Nashville Zoo’s Soaring Eagle requires riders to meet height and weight limits: riders must be at least 42 inches tall, and riders between 42 and 47 inches need an adult with them. Two riders together cannot weigh more than 450 pounds. The ride may close in adverse weather, according to the zoo’s attractions page.
The zoo describes Soaring Eagle as a seated ride that raises guests 110 feet and carries them several hundred yards before sending the seat back toward the ground at 28 mph. It costs eight attraction tickets, priced at $1 each. The ride is also included in the zoo’s Adventure Pass, which offers unlimited rides and feedings for the day, according to its ticketing page.
Tennessee’s amusement-ride inspection rules
Tennessee law requires amusement-device owners and operators to hire qualified inspectors for annual inspections and submit required documentation, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
A birthday ride decades in the making
The Nashville Zoo outing extended a record of late-life adventures: NewsChannel 5 reported that Stults went skiing at 90. For her 100th birthday, she rode Soaring Eagle with her daughter, Diane Beecham. The St. Joseph Senior Citizens Center drove her about two hours to the zoo, according to the station. Stults had wanted to try ziplining for a long time, telling NewsChannel 5, “I've always wanted to do it.”
NewsChannel 5 reported that Stults was eager, not nervous, before the ride. In the station’s account, she credited God for looking after her and encouraged others to take on exciting experiences without overthinking them.
