Jun 16th, 2008
Bobsledding at the Utah Olympic Park
Wow! That was awesome!
When the Olympics were in town (Salt Lake City 2002), the only event I went to was the skeleton. I had always been a fan of the sliding sports (luge, skeleton, bobsled) and I wanted to attend one of these events when the Olympics rolled into town. So we went to the skeleton.
Last week, I had the opportunity of a lifetime. It was the first time I had been back to the Olympic Park since the day that Jimmy Shea took the gold for the United States. It was a Father’s Day present from my parents to take a ride in the bobsled. And what an experience.
Leading up to the ride, I read all of the information about how fast you go (up to 70 mph), how many Gs you pull (4 Gs), how far you drop (the equivalent of a 40-story building), how banged up you may become, etc. They even had me sign a waiver in case you die. So naturally, my anticipation and anxiety were at peak capacity.
They give you a whole bunch of instructions, ensure you’re equipped with a helmet and load you into the sled one-by-one. They buckle you in and give you straps to hang onto during the ride. It’s a very tight fit. The sled itself is equipped with a roll cage in case you crash at those high speeds.
So, as we loaded ourselves into the sled, I’m thinking two thoughts: 1- Please let us live, and 2 - please let us beat my brothers (who were in the next sled). As soon as we were situated, we were cleared to go, and off we went.
It’s hard to explain what happens on the ride. There are a bunch of turns, a lot of speed and some incredible G-forces. But it was awesome! We finished with the top time of the day at 101.97 and the fastest speed of the day at 68.3 mph to that point.
What an adrenaline rush it was! It had to be one of my favorite rides of all time, rivaling some of the roller coasters or ziplines I’ve been on.
So, if you’re ever in Park City, and you’re in good health, stop by the Olympic Park to check out the fun adventures. It was sweet!
