Me + my Daddy + any roller coaster = best memories
My parents divorced when I was five and my Mom and I moved back to Utah. My Daddy stayed in California (the Bay Area). And I went to only seeing my Daddy for a month every summer.
But we would sure pack a lot of fun into those few precious weeks. My favorite memories are riding roller coasters and tagging along when he golfed.
Every summer we would go to Great Adventure America and our favorite ride was the Tidal Wave (they’ve added on to this ride now but in the 70′s it was big time). It was a simple roller coaster. You go through a giant loop and then up a tall, straight portion until gravity wins and you go backwards back down and through the loop backwards. Then up a tall, straight portion on the other end and then coast back to a stop.
No matter how many times we rode this coaster my Daddy would clap and cheer at the end like a kid. The memory always makes me smile.
Last March I lost my sweet Daddy suddenly to cancer. It came on fast and intense and those twenty or so years that I thought I still had with him were gone.
But I still have sweet, wonderful memories of a man who loved me more than anything in this world. And he knew how to have fun.
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I think that roller coaster was called Lightning Loop. My first job was working for an advertising agency that did the corporate communications for Six Flags, and I remember writing press releases for it. There were computers that checked the machine every few seconds to make sure it was running correctly. And I think Six Flags was the first theme park to have a roller coaster that did a complete 360. Love seeing your little girl photo!
teri recently blogged..Being Brave
The Great Adventure we went to was in California…I remember being excited when I was in NJ that there was one there too, but I never went. I think they were the first of the full loop rides. I tried to look for a picture of the one we went on online but they’ve added to it and I think it has a couple of loops now.
Thauna recently blogged..Best Childhood Memory
What wonderful memories! I’m a total coaster junkie so I completely understand your joy!
Laura recently blogged..Day 4: Best Childhood Memory
Thanks Laura! My kids favorite memories with Grandpa include coasters and rides too.
Thauna recently blogged..Best Childhood Memory
That makes me sad. But I’m so glad you have the memories and that you hold tight to them.
I loved this post! Are you talking about the theme park called Great America Thauna? If so, that was in the Bay Area and had a ride like that. I loved it!!
Yes, that’s it!!! Great America! I loved that place. I wish I could find some pictures of it. All I remember is the big carousel and the Tidal Wave. But then I haven’t been back to the Bay Area in 25 years.
Thauna recently blogged..Dream Job + Italy
We went there a lot when I was younger…. the Tidal Wave was an awesome ride! I have pictures from one trip when we went there for our 8th grade trip. It was a blast! And yep, the giant carousel is still there
He may be gone physically, but your Daddy is still clearly present in your life. My father-in-law died more than 20 years ago of cancer and there is not a week that goes by that I don’t think of him. They will never leave our hearts.
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