Top 10 roller coasters

The top steel roller coasters in the world, from Amusement Today’s annual survey of enthusiasts:

1. Millennium Force, Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio

2. Superman Ride of Steel, Six Flags New England, Agawam, Mass.

3. Magnum XL-200, Cedar Point, Sandusky

4. Nitro, Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, N.J.

5. Apollo’s Chariot, Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, Va.

6. Steel Force, Dorney Park, Allentown, Pa.

7. Phantom’s Revenge, Kennywood, West Mifflin, Pa.

8. Expedition GeForce, Holiday Park, Hassloch, Germany

9. Montu, Busch Gardens Tampa, Fla.

10. Superman Ride of Steel, Six Flags Darien Lake, Darien Center, N.Y.

Wilderness group offers volunteer opportunities

Wilderness Volunteers’ 2003 trip schedule includes destinations ranging from Big Bend National Park in Texas to Hawaii Volcano National Park.

Wilderness Volunteers is a nonprofit organization committed to offering affordable vacations to give people the opportunity to help preserve some of the nation’s public lands. All trips cost $198. Participants must arrange travel to the trip site.

This is Wilderness Volunteers’ sixth season to offer the service trips in cooperation with public land agencies, including the National Park Service. Contact: www.wildernessvolunteers.org.

Let professionals ship your luggage

Air travelers who have oversize luggage or simply are fed up with airport baggage hassles can consider using one of several services that, for a price, will allow you to sidestep the process of hauling, clearing, checking and retrieving. The companies pick up your bag at home and ship it to your destination, making sure it arrives when you do at a hotel or other stopping point.

Among the companies are Luggage Express, (866) 744-7224, www.usxpluggageexpress.com; Virtual Bellhop (877) 235-5467, www.virtualbellhop.com; Sports Express, (800) 357-4174, www.sportsexpress.com; and Skycap International, (877) 775-9227, www.skycapinternational.com.