Trip to Pittsburgh

   [I don’t normally do posts like this but this was requested by a good friend of mine on WordPress :).] I hope you enjoy it. I will most likely be doing one post a week on my trip and the other being a poetry piece 🙂

We started traveling to Uniontown a little later than anticipated, which I did not mind. This drive was unexpectedly scenic. We passed through some rainstorms that were torrential as well as heavy fog blanketing the highway.

I felt privileged to witness the fog and torrential downpours from my point of view. They looked alien being in such a typical place.
   The ride was long but went by fast. I was grateful for Matt driving as I tend to fall asleep on long car rides.
Some of the mountains were very tall. I couldn’t help but be amazed while witnessing them. It’s sights like these that really have a way of humbling and grounding me. The trip to our hotel in Uniontown took about 5 1/2 hours. The traffic wasn’t too busy and the roads were a lot smoother than the roads by us. Overall, it was a very pleasant drive.

Kennywood

We went to Kennywood on Tuesday and Friday. Tuesday was a nice overcast day, a little humid and warm but not unbearable and wasn’t busy. We got in some incredible rides. It was my birthday that day so it was a nice treat. For some reason, I was feeling very anxious about the rides. Matt was very patient with me, coaxing me on them. I really appreciated it as the rides were incredibly enjoyable and frightening. I’m more of a thrill seeker than I realized.

Upon entering the parking lot, we had to drive around a short bit to find a spot. Matt had the summer pass which allowed us closer parking in the lower lot. If having regular parking, we would have had to park in the upper lot. The upper lot is more spacious than the lower lot but everyone must take the steep escalator down the hill. The entrance of the park is pretty typical. There are entrance areas designated by signs and a security check. We were suprised that there were no lines. Tickets cost around the typical price range, $69.99 for a day ticket. Online, you could save around 25%. We got checked and let in very quickly. This park did not require bands. *I am unsure if Matt and I did not require bands due to him having a season pass or not, though.

After getting let in, we walked down the small ramp. Down the ramp, we saw some beautiful rose sculptures and murals all along the sides of the walls. At the bottom there was a tunnel we entered the park through. I really admire their decor and their different entrance way to the park. The park is a no cash park. That being so, they have machines that transfer your cash into cards to use. I found them to be very helpful as I don’t like using my debit card much. Most of the rides were the typical rides you see at most amusement parks; however, there were some that stood out to me.

One of the first rides we went on was called, The Phantom’s Revenge. The hill was high, about 110 feet with a stunning view of all of Kennywood. It wasn’t a 90 degree drop but a turning drop which allowed for more sightly visuals. Matt informed me that they used the landscape to accent the height. I definitely felt that illusion on the second hill. Towards the end of the ride, there were some bunny hills, like the Phoenix at Knoebels. The little hills give you air time that you do not expect. It was very enjoyable.

Another few rides that stood out to me were the Kangaroo and the Black Widow. The Kangaroo was designed with a ramp, that once gone over bounces you. I enjoyed the cute bouncing noise they use to accompany your cart hopping the ramp. The Black Widow held one of the longest wait times. It was worth every minute, however. It’s a pendulum designed ride that brings the riders to an almost upside down position. The height surpasses that of the Fandango at Knoebels. I was not sure I would be able to enjoy this ride with the height. However, it ended up being one of my favorite rides. With the height, I could see the river, the buildings and all of Kennywood at angles I couldn’t have viewed otherwise.
There were also racer coasters. They were very mellow and family oriented coasters. I was very grateful that they didn’t jostle me. Another coaster we had gone on had great hills but was very rough with bumps. The racer coasters were a nice ride with views and small hills.
Like most amusement parks, there was also a carousel ride, and a terrifying coaster only the best of thrill seekers could take, Matt being one of them. I think it was called The Steel Curtain. The Steel Curtain involved an inversion into a very steep and high drop. From there, the ride consisted of more hills and inversions. Matt informed me that I definitely would not get much from this coaster, as there were many inversions. He still enjoyed it very much.

Overall, Kennywood was a very enjoyable amusement park. It was fairly shaded and full of nature. It held a great share of kiddy rides as well as thrill rides. It was very family friendly and played tunes for everybody. We definitely plan on revisiting Pittsburgh and Kennywood.