California's Great America announces Gold Striker wood roller coaster

RideMan said:

a Bayern Kurve that they really don't deserve

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Poetry in motion..in more ways than one, Dave!

Gilroy Gardens is a very nice park. Despite the Cedar Fair connection it seems to be left to its own devices in terms of being a quiet little park full of trees and general pleasantness.

Looks like a great wooden coaster...similar to Thunderhead at Dollywood. I'm very happy for guests of Great America. Hopefully this is the start of many new attractions the park has been lacking over the last 5 years or so. This park needs a water park slide expansion in 2014 and a hyper coaster in 2015, and it will be back on the map.

^^ CF does not own Gilroy Gardens, it merely manages them

Great America posted a POV
Gold Striker's First Run 4.16.13

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DSPq1Tiwps

^That's crazy fast for a first run! It seems like it maintains a Prowler-like pace. (I haven't been on Prowler myself, just judging from vids.) I guess they will finish boxing in the tunnel soon? The ride really looks great! I'm sure it will be a big hit for them.

It didn't finish very strong... that's what I'd expect for a first run. I imagine that's going to be a fairly insane ride once it has broken in a little.

This is literally less than a mile from my brother's place and sadly, this is the summer that we're taking a trip together instead of visiting them in CA. It looks like an awesome ride and the best part? That super long covered first drop. ;)

I stayed directly across the street from Great America a month ago. Saw the Gold Striker construction progress (as well as the 49ers new stadium, which was even more impressive). Unfortunately my company axed my whole department the very next week so I'm not sure if I'll get the chance to visit the Bay Area again anytime soon.

Looks like a really nice ride. I love the visual going up the lift of the tunnel mouth just waiting for you...

If you login to facebook they just posted another video shot from the Star Tower -- makes it look like a little model flying around the track.

https://www.facebook.com/cagreatamerica

Yeah, it looks good. It is a gci, and I've ridden a wood coaster made by them.

Some additional off-ride footage (after the same on-ride video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwnAFu5C498

and another slightly different POV from the chassis - perspective under the train

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9WIoDoOk0x0