Had myself a Ferris Wheel ride today

I had business in Detroit Lakes today, like returning the clock that didn’t work to Wal-Mart.  There was someone at the jewelry stand today, so I had them take a couple of links out of the band of the wristwatch I bought last week.  Then I got a haircut from a ‘not so nice’ young Minnesotan lady.  Tried to buy a new tie out for Emma before she breaks the one she is on and heads for the hills.  No luck.  It’s on order.  Yeah, right.  I just don’t like shopping at Wal-Mart. 

Anyway, then it was on to Fargo, ND, to pick up an order I had made.  Steve, the other volunteer, had told me about an interesting store in Fargo, so I found my way there.  It’s name is Scheels, and is something like a Cabellas.  It’s a sporting goods store, and I wanted to buy one of those new fangled pair of pants where you can zip off the bottoms of the legs and end up with a pair of shorts.  Lots of people wear them, so I thought I’d give a pair a try instead of my standard blue jeans.

The first thing I noticed  on the outside of Scheels were the bronze Presidential statues.  They were quite well done.  If you needed a rest, you could sit with a President.

There were also wax Presidential figures lining the second story of this store. In my opinion, they were not as well done as the bronze statues.  I’ll let you figure out who all these famous presidents are, or perhaps you could ask Sandie of Where are the Dixons Today.  She’s been posting a couple of US history quizzes lately in honor of the July 4th holiday.

After finding a new pair of pants, I had to take a ride on this in store Ferris Wheel.  I enjoy Ferris Wheels almost as much as I enjoy roller coasters, and for a buck, I decided to go for it.  I was the only one on the ride.  When it ended, the young attendant asked if I had enjoyed my ride.  My answer to her was, “Life is too short to pass up a ride on a Ferris wheel!” 

It transported me back in time to when I was a young girl, and road the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) to Riverview Amusement Park.  My two favorite rides were the roller coasters and the Ferris wheel.  Does anyone else remember ‘The Bobs’?  I think it was 10 cents for the first ride, and then you could stay on board for a nickel to do it again.  I spent at least a quarter each time I got on The Bobs!  Big money in those days.

I’d sneak off with ‘Stinky Steiny’, the boy two doors down whose real name was Allen Steinhoffle,and we’d hop a bus for 12 cents to head to Riverview.  We’d ignore all the carnies trying to guess your weight and such and head straight for the roller coasters.  I thought I was pulling a fast one on my mother, but she probably guessed where I had been when a gold fish would suddenly appear that I had won from tossing a ping-pong ball into a tiny glass fishbowl.  Riverview Park is long gone now, but I sure have fond memories of it, including a ride on the parachute jump with my older brother, Carl.  I wasn’t very big at that time, and I’m sure I would have floated away if I hadn’t held on to him.  No safety restraints in those days…

Well now, after that side trip down memory lane, back to Scheels.  There’s also this float plane suspended in the mezzanine next to the Ferris wheel.  I guess they’ve been in business for some time.  I’d just never heard of them before.

I got a hoot out of a sign section they had in the store.  Not enough of a hoot to buy anything, mind you, but worth a chuckle just the same.  These were a few of my favorites.  Haven’t lost any teeth lately, so I’m still smiling.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy