2008 is the last year that the rides at Coney Island will be open. They're tearing down Astroland and most everything else. The only things that will remain from the Coney Island we grew up with are; the Wonder Wheel, Parachute Drop and Cyclone - but they will only be there to remind us, they won't operate. Thank goodness someone had the foresight to designate them as New York City Landmarks otherwise the condo developers would tear them down as well. Can you imagine what the people must be like who have the audacity to rip apart a great American institution that is responsible for embedding untold happy memories into the consciousness of billions of people - to put up beach-front condominiums? Growing up, they must have been very unhappy children. In any case, GET THERE WHILE YOU CAN!
In late May, 2008, my kids told me that they were taking me to Coney Island for Father's Day on June 15. It took a few moments to sink in but when it did, I realized what a great time this was going to be. "I'm in!" I said. Unfortunately my middle son had to work, so there was only four of us, including my wife.
Got a bit of a late start, pulling into a parking spot near the parachute drop at about 2:00 PM. No one had eaten lunch yet so we went directly to Nathan's to grab us some 'World Famous' dogs, corn, etc... Even though it was raining on-and-off, the lines at Nathan's went out the door onto the sidewalk, so we settled for the concession stand across the street from the Cyclone (which I could swear use to be Nathan's - can anyone confirm this?) where we had hot dogs, corn dogs, knishes and fries. Not bad. While we ate, we watched and listened to the people on the Cyclone screaming.
I pointed at the Cyclone and asked my wife, "So... you going up?"
"Have fun," she said. My two sons and I walked across the street and, since it was a raining, on-and-off kinda day, not many people were around and we were able to step right up to the ticket booth. It's now $8.00 to ride on the Cyclone. A re-ride is $5.00. If you ask me, it's worth it. Especially since it's the last time. (For more information on the history of the Cyclone go here)
If you're reading this it's likely that you are familiar with the Cyclone (and possibly the old Cyclone slogan - "HANG ONTO YOUR WIGS AND KEYS!"). You know that it is the world's most thrilling ride. What makes it so thrilling? Is it the fact that it's made of wood and appears rickety as hell? Is it the ratchety clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank... sound as the cars slowly make their way up that first hill? Is it the broad white beams that fly by just above your head as you zoom down the first, second, third and fourth drops? Is it the nonchalance of the operator as he carelessly slides the wooden brake handle back without watching what he's doing? Or is it something else? For me I guess it's a combination of all things seen, not seen and sensed during the whole experience. When you crest the first hill and are looking at nothing but the Atlantic Ocean, then a split second later are plummeting straight down that first drop with those damn white beams coming within inches of taking your head off... No wonder there is zero delay between when, at the end of the ride, 'the guy' says, "Re-ride... five dallah," and you say, "Take my money."
Then we hit the Wonder Wheel. The builders of the Wonder Wheel (built from 1918 - 1920) wanted to make sure you understood that it is the "WORLD'S LARGEST WHEEL (WEIGHT - OVER 200 TONS!)" so they devised a unique entrance. You actually have to go down on a ramp through a tunnel, down about 10 - 15 feet below street level, to access the entrance to the Wonder Wheel. Even with this 10 - 15 foot handicap it still rises over 150 feet into the air. In original marketing materials the logan was, "RIDE THE WONDER WHEEL, THE HIGHEST FERRIS WHEEL IN THE WORLD! FROM ITS TOP YOU CAN SEE THE EIFFEL TOWER IN PARIS." In fact the first Ferris wheel was built to rival the Eiffel Tower for the World's Colombian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago. But you can't see Paris from the Wonder Wheel - unless I've always been up there on cloudy days... (For more information on the history of the Wonder Wheel go here)
This time my wife decided to come along. My two sons and I talked her into riding in a red car instead of a white car. You know what that means. The white cars are standard, stationary Ferris wheel cars that turn with the rotation of the wheel. A nice calm ride with a great view. The red and blue cars, however, not only turn with the rotation of the wheel, they also move along tracks from the outer edge of the wheel to an inside hub. So... you step into your car when the wheel has rotated so your car is at the bottom and as the wheel starts rotating again, then passes the point where your car is just over the 90 degree mark, gravity does it's magic and your car starts moving towards the center of the wheel. This is great fun and provides interesting black and blue marks on your arms (from when your wife hit you and said, "Why did you take me on this freakin' ride?"). But the fun has only just begun. Once the wheel is 3/4 of the way done with its first rotation you are are facing nothing but open air when your car passes the 90 degree mark on the other side of the wheel and runs along the track towards the outer edge of the wheel. Now THAT'S exhilarating and provides larger and more defined black and blues marks.
After the Wonder Wheel we cruised around the boardwalk for a while, tried getting into the Freak Show - which was closed - and took some pictures of places I want to remember. Take Cha-Cha's Bar and Cafe for instance. Where else but Brooklyn would you see a sign that offered "Live Entertainment For The Hole family". Who's the Hole family? Courtney Love and Frances Bean Cobain?
It being Father's Day, I was looking forward to a nice meal out too so, after seeing all the sites we wanted to see at Coney Island, we headed over to Buckleys' on Nostrand Ave and Ave T in Marine Park. Great Irish grub and fixin's. I had a funny feeling who I might see at the end of the bar, but didn't say anything to my family until I was sure he was there. Sure enough, at the end of the bar, holding up the wall, was Jimmy C, the neighborhood bully of days gone by. As we waited for our hostess to tell us our table was ready, I pointed him out to my family. My wife said, "No way. That guy's got to be 65/70 years old." So I looked a little harder to be sure. I knew it was Jimmy when his bloodshot eyes did their version of lighting up in recognition. He knew it was me and I knew it was him. I almost sent over a drink, but...
Our table was ready so we sat down back in the dining room to eat a great meal.
Cheers!
