Sunday, September 25, 2005

County Fair

We had barely gotten over all the excitement from our only-four-days-apart birthdays, when it was time for the county fair.



Several years ago I discovered - all of the sudden - while I was actually on one - that I didn't really like rides anymore.

But I thought it would be fun to try nighttime photography.



This one is called Wipeout. It also does this:



No, thanks.

Hey, is that Cyclops from the X-Men?



People seemed excited to get aboard "The Tornado".



There was a lot of high-pitched squealing and loud whooping. But the line was very long, so the ride was very short. I think the people were too dizzy to complain about being short-changed.



More my speed nowdays:



We're having several of the real version of this throughout Alabama this afternoon, thanks to storm bands from Hurricane Rita.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have wanted to go to the fair since I moved here and have not had the chance yet. I said this year we're going! but I've been to busy trying to get ready for my 2nd Anniv. show next Sat. Well, maybe next year!

Anonymous said...

Wow. I'm a little dizzy just looking at the pics.

swamp4me said...

Several years ago I, too, discovered I no longer enjoyed rides while I was on one. What a bummer :)

Ontario Wanderer said...

Your night shots are great! I think you, and I at least, are enjoying the rides even more with your photos than actually being on the rides.

Rurality said...

You must go next year! It's a blast.

Yes, I think I much prefer taking pictures of rides now, rather than being on them. I became a big scaredy-cat in my old age!

Lorianne said...

Oh, these pix make we wish I'd stayed at our fair after dark. But since I'd run out of camera batteries by then, I guess I'll wait until next year, enjoying YOUR pictures in the meantime.

Did you do anything special to get good nighttime shots?

Rurality said...

Thanks - no, nothing special... I was kind of surprised that the camera cooperated, to tell you the truth! It usually takes such grainy pictures in low light. But I guess the lights of the rides were enough. I did have to brighten some of them up and fiddle with the contrast, etc. in "post production". :)

Marie said...

Hey Great Shots of the County Fair. Wish we had one.

Anonymous said...

Great pix! Was that a 'Moon and Stars' watermelon?

I haven't been to a county fair in years, and we have lots of them to choose from, as there are a lot of county seats within an hour's drive of us. Last one I remember was the Marin County Fair. There were 4-H bunnies and chickens, a petting zoo with a giant anteater (who'd been de-clawed, arrgh) and other critters, and a monster-model-making competition sponsored by Industrial Light & Magic. Well, that's what they grow in Marin County.

Carousels and Ferris wheels are about my speed too. I think the other rides have to tread a fine line between giving people a thrill for their fare and stopping before anybody throws up on the other passengers.

Rurality said...

Ron, I'm not sure about the watermelon, but it sure looks like it could be. (I hadn't heard of that one before but I looked it up.) Wish I could have gotten a good shot of the caveman club gourd! But it was in a bad spot, and we weren't supposed to touch the exhibits.