Goodbye Old Friend

Today we say goodbye to a good friend.  After 36 years of bringing thrills and smiles to the world, Colossus at Six Flags Magic Mountain is closing.  For anyone who grew up in Southern California, this is a very sad day.  Colossus was a highlight of the park for much of its existence.  When it opened in 1978 it was the tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world.  And even though Magic Mountain kept building faster and taller coasters throughout the park, Colossus remained an imposing presence.  It's a huge coaster and the giant white frame with red trim still stands out among the steel behemoths that litter the park now.  Colossus was always there to greet you in the parking lot when you first arrived, beckoning you to come aboard.  As a kid, there was nothing bigger.  It truly was a Colossus.

For me, Colossus represents an even more significant memory.  It was my first roller coaster.  When I was younger I was really scared of roller coasters.  One year a friend of mine invited me to Magic Mountain for his birthday.  I went even though I didn't want to ride any of the rides.  All day long everybody was trying to convince me to go on a coaster.  Finally, I relented and agreed to try Colossus.  I've been hooked ever since!  Now I love roller coasters, and I owe it all to that first ride on the white, wooden monster.

There's just something magical about Colossus.  You get on and start heading up that first hill and all you hear is the loud clickety clak of the chain pulling you up.  It feels like it takes forever as you keep going up and up.  When you finally reach the top the train slowly inches its way over until gravity takes care of the rest and down you go.  The rest of the ride is full of ups and downs, twists and turns, as the car shakes you side to side.  It is by no means a smooth ride, but that is part of the charm.  You don't mind getting shaken around because that's what makes this ride so much fun.  It's a throwback to the roller coasters of yesterday, just on a bigger scale.  As you get to the end of the ride and you are riding the wave of humpbacks through the middle of the coaster generating lots of airtime, you can't help but smile and laugh.  It's the most wonderful feeling.

During my many trips to Magic Mountain, Colossus was always the ride that I made sure to go on, no matter how long the wait.  No matter how awesome the new coasters were, Colossus always remained my favorite.  It's nostalgic and historic and it was the staple of the park for the longest time.  When I heard the announcement that it was going to close, I was immediately filled with sadness.  I couldn't believe they would actually close such an historic ride.  I'm even more upset that I wasn't able to get out there and ride it one last time.  But for 36 years it has brought endless joy to countless numbers of riders.  So for that I say thank you, and goodbye, old friend.