Six Flags over Georgia

29th September 2012
Six Flags over Georgia is the nearest theme park and is located just outside of Atlanta in Austell. Life on exchange wasn't all rosy and there were many, many moments where it felt as though I was back in highschool. Not as 18 year olds, but back when I was 13. Yes, the arguments were that juvenile and pettiness was rampant. Long story short, I got booted  from a group of people who were driving to Six Flags, formed my own group and off we went. I didn't drive, but an exchange student from USYD drove and it was an interesting experience to be on the other side of the road as well as first time on the interstate.

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The Ninja! This was my favourite ride.

I am not a fan of roller coasters. I hate the drop; the feeling of being out of my seat momentarily freaks me out. And when I freak out, I don't scream. Rather, I go into shut down mode and I just close my eyes and pray for it to all be over. Plus, I also am scared of heights.

I have to say, that I am very proud that I got onto each ride that the group wanted to go on at least once except for the first one that we went to: The Daredevil Dive. I didn't go on it because 95° first drop (!!). However, I eventually didn't want to be a party pooper, and I wanted to challenge myself. My favourite was The Ninja because it was just about speed and loops and not many drops, which I was content with. List of all the rides. Some were more memorable than others.

Batman: The Ride: feet dangling is a bit weird. A little unnerving I guess although I loved how tight the harness was so that I literally couldn't budge. A problem that I have (and it is probably why I don't fare well on the drop roller coasters) is that normally the position that it locks still leaves a gap - larger than one that I would like- left between the bar and me, ergo the shifting during the ride in addition to the actual free fall.

Georgia Scorcher: a stand up rollercoaster, theoretically. But I didn't think that I could do it so I ended up sitting/ squatting. It was not great.

Superman: Ultimate Flight: you are parallel to the track which was an interesting experience. Had too many loops and it was very freaky when it was so close to the ground.

Georgia Cyclone: this is wooden roller coaster. This basically meant that it was very very rocky and shakey and also too many drops. Not major drops, but still too many dips. Though everyone loved it and since the line was short, everyone went on it at least 3 times whilst I rode it once and then sat and waved to everyone from the side.

Acrophobia: a free fall drop ride of 50m. As I said before, I am terrified of heights and this one (and the Goliath) was the one that I was most scared about. If I was on something stable, I probably would have enjoyed the view that I saw from the top. But I was too busy in my zone, trying to remain calm and zen. It was not good. But I made it!

USYD-er's photos and his captions. Love it.

Thunder River: this was the funnest one. It was a typical river rafting ride, though the best part was that at one point, random people who are in the park can slot in a quarter and shoot the water cannons at the rafts that go by. Everyone got drenched but it was brilliant.

Splashwater Falls: the line was crazy for this ride but it was sort of worth it. It's a ride where everyone (riders and bystanders) are guaranteed to get drenched as it's those rides where the boat goes down a steep incline (whilst in water).

Goliath

Goliath is a hyper coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia. Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard and opened in April 2006, Goliath reaches a height of 200 feet (61 m), and a top speed of 70 mph (110 km/h). Its 4,480 feet (1,370 m) of track is spread out over an 8.5-acre (34,000 m2) site.

*shudders* This one already looked terrifying from afar; it is the only roller coaster that you can see when driving on the interstate from a good few kilometres away. It basically loops through most of the theme park. This was the last ride that we could go on before the park closed and I became persuaded to go on the roller coaster. The ride uses a lap bar which I fear (it just feels so ... unsecure) plus there was a whole 5cm gap between the bar and my lap.

Copied and pasted from wikipedia:

Goliath begins as the coaster leaves the station and turns left to start up the 200-foot (61 m) lift hill. Upon reaching the top, it drops 170 feet (52 m) to the midway below. The roller coaster angles to the left slightly as it climbs the second hill, crossing over the Georgia Scorcher roller coaster and two other attractions in a single bound. The second drop, the tallest on the ride at 175 feet (53 m), travels down towards the park's entrance road and out of the park grounds. At the bottom of the hill, the roller coaster makes another left turn above a pond and climbs again. The third hill leads to a 129-foot (39 m) drop, also over water.

Goliath starts its return trip by climbing to the top of a 540-degree spiral, making a full circle and half of another as it descends. After another hill, the roller coaster then enters a sharply-banked right turn, returning to the station via a series of smaller hills. Goliath's on-ride camera takes the riders' photographs before the train makes a final left-hand turn with a short hop onto the brakes, ending the ride.

TL;DR: it was bad news. Like Acrophobia, I probably could have enjoyed the view if I wasn't freaked out. The sun was starting to set and the sky had a really pretty glow. Well, that is at least what I saw in the micro-second where I actually looked. But during that first drop (52m) I just went into total shut down mode. I closed my eyes for the entire ride and it was very long, very loopy and way too many drops in the entire track. Or at least it felt long, it probably was all over in a minute. Somehow, and I don't even remember when, I ended up having a death grip on Sunbear's hand. When the ride was over, I am not entirely sure why, but I became overcome with emotion and just sighed and got a little teary (not crying) and USYD-er went, "it's all over now". Argh.

Though, at the end of the day I was very proud of myself for going on rides that I didn't want to at all. I will never go on a free fall ride again (my first and last time) nor will I go on those crazy roller coasters like the Goliath. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and I realised, hey, I like being in my comfort zone. 

We didn't have GPS nor did we have a map and on the way back we got lost as we overshot the exit, but we soon rectified the mistake. Unlike the other car who drove completely in the wrong direction and ended up in the wrong side of town.