Authors note: I just wanted to tell you guys before hand that this is loaded with Velma techno-babble. I actually researched and went on these rides to get how they worked. Well, not on the Superloop, but I was told how it worked by a friend. I also had a website that told me about the specs and things of the ride. I planned to do more rides, but I had to take time into account and the hour would have been up at the end of the last ride. And don't worry, the next chapter is on its way. Just to leave you in suspense. -Toki
While Shaggy and Scooby were taking inventory, the rest of the gang headed across the carnival area to go on the scarier rides that they knew Shaggy and Scooby would never go on. And they would save the calmer; group rides for when Shaggy and Scooby met up with them in an hour. As they walked to the ride that Velma suggested, Fred had been pondering the choice for a while. After a bit of thinking, he could not help but ask Velma why she had chosen that ride in particular. It had been a while since they all had gone to a carnival and he never figured her to be much of a thrill seeker, at least ride wise.
"Hey Velms… I was wondering. Why this ride? I never knew you for the fast stuff, won't your glasses fall off?"
She turned to him, a smile steadily growing across her face as her eyes danced in her excitement. It was apparent that she knew what she was getting herself into and was looking forward to it.
"Well Freddy, a company called Wisdom first manufactured this ride type in 1983, calling it Gravitron. They were interested in taking the concept of the G-Force simulation for rocket take off and space travel, used commonly to train astronauts in NASA and then turning it into a ride that the people can enjoy. It takes the riders on a 80 second ride of 4 G's of centrifugal force that pins the riders to the base as they spin up to 24 rotations per minute!"
She said nearly skipping as she walked. Daphne and Fred just looked over at each other and shrugged. What ever made her happy; they weren't about to argue it. They reached the ride and looked at from the outside. Just as she mentioned, the ride looked like something you might see astronauts using or finding for that matter, it looked like a UFO. The ride was in full swing spinning, so it was not possible to look inside. After a about a minute of waiting, the ride slowed down and then stopped, letting off a bunch of dizzy looking people off the ride. They were soon let inside Velma leading the way with a big grin on her face. Obviously excited at what she was about to experience. Velma told them to each get different areas of the ride, so that they could look at each other when the ride was going. Standing their back against a pad, the guy in the middle spoke the usual safety information before he told everyone to lean against the wall as much as they could. Oddly the walls were slanted, making the riders lean back a bit. As the ride started, there was a squeal of the motor as it was taking its newest victims on its set course. The speed built up and everyone could feel the pressure growing with the speed. The whole world felt like it was tilting on its side as the machine was reaching the full force of the ride. As the machine reached its limits, a clanking sound could be heard all along the ride. The walls we sliding to the ceiling, the feeling were definitely different. But no one was falling off the walls; they were pinned by the centrifugal force, keeping them in place. With a bit of a struggle, Daphne looked over at a grinning Velma. Glasses still on, kept in place by the spinning force. She had been watching Daphne and Fred's reactions to the ride, and it was a bit amusing to watch. She herself had never been on the ride before, and it had surprised her a bit by the sheer force of the ride, and the sliding to the ceiling was something that was not told on websites. But she knew that the Centrifugal force would keep her in place. Pushing up a bit against the force, she shifted her weight and was turning her body around. Even in a Skirt, the force kept it against her as she positioned herself upside down. She giggled as she looked around at everyone on the ride. A few people had saw what she had been doing, and were trying it themselves, while others were experimenting, trying to lift their arms off the backing. It wasn't an easy task to fight against the pressure. Some also just sat there, stunned and scared on the ride. The guy stationed in the middle controlling the machine warned everyone to get back right side up because the ride was almost over. As the ride slowed down, the walls clanked back into place. Venturing a bit, Velma pushed herself off the pad and reached out for the bars surround the controller seat. Using it to steady herself in the lessening force, she pushed and was standing vertically on the wall. Another feat that could only be achieved in such centrifugal force. As the ride slowed even more, Velma had to walk down the wall to the actual floor. The ride docked back at the stairs to let them out and the door opened, letting the riders off the ride. Most staggering, they all stumbled into the light and back into the real world.
"Golly, That sure was odd feeling."
Muttered Daphne, trying to get her head straight after the frazzling the ride had done. Her hair though still was in good shape, so she didn't have to fix it.
"Yeah. I think I left my stomach in there as well. But it was neat how we were able to sit sideways. I even watched one little kid go upside-down."
Fred remarked, swaying a bit since he was feeling a bit sick from the ride. Daphne went over to support him as he got his balance and his stomach settled from the intense ride. Fred motioned for a bench and seat himself on it to aid the stomach settling process. Whipping out the map, Velma's nose was yet again buried behind it as she looked for the next ride. Daphne plopped her head on the younger girls shoulder to be able to look over it and see what rides were nearby that might be nice to try. Pointing to one, Daphne's eyes grew wide as she looked at the small picture adorning the park map. Looking around, Velma pointed in the direction it was and lead the way to the ride. Fred's eyes grew wide as he looked up at the giant circular ride.
"Oh dear…" Fred whispered.
"The Superloop is truly a unique piece of machinery. It's 23-metre or fifty-five foot tall steel ring construction is one of the largest ride that isn't a track based ride. Up to 20 people, the train is connected to an inertia ring that is moved by hydraulics that can propel the riders in either clockwise or counter clockwise motions according to the machine operator. So each ride has the ability to be different depending on the controller at the base of the ride. This ride in particular has a clear top to it, so as the riders spin and travel upside down, you can look up and get a view of the rest of the park. Shoulder straps keep you in place and lock you securely into each seat as the ride. Also, the ride has such a ingenious set up, that it can take only 2-3 hours to set up the ring without the help of a crane by only two people."
Velma babbled as she looked upon the ride with reverence. Daphne and Fred weren't exactly sharing her sentiment, as the screams from the riders hung in the air. Fred audibly gulped, his stomach doing a flip. After just going on the Gravitron, this one looked ever more intimidating. As the line dwindled, the anxious feeling in them all rose. Even Velma wasn't bouncing as much as they grew closer to the monstrous ring. Grinding to a halt, the ride let of its last passengers and it was their turn to get on. Filing in three per row, they slid into the first position on the ride at the front. Pulling the overhead shoulder straps, they got locked in place. As soon as the bars were down, there was no turning back. Once everyone was clipped in and secure, the helper got down from the standing area and cued the man in the cage by the base of the ride. Signaling him back with thumbs up, the ride lurched into motion. Similar to the pirate ships rides, the train with them inside rocked back and forth to get momentum. But that is all that was similar, as the ride got up enough speed to throw the whole train around the loop, Backwards! Screaming could be heard as the whole machine flipped the gang upside down with the rest of the riders. Though after one turn or two, most of the frightened screams turned to screams of enjoyment as they watched the world spin around, the clean ceiling giving a beautiful view of the whole park as they spun. Daphne gasped as they spun and at a certain angle could see the whole park.
"Jeepers… That's pretty."
Though Velma was having a tough time-sharing her sentiment. If the ride were going forward, the force would have kept on her glasses, but going backwards had made her have to hold on to her glasses to her face, less they fall off. Though the ride was similar to the last one and spinning, vertically didn't bother his stomach as much as the horizontal Gravitron did. Though as the ride slowed down and stopped at the top of the ride, giving the riders a perfect view of the whole park for a few seconds, it started to slide forward. For most, this new shift in direction left the feeling of stomachs and lunches being left at the top as the ride spun them now forwardly upside down. At least Velma was now able to enjoy the ride, as her glasses were plastered to her face from the force. As the ride slowed down, it returned to rocking back and forth to lessen the inertia and allow the ride to halt them with out forcefully putting the breaks on like some rides.
Piling out of that ride, riders staggered to get used to the world being in one position. A Bit frazzled, Velma turned to address Fred and Daphne.
"So what did you think of that one?"
Fred smoothed down his hair and looked back at the menacing ride as it took it's newest set of victims on it's exhilarating ride. He spoke as he looked on at what he had just been on.
"Not… What I expected. But it wasn't too bad. That view was really pretty from all the way up there. Those clear roofs are a nice touch. I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much had the roof been solid and I couldn't have seen the whole park."
Daphne was busy smoothing down her hair from the ride. Going both directions had whipped it around and got it mussed up. Once it was down, she turned to make her own comment.
"I saw a ride I want to go on. I think it's this way!"
Grabbing both their hands, Daphne pulled them into a run. Fred hiccupped and had to swallow to make his stomach return to it's proper spot as he broke out in a trot behind her to keep up. Excited and wondering which ride Daphne wanted to go on, she kept up with the older girl. Pausing a few times to check her positioning from the ring and thinking where the ride could have been, Daphne managed to get them to the next ride. She released their hands and crossed hers in front herself. Smiling at the choice of ride she had picked. It looked even better right side up and closer. Fred looked up and sighed in relief. It seemed like a harmless enough ride. It's not like he didn't like the fast rides. The first two has thrown his stomach in directions they weren't used to right off the bat. So all he needed was a smaller, less nauseating rides to be able to handle the next ones. And this was perfect.
"Ooooooooo…" Commented Velma as she looked at the ride in front of her. "An older model Waveswinger."
Velma followed Daphne's lead to the line as she continued to techno-babble about the ride. Fred leaned over to listen, to make sure it didn't sound to bad.
"A company named Zierer in Germany made it in 1972. The maker's name was Franz Schwartzkopf. Originally named in German, "Wellenflug" the first portable model of this ride was made in 1974. As the name suggests, it moves in an oscillating, wavelike motion as the top rises telescopically, titling once it reaches its peak. Making the riders fly though a nice breeze at about 10 rotations per minute. Hydraulically run, the ride is fun for all ages."
Since the rides massive capacity for riders, it didn't take long till they all were seated and awaiting the ride to start. As the riders were checked to make sure the bar came down and the seats were secure, the staff filed out and the ride kicked into life. First was a jerking motion, and soon the floor was several feet away. Silently, unlike the last two rides, the giant machine slid the riders forward. Soon it has enough speed to make the riders hand at least a 45-degree angle as the ride set into the oscillating motion.
"Whee!" Shouted Daphne as she held out her arms. She felt like she was flying. The others were feeling similarly. The ride left the riders with the feeling of soaring though the air, even though they all were sitting in small chairs. It was like diving and swooping as the ride moved in the wavelike pattern it was named for. As the ride slowed down, it was almost upsetting that it had to stop. The ride let them off and with a new resolve; Fred was ready to tackle a new ride. Pulling out the map, Velma offered it to Fred for him to pick the ride now. He looked over the rides and then looked at the time.
"Alright gang, we got time for about one more ride. And I have the perfect one before we meet up with Shag and Scooby. Follow me."
Leading the way, Fred waved though the crowds to try to get to the ride he picked out. Daphne and Velma looked at each other and shrugged. Though they knew he was up to something, for a sneaky smile was playing across his face. As they got closer, they had a pretty good idea what he had in mind. Dashing front to the building, Fred spread out his arms, showing off his choice. Velma started giggling while Daphne shook her head.
"Oh come now Fred." Daphne said exasperated. "Really, a haunted house? Couldn't you have been more original?"
The grin never left his face as he moved towards them to express his idea. Sliding between the disbelieving Daphne and the giggling Velma, he placed his arms around the girl's shoulders.
"Come now. How could Mystery Inc turn down a haunted house?"
Fred said with a grin. Velma bit her lip to keep in her giggles as she responded.
"Really Freddy. You right, I think this has more then just a man in a mask. I really think we should look into this."
She snickered, humoring him. He just looked her way and nodded. Knowing full well she was trying to be sarcastic, but he was joking around anyway. Daphne looked at the two of them and shook her head again. Holding her head as if the whole ordeal was giving her a headache, though she was giving into Velma's giggles. She had one of those infectious ones that can make anyone start laughing along.
"Alright, alright… Well making this place does looked a bit shady. We'll give it a go. Plus even though it's fake, we would never be able to take Shaggy and Scooby on it. Sure, let's go on it before we meet up with the guys."
Placing his hands at his hips, he offered his elbows to both Velma and Daphne. Giggling still, Velma took the extended elbow, while Daphne shook her head one more time and took it. Leading the way with a bounce in his step and a gal on each arm, he brought them over to the ride line. Most of the riders and the man at the front let them get on first, most knowing just who they were. Being fans of horror and things like that, they knew who Fred, Daphne and Velma were right away and wouldn't let them argue as they were pushed to the front. A few people wanted autographs as they passed. With Fred in the middle of the ride, he placed his arms protectively around the girls as the ride started and they plunged into darkness.