Big Thrills

Here are some of my favorite photos from a feature we ran online about the 10 best Las Vegas thrill rides. I rode all of them (except for the one where you jump off the side of the Stratosphere). The only injury I attained was on the ride shown in the first photo. The Desperado roller coaster in Primm, Nevada was one of the most killer coasters I've ever ridden. I was not prepared for it's severe G-forces and extreme drops, and I may have tensed up a bit and tweaked my back while trying to clutch onto my G11 for dear life. I lost my notebook during the ride, but at least I kept my camera safely clutched to my body. That was my first ride. I smartened up for the next rides and had my little camera taped to my hand.

My favorite ride was Insanity at the Strat, which is described as follows by the reporter: "Imagine a giant mechanical arm carrying you 64 feet over the edge of the Stratosphere Tower. You dangle in a chair 900 feet above the Strip (that’s one-sixth of a mile), then spin at speeds that reach three G. Suddenly, the arm shifts and you tilt 70 degrees to face the Earth below." You can see that ride in photo #5.