I just flew into lovely (term used loosely) Baltimore. The approach was so bumpy I thought I was Kilimanjaro Safaris. That got me thinking. I have a bad back. I had back surgery when I was 17 and since then it hasn't taken much to put my back out.
As you know many rides in Disney World warn that people with back problems should not ride the ride. I've been on everything and have found that some are rough on the back while others are fine. What rides would you really warn someone with a bad back about?
These are the ones that made my short list.
Kilimanjaro Safaris is bad. Really bad, and there is no good reason for it. They thought making the road really bumpy would mimic a real safari. What it did was make it hard take pictures and make it brutal for anyone with a bad back.
Space Mountain is rough but any coaster built that long ago is rough. Space Mountain was built just before computers became common place in roller coaster design.
Dinosaur might be the worst of any ride in Disney World. It's in the dark so you have no idea where you are going or what direction you are going in. This ride will whip you.
Parts of Test Track will rough you up. For the most part on the rough road section is bad. The rest isn't too bad.
Star Tours - enough said.
Stitch's Great Escape is so bad it hurts. Doesn't really hurt you back, just your head.
I did not put Big Thunder Mountain, Rocking Roller Coaster, or Everest on my list because they tend to be some smooth that they don't bother me at all. They are the product of the computer age. Big Thunder was one of the first and it shows.
Everyone is different. I've put my back out bending over but have had no problem picking up my 80 pound dog. So that leads to another issue. G force rides. For some people these are a killer for others it's no problem.
Mission Space - This doesn't bother my but it will compress your spine. If that tends to bother you avoid this ride.
Everest - Some parts late in the ride pull some positive G forces which could bother people.
Tower of Terror - In this case it's the G forces at the bottom of the drops. They will compress your spine.
Showing posts with label Everest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Everest. Show all posts
Monday, June 7, 2010
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
The New Summit Challenge
I’d say very few people know what the Seven Summits challenge is. Unless you follow or research professional mountain climbing, don’t feel bad if you don’t know it. The Seven Summits challenge is completed when an individual successfully summits the tallest mountain on every continent. Needless to say this is a very difficult and dangerous task. Despite the risk and monetary cost, a number of people have completed the challenge.
A far more dangerous challenge is joining the 8000 meter club. To join the 8000 meter club you need to climb every mountain that is 8000 meters (24,000 feet) or higher. To my knowledge the only American who has joined this club is Ed Viesturs. The risk in doing this can be enormous. Most people think Everest is dangerous. They are right. For every 20 people who summit Everest, one person dies. To join the 8000 meter club you also have to climb a number of other dangerous mountains including K2 and Annapurna. For every five people who summits K2, one person dies. For every three people who summits Annapurna, one person dies.
Why would someone attempt either? The main reason is people like the challenge, the fame, and in some cases they get “Addicted to Danger” (Jim Wickwire).
In the spirit of dangerous challenges, a new summit challenge has emerged. The new challenge is called “The Four Peaks Club.” To join this club you need to free climb, without a rope, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, and the Expedition Everest Mountain.
The dangerous in attempting this is extreme. To date no one has completed the challenge.
It’s recommended that one starts with Space Mountain as a warm up, then attempt Splash Mountain, Big Thunder, and Expedition, in that order.
Many people have already been killed or severely injured in attempting to join the Four Peaks Club. Here is a brief rundown of the accidents to date:
- 8 people have been electrocuted when lightening struck Space Mountain during their ascents
- 4 people have been impaled on the thorns in Splash Mountain after falls
- 2 people were clubbed by Brer Bear after being mistaken for Brer Rabbit on Splash Mountain
- 4 people were bitten by Brer Fox on Splash Mountain
- 24 people were stung by bees on Splash Mountain.
- 5 people have been crushed by logs at the bottom of the chute in Splash Mountain
- 3 people have lost their grips and slid off of Space Mountain breaking bones and other serious injuries
- 14 people have been run over by trains on Big Thunder
- 7 people have been nailed in the crotch by a mountain goat on Big Thunder
- 11 people have fallen to their deaths trying to reach the highest point of Big Thunder
- 9 people have been run over by a train on Everest.
- 21 people have fallen from the steep slopes of Everest, 10 died, 11 were seriously injured
- 73 people have been mauled or eaten by the Yeti on Everest.
A far more dangerous challenge is joining the 8000 meter club. To join the 8000 meter club you need to climb every mountain that is 8000 meters (24,000 feet) or higher. To my knowledge the only American who has joined this club is Ed Viesturs. The risk in doing this can be enormous. Most people think Everest is dangerous. They are right. For every 20 people who summit Everest, one person dies. To join the 8000 meter club you also have to climb a number of other dangerous mountains including K2 and Annapurna. For every five people who summits K2, one person dies. For every three people who summits Annapurna, one person dies.
Why would someone attempt either? The main reason is people like the challenge, the fame, and in some cases they get “Addicted to Danger” (Jim Wickwire).
In the spirit of dangerous challenges, a new summit challenge has emerged. The new challenge is called “The Four Peaks Club.” To join this club you need to free climb, without a rope, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, and the Expedition Everest Mountain.
The dangerous in attempting this is extreme. To date no one has completed the challenge.
It’s recommended that one starts with Space Mountain as a warm up, then attempt Splash Mountain, Big Thunder, and Expedition, in that order.
Many people have already been killed or severely injured in attempting to join the Four Peaks Club. Here is a brief rundown of the accidents to date:
- 8 people have been electrocuted when lightening struck Space Mountain during their ascents
- 4 people have been impaled on the thorns in Splash Mountain after falls
- 2 people were clubbed by Brer Bear after being mistaken for Brer Rabbit on Splash Mountain
- 4 people were bitten by Brer Fox on Splash Mountain
- 24 people were stung by bees on Splash Mountain.
- 5 people have been crushed by logs at the bottom of the chute in Splash Mountain
- 3 people have lost their grips and slid off of Space Mountain breaking bones and other serious injuries
- 14 people have been run over by trains on Big Thunder
- 7 people have been nailed in the crotch by a mountain goat on Big Thunder
- 11 people have fallen to their deaths trying to reach the highest point of Big Thunder
- 9 people have been run over by a train on Everest.
- 21 people have fallen from the steep slopes of Everest, 10 died, 11 were seriously injured
- 73 people have been mauled or eaten by the Yeti on Everest.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)