Comments on: Let Me Take My Ride

Let Me Take My Ride

Devils Rancher — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 18:15:46 -0800

The Wall of Death. Celebrated in song and art, the act of riding a motorcycle on the vertical wall of the inside of a cylinder, was a popular carnival attraction, mid-century. Although on the wane since the 70's, there are still a few practitioners, some of whom have better websites than others.

By: octothorpe

octothorpe — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 18:28:29 -0800

Cool post. I had heard the Richard Thompson song for year, even in person twice but had no idea what he was talking about. Then I happened to see this Elvis movie and had one of those "Aha" moments.

By: evinrude

evinrude — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 18:40:45 -0800

There's a Wall of Death in Seattle.

By: Mayor Peace Love and Unity

Mayor Peace Love and Unity — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 19:23:35 -0800

One of my favorite literary analogies was James Herriott's comparison of an angry cat racing around a kitchen with a wall of death rider.

By: vronsky

vronsky — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 20:24:12 -0800

Check out the film "Eat The Peach" that ran the art house circuit in the mid 80's. Plot Outline: Two young Irish men are watching an old Elvis Presley movie in which a carnival cyclist performs an act called the Wall of Death. Transfixed, they decide to put together their own "Wall of Death." great film

By: Gungho

Gungho — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 05:46:55 -0800

Um, I don't think RT was referring to the motorcycle ride. I think he was referring to what some people call the turkish bath or the Gravitron or Rotor. The ride develops 4 Gs and pins you to the outer wall.

By: Gungho

Gungho — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 06:19:47 -0800

Or the Roundup.

By: Devils Rancher

Devils Rancher — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 06:45:58 -0800

Gungho, I made an assumption based on 1. I've never heard of one of those referred to as a "wall of death," and 2. Richard Thompson seems to be quite the motorcycle enthusiast, so I was just putting 2 and 2 together. It's not like I've ever had a chance to ask him. At Astroworld in the 70's, they had a ride called the Barrel of Fun that pinned you to the wall of a giant centrifuge, and the floor fell away for the majority of the ride. I seem to recall it being about 20 feet in diameter. My first-ever date as a 12-year-old was ruined by the Barrel of Fun, as Debbie Farley puked as soon as we got off, and wanted to go home right away. I'll always hate that Barrel of Fun.

By: Astro Zombie

Astro Zombie — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 07:44:54 -0800

They used to have a barrel of fun at Coney Island that they called The Hell Hole, as I recall. As a boy, it was my favorite rise, but it was short-lived.

By: imaswinger

imaswinger — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 15:55:45 -0800

I'm pretty sure a Radley Metzger film titled, "The Lickerish Quartet" featured some spherical motorcycling. (the babe riding the motorcycle resembles a 'blue movie' starlet, so a kinky family invites her back to their castle and typical metzger-isms ensue)