Adios, AstroWorld

A childhood landmark of mine will soon vanish: AstroWorld officials announced that the theme park will close at the end of this season (Sunday, October 30).

As a young kid growing up in Southwest Louisiana, AstroWorld was an annual vacation destination for my middle-class family in the late 70's and early 80's. Every year, we'd load up the car, spend a few days in Houston and overpay for concession stand food. It was always hot and the lines for rides were always long, but I loved it. My first real rollercoaster ride was on the Texas Cyclone, at the time the largest wooden rollercoaster in the country. That first time was terrifying, and I was forced to ride it twice in a row, because the ride operator didn't make it down to my end of the train to release the lap bar holding us in. Greezed Lighting was much better, because of all of the girls lined up to ride it.

My last visit to AstroWorld was in college, and I realized then how much it sucked. It had become pretty dirty and run-down (maybe it always was and I just never noticed as a kid or teenager). Of course, it didn't help that on that last visit I lost a contact lense on the way into the park and spent the whole day walking around with one blind eye.

In any case, thanks for the memories, AstroWorld. And thanks for the giant foam cowboy hat.