If it were easier to pronounce, you could call it a "rellor retsaoc."
That's "roller coaster" backwards, and Six Flags Over Georgia is going forward with plans to make its Great American Scream Machine run backward beginning Saturday for a limited time.
"The Great American Scream Machine embodies all of the classic thrills Six Flags Over Georgia is known for in the Atlanta region," says park President Dale Kaetzel. "Now, coaster fans will be able to experience this beloved ride backward and the exhilarating sensation when you can't see the turns coming."
By the numbers
Six Flags Over Georgia’s Great American Scream Machine:› 3,800 — feet in length› 57 — fastest speed reached› 2 — minutes the ride lasts› 105 — its maximum height
The Great American Scream Machine has provided nearly 9 million rides since it debuted in 1973, the longest, fastest and tallest wooden roller coaster in the world at the time. Park officials say it has been several decades since the 45-year-old coaster previously ran backwards.
Robert Ulrich of Turtletown, Tennessee, says the year was 1992 and his first time "was a total surprise."
"While I had ridden the coaster a countless number of times before, the first time backward was like riding an unknown ride. When looking towards the rear, there was no clue when we crested the lift hill, and every other hill amazingly just dropped away. It was great fun, and I look forward to riding it backwards again."
Ulrich is a region director for American Coaster Enthusiasts, which has scheduled a Spring Fling at the park on April 7.
Riders screaming backwards on the coaster will encounter:
» A heart-pounding 105-foot reverse climb while staring straight down at the ground.
» An unsuspecting drop nearly 10 stories back-of-the-head first.
» Speeds of 57 miles per hour around tight curves backwards.
» More than 3,800 feet of track racing along the banks of the Chattahoochee River, none of which they'll see coming.
The backwards rides begin on opening day. Officials have not announced when the promotion will end.
The park will operate weekends through mid-May and daily March 31 through April 8 for spring break.
Closer to home, Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park will open May 3, but don't look for its signature coaster, the Cannon Ball, to try the same tricks.
"It's designed to go one way," says park spokeswoman Talley Rhodes Green, explaining that throwing the coaster into reverse would require more than a few mechanical adjustments.
"It's an out-and-back design, so we're just going to run it that way - out and back."
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.
Superlatives
The Great American Scream Machine was the longest, fastest and tallest wooden roller coaster in the world when it opened in 1973, say Six Flags officials. Other wooden coasters have now earned those superlatives, according to several online sources. (This list includes only wooden coasters, not steel structures.)› Longest: That would be The Beast at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, at 7,359 feet.› Fastest: The speedy prize goes to Lightning Rod at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. The world’s first launched wooden coaster reaches speeds of 73 mph.› Tallest: It’s a tie between T Express at Everland in South Korea and Wildfire at Kolmarden Wildlife Park in Sweden. Both are a towering 183.8 feet.