Can you post a picture of the postcard?
There was a coaster called Cyclone Racer on a pier called the Pike it was in Long Beach (it's now home to the Queen Mary).
Some links:
http://www.millikanalumni.com/pike/Cyclone.html
http://cycloneracer.com/
Wooden Coaster: Ghostrider
Steel Coaster: Nitro
Drop Ride: Tower of Terror (DCA)
Flat Ride: Fireball (SCBB)
Dark Ride: Indiana Jones (Disneyland)
Water Ride: Either Timer Mountain (Knott's) or Escape from Pompeii
I hear Montezooma is down right now for some sort of rehab. Hopefully it'll be back up by the time your there.
Edit: http://www.coasterrealm.com/pictemplate.php?page=Pics/largepics&prev=Pics/picupdate&prevtitle=Knotts%20Pictures&prefix=KBF&last=9&group=Knotts&updatedate=04162005&pic=5
Some restaurants in the Valley:
- Il Paradiso- Good... everything and walking distance form home
- Szechwon Inn
- Weiler's Deli
- Rosie's (BBQ)
- Four N 20 Pies- Good Tortilla soup as well as good pies (shocking, isn't it?)
I used to know quite a few people at Knott's, but they've either quit or were laid off. (A bunch of people were laid off when Cedar Fair bought the park.)
Wood:
- Any on the Phoenix (Airtime!!)
- 'The Drop' on Ghostrider
Steel:
- X's Skydive
- Xcel's Tophat (I love how it seems like it's going to dump right on to the street below)
Other:
- PP before neuterification (soo steep)
- ToT at DCA (only seat-belts!)