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I got to drive a 2005 CTS-V back in late 2004. It was kind of strange driving a Cadillac with a manual transmission, but with 400 HP under the hood (at the time), that sucker moved rather quickly. All we have in Southern California is the L.A. Auto Show in late November, and it isn't anything like the shows they have in Detroit. To me that's odd because of SoCal's car culture. But we don't have the greatest facility to hold such a show. Our Convention Center is actually pretty small, and half of it may be torn down if the new football stadium goes in near Staples Center. I never get tired of looking at cars. Thanks for sharing this report. Eric

Sounds like a typical Saturday at SFMM. That's why I go on Sunday if I can. I'm guessing that the park will spend the entire week working on Superman. From what I've heard, it's supposed to rain next weekend, so the opening may be delayed anyway. Eric

REMEMBER! Turn your clocks ahead one hour tonight at 2am (unless your area doesn't do that---Hawaii, Arizona, etc.). Eric

How about a new roof? Those shingles are in pretty sad shape... Eric

^ Do they have Parenting 101 classes where you live? Sounds like she ought to take one... Eric

^ At one time, SFMM had a ride called "Eagles Flight," which was the same type of ride as Disneyland's Skyway. SFMM's version had two routes in sort of a "V" layout; both lines ran from what was called the Shangri-La Station on top of the mountain. That building is still there---it is the "V" shaped building near Ninja in the attached picture. You can see where it is in proximity to Tatsu's "egg turn" and Ninja's final lift hill. I think they put a maze in there during Fright Fest. One of the lower stations was close to where Freefall used to be and was known as the El Dorado Station. That route was removed sometime in the early '80s. The other lower station was located about where the Superman tower is now and was known as the Galaxy Station. It was on this route where the accident occurred. (I mentioned earlier that the gondola fell from the cable and landed approximately where Superman's track goes over the midway.) This route was removed after being damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Eric

I don't know if it was a special effect, but both cars appeared to be launched at the same time. It was most likely for the commercial, but wouldn't it be great if they did race? Eric

When I rode in 2001, we got a double ride on it, so technically I've ridden it twice. Eric

Speed is a fun little ride. I've only ridden it a couple of times, but it's definitely worth saving. The only catch is that it's designed specifically for the spot it's in, so rebuilding it elsewhere could be a challenge. Hopefully someone will find a way to do so. Eric

^ SHHHH!!! I don't want that getting out! Eric

^ My guess is that someone with tall heels stepped (or stomped) on his foot. I can see that happening. Eric

Nope. Do you ever eat any variety of Cap'n Crunch?

^ Maybe it's a diabolo-cal plot to keep you from learning it. Eric

When you say "Eagles Nest," would you mean "Eagles Flight?" Just trying to clarify. While I am not knowledgeable regarding the technical aspects of one of these aerial tramways, everything you said about this incident makes perfect sense. Eric

One incident that seems to have been lost to history is what I believe was the park's first fatality. In Febrary 1978, one of the Eagle's Flight gondolas slipped off of the cable and fell onto the midway (right about where the Superman track goes over it now). A newly married couple was inside, and when the car fell, she was seriously injured and he was killed. The investigation showed that the clamp on the car didn't fully engage the cable as it normally would. With this accident and the one on Colossus in December, some ten months later, 1978 was not a good year for Magic Mountain. Interestingly, the following year was when Six Flags took over. Eric

^ The death on Colossus was in the newspaper and on TV news at the time, so if you didn't hear about it, you had to have been locked in a cave or comatose. Eric

No, just a Honda. Do you ever use 3-1/2" floppy disks?

Don't be silly...I never eat gravy. Eric

Setting up that ride is little more than an erector set, but it appears that they haven't even poured footers for the ride itself, let alone set up the queue or station area. Honestly, though, even if it opens a few weeks later it'll still be ready by the time Spring Break arrives. Eric

^ I love film, too, as long as there's none on my yogurt. Eric

Today I got an invitation to media day for Superman---Escape From Krypton media on March 16. Like the filming of the commercial, which I believe is tomorrow, I don't think I'll attend. Having to be at SFMM at 6:30am does not appeal to me. However, should I be invited to Green Lantern's media day, I'll try to make it. I'm really looking forward to riding it. Any more progress on Road Runner Express? Think it'll open in a week and a half? Eric

It was going to be just "U," but once they added the fire and smoke effects and the onboard soundtrack, "U2" made more sense. Why does Coca-Cola have those reward point codes under the bottle caps and inside the 12-packs?

I was one of 'em. Eric

^^ I got an e-mail about the same thing, but I don't think I'll be able to do it. But it does sound like a lot of fun. Eric

I agree on both counts. El Toro at SFGAd---an Intamin ride---seems to be working out just fine. Haven't had a chance to ride it yet, but it gets great reviews. Eric