The Matterhorn absolutely terrified me as a kid. Only later did I realize it was the monster I was scared by, rather than the ride.
And so, while my friends and family rode on all those big and scary attractions, I sat there wondering— how does it work? Why is it safe? How do the cars not crash into each other?
Why is scary, well, fun?
I didn't know it at the time, but those questions fueled a lifelong desire to investigate, tinker, and think like an engineer. To me, theme parks provided a perfect blend of artistic presentation and engineering mastery, with the occasional psychological torture sprinkled in.
Roller coasters and theme parks had me hooked.
I dove right in. From ride operator to engineering intern, I've continued to learn on a close, detailed level how these machines make magic come to life.
