Day 61 of 1000
The wildest ride Lorena ever let the kids take at the Linn County Fair in Albany, Oregon was the Ferris Wheel and that required a lot of whining and complaining. So when we walked by the Fireball at the North Carolina State Fair, Lorena was aghast when I told Christian we ought to take that one. Back from my carnival riding days, I remembered that I could handle the rides that made me go end over end much better than I could handle the spinning rides. Every spinning ride always made me sick. I remember getting sick on the Teacup ride at Disneyland back in about 1973 with my cousins Ann and Neil. It almost wrecked the day.
Still, I had a good level of confidence that I could handle the Fireball. I was wrong. The Fireball is a vertical circle with cars that swing back and forth until they eventually do a complete loop or three around the inside of the circle. Then the go the other direction and do a couple of completes in the other direction. We convinced Lorena that we should go on this ride, bought our tickets, then boarded the Fireball. I was good for the first half of the ride. Christian said he wondered why he agreed to do this with me for the first half of the ride, then got calibrated and really enjoyed the second half of the ride–he plans to do it again next year.
It was the great for the first half of the ride. I screamed, waved my arms in the air and thoroughly enjoyed myself. About half way through the ride I got that sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach and knew I had only about a 50/50 chance of not vomiting on everyone before the ride finished. I hung on for dear life through the loop the loops after the swinging was over than breathed hard to get as much oxygen as possible through the loop the loop the opposite direction. I threw off the seat-belt and restraining apparatus as soon as it was freed to run out to one of those pristine, clean port-a-potties you only find at state and county fairs to relieve myself of my breakfast.
Still, Lorena was able to record my LAST carnival ride for posterity. Here it is:
Just not worth it. 🙂
In California we have had the sick feeling for days – the rides are free – they are earthquakes
Trisha
🙂 That is awesome 🙂 I smiled through that whole commentary!
Yeah, I know that California feeling–been through it and as a non-California, it was definitely a queasy event. As for the “not worth it” thing, I have been trying to convince Christian of that, but he is ready to go again. And, at least it made Trisha smile!
Ken, You are a brave soul! Hope your inner ear has found its equilibrium again! Just THINKING about those rides makes my head spin and stomach churn…..
I was queasy until Sunday afternoon. If Lucia ever learns to like spinning, rotating, turning rides, maybe her motorcycle riding grandpa is prepared to take her on them without getting sick.
Good for you! A fair visit isn’t complete if it doesn’t include getting sick on a rattling deathtrap. If you return next year, be sure to get a hot biscuit from the State Farmer’s Market Restaurant food truck (after the rides, of course).
By the way, Lorena took an excellent picture. The major theme parks charge big bucks for stills of that quality.
Thanks Andrew. Lorena never ride on anything more than the Ferris Wheel and the Merry-Go-Round, so I thought it was about time. No I am sleeping on the porch and remain queasy after that traumatic event. We DID, however, get a couple of excellent pictures. You are right, though–to get the full experience I should have eaten at the food truck (after or before I went into the pristine port-a-potties would not have mattered.)