Save this story Save Save this story Save Like any good father would do, Will Pemble carefully considered his 10-year-old son’s request to build a roller coaster in their backyard. “It took me about five seconds to know for absolute certain that it would be great,” he says. A lot of planning and a whole lot of work later, he has proven his hypothesis. “A lot of people would build a swimming pool in a yard like this,” Pemble says, motioning around the sparse outdoor space behind his home “I didn’t want that. I didn’t think that that would be particularly engaging. I didn’t think my kids would learn a lot from that. And look! I have a roller coaster.” Technically, Pemble—who makes his living as a tech leadership consultant as the CEO of Goal Boss —has built five. But his latest backyard installation is his most intense yet, a 17-second ride with a 15-foot drop, a 70-degree bank turn, and a top speed of 18 mph. Yes, he says, the thing is safe. He tests intensely with his 300-pound test dummy, Todd, before getting into the seat itself—or allowing kids aboard. Now, Pemble is taking on an even bigger challenge. He’s adding an upside down loop-de-loop to his coaster. Hold onto your butt, Todd. More Great WIRED Stories This Fortnite concert is the future of the metaverse Google says it wants rules for the use of AI —kinda, sorta Trippy photos capture Japan’s ever-shifting aura Hackers are sharing a megaleak of 2.2 billion records Why EVs struggle in the cold—and how to help them 👀 Looking for the latest gadgets? Check out our latest buying guides and best deals all year round 📩 Hungry for even more deep dives on your next favorite topic? Sign up for the Backchannel newsletter
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