Midway rides not for faint of heart

Every year they come to Northlands to test their mettle against spinning, twirling, stringently safety-tested machines designed to induce fear.

This year was no different as Edmontonians from all walks of life gathered at the K-Days fairgrounds Saturday afternoon to try out the rides on display.

“It’s a bonding experience,” said Daniel Gu, 20, after taking a spin on the mainstay Mach 3 with friend Ben Yuen, also 20. On that ride, two 100-foot arms spin around an axis with riders seated on each end in cages that rotate a full 360 degrees.

Yuen wasn’t embarrassed to admit he screamed “a little bit.”

“It makes you feel alive,” said Gu. It can even be relaxing, he added, “when you’re not spinning.”

Although Mach 3 doesn’t reach the speed benchmark of its namesake, possibly for the safety of internal organs, it can reach 3.5 G of force.

For James Clarke’s seven-yearold niece Faith, the kids rides were just too tame. She prefers real rollercoasters like the Ring of Fire.

“It’s fun,” Faith said nonchalantly after a ride, as if the experience didn’t see her hang completely upside-down (something she actually liked).

Test your own bravery against all 28 outdoor North American Midway Majorland rides at K-Days until July 29, weather dependent.