Skylifts

To elaborate on my Natural Bridge post, the skylift ride up to the arch was the smoothest, most relaxing skylift ride I've ever taken.

I can't resist skylifts, even though they generally scare me. I'm afraid of heights and that one little bar delicately placed above my lap isn't going to save me. As a kid, at Americana and Kings Island amusement parks, it terrified me to sway across the park, hanging from a cable that didn't seem all that impressive.

The worst part of any skylift/cable car ride? The bumpy seeming-reattachment at the intermittent poles. Just one little slip and down, down, down you'll go. (Not that I've ever heard of this actually happening.)

The ride at Natural Bridge was the smoothest and most relaxing. It was calm and quiet and the drop didn't seem as treacherous as other places I've been.


Descending from the Great Wall


Among the most scary skylift rides I've taken were the cable car to the Great Wall in China. It wasn't just me; the two au pairs from Finland that I was riding with were scared, too. The car seemed ancient, and we'd witnessed for ourselves that if traffic standards were the norm, human life wasn't all that highly respected.

The other scary ride was at Estes Park, Colorado. This was a cable car as well, not a skylift. I think it might have been scary to me because the climb is so high and fast and the cable car sways. It's definitely great for panoramic views, but it almost qualifies as a thrill ride to me -- which is why I don't have pictures. I was holding on for dear life.

My top choice is Natural Bridge. I guess serene is more my speed.