My most adrenaline-filled Edmonton moment...
User Story
We asked people about some of the most exciting times they’ve had in Edmonton. They shared entertaining stories, all adrenaline-filled for myriad reasons. Check out this selection of scary/funny/tense moments:
I was working as a marshal at Edmonton International Speedway in the early 70s. One day I was working at Turn 1 facing the oncoming cars. The fellow working with me said suddenly my eyes popped wide open as a Formula Ford spun out of control and started heading directly for our marshal station. The station at that corner was a wooden stand about 3 feet off of the ground. The car continued to spin and eventually hit the bank just a few feet past our station with a bump that shook the wooden stand. My job was to wave the "accident flag" until the first car through had come around again. Once each driver has seen the waving flag the marshal is supposed to hold it steady until the track is cleared again for the green flag. I had so much adrenaline flowing I just waved it wildly until drivers started waving back trying to tell me "I've been through before!" Not really a bad event, but it looked pretty spooky for a second.
Ellen Wilbert – Edmonton, AB:
My most adrenaline-filled Edmonton moment was in the early days of the Sour Dough Raft Race, when nearly everyone fell into the Saskatchewan. We had such a great time…
I was born in Europe, in Munich, and the summertime and beer garden time is the best time of the year there, but since I live in Edmonton you don't get me out of here in the summer… It's the most beautiful time in Edmonton.
I love Edmonton and Canada – I choose it as my home.
My most heart-stopping, adrenaline-filled Edmonton moment was when my friend Justin and I were walking across the high level bridge after dinner at Fiore's. It was on August 23 of last year that this massive windstorm came out of nowhere and hit us! "OMG!" I thought I was going to fly away! I actually had to hold onto the rails of the bridge, but my glasses obviously had no support and were thrown right off my face and straight into the traffic of the high level bridge. I have a high prescription and it was night time so I couldn't see where they were. The cars’ distorted headlights were all I could pick out. Justin has 20/20 vision and spotted them on the road and then as he tried to go under the rails to retrieve them, a load of cars drove right by and it seemed right over them! 'NOOOO... MY NEW GLASSES!" As soon as the cars FINALLY finished passing, Justin managed to cross the road and pick them up. "THEY’RE OKAY AND UNBROKEN!" The windstorm was still happening even as Justin retrieved them and fortunately that wind had somehow knocked them to the side outside of the path of the cars' crushing wheels. "WHEW, THANK GOODNESS!" This experience really got my heart pumping, and henceforth I am much more careful when crossing that bridge.
I had never had the courage to go on the Drop of Doom in West Edmonton Mall. One trip to the city I decided it was time to go on. The constant urging from my friend helped me realize this. Well, walking down those stairs to the ride entrance was scary enough for me, but I showed the man my day pass and with shaking hands buckled my seatbelt. The ride went up so slowly. With every clank of the ride my heart stopped. Finally we arrive at the top and roll forward. I take a moment to look out the large window at the city and think, “Wow this is really beautiful.”
Then a buzzer that is as loud as thunder startles me out of my trance. I wait for the drop but nothing happens. I sit there frozen by fear and anticipation and then, “Whoosh,” we drop down. I screamed the whole way down – I think the children on the swings could hear me. I could feel my body lift off the seat and hoped that the restraints would hold me down. Then we stopped and I just lay there until the guy released the restraint and I prayed that my legs would work and that my lunch would stay down. I went back years later to possibly relive the moment but, to my relief, the ride is now changed.
Jacqueline Douglas – Vernon, BC:
I believe the year was 1980 or thereabouts and we had arrived in Edmonton with the high hopes of attaining work and exploring the new sights of dinosaur country. My husband had accepted a position with a glazing company and he was working on the first phase of the great West Edmonton Mall! I had landed a good position as office manager with a well established geotechnical firm. We had met lots of fun young people and rumour had it that there was going to be a TT race for jet cars at the race strip! We love car racing of all types so we went as a big group of over-excited car enthusiasts.
WOW... the first car flew by and we were deafened by the jet engines of these great beasts and filled with unspeakable, overwhelming awe as they flew by us just like a jet taking off to nowhere-land! One after the other they went; the feeling never receded!! Goose bumps upon goose bumps and our heads were full of the deafening roar of those great beasts! It was a moment in time I will never forget. It was the start of many great memories we made in Edmonton, only to be topped by the birth of our first son, Justin. :)
