Rogue Valley Mall Carnival 2017 in Medford, Oregon
Davis Shows Northwest is hosting their annual carnival at the Rogue Valley Mall in Medford, Oregon. I missed it last year because time flies and I forgot all about it. In fact, I almost missed it this year but I managed to arrive at the carnival just in time, even though it was dark outside and the carnival was getting ready to close down for the night. But I had and hour to stroll through the midway and take in the mesmerizing atmosphere complete with the anguished screams of children and the blinding lights of the rides and the roaring of the machinery that powers them.
I decided to ride the Ferris Wheel again. It was so late that only two of the gondolas on the wheel were occupied. Perhaps for this reason, the ride operator elected to rotate the wheel at its maximum speed. The last time I rode the wheel I recall a gentle, relaxing ride that lasted over ten minutes. This time around it was the Wheel from Hell. It didn't take long after the wheel started rotating before I became dizzy and nauseous. Once my gondola reached the top, the wheel came to a dead stop and the gondola violently rocked back and forth so much I thought I was going to fall out. Then the wheel cranked up again and I sank like a stone, my butt actually rose off the seat. I must've been pulling at least 10 G's and we were going so fast I think I may have actually travelled forward through time for about one second. I had a white knuckle grip on the center pole and whatever part of the gondola that I could latch on to. The entire time I was begging Jesus Christ for forgiveness. Fortunately the ride lasted less than five minutes. Never Again.
After being traumatized for life by that spinning wheel of death that is the Ferris Wheel, I immediately set out to self medicate; first by drowning my sorrows at the concessions stand. But this was a problem even cotton candy couldn't solve. So, I headed over to my port in the storm, my best friend, my secret lover--In-N-Out Burger.
Once that Double-Double touched my lips I was instantly catapulted into a state of euphoria that I'm quite certain is better than sexual release. In fact, that might have been achieved as well. Its the perfect ending to a literal rollercoaster of emotions including surprise, disappointment, abject fear and unbridled joy.