Ah, vacation time. A chance to relax, recharge, get rested, and ride roller coasters! I went on a father daughter trip with 17-year-old Katie to Disneyland and Magic Mountain. Relaxing, no. Restful, hardly. Fun, definitely. The picture here is of the Goliath coaster in Magic Mountain, which features no corkscrew twists or looping upsidedown thrills, just SPEED. Advertised as an 85 mph ride, it did not disappoint, but I was definitely the oldest rider by a long shot. We felt the G-forces pulling at our faces as we hurtled down the track. I would have said that it was 200 mph if I had not been told otherwise. The slope shown in the photo seems much steeper, too, when the car points downward and accelerates toward the bottom.

Disneyland and California Adventure are always amazing, and the addition of interactive rides like Buzz Lightyear and Toy Story Mania make it even more fun than ever. We also signed up for a Segway tour through California Adventure before the park opened. This was a great trip all around.