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Denver's Lakeside and Adventure Golf


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This past week, I was in Denver visiting friends and decided to get my credits at Lakeside Park, which I had not been to yet. We also spent the evening at Adventure Golf and Raceway, and rode the Dragster, which I am sure will be debated as to whether it is a "coaster" or not. Gonna start this update with Adventure Golf first, and let you make the decision.

 

Adventure Golf and Raceway is a very nicely themed mini golf complex consisting of three very detailed golf areas, a go-kart racetrack, and the Dragster(which is what I am focusing on). Now, I am not sure of the manufacturer of the ride, but as you can see, the two racing cars are obviously on coaster tracks. The cars are basically large individual two seater coaster cars. To begin with, they are pulled backwards using a spring system, then released at great speed down the tracks till they decelerate by oposing springs at the end of the tracks, these springs slow down, then propel the cars in reverse till they are again slowed down, by the original springs, and so on and so on, until "catch" cars in the tracks eventually bring the cars back to their original position.

 

I myself have never seen or ridden on this type of ride, and I am really not sure if they exist elsewhere; however, one caan argue that if Superman at Magic Mountain can be considered coasters, than so can these. Needless to say, the ride is fun, kinda what you would expect it to be, and fairly inexpensive if you include it in the ticket package with the mini-golf.

 

Now, on to Lakeside Amusement Park, which we went too actually earlier in the day. Having never been to the park before, but having been told about it, I wasnt really that surprised with the outcome. Lemme say this first.....I think Lakeside Amusement Park is a jewel in the rough! The park is 100 years old this year. Yes the park is in a case of some decay, but, after really seeing the hidden architecture and personality and beauty of this park, I actually was quite surprised. The park has VERY old school rides for starters. The architecture is 1920's, 1930's art deco, and done extremely well. You can obviously see how the park kept most of the roaring 20's feel and look to the park, while adapting to more modern elements over the years. What is a shame is the fact that with the proper backing/funding, and some fresh new ideas and input, this park could be turned into a serious tourist attraction/resort.

 

The good and the bad: With all that I have said which is good, the one bad thing is being at the park when all the rides are open. The kiddieland opens at 1 pm, and the major rides start to open around 6, but can go as late as 7:30 opening, or whenever the park finally has an employee to operate certain rides.We stayed from 4 till 7:30, and I still didnt get a chance to ride the Satellite or the Wild Chipmunk, due to no extra employees there to operate the rides.

 

The park does have two gems, just sitting their decaying, which, with what I was told, are waiting funding to hopefully get restored. One is an old Airplane ride, in which the tower and platform are the only things standing at this time, and the other is the StarRide, which dates back to the early 1900's. Its basically a ferris wheel, but contained tubs that could seat up to eight people. The tubs are in storage, and the rest of the ride still remains in the open.

 

To finish this report off, I have to review the Cyclone. I thought the coaster was great. Yes its a lil rough in some spots, but that has to be expected for a 70+ year old coaster. The layout is a tad strange, however, it was non stop speed.....very fast, only slowing down at the turn around over the lake. I was very anxious to ride the coaster, being that its one of the last Eddie Vettel coasters still operating. My first woodie, and first coaster ever was a Vettel classic, the Zephyr at Pontchartrain Beach. I have to say, I enjoyed it as much as the original Mister Twister that was just right down the street at the former Elitch Gardens.

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The Dragster Station

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The Track

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Launching point!

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Racing!

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On Your Marks! Get Ready!.....

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Now onto Lakeside! The Whip! A decent whipping on this classic!

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No one cared to ride with me! :(

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Waiting to be refurbished!

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No ride for me! :(

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Right before the rides started opening....park did eventually fill up!

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Finally got to ride this bad boy! Never been on one before! It was.....ok

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Art Deco Carousel

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No ride for me!

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No ride for me! 10 and under only! :(

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Never opened!

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The Cyclone first half.....

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The Drop!

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Classic Art Deco station!

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The Station

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My travelling coaster buddies!

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Lakeside's a really cool park. It's much better at night when all the lights are on. It's a shame you didn't get on Wild Chipmunk. Those things are fun. As for that ride waiting to be refurbished, it's been like that for a few years. I remember seeing it like that when I visited in 2006.

 

Cyclone really impressed me. The trains are fantastic, and the restraints are just like Jack Rabbit at Kennywood; a leather strap. Woo. The airtime on the first drop is great, and the turn afterward is really intense. The ride is sort of a twister/out and back combo. It packs a punch, that's for sure.

 

The park opens late because it's really meant to be visited after the sun goes down. The look of the park is fantastic with all the lights. The tower at the outside of the park is amazing.

 

Did you ride the train? I read somewhere that the train used to be at the 1906 World's Fair in St. Louis. That's a really rich piece of history there. That park's sure got history.

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Not sure what the speed was on those racers, but they were hella fast, thats for sure.....Lakeside is a beautiful and neglected park, and yeah, did ride the train....it was VERY old.....the park just oozes with history, and I would love to see better days for it...

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I remember going by Lakeside many times with my family as a kid. We never got to stop though, as we were on our way to and from Vegas and didn't have the time. I sure wish that I could have ridden that wooden coaster and some of the other classic rides. I hope that this park does not get neglected as it looks like a true classic amusement park in a very pretty area of Denver!

 

I seem to remember 'Star Ride' looking like that back in the eighties when we drove by...an empty looking ferris wheel with no seats. I always wondered how that thing was supposed to operate with nothing for people to ride in!

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Very cool to see you enjoying my local parks. I was just at Adventure Golf last night. Played a few courses. I like the Lost Continent course the best, goes good with an Indiana Jones theme.

 

Haven't been to Lakeside yet this year. I go multiple times a year usually. The "Starride" has been sitting there for years since I can remember. They keep it kinda as a landmark/ historical point of interest. You should have stayed there during the evening, that's the best time with all the lights on.

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