Of course, you could always just ride the nearby teacups. It's also much smoother than most big rides, which really makes you feel like you're flying. Calgary Stampede Bloggers Jessica Wilkinson and Sophy Kors take a ride on the Skyscraper, a 70 mph thrill ride, at the Calgary Stampede. The speed, the feeling of weightlessness and the strange kind of euphoria when you step off all need to be experienced firsthand. For anyone like me who is less of a fan of these kinds of rides, I would still say it’s worth a try. The Calgary Tourist Scavenger Hunt is a 4.2 km / 2.6 mi walking tour with challenges along the way. Have fun completing the challenges at each stop. Walk from Calgary Tower to Olympic Plaza and McDougall Centre, by way of the Bow and Stephen Avenue Walk. The Skyscraper is a ride that’s more than worth it for anyone who loves roller coasters, zip lines, skydiving or anything else that gets your blood pumping. Solve challenges at each step to discover your next destination. In fact, Payton was already in line for a second go-around. Others stepping off raved about the adrenaline rush and the incredible view, along with how the Skyscraper is unlike any other ride. I was glad to hear that, like me, Clay Cooper had kept his eyes shut the entire time. The first four riders talked about their experiences. A palpable buzz ran through the crowd once the ride was up-and-running. I was actually earnestly asked if I was okay (and told I didn’t look it), but it only took a few steps to feel grounded again and able to watch the next set embark on their human spin-cycle. We’re unbuckled and asked what we thought. It’s a rush that sweeps all the thoughts out of your head, and it’s easy to see how it could be addictive. Once again, you’re floating in your seat as the whole world careens by around you. Just like when you take off, the drop back into a spin almost instantly whips you up to full speed. You’re just waiting for the next two people 160 feet below to step on and strap in. Of course, the whole point is the false sense of security. After the immense rush of those first few spins, sitting quietly in the air, with a gentle summer breeze whispering around you as you take in the sights, your heart starts to slow and you begin to feel at ease. This might sound like the most intense part of the ride, but it’s more relaxing than you’d think. That’s when you realize you’re 160 feet above Branson. If you’ve had your eyes closed this whole time (like I did), you finally feel safe enough to open them again. The wind rushes in your ears and your body leaves the seat, defying gravity and held in place by the barriers and belts that strap you in.Īfter a few spins, your hands sweating and gripping onto the shoulder braces for dear life, the ride comes to a stop. Almost as soon as it starts moving, the momentum ratchets up, and you’re hurtling through the air at 60 miles-per-hour. You know how a rollercoaster usually gives you the slow-build of the initial climb? The Skyscraper doesn’t. rides such as The Drop of Doom, the Spinning Coaster, and the Skyscraper, while Ravi, Jesse, and Elisha hit the beer gardens. Nevertheless, two of us from 417 Magazine were securely strapped in, and the ride began. Full-disclosure: I’m not a lover of wild, thrilling rides. It goes without saying that 2020 and the coronavirus canceled events like Stampede all over the world, but with an end to lockdowns in sight it’s back on schedule for July of this year.A ribbon-cutting ceremony officially opened the ride to the public (although Wescott assured us there had been three days of testing beforehand), and four special guests were first in line: Renowned lighting designer and stage performer Michael Haygood Branson Area Lake Chamber of Commerce CEO Jeff Seifried Country music star, Branson mainstay and hesitant Skyscraper-rider Clay Cooper and 14-year-old thrill-seeker Payton Smith.Īfter the first four had gone through their dizzying experience, it was our turn. But that was my assignment during Canada’s sesquicentenary, and I took it on with the eagerness every Canadian feels when given the opportunity to dress up and play cowboy in the city that practically makes it mandatory for at least one week a year. Visiting Calgary for the first time during Stampede is the equivalent of getting to know Munich during Oktoberfest, or Mexico City during Cinco de Mayo. The scale and polish of Stampede grew when oil replaced cattle as the principal export of the province, and Alberta assumed Texas-sized ambitions within Canada. For over a hundred years – the exact beginning is up for debate – Calgary has been celebrating its very prairie image as “Cowtown” with livestock competitions and rodeos and chuckwagon races, expanding along the way to include a midway and a big show and a celebration of native life and heritage. EVERY TOWN HAS ITS SUMMER FAIR, BUT ALMOST NO ONE GOES AS BIG AS CALGARY DOES WITH STAMPEDE.
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