The infamous Laffing Sal at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk – scaring young children since forever. Originally from San Francisco’s Playland At The Beach. Or IS she? Another resides at the Musee Mechanique at Fisherman’s Wharf and the battle continues as to WHO has the original Laughing Sal… (I’ll post a pic of the other one one day!)
She laffs like a loon. She moves. She will not eat you. She is safely behind glass.
A view from the Skyride. Thge big coaster is the Giant Dipper. It is made of wood. From 1920’s. It creaks. It breathes. It has some great zero-gravity camel humps!
Why is there a Cavegirl on the Skyride? Come to SC and find out!
Oh my! She lost her boyfriend!
Wheeee! Old school bumper cars!
Yes – it’s a Looff! AND it still has the ring toss! Grab a ring and toss it into the clown’s mouth to ring the bells and light up his eyes. He is only minimally scary…
Well, I guess ‘minimally’ is relative. But a good way to exorcise your clown demons by throwing brass rings at him! (they lose THOUSANDS a year from people who keep them as souvenirs!)
The Carousel itself is a stunner. And it is a pretty fast one, too! Wander over to part 2…
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Allee Willis
I can’t believe that Laughing Sal moves. As if she wasn’t scary enough! The missing tooth, Howdy Doodie freckles and that neck don’t help anything. But I love amusement parks and I love that Sal is still standing. And just why is there a Cave Girl On the Skyride? Though I loved that little cage chair that she’s in. I wouldn’t have mind having one of those to ride around my backyard in.
Bumper cars are still my favorite thing world.
I always sucked at ring toss. Aim and precision were never my thing.
The Carousel is beautiful and thank God they didn’t take it down like they did here on the Santa Monica pier.
Celiene
Oh yeah – she jiggles when whe laffs and bends forward.
The cave people are escapees from the Cave Train ride (Cheezy goodness!) They have been on the sky ride for as long as I can remember.
They have a second bumper car ride that is space themed.
I think they fought to keep the carosel – from what I can recall, I think it was closed for a while for a complete restoration.
Celiene
By the way, Allee. I ran across the NYT article about you and your house! Your house is G-OR-GEOUS! MAJOR house envy, here! I’d out instructions in my will that it could never, ever be changed, altered or torn down! EVER! I LOVE the car parts as drawer pulls! What a great idea.
There is a house near me that is 1930’s moderne and powder pink with mint green accents. I’ll take pic one day – you’ll love it. I saw inside it once, and it still had the original turquoise metal kitchen cabinetry.