Orange County Register

Knott’s Berry Farm is auctioning on eBay the right to be the first riders on its new Pony Express roller coaster that opens May 22.

Here’s Knott’s artist rendering of the ride:

There are 32 “ponies” in all on the first run at 9 a.m. May 22. The minimum bids range from $60 to $150, depending on which seat you bid on. The price includes admission to the park, breakfast and lunch at the park’s famous Chicken Dinner Restaurant and Pony Express Commemorative Souvenirs, says spokeswoman Michele Wischmeyer.

She e-mailed me about the auction after I posted here about how much stuff Orange County residents sell on eBay, the world’s biggest online auction site. The Knott’s sale illustrates how creative O.C. folks get with their auctioneering. Maybe it helps explain why we outsell areas that have more people.

Here’s how Knott’s describes the Pony Express ride on eBay:

“You’ll sit astride one of the team’s 16 horses and giddyup out of the station at a speed of 38 mph in under 3 seconds!  The terrain is rugged as you navigate an ascending banked turn to a height of over 44 feet then through a series of heart-pounding 60 degree banked turns, camel backs and tight maneuvers… The Pony Express team covers a 1,300-foot route that also banks above Boot Hill Cemetary and Bigfoot Rapids.

Here’s what the half-completed ride looks like:

Knott’s is more interested in publicity and fun than in the money. “All proceeds from our auction will go to Buena Park’s Speech and Language Development Center,” Wischmeyer says.

The first row of the first train are already taken, she says. Bidding ends Monday.

Click here to view Knott’s eBay page and place your bid.

Tell me. Will you bid?

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