Nostalgia
Last night I went bowling with some friends at Elitch Lanes. It was the first time I'd been back to the area where the original Elitch Gardens Amusement Park used to be and I have to admit, it was a pretty nostalgic and sad moment for me.
Roller coasters are a big deal in my family. Anywhere we go, if there is a roller coaster nearby we hunt it down and conquer it. We went to Elitch Gardens at least once every spring/summer and used any excuse to go. I went with my girl scout troop, I went with my closest friends, I went with my family, I went there on school field trips. I always looked forward to the long trek to Denver to visit my favorite place.
At the risk of sounding dramatic, Elitch's was more than just an amusement park for me. It was the site of my first love affair with rollercoasters and lucky for you, I feel like sharing today.
You see, being short is not something that happened later in life for me. It's not like I was tall for a while and then just stopped growing. I've been short all my life so you can only imagine how torturous it was for me to have to wait to reach the magical inch that would allow me to walk by the height stick without being stopped. It was horrible. I used to put tissues in my shoes (which ended up a soggy mess after a couple trips down the Splinter log ride) and I was lucky enough to be going through this in the late 80's, early 90's, so I could spike those bangs up extra high. My mom's love of roller coasters rubbed off on me before I could even ride them and my goal in life became to ride the Mister Twister. One glorious summer, I was finally tall enough to ride. Yesss! So, my best friend, Laura, and I were determined to ride and we wanted to do it right: in the front seat. I was pretty hyped up when we got in line and then we waited...and waited...and waited...and I remember getting really nervous as I realized I may have been premature in deciding I was a rollercoaster junkie before I had even tried one. My heart started to race and my palms got sweaty but I was determined to follow through. I'd made such a big deal about this for years, I couldn't back down now and risk being a sissy. I also knew I would regret it if I didn't. We finally got to meet Mister Twister and I'm pretty sure I had white knuckles holding onto that lapbar the whole ride but I did it, and I loved it, and I went on to ride the heck out of those roller coasters from then on out. For me, Mister Twister will always be my first rollercoaster and I will forever be resentful that they tore it down.
But most of all, I miss the ambiance. You could feel the history. The trees were tall and mature, there were lovely gardens, and the rides had a vintage feel. I loved that there was only one tubular coaster (The Sidewinder, which still exists) and the rest were wooden. I'll let you in on a little secret: wooden coasters are where it's at. If you aren't hearing the track creak when you go around a bend, you are on the wrong ride.
In 1995, I was in middle school and we took a class trip to Elitch's, which had then debuted as Six Flags Elitch Gardens. It was now located in Downtown Denver and I remember being pretty excited on the bus ride up. New rollercoasters to conquer! I had been to Six Flags in other states and had loved my experience so I thought it was pretty rad that Denver was cool enough to have one now. I did enjoy riding new rides but it didn't take long for my little 14-year-old self to realize it wasn't the same and that they had chosen poorly. I've continued to go because it's convenient and because I think I'm hoping that maybe this time I'll be able to enjoy it like I used to but it's just not the same. I envy those who never experienced the original and don't know any better.
The word "Elitch's" will always be a magical word to me. My heart still flutters when I hear that word but I guess I will have to be content just with my memories and the empty shell that still stands where the carousel used to reside. I'm unapologetically sentimental and walking by 38th and Tennyson last night almost brought tears to my eyes.
Roller coasters are a big deal in my family. Anywhere we go, if there is a roller coaster nearby we hunt it down and conquer it. We went to Elitch Gardens at least once every spring/summer and used any excuse to go. I went with my girl scout troop, I went with my closest friends, I went with my family, I went there on school field trips. I always looked forward to the long trek to Denver to visit my favorite place.
At the risk of sounding dramatic, Elitch's was more than just an amusement park for me. It was the site of my first love affair with rollercoasters and lucky for you, I feel like sharing today.
You see, being short is not something that happened later in life for me. It's not like I was tall for a while and then just stopped growing. I've been short all my life so you can only imagine how torturous it was for me to have to wait to reach the magical inch that would allow me to walk by the height stick without being stopped. It was horrible. I used to put tissues in my shoes (which ended up a soggy mess after a couple trips down the Splinter log ride) and I was lucky enough to be going through this in the late 80's, early 90's, so I could spike those bangs up extra high. My mom's love of roller coasters rubbed off on me before I could even ride them and my goal in life became to ride the Mister Twister. One glorious summer, I was finally tall enough to ride. Yesss! So, my best friend, Laura, and I were determined to ride and we wanted to do it right: in the front seat. I was pretty hyped up when we got in line and then we waited...and waited...and waited...and I remember getting really nervous as I realized I may have been premature in deciding I was a rollercoaster junkie before I had even tried one. My heart started to race and my palms got sweaty but I was determined to follow through. I'd made such a big deal about this for years, I couldn't back down now and risk being a sissy. I also knew I would regret it if I didn't. We finally got to meet Mister Twister and I'm pretty sure I had white knuckles holding onto that lapbar the whole ride but I did it, and I loved it, and I went on to ride the heck out of those roller coasters from then on out. For me, Mister Twister will always be my first rollercoaster and I will forever be resentful that they tore it down.
But most of all, I miss the ambiance. You could feel the history. The trees were tall and mature, there were lovely gardens, and the rides had a vintage feel. I loved that there was only one tubular coaster (The Sidewinder, which still exists) and the rest were wooden. I'll let you in on a little secret: wooden coasters are where it's at. If you aren't hearing the track creak when you go around a bend, you are on the wrong ride.
In 1995, I was in middle school and we took a class trip to Elitch's, which had then debuted as Six Flags Elitch Gardens. It was now located in Downtown Denver and I remember being pretty excited on the bus ride up. New rollercoasters to conquer! I had been to Six Flags in other states and had loved my experience so I thought it was pretty rad that Denver was cool enough to have one now. I did enjoy riding new rides but it didn't take long for my little 14-year-old self to realize it wasn't the same and that they had chosen poorly. I've continued to go because it's convenient and because I think I'm hoping that maybe this time I'll be able to enjoy it like I used to but it's just not the same. I envy those who never experienced the original and don't know any better.
The word "Elitch's" will always be a magical word to me. My heart still flutters when I hear that word but I guess I will have to be content just with my memories and the empty shell that still stands where the carousel used to reside. I'm unapologetically sentimental and walking by 38th and Tennyson last night almost brought tears to my eyes.
Off topic, but what is your beef with mascots? Traumatic childhood experience? So short that you are constantly being mistaken as child? Please explain. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThe only explanation I can come up with is that I'm frightened by people who's eyes I can't see. My parents took me to a Disney Character breakfast when I was in 2nd grade. Pluto came and put his tongue on my head and I just about died. I don't know what it is, I just don't trust them.
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