CoasterRadio.com #108 - Backyard Thrill Rides

When you were a kid, did you ever dream of building a theme park in your own backyard? Maybe you turned an old wagon or a Big Wheel into the roller coaster of your dreams? This week on CoasterRadio.com, we'll be taking a look at three very different thrill rides that have been built in backyards across the world. We'll talk about a guy in Germany who has created his very own log flume. We'll also talk about The Blue Flash, a looping, steel roller coaster that was built by a gentleman in Indiana. But, one of our favorites is the 444-foot backyard wooden coaster built by Jeremy Reid. Jeremy was an engineering student at the University of Oklahoma and decided to use his knowledge of physics and mathematics to build his own coaster. After graduating from college, Jeremy worked for Arrow Dynamics before they merged with S&S. Today, Jeremy works as an engineer at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma. We'll have him on the show to find out all about his coaster and why he wanted to build it in the first place. We'll also talk about the recent down-time of Six Flags Great Adventure's Kingda Ka. Plus, we'll get into a brief discussion about whether or not there is a need for federal oversight of the amusement industry. We'll also play Theme Park Trivia and give one of our listeners a chance to win a Tomb Raider: Firefall Adventure Pack from Paramount's Kings Dominion. We'll also have a phone call from our first "celebrity" listener. It's all coming up this week on CoasterRadio.com!