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David Lassman / The Post-StandardAllysa Hart (left) and Nicole Krisop both 14 years old from Perry , N.Y. ride the Himalaya on the midway at the New York State Fair.

Teenagers love the midway at the New York State Fair. They come to socialize and to see the bizarre shows. But the big draw is the rides.

There are 70 rides, and they're not cheap, according to George Weston, midway manager for Strates Shows. The least expensive one cost about $800,000, he said. The most expensive, Top Spin, cost $2.9 million. The most popular rides, he said, are KMG Fire Ball, Top Spin, Zyklon (a roller coaster) the Giant Ferris Wheeland Himalaya.

Which rides are best for thrill seekers? Which are best for screamers? We asked Central New York teenagers to weigh in.

Click the following rides for their reviews:
Enterprise
Himalaya
KMG Fire Ball (two reviews)
Top Spin (three reviews)
Wave Swing
Zipper

Here's more on teens and the state fair:
• Teens love the midway, by Brendan Pitts, a Baldwinsville senior
• Meet, or join the young writers contributing to The Post-Standard and Syracuse.com this year
• A video of the midway by staff videographer Peter Chen
• How much do the rides cost? Read on.

David Lassman / The Post-StandardAllysa Hart (left) and Nicole Krisop both 14 years old from Perry , N.Y. ride the Himalaya on the midway at the New York State Fair.

Teenagers love the midway at the New York State Fair. They come to socialize and to see the bizarre shows. But the big draw is the rides.

There are 70 rides, and they're not cheap, according to George Weston, midway manager for Strates Shows. The least expensive one cost about $800,000, he said. The most expensive, Top Spin, cost $2.9 million. The most popular rides, he said, are KMG Fire Ball, Top Spin, Zyklon (a roller coaster) the Giant Ferris Wheeland Himalaya.

Which rides are best for thrill seekers? Which are best for screamers? We asked Central New York teenagers to weigh in.

Click the following rides for their reviews:
Enterprise
Himalaya
KMG Fire Ball (two reviews)
Top Spin (three reviews)
Zipper

• An introduction, by Brendan Smith, a Baldwinsville senior
• Meet, or join the young writers
• More photos of rides at the state fair
• A video of the midway by staff videographer Peter Chen
• How much do the rides cost? Read on.

David Lassman / The Post-StandardThe Wave Swing is one of the 70 rides on the midway at the New York State Fair

THE RIDE: WAVE SWING

Natalie Sportelli

THE STORY: Remember those pangs of sorrow that struck you, year after year, when you realized you were too short to ride the swings? Hopefully those years are behind you now and you will be able to try the Wave Swinger. With each rotation, you get a pretty good view of the fairgrounds. Of course, the aftermath is a pretty bad hair condition. My advice: Go for something a little more hard core.

MY RATING: 2 stars out of 5.

-- Natalie Sportelli, a sophomore at Christian Brothers Academy

Photo By Chris Snyder, a senior at Westhill High SchoolKMG Fire Ball

Joe Desiderio

THE STORY: Ever since I worked up the guts to go on this ride, I make sure that I ride it every year I'm at the fair. The feeling of being suspended high in the air is an adrenaline rush. The ride is a giant claw that spins while sliding back and forth like the Pirate Ship ride.

I went on it with my best friend and she was definitely hesitant at first. I had to convince her that we would not die. But when we were on the ride, with the wind whipping our faces and making our mouths dry, I forgot about her fears. What a great friend I am, right? The feeling of flying and feeling weightless was more enchanting than worrying about her concern for death. Our conversations were strained for a while after we got off the ride, but I don't regret one second of it. It lets you feel free and it's really exciting. And hey, it's an awesome way to cool down.

MY RATING: 5 stars out of 5.

-- Joe Desiderio, a senior at East Syracuse-Minoa High School

Read on for another review of KMG Fire Ball

David Lassman / The Post-StandardEnterprise, one of the 70 rides at the New York State Fair

Dani Walters

THE LOOK: White and silver with cages. When the ride is in motion, it looks like a Ferris wheel.

THE STORY: Though at first I was reluctant to go on a ride that goes upside down, my friend convinced me it would be fun. It was, if you like the feeling of doing about four somersaults in a row. Maybe it wasn't the ride itself that scared me. Maybe it was all the screaming everyone was doing when they were on it, and the fact that for half of the ride my eyes were closed. Every time the cage went upside down, it shook a little bit because of the wind and my friend screamed, which made me want to knee him in the back. Even though it was only a four-minute ride that wasn't exactly enjoyable for me, I do encourage other teens to go on it. After we got off, my friend and I laughed a lot about our screaming and the faces we made.

My rating: 3 out of 5.

-- Dani Walters, a junior at East Syracuse-Minoa High School

Natalie Sportelli

THE LOOK: An oval track in a square structure with cars.

THE STORY: This fast ride takes you through the mountains and gives you a white-knuckle moment or two. With the music playing so loud you couldn't hear the Yeti roar if he tried. For those of you who have gone on Disney's thrilling Expedition Everest rollercoaster, this is a step down. For those who haven't, this is a little taste of its thrills. My advice: Go ahead and ride this one, but then go for something a little more daring.

MY RATING: 3 stars out of 5.

-- Natalie Sportelli, a sophomore at Christian Brothers Academy

Reporter Hart Seely of The Post-Standard gets to the meat of the matter with an investigative report on the new Hot Beef Sundae at the 'Shake It Up' food stand in the Dairy Products Building at the 2008 New York State Fair. Video by Steven J. Pallone (4:10)

Thor Dickquist

Oneida --- A 21-year-old Oneida man was arraigned Friday in City Court on allegations that he carried a 16-year-old girl he was walking with to a grassy area and forcibly raped her.

Thor A. Dickquist pleaded not guilty to first-degree rape. Oneida City Police said the attack took place at 12:30 a.m. Aug. 17 on East Railroad Street.

Dickquist remains in the Madison County Jail in lieu of $25,000 cash bail or $50,000 bond.