We wait in line, get across town, wait in line to get through the gate, follow the line of vehicles around the dirt trail, out to the old field, and finally find the parking spot for us.
Check list - money, sunglasses, coat, camera, chap stick, gum, cell phone, keys, tickets for wrist-band. Now, that's just for me, when the kids were little, the list went on and on...
For the last couple years, it hasn't been such an exciting idea, but when I was a kid, the fair was second only to Christmas. Our family was involved in 4-H. We took livestock, wood working, crops, ceremics, cooking, etc. It was fun trying the different craft and hobby projects. One year, I even sewed an outfit - I started it, but I'm pretty sure Mom's stitches held it together. We'd get our projects displayed and judged, then, we were off to the rides! When I was in my early teens, we spent as much time there as our parents would allow. We saved up all summer, and spent most of our hard earned money right there.
I still can’t believe the torture my body withstood – corn dogs for lunch, french fries and elephant ears for supper, and riding rides until they shut them down. One of my favorite rides was called the zipper – it was like the ferris wheel, only the wheel wasn’t round, and each car flipped over frontwards, or backwards as it pleased as the track went faster and faster. We were strapped in, and our little cage had bars to hang on to as we flipped over and screamed. The last time I rode it, our door wasn’t latched tight – each flip, it seemed to open a little bit more. My screams to the carny were covered by all the screams from the other riders, so he was oblivious, and I was petrified! We did make it to the end, I told him we almost died, and he laughed! Go figure – he didn’t take me seriously and shut down the ride right then. Well, the perfect ride wasn’t so perfect after that… I still like the scrambler, and tilt-a-whirl – they stay close to the ground, no need for a roll bar.
One year, Phil and I took 6 kids to the fair. We had a double stroller and wagon. What a workout! We started the adventure like Mom and Dad did with us. We would go through the animal barns, craft barns, got some food, ride the rides, then drag back to the van and collapse! We had a plan, but the plan didn’t include rain. We made it halfway to the rides, and the flood gates burst! Trying to get our little train through the crowd was an effort, then with the rain, the wheels got stuck in the mud. The kids cried, the rides got shut down and we called it a night. I’m so thankful we didn’t wait until the last day, and that my husband was brave enough for part two of the adventure. We didn’t take any chances, we went straight to the rides. After we survived that, it was time for food. Whew! Sometimes, making a memory wears me out!
We have plans to go tomorrow with our younger two boys, daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. It’s not supposed to rain, but we’ll probably ride rides first just in case. :)
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