Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, New York • Page 22

Weekend 61297 Material: Wood YearbuStl920 Length of ride: One minute, 45 seconds Maximum speed: 42 mph Scream factors: Two major drops and one minor one at the beginning; bunny-hop drops sending you flying off your seat; sharp turns. Overall impression: It may be old but it's still a killer. The Jack Rabbit goes for the jugular quickly with two steep drops. There's barely time to compose The Mind Eraser Home: Darien Lake Material: Steel Year built 1997 Length of ride: Two minutes, five seconds Maximum Speed: A tad over 60 mph Scream factors: You're suspended from a steel track overhead, legs dangling, as you hurtle through drops, spiral loops and turns. Overall impression: The ultimate thrill.

As I kicked my hanging feet and waved my hands, I felt as helpless as a dying a. X. G) yourself before the bunny hops lift you off your seat. And just when you think, Thank goodness it almost over," you speed into a dark tunnel where another small slope awaits. 4 cockroach.

Going down into the first loop at a slight angle, I was scared to death that I'd go flying out of the har-l ness and plummet to the ground below. If you hold out your feet and arms as you soar around curves, you'll JAMIE GERMANO staff photographer Flip flops Darien Lake's 15-year-old Viper is still among the best; it has so many curves and hills, you never have time to catch your breath. feel like you re flying. This ride should have been called "The Fear Tear Jerker" it is that frightening. The Predator Home: Darien Lake Material: Wood Year built 1990 Length of ride: Two minutes Maximum speed: 50 mph Scream factors: A giant first drop, plenty of small and medium drops, sharp turns and lots of herky-jerky movement.

Overall impression: Wooden coasters are known for a bumpy ride, and this ride ra I Overall impression: Another Excedrin -headache ride, it goes in for the scare comes up fast and lifts you off your seat. I had a serious death grip on the car's side rails as we whipped around corners. immediately with two loops. Though you're speeding around curves, there's recovery time between thrills. was Headache City for me and my The Viper Home: Darien Lake Material: Steel Year built 1982 Length of ride: Two minutes, 13 seconds Maximum Speed: 50 mph Scream factors: The first drop is a doozy, followed by two smaller drops, a 360-degree loop, double corkscrew turn and some serious curves.

Overall impression: From start to finish, The Viper makes your stomach do flip-flops. It whips you around curves and down hills and never gives you time to recover. Worst of all, while sitting in the companion. Best described as whiplash fun, my bottom left the seat at least three times. 4 Bobsleds Home: Seabreeze Material: Steel with wood supports Year built 1968 Length of ride: One minute, 33 seconds Maximum Speed: 23 mph maximum Scream factors: Lots of sharp turns and whip action around corners Overall impression: From the two bunny hops at the start 'til the jerking stop at the end, you feel like the Bobsled is going to fly off the track.

The car Nightmare at Phantom Cave Home: Darien Lake Construction: Steel Year built 1996 Length of ride: One minute, 45 seconds Maximum Speed: 50 mph Scream factors: You ride in total darkness at high speeds around sharp turns. Overall impression: I don't know what's scarier in a coaster: knowing what's coming or not. Brace yourself for this one: It takes off quickly. The first drop 3 in Quantum Loop Home: Seabreeze Material: Steel Year built 1994 Length of ride: Two minutes, nine seconds Maximum speed: 42 mph Scream factors: At a slight angle, you drop into two loops and then spiral down three revolutions at high speed. seat on the right, I thought I'd get beaned by the steel supports at least twice when we went around curves.

Jack Rabbit Home: Seabreeze whizzes around corners and bounces you around. There are no major hills to speak off, but fast action abounds. jjl i m.iwj..,..-p. wl i inn il i JJlltfH Bl 41J ll "mtP-J-l 'Wl HP mill II .1 UHllfpl IUMU1.I 1 BWIIII HI II -J. UP 1 Details See At Play for hours, admission fees, addresses and phone numbers for Darien Lake and Seabreeze.

Page 22 Suspended animation Darien Lake's Mind Eraser, which opened last month, is New York state only "suspended- ooninff roller coaster. It part of a national "golden age," of roller coalers, savs expert Paul Ruben. JL CI KM wo.