Jim Owens' Float Trip Ride

[Ozark Outlaw]

And just to branch off of Rube’s question, did all of the other exterior facelifts to the Flooded Mine happen at the same time the exterior roof was put on?

The original Flooded Mine looks very different than the current one.

Original:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/4578523580_80144c967c.jpg

Current:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/74/pictureorvideo1462sl9.jpg/sr=1

[Junior]

Just a guess...I think the cover and exterior changes to FM occurred roughly in the period of 1995-2005.

[DollarCityBoy]

Yeah, I second that Junior; I was going to say very late 90's.

I prefered it without the roof addition.

[rubedugans]

I was going to say that the guns were added after the 1990 transition to the Shootout seeing that the guns and electronics did not need to be wet from both the cannon blast, as well as the outside elements.

[thelarsonsix]

I know this thread is old but I found a video on youtube from the 70s that I believe has footage of Jim Owens Float Trip, but I am not sure because the ride predates me. At first I thought it was the FM before the shoot guns were installed but then I realized that FM doesnt go outside in the open like that and there was alot of vegetation......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-dpto8afjk

Since we're all veering.....At the very beginning of the video, can anyone tell for sure what highway that is? The hill looks like 65, but I thought it would have been more improved than that by the mid 70's. I know it wasn't 4 lane until just a few years ago but I would have thought it would have been a bit wider and had shoulders.

[Junior, too!]

Thank, Shave, for quoting me on the Thursday Throwback article about the float trip. Fun times, indeed! I do miss that era in park history. If you are under 40 years of age, I am sorry you cannot get in a time machine and visit SDC for a day...say about 1978 or '79 to experience the float trip...treehouse...diving bell. Maybe the Rainmaker, Boxing Show,  one mule swing...stagecoach....ahhhhhhhh!

[History Buff]

^You can if you can find a particular gentleman named Timothy Turnbuckle.