Classic open only 20 days a year

I got back from Puyallup, WA, last night and had to let you all know about a gem located at the site of their fairgrounds. It is called Coaster Thrill Ride. This site shows it was built in 1935, is 2650 ft long, is a John Miller design, and has a top speed of 50 mph. Though it tops out at 55 ft, it packs a good punch, and gave me the most airtime I've experienced on a woodie in way too long. I'm sure sitting in the back each time had something to do with it, but the airtime was noticeably helped by the prior and church trains that travelled the track. Very comfy cars with no middle barrier. so when riding alone, as I did a few of my many rides, you can sit smack dab in the center. Each seat has a lap bar that runs across from side to side, with only a single position in which it locks, and it leaves a bit of room between you and the bar. In fact, of the eight drops significant enough to give airtime, on one I about stood up in my seat!!! Of course my hands were way above my head, and if it weren't for that lap bar, I would've been outathere- it was a great rush unexpected from a mid-size coaster. Also cool was that even though other rides were crowded, the ones you can find in the supermarket lot at break, the coaster was not crowded at all. For a while they had 2 trains, Blue Blazer and Ol'Yeller, and the wait was not even 5 minutes. Maybe it was me, but after riding both multiple times, Ol' Yeller seemed to produce more airtime. In any event, due to the fact that the fair association owns this and other permanent rides, it is only open 20 days a year, during fair time. 3 days in April for the (smaller) Spring Fair, and 17 days in September for the real deal. This year in September, it will be Sept. 7th-23rd, and I can't wait to go again. It rates right beside, not above or below, the Giant Dipper at SCBB for a classic woodie that has retained it's charm and ability to truly thrill!

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The Northwest will Join the Best-in 2003!!!

Oh man, I'm so unbelievably jealous. :) As coasters go, that one's my holy grail. Between the Prior and Church trains and its limited operating hours, it's become the focal point in my crusade to ride obscure coasters. Glad to hear it's a good ride aside from being a curiousity.

You guys up there in the Northwest may not have a whole lot of rides, but the few you do have are certainly interesting. I wouldn't mind having PNE, Silverwood, or this one a whole lot closer to me.

mike (Puyallup's a funny word)

I've wanted to ride it ever since I was knee-high to an upstop wheel....unfortunately, it was a 17 hour drive from the Bay Area...and now a 23 hour drive from San Diego. Well...next time.

Hey Coasterbob, do you know anything about a small portable indoor coaster in the "Seattle Center??" - (beneath the space needle)...I saw it 17 years ago.



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Decisions determine destiny; Destiny determines decisions.

Unfortunately, I know nothing of an indoor coaster there. The first time I visited the Seattle Center was when the King Tut exhibit arrived it's first time. I do not know the exact year, but by then they had only an outdoor one with many other rides which, sadly, are mostly gone. That outdoor coaster has since been replaced by a Jetstar type.