![\"thunder_road2_tn.jpg\"](\"..\/pix\/16\/03\/thunder_road2.jpg\" "\\"thunder_road2_tn.jpg\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\n\nGrit Your Teeth I was on the first run of Thunder<\/b> Road<\/b><\/a> on 3 April 1976.<\/p>\n As it happened, I had won a phone-in contest on WIS Radio<\/a>. I suppose there were similar contests on stations all over the Carolinas to fill both cars. It was not the first time I had been to Carowinds<\/a>, I remember a school trip in particular, but it was not the quick jaunt from Columbia it is nowdays, as I-77 between Columbia & Charlotte was not yet finished and it was a longish two lane drive on US-21<\/i>.<\/p>\n In its initial configuration, the two track coaster was promoted as a \"race\" between moonshiners and police with the trams on each track having automobile body front ends. For the initial ride, we contest winners were divided into two teams, one per car, and in the front seat of each car was a then prominent NASCAR<\/i> driver. I'm afraid I didn't (and don't) really follow NASCAR<\/i> so the names of our team leaders has totally slipped my mind. I have the feeling that our team was on the right hand track, and that we were the law, but I couldn't swear that to you. What I do remember in particular is the set of four Burma Shave<\/i> signs, quoted above, which were between the two tracks as the cars were chain pulled to the top of the first hill. They gave you something to laugh about just before cresting the hill and that first precipitous descent.<\/p>\n At the time, my experience with roller coasters was pretty limited. My father did not trust the travelling coasters at the State Fair<\/a>, so the only coasters I had ridden were the Swamp Fox<\/a> in Myrtle Beach, and the mining themed Goldrusher<\/a> also at Carowinds<\/a>. There was really no comparison, and Thunder<\/b> Road<\/b><\/a> was a thrill ride far and above either (though I still love both the others). There was just something about that initial jerk and the clank of the chains as you went up that first hill, then teetered on top of the world for a second before the bottom dropped out..<\/p>\n I rode Thunder<\/b> Road<\/b><\/i> many other times over the years, though probably not any after the early 1980s. I totaly missed the era when they ran one of the trains facing backwards.<\/p>\n When I heard that Thunder<\/b> Road<\/b><\/i> was to be retired, I wanted to try and be on the last ride, but in the event I was on vacation that day, and while I seriously considered making the ten hour round trip drive, in the end I didn't. It would make a better story, but that's life.<\/p>\n I did go out last weekend though and get what pictures I could of the attraction before it is all torn down. The entrance is in what is now the Snoopy<\/i> section of Carowinds<\/i> while the main body parallels the water park area.<\/p>\n It's kind of sad how little of the original Carowinds<\/i> remains. Really, I think the only two remaining original rides are the Eastern Airlines Skytower<\/a> and the aforementioned Goldrusher<\/a>. While I was googling some Thunder<\/b> Road<\/b><\/i> facts for this post, I ran across a teriffic site Carowinds The Early Years<\/a> where most of the links above come from, and which you should definitely visit. Who could forget The Oaken Bucket<\/a>, The Hillbilly Jalopies<\/a>, The Powder Keg Flume<\/a>, the awful food at The Grubsteak (You expect grubs to be good steak? we asked..)<\/a>, The Paddle Wheel Steamer<\/a>, The Skyway<\/a> and The Monorail<\/a>?<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n
\nBear The Load
\nEnjoy Your Ride
\nOn Thunder<\/b> Road<\/b>
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