button on the left hand handle, both thumb operated. Prety fun project all told. Cost was about $500, not counting the computer hardware which we already had. *** Edited 10/29/2005 9:45:16 PM UTC by Comatose***

I want to make like a log ride(because i'm next to a river) but my parents say its to ugly. So when I get a degree in arcitecture(SP) I'll buy my house back so I can build it.:) *** Edited 10/29/2005 11:13:59 PM UTC by deadman32*** I also might make a roller coaster type train. I will make it wooden, under 1,000 ft. long, and will try to make it 50ft.tall under underground, but I doubt it, I might just buy a roller coaster or a ride. Still making up my mind. *** Edited 10/30/2005 3:13:27 PM UTC by deadman32***

I'm still waiting for pics... :-(

Could you show us a picture of the Red Racer and The Whip, "The Elf?"

Yeah show us some pictures! Don't hype us up over nothing! :)

Cool idea RGB (no pun intended). I always wanted to do something like that but never had access to a decent hill. It's been years since I've "played" in the snow- it'd be nice to get the chance this winter!

Now that I thought about it, Rob, I think we'd spend more time building the course than actually riding on it. Although I do remember a few good runs going backwards on the aluminum saucer.

Fond memories of living in snow country....being pulled by a car with tow ropes while sliding on aluminum saucers....thank goodness for rural areas, LOL... :)

My mom really probably shouldn't have done that... ;)

^It's even more fun on in-line skates, being pulled by a car that is.

-Tina

Here's one I saw just a few weeks ago. Boy on a bike holding one end of a rope, girl on a bike is holding the other end. Girl's bike has another jump rope tied off somewhere, and a girl on skates is holding the other end of that rope. I would have loved to watch that train go around a corner.

still waiting for pics...

I've done the same thing RGB. Going straight down the hill at my Grandma's house was getting old quick, so my Cousins an I built "walls" that would make the "ride" last longer.

I haven't been sled riding in ages. This makes me want to go play outside in the snow again.

^Same here! That's the only thing I see useful with snow anyway. :-)

I miss my brother's Siberian Husky. We used to have a small sled and a harness and he would take off running like a launch coaster. ;-) The sled was only big enough for one person but MAN that was fun!

-Tina