"Welcome back to Hell" the sign might've well said, for my home state is filled with too much sensory input. There are good things to be found in California, and that's usually when you find them in a different state. Thanks for the drum roll. One of the best things about the Golden State is that it's home to nearly twin sisters who have survived where other coasters have perished. For true lovers of rollercoasters, no trip to Cali can be complete without meeting The Dippers. Today, we would bug out early from Vegas and head for San Diego where the younger sister lives. Belmont Park is a mere shadow of its former existence as a 1920's salt water bath house paradise, but it still has the Giant Dipper to be proud of. The eight oldest operating coaster in the United States, it's a true beauty, thanks in part to the San Diego Coaster Company, who have maintained and operated the ride since its rehabilitation in the late 80's/early 90's. The ride, briefly named "Earthquake", debuted as Giant Dipper on July 4th, 1925 and was built at a cost of $150,000 in just 45 days. The wooden marvel was the showpiece for the Mission Beach Amusement Center long after it became Belmont Park and on into the 70's when it finally closed down. Luckily, some folks got involved and saved the classic from a dishonorable death by wrecking ball. Today, it's a vibrant park once again and the Dipper presides over it all like a grandmotherly prom queen. Showing bits of age, but wearing the paint and lights nicely, thank you and still getting amazed responses from appreciative riders who initially smirk at what appears to be a pretty "nice little ride." Our visits in 1996 and 1997 had been during the daytime, but we arrived in San Diego just in time to catch the first purple clouds of dusk. The Dipper looked pretty with pearls of amber chaser lights dancing delicately around her course. Always a magical time to partake of some air-time. There's a great home video release called "America Screams" and it features the late, great Vincent Price as on-camera host. His dialogue about crashing waves and the salt in the air near a sea-side boardwalk was brought briskly to mind by the crisp ocean breezes. We were in California alright, just a whiff of sea rot and the musty smell of been-there, done-that. It was great to ride the Giant Dipper again, still packing lots of punch after all these years. Special thanks to Colleen from the San Diego Coaster Company for hosting us on this stop--we had just enough time to stand in the surf and get a Long Island Iced Tea from the Coaster Saloon before heading off to our lodgings at Rancho Bernardo. It was to be a "free day" coming up, with a jaunt planned down to Tijuana included in the roster. Better sleep tonight.

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