Shaws Roller Coaster

After a discussion I had with Tami riding home from Flagstaff I figured I would pull out an old momorial monday for her. Just because...

Shaw's Roller coaster~

Roller coasters! A kids dream! I loved going to Lagoon when we lived in Utah and going on the old wooden roller coaster! It brings back so many memories but I must admit, it is not my favorite roller coaster. No, that one is in Holladay, Utah, in the back yard of my Grandfather's old house.

It is a bit different than most coasters. You see, it is made of concrete and goes from the back yard to the front. (Holladay has lots of hills!) It was the coolest thing! My grandpa made a cart out of wood and tin with the wheels rolling on the inside of the tracks. It does not go as fast as the old wooden roller coaster, but it is much more loved.

Whenever we visited, we spent some time with the Grandparents (after all, we were visiting them!) and then raced out to be the first one to ride down.

We placed the cart on the track and pushed it up the hill.

Then we properly sat in the correct position to make sure we didn't fall off

(Yeah, Yeah. Give me a break. I was a kid and what Grandpa didn't know never hurt him.

OOPS, my kids are reading this.... No, I obeyed ALL the rules ALL the time!))

Pushed off

And down we went!

Past the tree house.

Past the play house.

Past the porch.

Through the grape vines and up the hill to the tire where our ride stopped.

And then we rolled backwards to the porch.

And then we did it all over again! (except when we had to share. Patience was never my thing.)

Luckily we found this old video from 1981.

 

Many years later the house has been sold and a new house sits in it's place. But when I drive by, I still see the faithful track up the hill waiting for a new batch of kids to ride it. I think back of all the years of fun my family had on that wonderful, old roller coaster and have to stop myself from going to the door, knocking to see if I can try it one more time!