Getting On Track For A Good Time (NAPSA)—For millions of Americans, the best part of a trip to an amusement parkis thethrill of riding theroller coaster. Fortunately for such families, there are “age appropriate” coasters all over the country. For example, a big hit with little ones is Utah’s Puff the Magic Dragon, with a top speed of 15 mph orVirginia’s Scooby Doo’s Ghoster Coaster at 35 mph. A more advanced coaster is the Rock ’n’ Roll Coaster in Florida, which treats riders to three inversions and speeds of 57 mph along 3,408 feet of track. For the thorough-going thrillseekers, California’s Superman, The Escape, is the longest (1,235 feet) and highest (415 feet) steel roller coaster in the world. It rockets from 0 to 100 mph in seven seconds and drops 328 feet so riders feel weightless for 6.5 seconds. It may seem like an eternity but the ride lasts only 28 seconds. Roller coaster fun that lasts a good long time can be enjoyed by many youngsters at home with the help of a one-of-a-kind toy. There’s a construction set from K’NEX that lets you create a realistic mini-coaster featuring life-like sound and motion. When complete, this Screamin’ Serpent scale model steel roller coaster is six and a half feet long, three feet high and made with 23 feet of track. An infra-red sensor sends forth the screams and laugh- Building a roller coaster you can call your own can be a great way for many families to have fun together. ter of excited kids as the coaster flies around the track, punctuated by the “click...click...click” of the motorized climbing action as brightly-colored, rail-hugging cars ascend to the heavens, then plunge back to earth and enter a zerogravity loop. Tiny figures with poseable arms are included and can be easily snapped into the roller coaster seats. Flag stickers and graphic panels provide thefinishing decorative touches. The massive structure has been called the ultimate builder’s challenge. It comes from the K’NEX toy company with complete instructions for two different roller coaster designs. For more information on Screamin’ Serpent and other K’NEX construction toy sets, visit www.knex.com.
