Every year, hundreds to thousands of people are compelled to answer something that's calling them--something that pleas for their attention; something that happens once a year. People are tempted to enter the trap site that we today call the fair, and why not? There are so many things to do at the fair such as look at the animals, listen to live musical performances, enjoy delicious fair food, and let's not forget one of the biggest attractions at the fair--the fair rides! What makes the rides so special is because each ride is different and certain people fall in love with certain rides while others can sometimes make that person sick. Another great thing is the separation between the kiddie rides and all the others so that the children don't have to walk very far to get to another beloved ride or get trampled on by those who are getting in line for a ride such as the Musik Express. Never been on a ride or don't have a clue what to ride? Well, have no fear because in this article I'm going to share details of the rides that may not just be found at the Wayne County Fair, but possibly other fairs across America as well.
Let's start with the kiddie rides. Most of the rides are only for children under a certain height, but a few rides that allow all sizes are the Fun Slide, the Crazy Bus, the Carousel or Merry-Go-Round, and Charlie Choppers. The crazy bus is a child version of Typhoon, except instead of handle bars, the lock over one's torso there are gates that allow four to five passengers stay in their seat and not fall out from the side. The best time to go down the Fun Slide is when they slick it up. What I mean by that is the carnies spray down the slide with a super slick material that guarantee for a fair three way race. Riders can ride down in a sack solo or the younger ones can ride with an adult, making it not only safe, but fun for them as well. The Carousel's motion may spin in circles, but the slow and gentleness of this ride does not cause motion sickness and includes benches for those who wish not or can not ride on top of the horses or whatever animal is depicted on the ride. As for Charlie Choppers, there are four helicopters with one steering wheel and buttons in the front with two steering wheels in the back. There are no seat belts, but just like the Crazy Bus, there is a gate that shuts and locks to keep riders safe on the inside. The only problem is the height limit is for those over 36 inches.
The rest of the kiddie rides go as followed:
-The Wave is jet skis riding over bumps that depict the wave motion. Children 56 inches and under are allowed to ride this ride.
- Sports Cars is a pattern of cars with two seats and two motorcycles side-by-side, going at a little faster speed than most kiddie rides. Children 56 inches and under are allowed to ride this ride.
-Motorcycle Jump is depicted by a set of motorcycles and seat belts with one hill that's a little larger to the children. Children 56 inches and under can ride this ride.
-Kangaroos is a ride with colored kangaroos with seat belts. The children can move the handle bars to determine whether they want to stay in the air, stay on the ground, or just bounce around like a kangaroo. Children 56 inches and under can ride this ride.
-Batfighter is depicted by Bat Mobiles with two row seating and seat belts. There is a gun pointed to the front in the front and a gun pointed to the back in the back so children can "shoot each other", or if they are like five-year-old me, then they would try to shoot their parents and siblings. Children 56 inches and under can ride this ride.
-Apple Worm is depicted by green worms that rotate around a giant red apple with a worm popping out. The worms include two rows of seats followed by seat belts. Children 48 inches and under are allowed to ride this ride.
-The Frog Hopper is a single row of separated seats connected to a frog, including heavy-duty seat belts. The children will bounce up and down into the air and make their way back to the ground. This ride is for children, but the only thing I could find height-wise was for children over 36 inches; however, adults and teens are unable to ride this ride.
Then there are those rides made for older children and adults such as:
-The Scrambler, which put smaller people on the inside to squish those sitting on the outside. It is not recommended for those who get motion sickness.
-Typhoon is a larger version of the Crazy Bus. The Typhoon is a ship crashing into deadly sea waves as it travels high in a spinning motion. Riders are strapped down by single passenger bars that lock down on the torso and up. This ride is not recommended for those who do not enjoy heights and get motion sickness.
-Cliff Hangers are gliders that hold three people as the bars come across the top and hold people in place as well as stops in the middle of the seat, so the riders don't slip out from behind. Hold on to the the bars in front for riders not only go up into the air, but get tilted at what seems to be a 45 degree angle. This ride is recommended. (This ride at the Wayne County Fair has been repainted.)
-Down Draft, which is depicted by flames has two rows where the front row seats three and the back row seats two. The passengers are clipped in by bars and get thrown into the air in a circular motion. This ride can get tougher the older it becomes, so it is not recommended to ride depending on how old it is, and it is not recommended for those who get motion sickness. (This ride at the Wayne County Fair has been repainted.)
-Catch-N-Air is a ride that is suppose to represent a skater jumping in the air, but consists of eight carts that carry four riders each. The riders are to wear buckle-down lock bars for safety measures as they bounce not too high, but hard into the air with a soft landing down going forward, then it's the complete opposite going backwards. This ride is not recommended for those who get motion sickness.
-Pharaoh's Fury is an old but good ride where passengers are in a boat with a pharaoh's head on each end and bars that come down and lock above the riders lap. The boat travels in a rocking motion, and it is recommended to sit in the middle of the boat for those who do not enjoy heights.
-Zero Gravity is a sideways spinning ride that practically trap passengers to the wall even after the belt is strapped to the bar and passengers hold onto the handle bars. This ride is not recommended for those who get motion sickness.
Notice I didn't name off all the rides. Some rides are only made for those who are either teens (or almost teens) and adults because of the height limit. Rides such as Musik Express, Super Shot, and Top Gun require a height of 52 inches due to the intensity of the ride. Musik Express travels at high speeds, going forwards and backwards as well as squishing those who sit on the outside of the cart. Music plays, and a new feature that was added at night are strobe lights and a fog machine. This ride is not recommended for those who get motion sickness and for those with asthma during the evening. Super Shot is about as tall as the Ferris Wheel, traveling upward at a slow speed, but crashing to the ground and stopping only mere inches from the bottom. This ride is not recommended for those who get motion sickness and those who do not enjoy heights. Top Gun is almost like Typhoon, except the bars are also to be clipped in as seat belts with gates on the side for extra protection. Instead of traveling side to side, riders travel front to back, and I mean front to back since the ride goes backwards for both sides of the ride.
Finally, there are the winners of the fairs every year. The two rides that people of all ages love the most: Scooter Bumper Cars and the Ferris Wheel. Bumper Cars can be compared to a demolition derby, except it's safe. Riders must be over 42 inches, and drivers must be at least 48 inches. As for the Ferris Wheel, I don't think I need to describe what that is. I would like to say that the best time to ride this is at night when the lights are all on, and there's a clear view of the town with all its lights and glory. It is not recommended for those who do not enjoy heights. How many of these rides sound tempting now?
