CALIFORNIA STATE FAIR

State Fair's new thrill ride Vertigo lives up to its name

 

The Vertigo swing ride is a newcomer to the State Fair midway.
BUTLER AMUSEMENTS
from:  mercedsunstar.com
By Kurt Chirbas
July 12, 2013
Those considering a ride on the California State Fair's newest attraction should take careful note of its name.
Referencing a particular classification of dizziness (or the classic Hitchcock thriller, for the more cinematically minded), Vertigo is truth in advertising, according to fair spokeswoman Michelle Prater, who was able to take a spin on the ride before its debut at Cal Expo today.
"I'm not going to lie – it makes your knuckles a little bit white," Prater said. "It was more than I had anticipated."
Standing 100 feet tall, Vertigo towers over most of the midway at this year's fair, even topping carnival mainstay the Giant Wheel, which measures 10 feet shorter than its new neighbor.
Still, the title of fair's tallest ride eludes Vertigo. That distinction belongs to Turbo Force, a whirling arm that takes passengers 140 feet into the air.
However, it's not just in stature that Vertigo finds itself placed in between those two returning attractions. Prater – who strapped herself in for a go-around at the Alameda County Fair in June – said Vertigo represents a nice mix between the thrills provided by Turbo Force and the aerial views offered by the Giant Wheel.
The new ride begins with patrons secured in a swing-style seat by an overhead bar and a lap restraint. After that, Vertigo lifts passengers off the ground and spins them at a relatively quick 11 revolutions per minute.
It's at this point that knuckles whiten.
Read more here: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2013/07/12/3107135/state-fairs-new-thrill-ride-vertigo.html#storylink=cpy