Six Flags Great America 2011 Trip Report
Sept. 20, 2011
Nothing was keeping me off Whizzer. Call me crazy, but this was one of my most highly anticipated rides on the entire trip. "City Jets," "Jumbo Jets," all the Schwarzkopf "Speed Racer" coasters, I just love them to pieces. And like Suspended coasters, they are flirting with extinction. (There are only two "Extended Speed Racers" left in the world, this being one of them.)
The soft-pad seating, powered trains, circular "lift hills," so idiosyncratic, so charming.
'Round and 'round and 'round we go!
I really can't explain the depths of my affection for this type of ride. And boy, do I wish I'd gotten to sample Six Flags Over Texas' Big Bend, the Mother of All Speed Racers, which was dismantled before I ever made it to that park.
The first "drop" is really more of a "slope," but you pick up some decent speed by the time you reach the bottom, ready to whistle through a bobsled-like, ground-skimming turn, and several more like it that follow.
On a raw thrills scale, it's way down there, but on the smile scale, very high. The park did the right thing, getting rid of Shockwave instead of this, to make way for Superman.
I was so pleased with Whizzer that I was able to temporarily overlook the cheesy adverts all over the station and the noses of the cars. As long as every penny those ads have earned goes right back into keeping this coaster in operation, I'd be cool with that.
The last ride of my day was on another coaster of some legend, The American Eagle.
Quick story: Back in Winter of 1980, I attended an ACE "No-Coaster" event up near Chicago. If memory serves, it was just a day-long thing, but there were some cool presentations, and very cool guests, too. I met Bill Cobb there. That was awesome.
The big news unveiled was that this monster racing woodie was coming to what was still Marriott's Great America the following summer. The crowd went nuts, like Oprah had told us we were getting new Pontiacs, complete pandemonium. Then the name was announced. The cheering continued, but simmered down to a less frenzied level. To this day, I remember that communal moment of "Really?" that went through our numbers.
But we were still on our feet: despite the creative flaccidity of "American Eagle," the stats, at that time, were heart-poundingly impressive, and the press kits we all got were prized possessions. I still have mine (which I'll dig out of storage, scan, and share here soon).
So, some 31 years later, to finally take flight on The American Eagle, well, that was special.
And it was great! Much smoother than I had expected, not an airtime beast, but good for some lift on the smaller hills, great big spiral at the tail end, thumbs up! Intamin's pre-fab woodies are better; but this was a highlight of the afternoon without question. Next time, I'll hit the other side.
And then, very sadly, it was time to go. Doug walked me out to the car where my luggage was stored, we had a fond farewell, and my participation with the "Wheels on I-80" trip came to an end.
One last look at the carousel in the late afternoon sun... music swells, fade to black.
But, Six Flags Great America, I will be back. Oh, yes, I will be back.
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