Riding the kiddie cars. The boy in front was so sweet to her, telling her everything she needed to know! And unbuckled her at the end and helped her out- chivalry is not dead, people!
Ahhh... who doesn't love a good carnival? (Well, John still calls them death traps, but I still love 'em!) Every year Newport has one down at First Beach and well, ya, it's a pretty sketchy one..... but what carnival isn't?! (I think the words "just got out of prison" were said a few times.) It's part of it's charm. Sadie had never been to one so we took her down, not sure if she would like it or not. When we found out that they wouldn't allow adults on the kiddie rides, I thought that was the end of it. She would never just go on a ride without me. Not my timid girl. Or would she? Apparently she would! I was shocked and very proud of her bravery for going on rides she had never been on and all by herself! We happened to find one tame ride that I could go on with her and that had her hooked. After that, she couldn't be stopped! She had a blast.
Riding the train all by herself like a big girl.
Amusement parks always make me think of my Dad. And this one was no exception. They had two rides that made me think of him. The first was the "Polar Express", the one where the cars whip around and around at lightening speed with ridiculously loud music- I used to LOVE that one when I was a kid! You would yell "FASTER! FASTER!" at the guy running it and he would, so much fun! My Mom gets motion sickness by simply looking at a ride, but my Dad loved them and would take me on everything. One time on that particular ride, he sat down on the inside and I sat down on the outside, and we realized our mistake as the ride went faster and faster and centrifugal force kept pulling my Dad to the outside (to me)...... so the 230 lb man used all his strength not to crush an 80 lb kid the whole ride. :)
The Polar Express hasn't changed much......
The other ride was the Zipper. Although this ride doesn't look like much, it packs a punch! It goes around and around at the same time your cart is spinning crazy around and around. I remember my Dad's pockets emptying out during that ride, spilling his wallet, keys, chapstick (he was never without one), it's a crazy ride! Thankfully the cage caught everything but the chapstick :) I just have such fun memories of my Dad taking me to Riverside Park as a kid every year, he was such a kid himself when he went there and he would go on everything. That's all..... just a little stroll down memory lane!
3 comments:
A stroll down a carnival memory lane is a fabulous thing, especially when remembering your dad! So glad you guys had fun with Sadie. Next year, we should plan on going to Six Flags or something while we are visiting. My kids will still be young enough to enjoy the kiddie rides, and Sadie will just be getting into that stuff. Hmmmm, let's start planning! :)
I'm so glad you posted the pics, because I couldn't picture what ride the Polar Express was...as soon as I saw it, I'm like, "OH ya, THAT one!" I too remember Dad trying not to crush me from the centrifugal force of that ride, and I remember one ride where his pockets (chapstick and all!) spilled out when we went upside down, and he had to make them stop the ride cos I was crying!! (I was real little!)That memory is making me a little teary right now.
Love that Sadie went on those rides all independent-like. :-) What a doll. Love you both!
THE MATTERHORN!! Isn't that what it was called at Riverside instead of the Polar Express???
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