Weekend Update 10-29-11

Can someone please show me the way to the fountain of youth?

This weekend we went to the fair. Now, we were iffy about going at all because it's really a pretty penny for such a short time. But my wonderful husband took me as a present with his poker winnings :)

Anyway, we got there and the first ride we hopped on was the Gravitron. Now called the Starship or something like that. But to me it will always be the Gravitron. Anyway, basically you spin so fast that the centrifugal forces plaster you to the wall so you can climb it and such.
Que nausea. For both of us. No vomiting though. Just didn't feel great.

But we pushed through and got in line for the Wild Claw. This one is more heavy duty. Basically a gigantic swinging spinning claw. John laughed and screamed in delight. I had my eyes closed almost the entire time and did not say a word because I was trying not to puke. Oh the flips my stomach was doing. Butterflies MAJOR. As we got off John said "Wow, I genuinely don't feel good".

So we decided to do the gondola (Ferris) wheel for a break. Great for me, not so great for the husband who's afraid of heights.

John felt calmed enough to then get on "The Stinger". I knew just from watching it I could not handle it. Think Wild Claw on crack. This claw swings back and forth, then swings enough to make a complete loop. All while all the passengers are spinning around in a circle. Then at some point they "release" the seats and each individual cart of people (4) can flip head over heels should the gravitational forces get strong enough. And it whips you hard when you do. John advised me when he got off that it was good I did not ride it.

Then this part spins head over heels

While John was in line for the Stinger, I realized my phone was no longer in my pocket! Que trip to Wild Claw, not there. Ferris wheel, nothing. I was convinced my phone fell into the floor that opens up when Wild Claw swings and that I'd just lost $200. But, when we went to the Gravitron, the operator graciously looked behind the moving panels, and there it was! SO grateful!

So at this point we are both kind of admitting that we are old. Our bodies, stomachs and equilibriums just can't recover as easily from these types of escapades anymore.

But wanting to get our $20 worth, we tried a few more. Even the Tilt-a-Whirl was butterfly inducing. We decided to try one more "big" ride.

This one did not take any huge swings while throwing your body in all directions. It simply lift the claw into the air, tilted it, then spun you around and flipped you head over heels. I thought I could handle it since it would not induce butterflies. I actually enjoyed it. I did close my eyes but I was screaming and laughing the whole time.

Want to know what added laughing to the screaming? Well, each arm hold 4 people. We got on with a young girl and her dad. The way the seats are designed is to go under your bum just a tad, but not a full seat, and then a bump in the middle to keep your legs fitted in tight. The a big harness (padded) that comes down over the shoulders and chest. Well right away both men (John and "dad") are like. "Man, this is kinda uncomfortable". I was like, put your feet down. Well John could put his feet down but he could not really stand because the shoulder harness was not long enough to allow him to. So the ride starts, lifting us up. And from how John describes it, it was like being picked up by "the goods" and then "corn dogged" from the front. For like 2 minutes. Then other man was screaming too. We were all screaming and laughing. I saw the "dad" kinda limp off the ride like he had a mattress between his legs. I could not help but die laughing for a few minutes after we got off. Because John was making funny remarks about what just happened, and because I have a horrible habit at laughing at accidents or freak injuries. Like falling. Or running into something.

I know, I'm awful.

I think after that we rode one more, the Tidal Wave. Like the Himalaya only the carts are separated and tilt a little. It was kinda jerky.

Then John was done. He could not take any more jarring and I could not take any more nausea. As we walked around the kids area and petting zoo browsing, we mourned the loss of another part of our youth.
As a kid I was too scared to ride anything that went high, upside down or was scary. Then for a few years I got to the point where I let go of those fears and rode almost anything. Now I'm not afraid, but I feel sick on them. Maybe someday I can dry again, with lots of Dramamine on board. But I guess it's just another sign I'm not 18 anymore :(

But at least next  year we'll save $30. Because I don't think we'll be doing that again.