The Lost River - Idora Park - Youngstown
The Lost River was a water ride at the now defunct Idora Park. The Lost River ride was a combination of a tunnel of love roller coaster ride. Riders would step into wooden boats and begin a dark water journey slowly weaving through a tunnel. On the way, scary monsters, flashing lights, and loud sounds would scare the riders.
A few minutes into the journey, the boat would latch onto a chain drive and it would pull the boat up a long dark hill. A moment later the boat would free fall down the hill splashing the riders. You would actually catch a moment of "Air Time" in the boat as it plummeted down. The boat slowed up and drifted back to dock where the riders got out and went on to the next ride.
I can still hear the drums beating and the water rushing down the rapids of the Lost River. Of course the drums were canned music, piped in over a loudspeaker system. The drums sounded a lot like the drums in the movie, Jumanji, starring Robin Williams.
At night time, the rapids would be lit with multicolors, each step in the rapids a different color. And that my friends was the Lost River, one of the many fine rides at Idora Park.
LURKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL
