The Meta Post; Bumper Cars and Sky Rides

I named my blog Bumper Sky after my 2 favorite non-roller coaster rides, bumper cars and sky rides. Both attractions top my priorities after roller coasters and other unique and historic rides.

Bumper cars were invented in Northeast America in the 1920's by either electrician Victor Levand or Max and Harold Stoeher. Josephh and Ray Lusse were also major players in the history of bumper cars. They were originally called dodgems implying the intention was to dodge other drivers instead of intentionally colliding as modern drivers typically do.

I really appreciate having the autonomy to completely control your rides in bumper cars. You can go on the offensive and fly into the melee, or take defensive maneuvers further away from other drivers, or a good mix of both. The best bumper cars I've been on were at Little Amerricka in Marshall, WI, and the worst bumper cars I've been on were the ones at Disney's California Adventure at the now defunct "Bug's Life" area. Those bumper cars may have been intended for use by smaller children, but none of the ride ops stopped myself or my mother from riding them during our visit.

Sky rides have a much more storied history. One of the first ropeways ever created was thought to be installed in Poland in 1644 by Adam Wiebe. It was powered by horses and transported soil over a river for construction purposes. In the late 1800's passenger cable rides were known to exist in Gibraltar and Hong Kong. Chairlifts, and somewhat similar experience, are thought to have originated from rural Chinese and Japanese areas at the same time or even earlier that Wiebe's installation. They were used to transport materials and passengers. Wikipedia sites a 1936 instillation at Sun Valley in Idaho as the first Ski chairlift, but it's also possible it was instead a 1908 installation by Robert Winterhalder in Germany.

Von Roll is probably the biggest single manufacturer of sky rides used in theme parks. Many of their previous installations have since been demolished, such as all installations at Disney parks across the globe, but at least 10 remain in operation to this day, including rides at Busch Gardens Tampa and Williamsburg, Six Flags Great Adventure, Cedar Point, and state fairs in Oklahoma, Minnesota, and Washington State. Of these, The Busch Gardens Williamsburg installation is unique for operating in a 3 station loop instead of the typical out-and-back 2 terminal ride.

The Scenic Skyway at Knobels is maybe my favorite sky ride I've been on so far. I also appreciate how in Gatlinburg, TN, there's loads of random sky rides up mountain ridges in the area. I would love to hear of more places like that. Also check out this cool blog I found for loads of more detailed information on sky rides across America.

I appreciate sky rides for providing scenic views of the areas they traverse. The rides themselves are slow moving and graceful, with the thrill of seemingly soaring through the air. If I could pick a superpower, flight is probably my #1 favorite option, and taking a trip on a sky ride comes close to fulfilling that fantasy.