F is for ...

FERRIS WHEELS

“Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina at the State Fair…” – words that ring near and dear to my heart especially during the month of October. As everyone ought to know, I absolutely love and adore the North Carolina State Fair. If they had a Fair Queen title, I should seriously be in the running for that. But, I won’t make this blog entry about my love for the Fair, as that will likely come in a later post.

When you first enter the grounds of the State Fairgrounds or any local carnival or big event that may come to your hometown where rides are involved, aside from being overwhelmed with the variety of fragrant smells that we inhale, we also encounter a variety of the sights. We see an assortment of vendors with foods for sale, games to play, and exhibits to see, but if we look far enough in to the horizon, we are bound to see one of the all-time greatest entertainment inventions, the Ferris wheel!

Ferris wheels come in all sizes, colors and even designs. I remember the first Ferris wheel I ever rode had more of the bucket type, rocking seats, and that absolutely scared me to death – between the seats rocking and the actual wheel itself being somewhat unstable, I was absolutely certain I was going to die (of course, I was probably only a wee little thing and anything would scare me at that age). But, as I got older, the more the thrill-seeker side of me came to fruition and proved that while I do like Ferris wheels, I would prefer a rollercoaster any day! That being said, it does not mean I don’t ride the Ferris wheels at the State Fair each year or at Dollywood or any other place that might have one.

Ferris wheels provide you with a view of nearly everything. It’s the perfect invention for any good Southern person – it allows you to soar up above and be the good nosey, whoops, I mean observant, people that we are. I particularly like to see what is going on down below and scout out the places I want to see next, but other times, I just like to ride it for the relaxation and allow the cool breeze for infiltrate me. However, I will even admit that though I am not fearful of heights, when you are literally sitting on the top of the wheel, suspended countless feet off the ground, a little creeping feeling enters my stomach, so I immediately have to distract my thoughts.

When you think about it, it is truly amazing that something that looks so simple yet complex can carry the weight of that many people to view anything and everything from above. And then to think about the double-decker wheel, holy cow – let me not even begin to ponder the intricacies of that doohicky! I have ridden one only once in my life and that was enough for me!!

A Ferris wheel is truly an interesting concept and one that has provided entertainment and enjoyment, and I am sure a lot of freak-out moments, for millions worldwide. My next goal is to ride one of the Sky Wheels in either Myrtle Beach or Pigeon Forge – the super high wheel yet contains enclosed seating. I think that should be very exciting. And, maybe one day, I shall cross the pond and head over to London and take a ride on the Eye. Now that would be an amazing experience. I highly encourage everyone to take a trek high in the sky on a wheel and check out all the sights below (or colors, if you are riding at night). Sure, things might be a little rocky at first but just sit still, hang on tight and enjoy the scenic sights that surround you! Keep Calm and Breathe On!