Southern California Regional Rocks and Roads - Amusement Parks

Featured Image – 2/24/2026

Michael F Ballard — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 23:31:14 +0000

Viper is a rollercoaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain. It held the record for the most inversions (7) for a long time after it was built in 1990. It is the last of the great Arrow Dynamics Custom Looping Coasters. Viper still thrills enthusiasts today. Six Flags Magic Mountain Tips and Tricks

New Coaster Video

Michael F Ballard — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 22:58:31 +0000

I’ve been working on another video series, CoasterTalk, which will discuss all aspects of amusement parks throughout Southern California. The first episode covers a recent discovery at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Other videos will showcase some of the other rollercoasters in the park as well as various bits of history that you can find, if ...

New Amusement Park Pages

Michael F Ballard — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 21:01:03 +0000

I’ve recently posted some new pages on amusement parks in Southern California. Each talk about the rides, focusing on the rollercoasters, as well as have some tips and tricks for making the most out of your visit. Currently, the following are now posted: A page on Sea World San Diego is in the works. Feel ...

Interesting discovery at Six Flags Magic Mountain

Michael F Ballard — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 00:27:01 +0000

On Friday, August 8, 2025, I was a part of a behind-the-scenes tour at Magic Mountain. Part of the tour included walking part of the infield for Twisted Colossus and Goliath. Two things we saw really stuck out to me. The first was seeing an old section of original Colossus trackway beneath the lift hill. ...

Six Flags Magic Mountain Tips and Tricks

Michael F Ballard — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 05:47:24 +0000

Six Flags Magic Mountain is the best park for rollercoasters in California. There are 16 coasters to ride, which can be a lot for a day unless you are prepared. This post will help guide you through from parking to rides. It will be updated as time permits, so revisit for additional information. For park ...

Amusement Parks Site Addition

Michael F Ballard — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 20:17:15 +0000

This website is expanding! A new section on Amusement Parks is coming soon which will cover all parks in Southern California with a minimum of one flat ride. The page will focus on rollercoasters, which are one of my interests. Park Tips and Tricks for you to get a better experience as well as learn ...